Montana March Madness

No, I'm not talking about March college basketball. I'm talking time the march of time. It's fair to say that if I can't find time to write a blog post every week or two, I am too busy with the administrative details of life ("Oh, woe is me," cried the Department Head. And a dozen tiny violins played...).

Well, despite my whining, February was a good month. We celebrated the Chinese New Year, spent a weekend at Chico Hot Springs with friends, and I put in a few miles on the cross country ski trails.

Butte's Chinese New Year Parade: Short but LOUD

The Mai Wah Society preserves the history of Chinese in Butte, Montana through an excellent small museum and fun cultural activities:

The Spring Festival Parade ushers in the lunar new year, and begins with a crowd assembled in front of the Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse:

It's time for EcoRover to chat with friends:

Listen to a short speech of two:

And then follow the dragon as it dances through the uptown streets:

The dragon chases a pearl and stops at each business that has made a donation to the Mai Wah Society, where the dragon bows and offers the pearl of wisdom to the generous merchant:

All along the route, loud strings of firecrackers chase away the evil spirits:

It's wonderful week, and included a big potluck dinner hosted by Chinese-American friends and a more formal banquet at a local restaurant, the Four Seasons. With only ten fingers and most of them in use with chopsticks, I lost count of how many courses we enjoyed:

Taking the Waters

Butte, Montana is surrounded by numerous hot springs, ranging from undeveloped and charmingly natural (no extra charge for the inevitable dead frog) to full service resorts. Chico Hot Springs is in the latter category. We share a rental house there with friends for a few days each year, enjoying the sights of the Paradise Valley (such as these elk on a rancher's hayfield):

Some of us cross country ski on the local trails:

We don't stick just to the groomed trails, but go "off piste" as well.

Sometimes it's much easier going up than coming back down:

Who says cross country skiing is not a contact sport?

Back at the lodge, we soak away our aches and pains (and dull them with beer and wine), and take turns cooking (and enjoying) special meals capped with rich desserts like this tropical home-made cheesecake:

Come check-out time, no one is anxious to leave as we grumble about planning an additional day for our get-together next year:

Out & About 

Though the skiing remains excellent, the longer, warmer days will soon bring this to an end--there's barely any snow left behind our house:

When winter does become a bit much, a short drive to the lower Big Hole River or Jefferson River valley (usually snow-free)  provides a welcome respite and interesting sites, such as this old miner's cabin and adit:

 Note the well laid rock wall of the adit building:

 Cows have been calving, which keeps ranchers busy moving their herds to calving pens or branding
areas:

This herd of Rocky Mountain big horn sheep came down from the high country to the river bottom:

Well, the bald eagles are pairing up, so spring can't be far off:

Happy New Year!