Thank you Veterans!

My Uncle Paul in World War II



Today I want to thank our veterans living and dead for the sacrifice they made to give me freedom. Throughout the ages we have been a truly blessed nation to have men and women who volunteer to serve our country and its citizens. We owe them our freedom and in many ways our very lives.


I thank the families too who have soldiers serving - who daily sacrifice a whole family under one roof to allow their loved ones to serve us.


And I thank God for a nation that though flawed and at odds, steeped in controversy and sin, is still my country and I love it.



So today - I encourage you - call a vet or their family member and say thank you - take a veteran to lunch - take them a gift - give them a hug.






Here's my personal shout out to my friends and family members who have served.
Uncle John - who gave his life in World War II
Uncle Paul who served in the Army Aircorp World War II
Dad - who served in the Navy
Mark - who served in the Navy
Tim - who served with the Navy
Don - who served in the Air Force


To Judy and her family for Jim's sacrifice and to Kim and her hubs for theirs and anyone else represented here.

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I love you all so much! May God keep you in His care!

Interesting Trees

In keeping with our tree theme this week, I thought I’d share something wondrous. We see a great many types of evergreens in Montana. We even have the Ponderosa Pine for our state tree. But recently on a trip to Spokane, Washington, I was quite worried about the state of some of our forests. We have dealt with the pine beetle up our way so I thought I was looking a forest gone bad from invasion of those little bugs. Instead, I was delighted to learn that these trees weren’t in a state of death and dying, they were Larix laricina – Tamarack.



I thought I was pretty familiar with the trees in our neck of the woods, but the Tamarack or American Larch took me by surprise. This species of tree is found in Canada, but also in some of the northern states of the US, and even as far south as West Virginia.

The name Tamarack is from the Algonquian meaning “wood used for snowshoes.”
The Tamarack wood is tough and durable, but also flexible. Tamarack was used in corduroy roads in Alaska and Canada because of their resistance to rot. But the most amazing thing to me is that every fall the Tamarack turns yellow and loses its needles just like other trees lose their leaves. And we’re not just talking a blah yellow. These trees turn a glorious, intense yellow that definitely grabs your attention.

Tamaracks aren’t true evergreens, but rather deciduous coniferous (not carnivorous Cathy - at least I don’t think they eat meat)tree. This means they shed their needles in the fall. They reach heights of 33-66 ft. And can survive in temperatures down to −85 °F – in fact, they love the cold.


Tamarack are known to have a gummy sap that has a great flavor when chewed and is every bit as sweet as maple sugar. The native peoples have long made a tea from the bark that can be used as a laxative, diuretic and help for rheumatism. Poultices can be made from the inner bark and used on wounds and burns and it’s also supposed to be great for headaches. It’s really an amazing tree, and hopefully I will be able to lay my hands on some to plant in my yard.

So there’s my contribution to this week’s tree theme.
God Bless You!

Exciting Teen Writing Workshop in Missoula Montana

CALLING ALL TEEN WRITERS!
We want YOU to attend a
Teen Writing Workshop
hosted by
MT PAGES
An official chapter of ACFW
(American Christian Fiction Writers)

Who: Writers ages 13 to Adult
When: November 12, 2011
12:00-2:00 pm
Where: Atonement Lutheran Church
2205 34th St. SW
Missoula, MT

Come meet other young writers in your area!
Learn tips from published authors!

Topics covered include:
* “Plotting” your course & Layering
*Writing Words that Change the World
*Helpful Tips for the Writers Journey


Whether you’ve just started writing or have piles of story-filled notebooks,
This event is for you!

Parents are welcome to stay, but please no little ones for this fast-paced workshop.
Bring your own beverage- we will provide a snack for the afternoon.

IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING, PLEASE RSVP
Call Angela @ 406.251.4106

We are looking forward to a time of fun & creativity!