 Thursday, May 31, 2007
Brr, brr! Cold, cold! Wet, wet! Okay, I know it could be colder, but it’s chilly enough. All day, it rained with no break. We hiked up a trail about 1.5 miles with two men from BLM* and did some trail work: clearing branches and making water bars. We were back in the trucks by 12:30 because it was so nasty, but that hike was hard for me. I guess because of the steepness, altitude, and carrying a shovel. The 1.5 miles back was easy enough. Despite the cold rain, it was beautiful hiking in the Bighorn. You never knew when you would come across a small cascade. We were mostly wet by the end. Only a few people’s rain gear and boots held up the whole time. My leather gloves have been soaked before, but they still turned my hands yellow. Everybody noticed, it was so bright. We went to Lovell and had a cup of coffee/hot chocolate on MCC. We spent some time at the Bighorn Visitor’s Center and a lady working there gave us some elk to cook for supper. Stir fry for supper. The elk was delicious. Then, everyone went to their tents early to put on dry clothes and try to get warm. Our fire pit is full of water. Breakfast at 8:00 tomorrow instead of 6:40 like today. Hopefully, we won’t have to break camp in the rain. * Bureau of Land Management
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 Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Today we came to Bighorn and are staying at Five Creek Falls. It was an easy day and we hiked up to see the waterfalls. It was rainy and cold, but we had some sun and heat in the afternoon. My tent is right by the river. I hope it doesn’t rise in the night. Yummy burritos for supper: vegetables, rice, beans, meat.  Tuesday, May 29, 2007
My MCC team went to Red Lodge. At the nature center was a grey parrot who says “ah-choo” and other things. There was also a crow who said “well” and played with me a bit. It was raining, so we left early. Too bad. The day before was hot and I almost got burned at Lake Elmo, where I went with the Nelsons. After the nature center, we had lunch and made our crew contract at The Kitchen. We started out to go all the way up the Beartooth Highway, but ran out of time, so we stopped at the Wyoming/Montana border.  Saturday, May 26, 2007
Today I woke up at 10:00. I went to the post office, paid the rent, and ran other errands. I spent some time at the library, and in between, I am slowly unpacking. I met a Black man, Dermot, at Camp Paxson. We barely spoke, but when I saw him Friday, we exchanged emails. I wish we were working together so we could talk more.  Friday, May 25, 2007
Before we left Camp Paxson today, we helped clean it up more. I learned to use a file to sharpen a Pulaski. We got into Billings around 4:30. We filled out time sheets. I dropped off Travis and Eli, then Henry. I’m picking up Henry at 8:30 on Tuesday morning. By the time I got back to my place, it was 5:30 and too late to go to Tae Kwon Do with the Nelsons. I unpacked a little, then rushed to the library and with 10 minutes until closing, I checked out It Happened One Night. I had never seen it before and thoroughly enjoyed it. After the library, the first order of business was to take a shower. Then I made supper, crawled into bed, enjoyed being warm, and watched the movie.  Thursday, May 24, 2007
At 8:30, we started raking pine needles away from the cabins. We spent the day raking, repairing picnic tables, and planting trees. We finished early at 3:30. I like planting trees. We planted ponderosa pine and larch. Toni said that only 1 in 25 plantings survive. Three of us planted about 60 trees in 2.5 hours. I saw a beaver home, heard a loon, and found out what yarrow looks like. There was an entertaining no-talent show tonight. I think this is one of the prettiest places I have been in Wyoming and Montana. I like the mountains and trees. I’m in a group with Travis and Eli. Pippa and Declan are our leaders. Two more people are joining us in a week or so. We serve breakfast tomorrow. Our team is red. (Of course! I’m never the blue team.) We named it Peapod (no reason). I won the drawing for a MCC patch.  Wednesday, May 23, 2007
We had First Aid and CPR training today with Crazy Ben and Madame Liz. It was fun and we got a lot of interesting first aid information, but it was way too long. I was so tired in the afternoon that I was almost in tears. We got back to camp too late to help prep supper, but we cleaned up. The activity helped me feel better. It’s time for bed. I woke up before 5:30 and got up, thinking it was 6:00. It was actually just enough time to get ready for the day and not be too far back in the breakfast line.  Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Our MCC teams went to Fort Paxson. There were the usual speeches and orientation stuff. It rained and snowed on our way here, but it is nicer here. Originally, one other woman and I were assigned to Cabin 2, but we are all in Cabin 3 now because it has a working wood stove, so it is warmer in that cabin.  Monday, May 21, 2007
Today was the first Montana Conservation Corps day. We played ice breakers and did paperwork. I saw a rabbit missing its right eye. I almost got ran into by an old lady running a red light. I had supper with the Nelsons.  Sunday, May 20, 2007
On Tuesday, Mom and I walked through Cody and had an excellent buffalo meat sandwich with huckleberry and walnut sauce. On Wednesday, we went to Boot Hill Cemetery in Billings and filled up the day puttering around town. On Thursday, I had a sore throat. We tried to go to the Pictograph Cave, but the road was closed. I didn’t feel well enough to drive to Pompey’s Pillar and spent the afternoon sleeping while Mom read. I threw up most of the night. On Friday morning, we went to the library to print Mom’s boarding pass. By that time, the stomach cramps were so bad that I was crying. Mom got me some Emetrol, which I didn’t think would work because I wasn’t nauseous. I used nearly ¾ of the bottle and it relaxed my stomach enough that I was able to drink some broth, then soup. I slept all day. Mom read. By supper, I was feeling much better. The Nelsons wanted to take us to a Mongolian Grill and I ate a little. Yesterday, I got up at 5:00 and took Mom to the airport. After dropping her off, I went to my apartment and slept until 10:30. Except for a quick trip to the library, I spent the day reading and watching movies. Mom’s visit was not what I had planned. My car was fine and the burning smell was from a plastic bag that had gotten caught on the exhaust pipe.  Monday, May 14, 2007
