Montana is bear country

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July 3, 2023

” … these bear being so hard to die reather intimedates us all; I must confess that I do not like the gentlemen and had reather fight two Indians than one bear.”
Captain Lewis May 11th 1805 (Corps of Discovery)

Seems that there have been quite a few bear sightings around Cascade County of late. People have been collecting video and trail cams are taking pictures of Grizzly bears roaming about in places as close as Ulm and as far away as the west side of Cascade , and reports of the Grizzly roaming the fields between Simms and Fort Shaw.

I’m not sure if folks know this or not, but we happen to be living right in the middle of bear country. The northern plains have been the natural habitat for the Grizzly bear for hundreds of years.

These bears just didn’t suddenly appear — they’ve always been here — traversing the river bottoms and coulees for years.

Grizzly Bear encounters by the Corps of Discovery (tap or click image to enlarge)

The Lewis and Clark expedition first encountered the (white bear) Grizzly as far east as eastern South Dakota back in the day.

On 7 October 1804, at the Moreau River, about 15 river-miles below present Mobridge, South Dakota, the men noticed the first evidence of the presence of a grizzly. Clark wrote: “at the mouth of this river we saw the tracks of white bear which was verry large.”

Meriwether Lewis had his own close call with a grizzly right here in Great Falls back in the day — “In the first moment I drew up my gun to shoot, but at the same instant recolected that she was not loaded and that he was too near for me to hope to perform this opperation before he reached me, as he was then briskly advancing on me.”

Lewis went on to write: “In this situation I thought of retreating in a brisk walk as fast as he was advancing untill I could reach a tree about 300 yards below me, but I had no sooner terned myself about but he pitched at me, open mouthed and full speed. I ran about 80 yards and found he gained on me fast. . . . The idea struk me to get into the water to such debth that I could stand and he would be obliged to swim, and that I could in that situation defend myself with my espontoon. Accordingly I ran haistily into the water about waist deep, and faced about and presented the point of my espontoon. At this instant he arrived at the edge of the water within about 20 feet of me. The moment I put myself in this attitude of defence he sudonly wheeled about as if frightened, ? retreated with quite as great precipitation as he had just before pursued me.”

Grizzly Bears - Trail Cam Pic west of Cascade — Grizzly Bears – Trail Cam Pic west of Cascade 5-20-23 (tap or click image to enlarge)

According to Lewis, the bear had done what we might now refer to as a bluff charge.

Grizzly bears are the masters of the river bottoms — River bottoms are the main transportation corridors for bears and many other animals around the area. It’s seldom that they would intentionally venture off of their path unless they are disturbed in some fashion. Most often times it’s another bear or some other form of wildlife that causes them to change their course.

As far as bears go, just because we don’t see them, doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.

We might also note that the mating period extends from May to July for the Grizzly and other bears, so it’s likely that we’ll see more bear activity during these months.

According to FWP, avoiding a conflict with a bear is easier than dealing with one.

Since we are living in bear country, the FWP gives some pretty good tips on how to stay safe when you are out and about.

Learn more about bear safety by visiting: https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear/be-bear-aware

Blonde Maze – Live from NYC (full performance) 2023

By

Alan

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July 1, 2023

The world is full of some pretty incredible things — And what we have here is one of those things.

Getting lost in the music might be somewhat of an understatement when it comes to the dreamy calm in this piece from Blonde Maze.

Blonde Maze – Live From NYC (Full Performance) 2023

Amanda Steckler, known professionally as Blonde Maze, is an electronic musician based in New York City.

A multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist, her music details themes of yearning emotion and passion for the bittersweet.

Since 2015, she has garnered support from the likes of DJMag and Pigeons & Planes in the process.

A vibrant live show has lead to performances at SXSW as well as support slots for Sultan + Shepard, Autograf, Elderbrook, Tritonal, and HALIENE.

After teaming up with labels Monstercat and Lowly, and with self-released single ‘Antarctica’ reaching Spotify’s U.S. Viral 50 and seeing spins on BBC Radio 1, she released her debut album on Enhanced Chill in 2021 that consisted of glistening tracks and dreamy soundscapes, which received strong support from Sirius XM Chill.

