Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Season's Greetings Message, Most of you know that we send a note to let you know what's been going on with us during the year, and enjoy hearing about yours.
Gail and I both hope that this year has been as good to you, as it has to us. We have had many Blessings this year. With the news of My Fathers Complete remission of cancer, he is feeling fine and as always, in good spirits. He and Gail had quite an experience in hunt camp this year, Father is getting up in years and was unsure how many more hunts he would be able to make into the Mountains. He has wanted to use his Bow hunting skills for awhile, Gail was tending to the stock one morning, he came into the cook tent asked Father if he wanted to fulfill his dream? They went out and Father took a large 5x5 Bull Elk, they still think about it when anyone asks how the season went, Father and Gail just smile at one an other with not a word said, Gail asked and was granted the honor of field dressing the animal for Father. Many of you might not know that this is a Great!! Honor, it has many traditions that aren't known outside our culture, Gail fulfilled them all with the Highest respect for Father, it was a pretty moving moment for all that understood what was going on.
We have had two additions to the Tribe this year! Our Daughter Nora was married on the 28th of September. She and her Husband Steve work at the same hospital in Missoula. They have bought some property in the area and want Gail to build them their home.
Also our Nephew Kurt jr has returned home from Ecuador with his new Bride Jane. She is also a Wildlife Biologist and worked along with Kurt on their project until budgets cuts caused an early end to the study. They have returned home to Montana and have taken over the cattle operation in Babb MT that Gail and I were to work. Gail and I have worked our days and thought that it was necessary to hand over the job to them so they could be home with Family.
Gail my Sister Louise and I, built a fine Tipi home and had planned to live the winter in Babb to figure out where the best place on the property would be to build a home, that has now been taken over by Kurt and Jane. Gail did an impromptu study of the Wolf population, Cattlemen had thought that wolves were the ones that were the cause of cattle predation. Gail spent 2 weeks in the field to observe what was actually happening. Those that know Gail, it didn't take much asking for him to do this. His findings were very interesting along with his ever present camera proved that, indeed the Wolves took some cattle, but they have found that a natural occurring mineral was an even bigger cause of the cattle dyeing. He found that the cattle looked like they had just laid down and died? So further investigation is going on to find the problem and see what can be done. Most of you have seen his ability with cameras, he has taken some fantastic!! photo's of his trip we are writing a summery of his findings, something for him to remember on cold nights when he grows old, Next week according to him.
Nathan and his Family are doing fine! still in St. Ignatius MT, running that end of the cattle business and still working part time at the hospital for now, until the Government figures out what's happening with the medical issues. Zachary is growing like a weed and getting into everything, and wants to be with his Father when he goes into the field to work rain or shine.
The rest of the Family are just helping out where we can! With the building of 4 homes, 3 big hay barns, 2 animal barns and 3 work shops, and a cattle watering system that had over a mile of water line trench digging and water pipe installed to make sure that the cattle have water during the winter, its been a very busy year.
Gail's ex-boss and his wife have retired and moved to MT also, Gail and Alex are building yet another home, so it should have been 5 homes not 4. Gail said at breakfast today that he thinks he's turning in to Jimmy Carter!! for Gail to say anything close to political, kind of set us back. I asked how's that? Habitat for Humanity!! I have built way to many homes this year!! im getting tired. He was just kidding * we hope * we have had lots of help from Family and Friends to get this done.
We are looking forward to a Great Holiday Season, starting with Thanksgiving Gail's and my favorite Holiday, we are having over the entire Family!!! with that many people coming to dinner the Turkey population is in grave danger!! Its a great time with them all to share a dinner and laughter.
Then on to the Christmas Party, a time for more laughter and for both our Brother-in-law Jim and Gail to do their Howling at the moon, that they enjoy so much. Both of these men have a new Christmas Gift to a Child. We were having a campfire in Babb one evening, when Gail had noticed a darling little girl watching him play his guitar and singing. She was hiding and peeking from behind her Mothers dress, other little girls were fascinated with the scent of my Lavender hair shampoo using my pigtail like a mustache. The little girl pointed to me and acted like she gave a hug and kiss, Gail shook his head yes! took his hat put it over his heart and batted his eyes, the little girls laugh struck a soft spot in their hearts, Gail motioned the little 5 year old girl to come sit with him by the fire, finally she did. He noticed when Jim and he played a song that she just sat there playing with her doll, Gail looked at me and I told them that she was almost deaf and could hardly speak because of this. As tough as they are when its a child that has a problem their eyes filled with tears, Gail got up went a got my chicken baster ripped the end off of it put one end on his guitar and one next to her ear and her other ear against his chest. They started to play again, Gail said that his Christmas Gift had been received with the BIGGEST SMILE he had seen, I knew that I had lost yet!! another part of this mans heart. He remembered that kind of thing from a movie we had watched it sent the vibrations via the baster tube to her ears. They sent her down to the hospital that Nora and Steve work, had her hearing tested and are giving her the gift of hearing for her Christmas, with a set of hearing aids. Her family is very poor so it was explained that its just something that these two men do!!! it was not meant to show any disrespect toward them, their only thought was of the little girl.
For me some of you know that I have been behind in sending out replies on the making of Holiday Goodies, they are in the mail or have been sent by Email, I hope that you receive them soon. Our website is going good and Gail and I should be ready for a first of the year start up. We are looking forward to helping all with their desire to live the life that they want. For the one's coming up to hunt and fish next season, Jason has all your information and wants to let you know if you have ANY!! questions please feel free to call. If you are coming up to visit please stay in touch, let us know if any changes need to be made we enjoy meeting with all of you.
In closing have a Great!! Holiday Season, Enjoy Your Family, Its those around you at this time of year that make it special.
