April Under Montana's Big Sky - A Fuji Roundup

The Matchbook | 5.15.22

To put it simply, April was divided into two very distinct halves.

The first was one of stillness, one of Montana and her gorgeous skies, of big life events for Addie, of the normal spinnings of a simple life. The second half was Ireland, and it was stunning and spectacular. Those images are coming up in the next two weeks.

I love doing these Fuji roundups, and my goodness I hope you still love getting them. To share these intimate peeks, these little bits of beauty that I find from toting around my trusty Fuji camera everywhere I go. It lets you see what I saw, as I saw it, and I think it’s rad to shrink the distance between us.

Here goes, the first half of a very busy month, the story of April in images and memories.

Click on the first and it’ll let you see them bigger and scroll through each one :)

You’ll be shocked, I’ve no doubt, to hear that April included many, many walks again with Lady G and Gilly. The weather was fickle, it went from very hot to very not and back multiple times. My Mom was also so rad and put together a short Easter Egg hunt for Sarah and I, which I think was our first since we were kids and it was rad and Sarah found way more eggs and way more surprises than I did. Also, I learned that there are years, about every 7 or 8, where pine trees produce far more cones than at any other time. This year is that year, and it’s been astonishing how many there are in our forest right now. Some, like the one above, have the most unique and beautiful patterning. Then, as mentioned, Addie finally got to do something she’d been wanting to do for the last 2 years, get her first tattoo to honor our dear friend JeanAnn who passed away a few years ago. She would always say to us all “Love you miss you” to end every text, phone call, email, or any correspondence. Both Sarah and Addie got them together, in each other’s handwriting, and it was a really beautiful and special day. As always, Jami (our family who doesn’t share blood but shares spirit) was amazing and did them perfectly.

More stunning skies from what I believe is a town that gets more ridiculously beautiful sunsets than almost anywhere I’ve ever been, a fact I honestly will debate anyone on. Sarah being lovely, the bread shed being full, first forest fires coming far too early, and the magically mundane machinations of a normal day were Sarah tends to her dough, stretches and folds it, prepares it for proofing, and then lets it chill in the fridge so it ferments perfectly and becomes the tasty massive loaves of joy it’s born to be. Somehow, April was filled with the rare and lovely golden light I usually associate with August, and it was so fantastic seeing that glow.

The first half of April wrapped up nicely with the extremely tear-inducing splashdown of Orion and the Artemis II project into the ocean. It made me sob, and I don’t know precisely why, but just something about watching these astronauts do something together that we haven’t seen done in so many, many years. That we CAN still pull together, that we CAN still find hope, that we can explore and open, rather than restrict and contract. That we can believe again. This world has been far too filled with the opposite for far too long, and this was magical. The light on the deck was the same light pooling through the windows as they floated in that ocean after returning from the Moon. Beautiful.

Addie also had her first tennis match, a sport she’d never played once until a few months ago, and in true Montana fashion, it got rained out before she even finished her first game. A wander downtown with the lovely Lady G, and a surprise visit from Henry from college before he dove into finals and wrapping up his Freshman year quite clearly made Sarah’s ENTIRE month. Look how happy she is.

Stormy clouds to end things, to remind us that our takeoff from Bozeman International Airport would be a rocky one, and then we packed, prepared, and got our trusty Fuji’s ready for Ireland.

Thanks for watching, for listening, for being part of this magical community.

I would love for more of you to join the family, if you’re willing, if you’re able. Click the link below.

I love you all.

Be good.