 June 30, 2007
Yesterday, I saw thermometer signs reading from 100-107 F. It was a hot day to be fencing! I wish the project were longer. I enjoyed it. We had a “Safety Member” and “Team Spirit” award. I got Safety and Eli got Spirit. Because it’s more of a way to good-humoredly embarrass someone than a serious award, we’re pretty sure Danny and Mason will get the awards at the next bi-weekly meeting. I did laundry at the Nelson’s today and had pizza. Eva and their infant daughter have a cold. They were in the ER until 3:00 a.m. because their daughter was so plugged. I know they are exhausted and the baby is still fussy. They are so kind to be letting me do free laundry and giving me free suppers.
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 Thursday, June 28, 2007
I’ve been sick since Tuesday. Horrible sore throat Tuesday. I only worked until lunch, then slept in the rig. I’ve been able to work yesterday and today, but fully booked with meds. I had supper at the Nelson’s. Making rice now because I want to eat tomorrow. Looking forward to my bed. I like fencing. I’m not lagging 20 feet behind everybody, there is a variety of work to do, and you can almost get into a rhythm.  Monday, June 25, 2007
After enjoying five days off, we were back at work today. We are working with the Billings BLM at Acton Recreation Area. We are building fences - both barbed wire and buck and rail. It is nice to be only working 8-hour days. Yesterday, I was supposed to volunteer at the Symphony in the Park, but my cramps were so bad I only stayed one hour instead of five. I was disappointed to miss the concert.  Thursday, June 21, 2007
Summer solstice. I wish I could go to a dance tonight. An outdoor dance would be even better. I am nearly 11 months through my travel-and-live-across-America adventures. I am bruised and tired from the winter, but have grown wiser. I look forward to pleasant experiences. And still I say, as near the beginning: “And whither then? I cannot say” - J. R. R. Tolkien  Wednesday, June 20, 2007
We were busy the rest of our time at Devil’s Tower or else simply had long days because I didn’t have time to write. Saturday: Full day of spraying weeds. I think several snakes were spotted. I know I got a nice view of a 7-foot bull snake slithering away. Sunday: We got to sleep in. We didn’t have to be at work until 8:30. We helped to set up for the Settlers’ Picnic. Eli stayed to help with parking. The rest of us hiked out to pile logs. The field they were in was supposed to be burned, but it wasn’t and the ATVs couldn’t get through until the logs were moved into piles. When we got there, it wasn’t logs we had to move, it was skinny, short pine trees and their branches that had melded into the grass. By the time we finished, there were a score or more funeral pyre brush piles in the field. We finished a little after 12:00. We met Eli, took showers, and made burritos for lunch while watching a movie. At 3:00, we helped clean up the picnic, then we were done for the day. We went to have our crew photo taken at an old timey photo place. We took it outside with Devil’s Tower in the background. It was starting to rain and the lady was not very personable. The rain didn’t last long and at 6:00 we went to a cookout with the DT people. I left before 8:00, intending to go to bed. Instead, I ended up talking to one of the rangers until nearly 9:00. Monday: We sprayed in the morning. Pippa almost stepped on a 2-foot rattler than I had walked next to without seeing. The afternoon was windy, so we couldn’t spray. Instead, we cut the heads off of leafy spurge so that it wouldn’t spread seeds. It seems a large portion of the MCC work involves sticking your backside in the air as strangers go past. Tuesday: We worked a half-day, spraying weeds. We had each received a $10 gift certificate to the camp store. We stopped on our way out and filled up on junk food for lunch. We were back at the office before 6:30 and I was home before 8:00 Today, I ran errands and worked on cleaning my gear. I learned something on the Devil’s Tower trip. It bothers me immensely to be the slowest and the last. I guess I’ll get over that these next months or else spend a lot of time frustrated and unhappy. Today, I also went to the Pictograph Cave State Park. I didn't pay, although I think technically, I was supposed to. There were three shallow caves. Only one had faint paintings in red, black, or white. I saw a brown and yellow striped snake. It was a nice little park to visit once.  Friday, June 15, 2007
Today was more organized and went faster, although my feet hurt just as bad. My hips are starting to chafe, too, because the sprayer-pack sits on them (nice for my back-shoulders-neck; bad for my hips). I almost stepped on a fawn. I saw balls of “spit” on small plant stalks. The “spit” belongs to spittlebugs, although whether they are the bugs, egg sacks, or something else, we don’t know. We worked 6:30-4:00.  Thursday, June 14, 2007
Yesterday, I unlocked the rig, stuck the keys in the ignition so they wouldn’t get lost, pressed the button to unlock all the doors, shut the front door, and went to open the back door. It was locked. Pippa got a ride from the NPS to get her keys from camp. Meanwhile, Declan used a stick to break in. We got our water, moved the rig down the road, took the keys, locked the doors, and played a joke on Pippa. Today, we worked 6:30-4:00 with 45 minutes for lunch. We spent about 30 minutes with maintenance while they cut down a tree. Pippa and Eli held traffic signs. The rest of us watched while the tree fell. There was no cleanup because the tree didn’t fall on the road, so we didn’t get as long a break as we had hoped. Weed spraying was over uneven ground filled with holes and snags. The NPS people don’t communicate well with each other, so it was a lot of “go uphill” and 30 seconds later “go downhill” and two minutes later “bump right” and 90 seconds later “stop, we’re pivoting left.” Frustrating day. Someone saw a rattlesnake. We startled three fawns. I saw two. They are giving us a cookout tonight. Maybe one day I will learn to enjoy such social gatherings. Maybe enjoyment depends on the people there.  Wednesday, June 13, 2007
