Z is For ZooMontana

In the old days there was an annual concert held on what is now Zoo Montana grounds.  The concert was an annual fundraiser, the money was used to help build this remarkable 70-acre botanical garden and zoological park.   Zoo Montana was incorporated and established as a non-profit organization in 1982.  There is no other comparable zoo within a 500-mile radius.

If you are on Interstate 90 take exit 443 (Billings, MT) and you will be on Zoo Drive.  The exhibits have been constructed with natural habitat techniques.  Each exhibit has been designed with care for the safety of the public and the comfort of the animals.

Students are always excited when they get to go to Zoo Montana.  The zoo takes its education mission seriously.  There are a number of trunks that can be rented and used in the classroom. http://www.zoomontana.org/education/offsite/educational-trunks/

The “Fantasy of Lights” is an Easter Seal fundraiser and is held at the zoo.  The Holiday Light Display covers 2.5 miles that you can walk or drive through.  Local merchants sponsor individual light displays. http://www.visitbillings.com/event-detail.php?id=637  The  “Fantasy of Lights”, now “Zoo Lights” has become a traditional holiday event.

In 1998 my mother came to live with me.  I bought a family membership at the zoo.  We spent quite a bit of time walking the grounds and enjoying the exhibits.  We would sit on the benches and watch the birds in the open aviary.  One of our favorite haunts was to watch the otters as they played.

Over the years Zoo Montana has been able to add to their exhibits, and until recently was an accredited zoo.  This year Zoo Montana lost their accreditation because of financial problems.  They are now in the process of working to regain their standing.  I feel Zoo Montana is a valuable part of our community. 

http://www.zoomontana.org/

Y is for Yellowstone River & the Oil Spill

I know everyone thought I couldn’t write all of my ABC’s.  I really didn’t forget about Y & Z in the Writing Challenge I just took a few detours.

I live in Yellowstone County and the Yellowstone River has shaped our section of the world.  It is always there rising and falling.  Effected by spring run off as the snow melts in the mountains.  Occasional floods from ice jams. 

Early May, I took pictures that were only teasers for the power and beauty of the river.  May brought our state torrential rains and the river rose.  The water table ROSE.  The rain continued, and the water rose Creeks began to flood, rivers flooded.  wells once dry began to flood.  Farmers couldn’t plant their fields.  Crops already planted, drowned.  Roads and bridges washed out.

In my neighborhood water came up the cracks in basement floors.  Insurance doesn’t cover it because it is called a flood.  My dictionary says a flood is fast running water.  This water seeped it bubbled and oozed up cracks.

Roundup is a small town North of us.  In Roundup people pumped water from there basements only to have walls cave in..  During the rains the roads were closed and people couldn’t get out or in.  Many families lost their homes. Their fairground is still underwater.  I have included several pictures that were taken after the roads were reopened and most of the flooding had gone down.

The Crow Reservation was impacted.  People lost phone service and could not get out by car.  Boats were brought in to bring in emergency supplies.

I talked with an acquaintance from Winnett, MT, she said that during the rains over 44 of the 50 county roads in Petroleum County were closed.

Last week I was in Helena, MT for training.  I met a teacher from Hobson (near Utica, MT).  She has been pumping water from their basement for the last couple of months.  She told me that for years you could look down the 35-foot well and never see water.  This year the water table is high, clear water has filled the wells and the basements.

The rain stopped in May and June things started to dry out.  People have been working to clean up the damage.  We have also been waiting for the runoff from the snow-melt, and the floods that would follow. The road to Yellowstone National Park had 25 feet of snow pack about a week ago.

Laurel, MT is home to buildings made from river rock that sit nestled by the Yellowstone River.  German Prisoners of War during WWII built the compound.  The rising water has threatened these historic buildings.

Then came Friday, July 1, 2011.   An Exxon Mobile pipe beneath the river ruptured, contaminating the Yellowstone.  Like all disasters there is conflicting information.  Exxon and state agencies are working to clean up the spill.  The river is running high and fast.  The oil has been reported as far away as Miles City, 150 miles down river.

The Yellowstone River is an integral part of our landscape.  What happens to it affects us all.  When I think of the oil spill, I am amazed when people wonder why Mother Nature has gotten cranky lately.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/article_6a8f2313-4279-542c-95c7-92f04639003f.html

http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/article_2b84f0e5-a31a-59b8-aeca-c24581dd4de1.html

http://www.ktvq.com/news/press-conference-puts-spotlight-on-key-oil-spill-questions/

http://helenair.com/news/article_de1ebe7c-a6c6-11e0-b04d-001cc4c03286.html

Billings, MT

Billings MT is my current hometown.  Tonight the megaloads come through town and will go to the refinery to be set up.  It is always interesting to track journeys, even that of inanimate objects.

Billings is the biggest city in Montana.  It has a population of about 106,000 people - about 1/10th of Montana's population.

In the city we have the Alberta Bair Theatre, Yellowstone Art Museum, Western Heritage Center, Rocky Mountain College, Montana State University-Billings, the Moss Mansion, and Metra Park.  We were also the site of the Father's Day Tornado, June 2010.  We made the news because we rarely have tornadoes.  The Barstow Collection is housed at MSU-Billings.   Parts of the collection can be seen online.  Billings, MT is definitely a place of great attractions.

Tornado Watch

Father's Day, June 20th,  Billings had its first tornado in 52 years.  Last night, June 21st, Dan and I were riding around on our 4 wheelers.  He was looking for mud to play in.  We topped a favorite hill and watched this cloud formation turn like it was deciding what it was going to do next.  

We watched it for about 15 minutes as it moved away from Billings.  In the 2nd picture you can see a tail that could be the start of something.  The cloud formation was incredible.  I took the pictures with my cell phone.