A Beautiful Winter

I have never known winter to be so beautiful! I have fallen in love with Montana all over again. Although now it is because of the pure, white snow blanketing the ground and the trees, the amazingly clear night skies (the coldest nights) which provide a wonderful view of the Milky Way and the deep, deep quiet of the forest in winter. I was worried before I arrived for the season that I might not be able to handle Montana winters, but so far I am doing quite well and am adjusting much more easily than I thought I would. I am enjoying this winter more than any I have experienced in Missouri. I am happy here, even when my fingers are cold ;-)

Things are still relatively quiet around here at the BFC. No bison out of the park still, which is highly unusual for this time of year. So we are still trying to keep ourselves busy with what needs doing around the property. I have been cooking for about six weeks now, and while I have enjoyed cooking for community again, I am more than ready for a break. It is hard work. While another person here might wake up and feel like they just want to take the day off and hide away, I can't do that. Everyone would wonder why I hadn't made them breakfast, lunch or dinner, ha. I have learned more about cooking and that is a very good thing. I have cooked plenty of meat (all wild game, provided by several of the volunteers who hunt) and have only experienced success. While it is a little odd to cook meat for a crowd of omnivores, myself being a veggie, it is good to know I have greatly expanded my cooking repertoire. I have received many kind compliments (hopefully sincere ;-) on my cooking, and that feels good. For now, I have two more days to finish off cooking for the month, then I will only be filling in here and there to provide days off for whomever else is cooking. As of right now I'll be cooking for another month in the spring, assuming my plans don't change.

Yampah and I are spending more and more time together and I am very pleased that we are growing so close. He is a wonderful man and I am incredibly happy to know him. For the first time in a long time I actually have the desire to establish and maintain a real romantic relationship. I no longer ignore that sometimes frightening F word: future. It feels a little odd, since I have been so determindly single since my last serious relationship (the quite disastrous affair with Owl). It feels good though, and I look forward to what the future has to offer us. He has been gone for the last week, visiting family back east for the holidays. I have missed him! He will be returning today and I am very excited to see him :-D

So, all in all, things are good here, despite some ongoing frustrations with community (or rather those few individuals who make living in community difficult). I am happy and I forsee staying in Montana for a long time.

The season begins...

Sometimes I am amazed that I am here. How the hell did I get out here to the wilds of the big sky country to live and work with buffalo activists? Well, that's an easy enough question, but still...it's funny to think how my life has changed in the past several months. From simply existing in a college town where few knew me or even cared, working just to live, to belonging in an open community of activists trying to actually do something good for the voiceless buffalo. Strange but awesome. I am quite happy to be where I am. It feels good to be doing something I believe in. Despite being financially poor, not having health insurance or really anything I can call "security", I am much happier being a buffalo hippie than I was when I was just another drone. Sometimes I remember the quote my last roommate had posted on her door, "activism is my rent for living on this planet."

So, things are well here. The season has officially started, though we are still only sending out one patrol a day, as the buffalo aren't moving out of the park yet, at least not where we are. Although unfortunately a bull has already been taken in the state hunt north of the park near our other winter outpost. The cabin is still relatively quiet as we are slowing starting to get back into the swing of things. I began my stint as the official cook a couple of days ago and I'd say while the food I've made so far hasn't been amazingly delicious it has overall been pretty decent. I've found that I still have troubles keeping to a schedule when it comes to cooking. I don't know what it is, as I am punctual in almost every other situation, but I find it hard to get food on the table at a predetermined time. It seems to stress me out more than anything else. Something I will have to work on this season...

It is beautiful here. Chilly to cold, although we've had a few pleasantly warm days that were good for hooping. The sun doesn't hide too often. We are still waiting for that big snowfall that will cover the ground until spring, although the mountains are already covered. The nights are so very still and quiet. I am still used to the noise of cities, so the calm always makes me stop for a moment when I go outside at night. For some reason it makes me feel full, maybe even expectant, but of what I don't know. There has been a mountain lion prowling about again, which is always exciting. Another volunteer who has been spending time hunting in the "backyard" (the property butts up to a big national forest) has reported seeing wolf tracks, a group of at least five. They must be hunting as well. It's wonderful to live in a place with so much wildlife, even though some of those critters are more than capable of killing or maiming people. Kinda exciting really...