June "Rendezvous" in Montana. A Soferdig welcome.

Have a great time you all and drink a toast to us when you're sitting at the hot springs listening to music.

A very good time was had by all. Steve and Karen are fabulous hosts and treated us all to a great dinner last night. Seafood stew, battered and fried fish (it was delicious), Julie and Sharon's always yummy beans, dips and appetizers galore, a really good potato dish that my picky eater son (we brought his own tv dinner with us) even liked (so I'll be needing that recipe for sure), and more. It was all very yummy.

Steve's garden is amazing, but you all know that from the photos over the years. Up close and personal it's even more amazing. And much of it is on sloped land, which makes it all the harder to do.

They obviously have a very good eye because everything just blends beautifully. I was skeptical about the dead woodpecker tree but it looks like it's always been there and is the perfect piece of living art -- well I guess dead art.

Here's a pic looking back up the hill toward the back of their house showing Steve's dead art.

This message was edited Jun 20, 2010 10:57 PM

Yes our guests were fun and very helpful. I started dinner with a little hypoglycemia from Sharon and Julie making me hike to the tops of the mountains of Glacier. Out trip to Avalanche Lake was memorable. Lots and lots of waterfalls and icefields with a georgeous lake below.

We being gardeners took our garden tools to the lake so we could share in natures enhancement of our presence. This pictures depicts the garden tool that enhanced our experience in nature.

Glacier was kind and allowed us massive hydrolics at the many beautiful falls along McDonald Creek.

This is the falls.

McDonald Lake smoothed out for us to swat a few friendly flies at the Lodge. They were very slow and I suggested we take some home for dinner but the consenses was to allow them their domain.

This looks like a fabulous time both in nature's majestic garden and Steve's beautiful home place. While you were on your hiking marathons, I have been on my seasonal report card marathon (not nearly so fun). You all appear happy and relaxed. It's good to see the pictures. I'm sure more will be on the way.

Our weekend started with dinner and a visit to Flathead Lake. This is the area that Karen and I had our wedding exactly 12 years ago. Today we relaxed and shared our day together. It was nice.

A collage of McDonald Creek enjoying the sun and friends.

McDonald Lake and lodge.

Last a collage of Avalanche Lake.

A walk around the house this morning before everyone left.

Thank you all for coming and the fun we had. I have one more day before I leave on my bike for the wet cold north. I hope I can take the rain and cold expected on my motorcycle that is predicited. Packing my long johns and dry suit for the 1250miles to Prince Rupert. Sharon I will get the prints to you when I get back or maybe Karen can mail it. Plan on watching the other pictures on my IPhone.

AWESOME pics!!! Have a safe trip, Steve, and as dry as it can possibly be.

Julie, Lynn and I arrived safely back home about 8 pm last evening. We have not had a chance to even look at our pictures, much less start sharing them. When we do, Julie plans to start a new thread as we have lots and lots.

Steve and Karen were absolutely wonderful as host and hostess. Their home and yard are beautiful, which we will be able to share with you in pictures in the next few days. We sure wish we had been able to stay longer and enjoy even more but, alas, work would not allow that.

Steve, your collages are a fantastic way to give a quick snapshot of our good times and the beauty we experienced. Thank you so much. I am not sure you are still at home, but we are hoping for you to have a safe, dry, warm and wonderul trip. And thanks again to you and Karen for the very best of times. We are glad to have helped by bringing the sunshine along with us on our visit, much to the unhappiness of those we left behind here in WA state. And we are really so glad you allowed us to drag you on that 5+ mile hike to Avalanche Lake in Glacier.Park. You should have forewarned us, however, that the hike along with all of our refreshments might have had an evil effect. Maybe we would have insisted on packing less wine for you to carry.

Or maybe we shouldn't have asked you to push that rock out of our way so we could get a better view of the Creek.

Looks like a luvly, luvly time was had by all. I am so disappointed that I couldn't make it :(

We were disappointed, too, as we were really looking forward to meeting you.

I would really like to learn how to do the collage thingie such as Steve did above. Can anyone dmail or email me some instructions.

Down load Picasa free on the internet and use it. It is very easy. Most photo programs allow you to collage.

I am so sorry that more people could not have made it to this event.....you really missed out! The hospitality in and beauty of Steve and Karen's world is beyond compare. I finally had time to sort out some pictures, but decided to start them on another thread (we took quite a few ^_^ ) as this thread was already at 140.

You can find our pictures here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1110371/

Steve, I hope your trip is enjoyable and safe, and may all of the adverse weather you encounter be no worse than the rain and thunderstorms that we had when we visited you!