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In November, the Lincoln Branch Library will be focusing on two main programs, with some additional programming for children. Every Friday at 11 a.m., the library is hosting an online story time. Anyone who is interested can call or email Kate at the Library to get the link to join in for songs and stories. They will also have a new take and make craft available every week for families to pick up. In addition, they are still offering Library Packs. Patrons can choose between a story time pack with picture books, a genre pack...
November, of course plays host to Thanksgiving. For me, it's a sign that "fall" is really here. There is a quote I've seen over the last few years that says, "The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go." Maybe that's why I think of fall as more of my new year, and a time of year that signifies new beginnings. What better way to start anew than to let go of the old? As I began writing my column for this week, it occurred to me that with the weight of...
What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Would you start a business, raise a family, fulfill a dream of yours or someone else, foster world peace, find a cure for cancer or find another way to make a difference? Maybe you would become the person you have been afraid to be and live your own dream, rather than that of someone else’s expectations for you. What would you do if you had all the time and money in the world? Would you travel, live in your dream home, b...
Rather than writing yet another piece about how divided we all are, I thought maybe it was time to start writing more about coming back together. Coming back together for the good of our town, for the good of our country, for the good of our families, and for the good of us all as individuals. It seems strange to talk about the good of individuals when talking about coming back together as a group, but truly, on an individual level is where it all begins. It starts with each...
So, this past week I participated in a worldwide spinning competition. I've done this every year since 2013 during the first week of October. That week is known as National Weaving and Spinning week. In past years, the competition was run by The National Needlework Association and was called "Spinzilla." Two years ago, the TNNA decided they would no longer be hosting the competition and a couple of individuals got together and began "Spin Together." A couple of people who had...
This past weekend was the annual Alpine Artisans Tour of the Arts. Artists were featured at galleries through the Seeley Swan Valley, Ovando and Lincoln. With advertising in Helena, Missoula, Great Falls, Seeley and Lincoln newspapers, people came from as far as Idaho and Billings to see artists and their artwork in the Blackfoot Valley. While some galleries saw more traffic than others, Lincoln artists Lisa Gibson, Sally Bogart, Gwendolyn Hendricks, and Tammy Jordan, all disp...
Last Thursday, several members of the Lincoln Community gathered at Ellie Schouten's home in the Sleepy Hollow Trailer Park to begin construction of a roof over her trailer. The older trailer, which has a damaged roof that cannot support any type of weight, became a concern for Schouten over the summer. She was told the easiest way to protect the roof and keep it from collapsing was to build a second roof over the original roof. A letter, hung at the post office and posted on...
Nowadays, we have labels for everything, and everyone. The labeling has separated and divided us. Instead of being human, we are now labeled based on our skin color, religious beliefs, political beliefs, sexual preference or orientation, beliefs about the environment, the friends we keep, and the hobbies we engage in. We have labels that define our status in the world based on our income. Upper class, middle class, lower class, or upper echelon, blue collar, and impoverished....
Lincoln Community Garden Prepares for End of Season and Looks to Next Year's Gardening Season October is the month the Lincoln Community Garden begins winding down and winterizing, but members are already looking forward to next year's season. On the list of things to get done at the garden before the colder months set in include removing the shade cloth from the greenhouse, clearing member's outside plots and preparing them with soil, compost and other amendments for healthy...
Beginning Oct. 1, the Lewis & Clark Library – Lincoln branch will be hosting a month-long art challenge using prompts and resources from the Inktober (www.inktober.com) and Drawlloween (www.drawlloween.com) websites. The library will provide journals for people to participate. The goal is to get people's creative juices flowing. Once participants draw for their daily prompt, they are asked to share their artwork on their Facebook and Instagram pages using the hashtags #Inktobe... Full story
Where in the world did our summer go? If you're anything like me, the list of the "stuff to get done before the snow flies," is still as long as it was at the beginning of summer. I had such high hopes for getting things done, being organized and ahead of the game. Instead, it's the end of September and I want to know where the summer went. I know a lot of people have blamed a lot of things on COVID this year, and rightfully so, but somehow I don't think I can lay this one on...
In general, I'm a pretty early riser. I've always been this way. When I was younger, there were animals that needed caring for before heading off to school, and in the summertime, they needed caring for before the heat of the day set in. When I was a new mother, it was the hour of silence before my kids woke up, giving me time to think and plan for the day ahead. When I was a young working mother who decided to go back to college, those two quiet hours before anyone in the...