Her music generally falls into the genre of indie electronic, characterized by its atmospheric and introspective qualities.

Amanda Steckler’s work as Blonde Maze not only showcases her musical talent but also her ability to weave personal narratives into her compositions, making her music resonate with themes of nostalgia, change, and growth.

For live shows, Amanda prepares by programming sounds into mini-controllers, allowing for live improvisation and a dynamic performance experience.

Visit all of her links below:

Learn more about and listen to the music of Blonde Maze by visiting: https://www.blondemaze.com/

Listen to the Blonde Maze playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3KpS5jyhcnFiHqxULjaFuU?si=dcfdf4f4087b4edc&nd=1

Helena, Montana in the early 1860’s

By

Alan

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June 30, 2023

The early 1860s witnessed a remarkable influx of migrants to the Idaho Territory.

The discovery of precious metal at Grasshopper Creek (Bannack) in 1862 and Alder Gulch (Virginia City) in 1863 ignited significant gold rushes, triggering a surge of settlers.

Bridge Street - Helena, Montana 1865 — Bridge Street – Helena, Montana 1865 — Courtesy of the Helena/Lewis & Clark County Heritage Tourism Council (tap or click image to enlarge)

The sheer magnitude of this migration prompted the federal government to establish a new territory known as Montana in May 1864. Subsequently, on July 14, 1864, a group of prospectors known as the “Four Georgians” stumbled upon a gold deposit in a gulch off the Prickly Pear Creek. Their fortunate find led to the establishment a mining camp along a modest creek, which they christened “Last Chance Gulch.”

In 1876, an intrepid prospector with Irish heritage, Thomas Cruse, uncovered a colossal gold deposit in the mountains northwest of Helena. Swiftly securing a mining patent for 20.25 acres, he established the renowned Drumlummon Mine. This remarkable mine yielded a prodigious bounty of gold and silver valued in the millions of dollars.

As autumn descended upon 1864, the population had burgeoned to over 200 inhabitants, and the name “Last Chance” appeared crude to some. On October 30, 1864, at least seven self-appointed individuals convened to bestow a name upon the burgeoning town, establish street layouts, and elect commissioners.

The initial proposal was “Tomah,” a term the committee believed to have connections with the local Native American tribes. Other suggestions included Pumpkinville and Squashtown, given the meeting’s proximity to Halloween.

There were also propositions to name the settlement after various towns in Minnesota, such as Winona and Rochester, owing to the considerable number of settlers hailing from that region.

Eventually, a Scotsman named John Summerville recommended the name Helena, pronounced /həˈliːnə/ hə-LEE-nə, in tribute to Helena Township, Scott County, Minnesota. This suggestion immediately sparked a lively debate among former Confederates present, who insisted on the pronunciation /ˈhɛlɪnə/ HEL-i-nə, after Helena, Arkansas—a town situated on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Reeders Alley, Helena, Montana 2021 — Helena’s earliest Territorial-period neighborhood. (tap or click image to enlarge)

Despite the disagreement, the name “Helena” emerged victorious, though its pronunciation remained subject to variation until approximately 1882 when the /ˈhɛlɪnə/ HEL-i-nə pronunciation ultimately prevailed.

An interesting note here would be that though the Confederates won out on the name, Helena in the south even today is pronounced as hə-LEE-nə, lending to the once referenced Scott County, Minnesota pronunciation.

In 1865, Captain John Wood undertook the first survey of Helena, determining its layout. Reflecting the paths forged by the diligent miners, the original streets of Helena assumed diverse sizes and shapes, giving rise to a mosaic of city blocks in Early Helena.

By 1888, an impressive cohort of 50 millionaires had established their residence in Helena, surpassing the per capita millionaire count of any other city in the world. These individuals had amassed their fortunes from the abundant gold in the area.

Hikers atop Mount Helena, circa 1910 — Hikers atop Mount Helena, 1910 from the Charles J. Tipton Collection — Courtesy HelenaHistory.org (tap or click image to enlarge)

An astonishing $3.6 billion in today’s currency was estimated to be extracted from Helena during this prosperous era. The Last Chance Placer, one of the most renowned placer deposits in the western United States, witnessed its peak production before 1868. Much of this placer deposit now lies beneath the streets and structures of Helena.

