S is for Sagebrush

My husband loves to go “boonie bashing” – driving on non-roads with a 4 wheel drive.  He loves going through rough areas just to see if he can.  Since I have been going with him he doesn’t go through the rough stuff like he used to.  But that is another story.

Sagebrush can be found in many places.  It is often viewed as a weed.  In reality it is an important ecosystem.   There are 16 species of sagebrush in Montana.  I looked that fact up.  I can only name a couple of the species.  Any way, on with the story.

We had gone hunting up near Ismay.  We had a deep aqua green pick up with new running boards on the side.  We went down a coulee.  There below us head on was a clump of sagebrush.  I took one look …

“That’s old sagebrush, you might want to go around it.”

Incredulous he said, “It’s sagebrush, it bends.”

“Old sagebrush is hardwood, it doesn’t bend. The trunk is about 4 inches in diameter”

Laughing, he hit it head on.

The metal screamed, “SCREETCH, YEEE!  EEEH”, as it was rending from the box.  The sound was deafening as the metal ripped, and shrieked.  In my mind I thought “save the pieces.”

Dan looked in the side mirror at the fragments of metal strips that lay twisted and broken in our wake alongside the trail.

“Didn’t think it would do that,” he commented as he picked up the mangled and twisted pieces of metal that had been running boards.

“Guess we should have got those Nerf bars instead of those cheap running boards.” 

I shook my head as I looked out at the ocean of sagebrush flowing down the hill.  Under my breath, but loud enough to be heard, “Maybe we should JUST gone around it.

N is for Northern Cheyenne Tribal College

Image via Wikipedia

There are seven reservations in Montana.  Each reservation has a tribal college.   I taught one evening class at Chief Dull Knife College the year I also taught Special Education classes at the Northern Cheyenne School in Busby, Montana.

I was invited to attend many cultural events and learn about a culture different than mine.  I watched people navigate two very different worlds simultaneously. 

I remember sitting at the cafeteria table by students and staff.  I was trying to learn how to say, “Please pass the bread.”  My young teacher (a 3^rd grader) was coaching me.  As I made the attempt there were a few muffled chuckles.

I realized I had not spoken the correct words.  My young teacher smiled and told me what I said.  She showed wisdom and great kindness when I asked her if she thought I would ever learn Cheyenne.

“No, but it is good that you try.”


Joseph Fire Crow, a Northern Cheyenne flute player.  Is considered one of the greatest flute players in the world.  This spring he visited several schools and lead a workshop at the Western Heritage Center in Billings, Montana.  His music speaks calls to my spirit.

I have many great memories of the time I spent in Busby.  I will always remember the Northern Cheyenne people with great fondness.

Montana Tribal Colleges

Chief Dull Knife College, is in Lame Deer, http://www.cdkc.edu/

Salish Kootenai College is in Pablo, MT on the Flathead Reservation

http://www.skc.edu/

Little Big Horn College is in Crow Agency on the Crow Reservation http://www.lbhc.edu/

Fort Peck is in Poplar, MT on the Fort Peck Reservation http://www.fpcc.edu/

Fort Belknap College is in Harlem Montana on the Fort Belknap Reservation http://www.fbcc.edu

Blackfeet Community College is in Browning, MT on the Blackfeet Reservation http://www.bfcc.org/

Stone Child College is located on Upper Box Elder Road between Rocky Boy Agency and Box Elder, Montana.

http://www.stonechild.edu/