Bad News/Good News

The "bad news" is that I won't be enjoying reading Montana History this evening Tuesday up at the Marias Heritage Center here in Shelby,.I have a frog in my throat & the frog's not well. I got exposed to the worst case of the flu since the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic, thanks to one of my co-workers, Tommy Typhoid! The GOOD NEWS here is that my good friend & Heritage Center resident, Marie Ostrem, will be sitting in for me this evening to continue reading a really fascinating books that we're currently enjoying Tuesday evenings at the Heritage. The book is "Nothing To Tell-Extraordinary Stories of Montana Ranch Women" penned by Donna Gray. It truly IS an "extraordinary" saga of a group of 12 women in their 80's who were born in or immigrated to Montana in the late 19th or early 20th century. Author Gray conducted these interviews that reveal a rich heritage in early day Montana. The womens' raw accounts bring to life the childhood memories & adulthood experiences of ranch wives in their own words & recollections.. It's ALL here...from raising poultry to raising a family. These women knew the meaning of hard work as they faced the hardships of family illness, poverty, & early widowhood. Through it all, they were known for their good sense of humor & strong sense of self. It's a great book & should be available on the internet. Publisher TwoDot is an imprint of Globe Pequot Press out of Guilford, Connecticut & Helena, Montana. Check it out at www.GlobePequot.com.  Montana History tonight at 6 at the Marias Heritage Center. And thank you Marie for filling in this evening. I'm looking forward to returning to the Heritage next week to catch up on more of this story.