Here we are, almost to the July 4th holiday weekend, and I can't believe its the middle of summer already. June has been a bit damp (ie really soggy) and the Yellowstone River is running above flood stage. Great for rafting, but I would second guess putting into the River when there are whole trees floating by at 30mph. I've been successful at keeping Ryder out of the river. He's a strong swimmer, but no match for the Yellowstone at flood stage.
The trees have all greened up, and L-Town is gearing up for the big July 3rd Parade. If you aren't in the parade, you are watching it and its a wonderful community event. People set up chairs on the parade route literally the night before to get a good spot. Last year the Parade Grand Marshall was Ted Turner. A lot of people were unhappy about that because he has a huge ranch that is a refuge for buffalo and wolves. Them's fighting words in big sky country.
This town turns out for a parade! Horses all decked out in leather and silver, classic cars and floats all made by hand. The Rodeo is also in town over the holiday weekend. I've lived here 5 years, and still have not attended a rodeo. I can get on my own bucking horse, thank you very much. It's fun to see real cowboys (like we don't already have those) strutting around downtown. You can tell they are rodeo cowboys by the big hats and wranglers tucked into knee-high boots. The Rodeo is a community event, however I don't feel compelled to attend to watch horses and bulls with ropes around their tender spots forcing them to buck. So I stay home and keep my mouth shut. I LIKE living here. Folks still think of me as the liberal from back east, so I know when keep my mouth shut about things like a rodeo.
Summertime in L-town brings the tourists, which is a gift for everyone who has a business, guide service or hotel. You can really tell who the tourists are. They are the ones with the cameras around their necks, craning their heads to look up at Sleeping Giant, or the neon lights and the historic facades of downtown L-town. Traffic is a problem during tourist season. You have to actually wait at stop signs and the three traffic lights we have are always busy.
I bitch and moan about 9 months of winter, however for the three months of summer we get, L-town is Mayberry. Kids playing, I ride my bike everywhere and it doesn't get dark until 10pm. I guess after 9 months of winter, Mother Nature takes pity on us and gives us crystal clear blue skys, high temps - it was 90 yesterday but the wind kept it cooler - and every reason to get out of the house.
The kids love our walks in the morning and evening. Ryder be-lines it to the lagoon and jumps in as soon as he sees water. Thank goodness for the lagoon-the river is running way too high for him and I wouldn't want an unhappy teenage Lab underfoot without access to water. Princess Lucy dips her tiny feet into the water and calls it for lack of interest. She does urge Ryder on when he is swimming towards the bank after fetching the ball I have thrown with that high pitched happy yip of hers. She wants to be part of the party, but hasn't figured out that means getting wet. And she is above fetching.
Thanks for reading!
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