As with many events throughout this year, the Lincoln Valley Chamber of Commerce will be holding their annual fundraiser, The Lincoln Community Benefit, Saturday, Nov. 7, in a virtual capacity. With the current Lewis & Clark Public Health COVID-19-related restrictions on large gatherings, it makes the option to have a live benefit, as in prior years, logistically impossible. As the LVCC's only true fundraising event, which covers the cost of the 4th of July Parade, fireworks,... Full story
Where I grew up in Southern Cal-ifornia, I remember learning about seasons in elementary school. The teacher had it up on a bulletin board. Winter began in December and end-ed in February. March through May was springtime, June through August brought the heat of summer, and Sep-tember through November equaled fall. Honestly, in Southern California, I feel like seasons are more of a myth than a reality, but it was some-thing we all learned about in school nonetheless. When I...
It’s said that if you have one good friend, you have been blessed. I’ve been blessed with very good friends, and some not-so-great friends throughout my life. I’ve learned lessons from both and I’m grateful. I’ve unfortunately had to learn the same lesson from those not-so-great friends on repeated occasion. And, sometimes, it’s been my really close friends who point it out and help me through some of those repeatedly difficult lessons to learn. As most of you who know me kno...
My musical taste is eclectic to say the least, and I have many people to thank for my wide variety of musical likes. To start, I come from a long line of music in one sense or another. My grandparents, my parents, aunts, uncles, school, friends and, well, even myself. When I was very young, I remember listening to "The Day the Music Died" and "Cats in the Cradle" because they played on a small radio that sat on my parent's dresser while I helped my mom make the bed. My Uncle...
According to direct sales statistics, there are approximately 16 million people who account for the direct sales workforce in the U.S., generating more than 35 billion dollars in retails sales. In Montana there are more than 90K direct sales consultants with an estimated $142 million dollars in retail sales throughout the state, and in Lincoln alone we have more than 13 independent consultants representing more than 20 direct sales companies. Each person's reason for...
Let’s face it, life is all about choices. The ones we make, the ones that are made for us, and even the ones we don’t make, which technically are still a choice. There are everyday choices, like what do I wear or what do I have to eat, to life-changing choices, like do I take this new job, or do I move across the country or marry this person, and every choice in between. We’re making choices from the time we are very young, usually right up until the time our lives on earth ar...
The Matt King Project that began in 2015 is making progress on the new property along Main Street. In the last month, the house logs, which had been stored behind the BVD & Rusty Relics shop, were moved over to the new property and a foundation for the house was poured. Next steps include taking stock by pulling apart the stacks of logs to determine which are still usable, and which will need to be replaced. The Lincoln Ranger District and Lonnie Cox have both donated new...
This past week, I enjoyed not one, but two days off. It's been awhile since I've had two in a row. It was glorious. I slept in, spent time with my other half and our pets at home. He and I got out briefly on the back of his motorcycle, and I spent a long afternoon in the saddle with my horse. For me, these days are treasures as they are so few and far between. I'm working to change that. Everyone I meet reminds me how busy I am. And I am, but not nearly as busy as I was even...
We find the things we love when we take the time to encourage growth in ourselves. Think about it, did you just wake up and realize one day that you like to (fill in the blank) or, was it something you learned? Better yet, was it something you learned from someone special, important or influential in your life? For me, it was learning how to crochet with my grandmother. I remember growing up as a child watching her create the coolest things. They may not have been cool to...
Remember way back when this whole virus thing started? Yeah, although it's only been about four months, it feels like forever to me too. But, think back, I wrote a column about it, probably in early April. In it, I talked about fear, and how I was less scared of the virus itself, and far more frightened by the ugliness of people and the divisiveness that I was feeling. Sadly, my fears have become more of a reality than I could have imagined, and believe it or not, they are...
The historic Lincoln Community Hall normally plays host to several events throughout the year, but this year COVID-19 has changed that. Large community events generate important rental income for the Community Hall, and like other local businesses, it has felt some of the financial impact since the virus began. A local group of quilters meet there each Thursday, to not only work on their own projects, but to work on a community quilt that's normally raffled off at the annual... Full story
Local volunteers got together July 17 to pull weeds and perform maintenance at the Lincoln Community River Park on Stemple Pass Road. Weed control is one of the biggest challenges in the park and needs ongoing attention. This is where volunteers and park goers alike can be of assistance. While volunteer days are often scheduled on short notice due to the weather dependency of weed spraying, park goers can help by pulling weeds and disposing of them while they are visiting the...
The Lincoln American Legion, Post 9 held their annual membership BBQ at Hooper Park on Wednesday, July, 15. The event, which occurs each year on the third Wednesday in July, gives members the opportunity to gather, enjoy burgers, dogs and other pot luck items, and bring their annual membership dues. "It's great to see everyone, and it gives them a chance to save a stamp." said Post 9 member Dawn Charron. This year was the first year that reminder postcards were also sent to...