On Sunday, Mom rented a car, but she was too tired to drive. The Nelsons took us to Red Lodge. This morning, we took my car to a mechanic and drove the rental. We left Billings by 9:15 a.m., but with one thing and another, we didn’t get to Yellowstone until 1:00. The east gate closes at 8:00, so we were rushed. We saw West Thumb basin, Old Faithful, and the Castle geyser. We were looking at the Castle and suddenly, it erupted. It must have gone on for 45 minutes or more. At some point while we were driving, one row of bison was walking towards us in the opposite lane. I stopped because I didn’t want them to feel threatened. The bison in the lead kept looking at us as he walked right by the car. It was a little close for comfort. Then a truck passed us on the right and drove past the bison, so I followed him. Mom has a cold, so we decided not to go to Glacier, but to return to Billings tomorrow.  Saturday, May 12, 2007
Well, Mom’s arrival didn’t go quite as planned. First, I was driving to the Nelsons’ to go with them to Red Lodge. I braked for a cyclist and then my accelerator wouldn’t work, nor the brakes, nor the steering. I pulled over, turned off the car, turned it on, and it worked fine. We went to Red Lodge, then picked Mom up at Billings. I dropped her off at the Nelsons’ and was driving back to my apartment when I smelled rubber burning for about 10 seconds.  Thursday, May 10, 2007
This morning, I worked some on how to pack my pack - how to carry my tent and such. I went to the library in the afternoon, then took a walk. The lilacs smell sweet.  Wednesday, May 9, 2007
This morning, I walked to the office. It’s about 29 blocks and took about an hour. On the way back, I stopped at The Base Camp and found a little flashlight that turns into a lantern and I got it. I took a zig-zag route back and have stopped at Pioneer Park for lunch. I don’t think I’ll have as much trouble filling up today as I thought I would.  Tuesday, May 8, 2007
For the past week, white fluff has been floating everywhere. I don’t know if it is seeds from trees or from the numerous dandelion clocks. It fills the air here as a substitute for the yellow pollen of South Carolina.  Monday, May 7, 2007
I met Toni today when I went to fill out some paperwork. The library is 4.5 blocks from my apartment. I got a card. At the library, I had my computer, using the wi-fi. Some creepy-looking man came up and asked me what kind of computer it was. A girl was walking around, looking lost, so I asked her if she needed help. She said she was bored and sat down and talked to me until I left. She is 17 and nice enough, but I don’t know why she talked to me so long when we are strangers. She is more trusting than I am.  Sunday, May 6, 2007
On my hike on the Rims, I saw rabbits and chipmunks. I discovered the “cheep” sound a chipmunk makes. I always thought that sound belonged to birds. I saw a rabbit today near my car. Those bunnies are everywhere. I’m told the mallard ducks are, too. They even have duck crossing caution signs. This morning, I went to church with the Nelsons for something to do. We had lunch at a Mongolian grill. It was my first time. Yummy! Afterwards, I went to their house because they have wireless internet access and I have nothing. While I was doing my computer work, we watched a Harrison Ford movie, something sounding like “Presumed Innocence.” Pioneer Park, where I am sitting now, is about a 10-minute walk from my place.  Saturday, May 5, 2007
I went with the Nelsons to a Liquidation Super Sale. We paid $6 to get in (which I wouldn’t have done, but I was with them and they paid) and it was like K-Mart, except K-Mart would have had more and better things. In the evening, I moved into my apartment.  Friday, May 4, 2007
Today, I found a private rental and am going to look at it at 11:15. It’s more in my price range. I am wary of a private contact, but the building looks like it might be a company. I’ll find out. 2:00 p.m. I saw the place. I want it. It is managed by a company, but I think it’s a 1-man operation. I turned in an application, but only the maintenance man was there. Now I guess I just have to wait. I tried to go by the MCC office just now, but nobody answered. The office is an outbuilding to a house. I figure since I’m coming to fill out paperwork for them, there’s no reason to up the nerve to ask at the house. It was hard enough to walk into the backyard and knock at the office. She never told me where to go. The most interesting part about Billings is the green grass of the parks full of yellow wildflowers. Sometimes, they make a patch of yellow carpet. When you get close, however, you can see they are only dandelions. Yes, here the weed is beautiful.  Thursday, May 3, 2007
On Wednesday, they still couldn’t find the key. I called this morning and they said the apartment was rented. Was that bad communication or were they giving me the run-around? I upped my price range nearly $100 and found something else. I was able to view it and went to fill out the application. After a “how cute” remark about one of my answers (I’m still learning what to leave blank), they said I had to make three times as much as the rent. The living stipend for the Montana Conservation Corps isn’t that high. Yesterday, I walked on the Rims from 9:30 a.m. until almost 1:00. The new boots were good, except they ate into my achilles. *Photo is a stock photo from Canva. |
ESL PostsSome Beyond the Beginner videos are from The Variety Page posts that were edited for ESL listeners. Find those Read-Along transcripts here. Hire a WriterDo you need a content writer who writes without using AI? I have experience with shorter posts and longer articles. Learn more here. PhotosAll photo credits go to Jill Hames, unless otherwise noted. Categories
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Jill Hames is a writer, musician, biblical studies teacher, and ESL tutor who finds life too interesting to pick a niche. She has a B.A. in Music and Spanish, a Masters in Library and Information Science, is TEFL.org 168-hour certified to teach English as a second language, and is working towards a Master of Divinity. Jill is a member of Delta Omicron and the International Women's Writing Guild.
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Copyright 2025