We worked 6:30-3:30 today. We saw two racers, one rattler plus one I didn’t see, and two fawns plus one I didn’t see. This morning, I heard a pat-pat like dozens of birds flapping, but more like fauns prancing. I think it was deer feeding. There are red hills here that look like faces. When moved by a deep need, they open their mouths and sing a great and terrible song. And then you die. But if you are their friend, you stand captivated with awe. Similar red-rock people live on I-90 going towards Helena.* It was foggy this morning. We got soaked to our knees or higher as we tramped through the fields killing hound’s tongue, mullen, Canadian thistle, Scotch thistle, and musk thistle. The cottonwood seeds are flying around like snow. * In case it's unclear, this is my imagination, not a local myth.  Tuesday, June 12, 2007
We drove to Devil’s Tower yesterday. We got our new crew member, Danny. We found out Travis flew home over the weekend and isn’t coming back for medical reasons. Too bad. We had a good group dynamic going last week. Today started with work at 6:30. We sprayed weeds until the rain stopped us at 10:30. At 12:00, we went to Sundance with some of the park people we are working with. We went to a free museum. We went to Vole Buffalo Jump. It’s a hole in the ground, not impressively big. The sign said there are 20 feet of bones under the topsoil. It was too rainy to take pictures. I wish I had, though, just to show how unimpressive it is. We got back at 4:00 and the end of the work day. Supper, then shower. The rain stopped by the time we got back. It looks promising for clear skies tomorrow. There are prairie dogs here. This morning, a park worker sprayed a weed within two feet of a sleeping fawn before she saw it. We all gathered around, probably 10 feet or less away and the fawn pretended to sleep.  Sunday, June 10, 2007
I spent yesterday evening with the Nelsons. I woke up before 7:00 this morning. Packed some. Watched the 1950 DOA. Enjoyed it. In another mood, I might find it disjointed, something akin to an Agatha Christie novel. As it was, it proved a pleasant way to help pass the morning.  Saturday, June 9, 2007
I never thought an air mattress could be so comfortable. I thoroughly enjoyed my bed and shower last night. By the time we got in, unpacked the rig, stopped at the Mongolian Grill, dropped off Travis and Eli, and I got home, it was 8:30. We worked 7:00-1:00 yesterday and enjoyed the sun. The woman who owns the ranch had to hug us all as we left. She is a sweet lady. I hope she gets lots of visitors. Today, I prepared for Monday, went to the Army-Navy Store, cleaned, and went to the library - not in that order. At the Army-Navy Store, I got a raincoat with a hood and wool gloves and a wool hat.  Thursday, June 7, 2007
We didn’t blow away in the night. The sun came out today. There are still some clouds and chilly wind, but some hot moments, too. The pre-sunset over the lake was beautiful. I sawed some in the morning. I spent the afternoon putting up shingles. I had to cut them at an angle to leave a “gutter” in the flashing. Figuring out logistics of that was frustrating. We worked from 7:00-5:30. I’m happy to be dry and see the sun.  Wednesday, June 6, 2007
It continues to rain with high winds. We only worked 7:00-11:00, then sat in the car until 12:30. We ran out, cleaned up, and spent the afternoon in Helena. We came back. Sat in the rig. Had “Core,” which is reading something, then talking about it. Made yummy veggie and feta sandwiches on French bread, battling the wind and a flying tarp the whole time. At least the tarp and ropes are holding, so we have some shelter. After supper, we scurried to our tents to pray the wind doesn’t blow us over and that the storm soon lets up.  Thursday, June 5, 2007
I used a skill saw to cut boards for the roof because I wasn’t comfortable climbing on the roof, but I did help pull off some boards from the old roof. During the lightning storm, we talked to the old woman who grew up in this house and now lives in a modern house right beside it. She told us stories about the animals here. There are mountain lions and wolves. We worked from 7:00-2:15. We stopped during the rain storm. We worked 3:30-4:15. Rain. Left at 4:30. We were supposed to work until 5:00. I liked using the skill saw better than when Isaiah showed me. In the morning, we saw a golden eagle flying over the lake. In the afternoon, pelicans. Sarah joined us today. Erin quit for health reasons. I pooped in the woods for the first time today. I used a ponderosa needles bunch instead of paper.  Monday, June 4, 2007
Yesterday, I picked Travis up at 8:45 a.m. and we went shopping for the week with Pippa and Declan. Erin never showed up and we got a late start from waiting for her. Then we went to Lewis and Clark Caverns, but we couldn’t see them because it takes two hours and we only had one. We spent today roofing an old ranch house. We used cedar shingles. Repairing the roof will be our job this week. We are camped in a treed field nearby.  Saturday, June 2, 2007
Between gear and food, I spent over $100 today. Ouch! Little things like $5 waterproofer and $7 lashing straps add up. I sent my North Face day pack to the doctors. I hope the repairs aren’t too expensive. I hope they are finished soon. A little Jansport is nowhere near the same. I watched The Iron Monkey last night and liked it. I think martial art films are part fantasy with people seeming to fly and such.  Friday, June 1, 2007
Hooray! No rain whale breaking camp. On the way back to Billings, we stopped at the Heart Mountain Internment Camp Memorial. Maybe it was the cold and grey skies, but the place felt solemn. We stood for lunch because we felt odd eating at a picnic table with a memorial plaque. I was back at my apartment before 5:00 and started in on drying everything and cleaning and generally getting ready for Sunday. Well, I went to the library for a movie first. *This is not a photo from the Heart Mountain Memorial. If I took a photo there, I can't find it. I vaguely remember that it felt sacrilegious to take a photo at a memorial of so much suffering, so it's possible that I didn't take any. |
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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