This concentration of wealth catalyzed the development of exquisite residences and ambitious architecture, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s Victorian neighborhoods.

Helena has held the distinction of being the capital of Montana Territory since 1875 and became the seat of the state of Montana upon its establishment in 1889.

sourced:

Hidden History of Helena, Montana — by Ellen Baumler & Jon Axline

Coffee Filters – Who knew?

By

Alan

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June 26, 2023

The Coffee Filter has joined the mighty ranks of Duct Tape and Baling Wire on account of it’s many useful applications.

Yes, you can grab a 1,000 pack of Coffee Filters from nearly any discount retailer for a buck in most cases, and listed below are the many things you can do with them.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave — Coffee Filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome — Coffee Filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a Coffee Filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a Coffee Filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a Coffee Filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free Coffee Filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a Coffee Filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a Coffee Filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee Filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a Coffee Filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a Coffee Filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of Coffee Filters.

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great “razor nick fixers.”

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a Coffee Filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a Coffee Filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies — Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls

These are just a few of the things you can do with a Coffee Filter — I’m pretty sure that there are even more things you can do with Coffee Filters that aren’t listed here.

Have an idea for Coffee Filter use?

Sound off in the comment section below and tell us about it.

Thanks for the read

Happy Trails

Earth is only 82% habitable

By

Alan

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June 26, 2023

For a planet that we call home, Earth is only 82% habitable, according to the latest calculation that highlights exoplanet habitability.

Still, compared to the rest of the planets in our solar system, Earth is the best candidate to develop life and countless species of aquatic and terrestrial animals and vegetation.

Scorching summer, harsh winter, hasty spring and autumn, these features definitely sound related to a planet with a habitability index of 82%. If we take into account Australian wildlife, poor Earth’s score would drop like a sinking rock.

The actual factors that summed up Earth index rating were based on atmospheric pressure, geology, access to water and the potential absorbed energy from its nearest sun.

Although a habitability index of 82% would seem more than satisfactory, for anyone with no expertise in this field, considering our genesis took place on this planet, the estimated index should be around 100%, setting aside the damage we caused to our planet in the last century alone.

Astronomer Rory Barnes from the University of Washington explains Earth’s low score is due to the close range to the Sun.

Our planet is rather closer to the inner edge of the habitable zone of the solar system and yet, mankind has flourished along the millennia, until this day when we no longer consider our home fit for habitability, inexorably turning our eyes to other places that one day we may call home.

Some people may have a different opinion in reference to our planet being too hot to live on according to the rigorous living standards, raising the fact that a large part of the surface is constantly exposed to incredibly low temperatures like Siberia.

Hypothetically, if we were to spot Earth with our current technology, we would logically assume that the temperatures would be too hot for sustaining life.

In this scenario, for us to be able to adapt to Earths climatic conditions, it would require great efforts to support reasonable living settings. Or maybe humanity’s requirements are too idealistic and demanding for the endless planets that could host our utterly greedy character.

Starting from the same premise, an alien civilization would have come across Earth looking for possible life forms might presume it uninhabitable and focus their attention towards other planets with a higher habitability index.

However, Earth’s alleged low rating can also be an indicator of the human species’ endurance and adaptability to severe living conditions, which should make astronomers think twice before jumping to conclusions whether a foreign planet is inhabitable or not. If we made it so far here, we can thrive anywhere else, especially with the ever evolving technology.

In a grim distant future when we will have to abandon our dying planet, most likely we will not benefit from the perfect conditions the scientists deem we need. This mindset should be adopted when considering a new home for mankind, Earth being the greatest example of our ability to prosper and succeed, no matter how dire the circumstances appear to be.

Since we are not alone in the Universe, we must accept that surely other alien species too, did not evolve in the perfect conditions, for this is the key in evolution itself: a species must face improper conditions to continuously adapt and evolve, in order to achieve transcendence, or how else would one living entity gradually reprogram itself to excellence if not determined by precarious circumstances.

Nothing grows in the shadows, and this applies best to human the race. Our progress was achieved with each harrowing step leading out of the comfort zone to supersede our frailty.

references:

Comparative Habitability of Transiting Exoplanets

Circumstellar habitable zone