june was a busy month!

Yup, I was a little quiet in June, without intending to be. I even had another post that I had started, and didn't quite get the chance to finish and put up. June ended up being a month of traveling. I first prepared to leave DC for just a little over a week to meet some family up in Montana (yup, the picture above is where I spent summer vacation), and then I traveled some for work, which was a fantastic experience and I visited two countries that I might not have visited otherwise. One maybe, but the other one was, regrettably, off my radar.

I was also working on a new story. But even that was pushed aside some during the craziness of the last few weeks. I am not now expecting to travel anywhere for the time being, so I'm looking forward to the chance to work on this blog more, really develop my story that I've had in mind for several years, and also work on a new idea I am developing with my sister. Perhaps the great thing with this last item is that it involves food: recipes, new ingredients, restaurants...the things we love.

Montana was, in a word, amazing. And cold. I landed and the pilot said the weather was about 42. 42?! I'd left 90s in DC...and while I had expected 70s, I had not expected to be chilled. Did I miss crossing the equator? Last I had checked, it was June.

Thankfully it did warm up and the rain even stopped and I had several days of beautiful sun. We could not make it to the top of Glacier's Going to the Sun road for one of my favorite hikes, the Hidden Lake hike, but we did see a new part of Glacier. And, on my last full day, I saw a bear!
It was from the safety of the car, and I couldn't get a clear picture of it...but I did see it! Not sure if it was a black bear or a young grizzly, but it made my day. And then it was bittersweet to leave. No matter how much I love my vacation, there's nothing like being back in my own place...even if it was for only two days before I left for my work trip.

And now I will finally make the Huckleberry scone mix I bought to take into my office today, and also work some more on my novel, which incidentally takes place mostly in Montana. Hmmm...sounds like I might have to go back for another research trip. What do you think?