Missoula, MT 9/16 - 27

   We had an easy drive from Emigrant to Missoula. We are at 712 E Spruce Street in downtown Missoula in a very nice VRBO rental. It is modern and clean and comfortable. We have a little outside balcony. 

   It is so nice to be in one place and not having to be in the car. We cleaned out the car, in fact. And, we did a big pile of laundry. 

  We did a self-test for Covid on the 17th.

   We made a trip to the Good Foods Store, a favorite, and stocked up on organic veggies and fruits. We have both missed veggies as we've traveled. And, on Saturday we went to the downtown farmers' market here which is excellent and tempting. Mark made a beet/corn soup.

Our balcony, Spruce Street

Jen and Mark

     Jen Olson came over on the 18th with a delicious homemade apple pie and we caught up. We have not seen each other for over 10 years, I think. Jen is teaching art online in Missoula. 

     We also went to the Missoula Symphony on the 18th. It was the first live performance since the onset of the pandemic. We were a little nervous but all were fully masked and we did not sit too near anyone else. (Missoula is in the red zone for cases.) 

Sign along the Blackfoot River

  The conductor was the energetic Julie Tai who we enjoyed watching. The program was "Motors, Emperors and Activists." The first piece was by a contemporary composer, Mizzy Mazzoli, written in 2013 titled "River Rouge Transfiguration." It was a Detroit auto plant. The second was Beethoven's Piano Concerto, No. 5, the "Emperor." It is one of Mark's favorites. The guest pianist was Jeffrey Beigel. His fingers flew over the keys. And, the third piece was Ethel Smyth's Serenade in D minor, written in 1889. Smyth was a contemporary of Tchaikovsky who encouraged her despite the obstacles against a woman composer. A supporter of suffrage, she spent 2 months in a London prison. Both of us liked the piece.

Mushrooms at the Market

David and Maura got home on Saturday and we had a lovely meal with them at their house on Sunday. (grilled steak/veggies)

David had the next two days off. The first day we went to Gold Creek and walked and swam the dogs (Dutch and Maebe). We also took the Clarity to the dealer for a routine check up. The second day,  we went to Red Rocks and took a bit longer of a hike and the dogs swam some more. Both walks were along the Blackfoot River. We had a picnic on the second day. Maura and David brought Thai food over to our place on that day.

On two day Mark and I took part of the River Walk in Missoula on beautiful sunny days. We also were lucky to be able to get 4 (each) self-testing COVID-19 kits to use when we feel it necessary.

"Our" apartment

One night we went out to dinner at Michi Ramen restaurant. We sat a long time waiting, but the food was delicious. 

We decided to stay here an extra night, so we cancelled a night in Portland. It means that we can spend the last day with David who will have it off.

Maebe and Dutch retrieving

On Saturday, we went to the farmers' market with Maura who shopped for Sunday's dinner. We had a picnic from the food truck sitting in the grass by the river. Then, we went out to see where David works at the animal shelter and were quite impressed by the size and scope of their operation. 

David at work

Picnic with Maura, Farmers' Market

David's place of work

 Maura hosted a wonderful Sunday dinner with her cousins, Phil and Connie. Stuffed shells on a butternut squash puree bed - not red sauce. Really good. She also had meatballs and salad and Connie brought an unusual, but delicious, plum dish. She also brought a very labor intensive dessert with a shortbread bottom, apples (from a friend's tree), topped with streusel and then a homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream to top it. Yikes - the calories in that. It was a wonderful evening with great food, great conversations.

Connie with marvelous dessert

David and Phil

Blackfoot River

Our last full day in Missoula - another gorgeous, sunny day - hit 80 again. And...Maura took the afternoon off! So all four of us were together. So, we made sandwiches which we took to the Blackfoot River. The dogs had a blast retrieving sticks. Then, we went back to their house and had pizza.

Sunset on our last evening in Missoula

Very hard to leave, but the visit has been wonderful.