The Old Farm - A Memoir

What follows is my mother's recollection of her summer days at The Old Farm, her family's first summer home near Blairstown, New Jersey. Although her family sold the property when she was nine years old, she fondly recalled those days until the end of her life at age 84. 

She presented her story on 31 handwritten pages, which my uncle recently shared with me. I am guessing that she wrote this sometime in the early to mid-1990s, as she mentions it had been 50 years since she summered at the Old Farm. I feel fortunate that she left these memories, and I enjoyed preserving her story. 

I added the headings. They were not part of the original story.

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The Shortcomings of American Know-How

My Swedish friend 

Å

sa says that European companies like to hire people from the United States because they possess "American Know-How."

Citizen Diplomacy in the Bozone

This fall, Mike and I volunteered to be the "Friendship Family" for two members of the T.E.A. (Teaching Excellence and Achievement) group that was recently in Bozeman. Our guests were Mali, a chemistry teacher from Laos and Tatjana, an English teacher from Belarus.

T.E.A. is a Fulbright program bringing teachers from around the world to the United States to learn about different teaching methodologies and about American culture. Our job as their hosts was to give them the chance to experience American culture first-hand through everyday activities. It was a great way for us to find out more about other cultures and get a different perspective on the place we call home.

Bozeman Restaurant & Retail Comings & Goings - Fall 2023

If you’re a local and haven’t made it out in a while, an MSU alumni wondering what happened to your beloved college town, or if you’re reading from afar dreaming of your next trip to (or possibly even moving to) Bozeman, here is the latest.

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Thermal Magic in Yellowstone

For those living far from Yellowstone, a trip to the park can be the highlight of the year. For Bozemanites like myself, who have two park entrances within 90 miles of home, Yellowstone is one of many nearby outdoor playgrounds. With wildlife, sweeping vistas, thermal areas, mountains, rivers, and more, there is an almost endless landscape to explore. At the same time, summertime crowds and the stop-and-go-traffic are a hassle making it is easy to get jaded about the park. With several mountain ranges an easy drive from Bozeman many locals avoid the chaos of Yellowstone in the summer. I had long done the same but over the past handful of years, I have developed a fondness for backpacking in the park.

The National Park Service estimates that 98% of Yellowstone’s four million+ annual visitors never explore further than half a mile from their car. With over 900 miles of trails and over 290 backcountry camp spots, it’s easy to get away from the crowds. My most recent trip in August was the first time I backpacked beyond Yellowstone’s marked trails to a land few people visit. I came away with an even deeper appreciation for the park, its special features, and how lucky I am to have it close to home. Yellowstone is popular for a reason, but those wishing to put in the time and travel beyond the known will be rewarded for their efforts.

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Bike Commuting in Bozeman - Okay or Crazy? (Plus Seven Top Tips)

This post focuses on biking to commute to work, social events, grocery shopping, errands, etc., not recreational biking.

I'm curious to hear your opinions, tips, and resources for bike commuters. Leave them in the comments section of this post (You can post anonymously without an account) or send me a message using the Get in Touch form on the upper left of my homepage.

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A Moment in Mostar

Here is one that got lost in my drafts folder. It's a quick sketch of a night in Mostar, Bosnia during our Croatia and Bosnia trip last summer.

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Montenegro - Ten Days & Ten Photos

Here's the write up on the second part of my trip. Once again, I challenged myself to tell the story using just ten photos.

Click here to read about the first part of the trip, which was to Austria

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Austria, Spring 2023 - Photos & Narrative

Rather than plopping a bunch of photos on social media, I thought I'd write about my most recent trip to Europe here. I challenged myself to using only ten photos to tell the story. 

Please read to the bottom as I need your insight on spritzes, lederhosen, and dirndls. You can leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post. (No login required.)

It was a two-part trip so there will be another post.

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The A-List Shops - Whole Foods Bozeman

Courtesy Bozeman Daily Chronicle

For a town its size, Bozeman manages to have an extraordinary number of grocery stores. Depending on how you count, there are at least a dozen places to buy food. In February, Whole Foods opened a store in Bozeman, its first in Montana.

Locally, there was a lot of anticipation both good and bad about Whole Foods. Several weeks after the store opened, I stopped by to find out what the hub-bub was about. I was also curious to see if the chain lived up to its earned nickname Whole Paycheck. Here's what I learned.

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How to Become Unelectable in Bozeman

Jon Tester recently announced that he will run for senate again in 2024. I am glad he's still willing to fight for opportunity for all Montanans. A farmer and former music teacher, Jon is known for his down-home manner. His centrist approach makes him appealing to both rural and urban Montanans, and he is currently the only farmer in the senate.

This has gotten me thinking about what it takes to to be elected to public office. In the past 40+ years, an actor (Ronald Regan), a body builder (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a professional wrestler (Jessie Ventura), and a sleazy real estate developer have all landed in high offices in the United States so in some ways it seems anyone could do it. 

Like many people in Bozeman, I find myself lamenting the state of local and Montana politics and the lack of progressive thinking from the people who find themselves in office. Maybe I should run? I like to think of myself as someone who has the skillset to become a city commissioner or member of the state legislature, the ability to listen to others, and the willingness to build rapport and work with others to make changes that impact the city or state. 

After 17+ years in Bozeman I still  have not run. Why you ask? There is no question about it... I have made myself unelectable in Bozeman. Here's why.

Bozeman Restaurant News - February 2023

The latest restaurant news from Bozeman, Montana and a few thoughts.

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2022-2023 Snow Stats

A good ski season is measured by an unknowable recipe of snow, temperature, sun, and wind. Since Bozeman's Steenburgh Winter comes today, it's time to take a look at where we stand with ski conditions. Below is a running list of conditions at a few select ski areas and some thoughts on this year's winter.

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The Essence of Bozeman

Deconstructing Bozeman - Part Two

Essence – noun
From Latin, esse, to be 

The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character. 

Travel magazine editors ask writers to capture the “essence” of a place. Even well-regarded publications like National Geographic Traveler include the following in their writers’ guidelines, (Emphasis added) “Thank you for your interest in contributing to National Geographic Traveler… a Traveler story must capture a place's essence in a way that inspires readers to follow in the writer's footsteps…” 

What is the essence of any place? Is it possible to write about a place’s essence without sounding trite or cliché? After years of being just another pretty face in the crowd, Bozeman, my home since 2005, is getting noticed and the population has exploded. There's no doubt Bozeman's essence is changing.

Given its rise in popularity as a place to live and visit, magazines and newspapers are eager to write about Bozeman. Travel writing is intended to “sell” a location so it’s not surprising that only the pretty points of Bozeman are featured. But many people are visiting and moving here, often influenced by what they read, so I want to add my voice to the conversation as a 17+ year resident. 

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My Path to Bozeman

Deconstructing Bozeman - Part One
One Perspective on Living in an "It" Town

Here is the story of my path to Bozeman and some thoughts about living in one of the West’s most popular “It” Towns. Feel free to add to the conversation by posting in the comments. You can do so anonymously but please be civil.

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Bozeman Development - The Series

A series on Bozeman development

Note: This was created in 2017 as a mulit-part series. I have built this landing page with all of the links as I have added to the original series and will continue to post more.

Deconstructing Bozeman - The Series

All links to pieces in the series will be posted here.