Familiar Face in a New Place

I had not seen Jill in several years since she left Best Friends, and in that time she'd gone back to Alaska, then to Oregon, and now to Polson, Montana.  When we corresponded via email and she told me that she was living in the most absolutely beautiful place on earth, I was anxious to see what she was talking about.  She was right - the southern part of Flathead Lake is magnificent.  Its expanse reaches to Kalispell about 50+ miles north, leading you to Glacier National Park.  The most awesome thing about the lake is that like Coeur d'Alene in Idaho, it's just right there at the side of the road waiting for you to take a dip as you drive over the bridge to the main part of town (a VERY small town about the size of Kanab 4,000 pop).  It's much more choppy, Mediterranean blue, and so dramatic with the hills as a backdrop.

Another wonderful surprise was seeing Dazee, her deaf and slightly ditzy blue-tic hound, and meeting Dundee, her blind, boisterous blue-tic hound.  There is nothing more delightful to my ears than the bay of a hound; especially comical when he can't hear how loud he is!!  Man - I wish I'd gotten photos of them - darn!

We stayed 3 nights overlooking the gorgeous lake.  Jill and I visited Kerr Dam (below), the animal shelter, and the park on the lake.  She has lived her for just a few months and has been busy sharing her expertise with her new staff members in her position as director of the Mission Valley Animal Shelter.  She is earning well-deserved respect from her staff already and bringing her love for humane education to this rural small town.  It was so great to see her!