Happy Holidays!!
Penny and Gail
Gail and I both hope that this year has been as good to you, as it has to us. We have had many Blessings this year. With the news of My Fathers Complete remission of cancer, he is feeling fine and as always, in good spirits. He and Gail had quite an experience in hunt camp this year, Father is getting up in years and was unsure how many more hunts he would be able to make into the Mountains. He has wanted to use his Bow hunting skills for awhile, Gail was tending to the stock one morning, he came into the cook tent asked Father if he wanted to fulfill his dream? They went out and Father took a large 5x5 Bull Elk, they still think about it when anyone asks how the season went, Father and Gail just smile at one an other with not a word said, Gail asked and was granted the honor of field dressing the animal for Father. Many of you might not know that this is a Great!! Honor, it has many traditions that aren't known outside our culture, Gail fulfilled them all with the Highest respect for Father, it was a pretty moving moment for all that understood what was going on.
We have had two additions to the Tribe this year! Our Daughter Nora was married on the 28th of September. She and her Husband Steve work at the same hospital in Missoula. They have bought some property in the area and want Gail to build them their home.
Also our Nephew Kurt jr has returned home from Ecuador with his new Bride Jane. She is also a Wildlife Biologist and worked along with Kurt on their project until budgets cuts caused an early end to the study. They have returned home to Montana and have taken over the cattle operation in Babb MT that Gail and I were to work. Gail and I have worked our days and thought that it was necessary to hand over the job to them so they could be home with Family.
Gail my Sister Louise and I, built a fine Tipi home and had planned to live the winter in Babb to figure out where the best place on the property would be to build a home, that has now been taken over by Kurt and Jane. Gail did an impromptu study of the Wolf population, Cattlemen had thought that wolves were the ones that were the cause of cattle predation. Gail spent 2 weeks in the field to observe what was actually happening. Those that know Gail, it didn't take much asking for him to do this. His findings were very interesting along with his ever present camera proved that, indeed the Wolves took some cattle, but they have found that a natural occurring mineral was an even bigger cause of the cattle dyeing. He found that the cattle looked like they had just laid down and died? So further investigation is going on to find the problem and see what can be done. Most of you have seen his ability with cameras, he has taken some fantastic!! photo's of his trip we are writing a summery of his findings, something for him to remember on cold nights when he grows old, Next week according to him.
Nathan and his Family are doing fine! still in St. Ignatius MT, running that end of the cattle business and still working part time at the hospital for now, until the Government figures out what's happening with the medical issues. Zachary is growing like a weed and getting into everything, and wants to be with his Father when he goes into the field to work rain or shine.
The rest of the Family are just helping out where we can! With the building of 4 homes, 3 big hay barns, 2 animal barns and 3 work shops, and a cattle watering system that had over a mile of water line trench digging and water pipe installed to make sure that the cattle have water during the winter, its been a very busy year.
Gail's ex-boss and his wife have retired and moved to MT also, Gail and Alex are building yet another home, so it should have been 5 homes not 4. Gail said at breakfast today that he thinks he's turning in to Jimmy Carter!! for Gail to say anything close to political, kind of set us back. I asked how's that? Habitat for Humanity!! I have built way to many homes this year!! im getting tired. He was just kidding * we hope * we have had lots of help from Family and Friends to get this done.
We are looking forward to a Great Holiday Season, starting with Thanksgiving Gail's and my favorite Holiday, we are having over the entire Family!!! with that many people coming to dinner the Turkey population is in grave danger!! Its a great time with them all to share a dinner and laughter.
Then on to the Christmas Party, a time for more laughter and for both our Brother-in-law Jim and Gail to do their Howling at the moon, that they enjoy so much. Both of these men have a new Christmas Gift to a Child. We were having a campfire in Babb one evening, when Gail had noticed a darling little girl watching him play his guitar and singing. She was hiding and peeking from behind her Mothers dress, other little girls were fascinated with the scent of my Lavender hair shampoo using my pigtail like a mustache. The little girl pointed to me and acted like she gave a hug and kiss, Gail shook his head yes! took his hat put it over his heart and batted his eyes, the little girls laugh struck a soft spot in their hearts, Gail motioned the little 5 year old girl to come sit with him by the fire, finally she did. He noticed when Jim and he played a song that she just sat there playing with her doll, Gail looked at me and I told them that she was almost deaf and could hardly speak because of this. As tough as they are when its a child that has a problem their eyes filled with tears, Gail got up went a got my chicken baster ripped the end off of it put one end on his guitar and one next to her ear and her other ear against his chest. They started to play again, Gail said that his Christmas Gift had been received with the BIGGEST SMILE he had seen, I knew that I had lost yet!! another part of this mans heart. He remembered that kind of thing from a movie we had watched it sent the vibrations via the baster tube to her ears. They sent her down to the hospital that Nora and Steve work, had her hearing tested and are giving her the gift of hearing for her Christmas, with a set of hearing aids. Her family is very poor so it was explained that its just something that these two men do!!! it was not meant to show any disrespect toward them, their only thought was of the little girl.
For me some of you know that I have been behind in sending out replies on the making of Holiday Goodies, they are in the mail or have been sent by Email, I hope that you receive them soon. Our website is going good and Gail and I should be ready for a first of the year start up. We are looking forward to helping all with their desire to live the life that they want. For the one's coming up to hunt and fish next season, Jason has all your information and wants to let you know if you have ANY!! questions please feel free to call. If you are coming up to visit please stay in touch, let us know if any changes need to be made we enjoy meeting with all of you.
In closing have a Great!! Holiday Season, Enjoy Your Family, Its those around you at this time of year that make it special.
Happy Holidays!!
Penny and Gail
