Since our latest post, nearly two weeks have flown by in a blur. We have found a happy, peaceful inertia consisting of taking care of moving details, relaxing, and exploring the area.

Our biggest concerns two weeks ago were finding a rental house and a job for Nic. I am happy to report that we have found a place to call home in Big Arm, MT. We love everything about our rental house. Situated on ten acres, we will have lots of elbow room. We have always wanted to live at least a little remotely, and this spot will give us a great taste of rural life without being too far from grocery stores and other conveniences. The house is on the side of a hill overlooking a grassy and treed valley; a steep gravel driveway leads up it, requiring four-wheel drive in the winter. We will have room for guests but not so much house to care for that we’ll be overwhelmed. We will live surrounded by a few well-spaced neighbors and cattle ranching land. Birdsong, muted cows, and wind will form the soundtrack of our quiet life here. We hit it off very well with our new landlords, and they have even let us camp a few nights on the property. We have been able to see dusk cover the golden hills, to know for sure that we will survive without AC even at the peak of a Montana summer, to taste the well water and know we will love it. We have explored the surrounding roads on dirt bike and on foot. Nic has plenty of gravel to keep him busy, and I will have plenty of options for running with or without a stroller and dog in tow. On the negative side, Nic will most likely have a longer commute than we had pictured. We have both been spoiled by many years of very quick commutes, so this will be a change. On the positive side of that issue, the road he will most likely take to work each day is impressively scenic and rarely crowded. All in all, we feel so blessed to have found a really great living situation.

On the job front, Nic has everything short of a job offer for a cable installation job in Kalispell. He has interviewed and met with the manager already, and the job sounds like it could be a really good fit. He will complete the drug test and background check when we move here in September, so we will know more then. He is particularly looking forward to working independently and traveling around the Flathead Valley each day. This job will allow him a chance to really get to know the area well, and that reconnaissance will prove super helpful if we end up settling here long-term and building.

Dusk over Flathead Lake in Big Arm, MT. 

The sunny, dry heat we experienced during our first few days in Montana has not relented. After leaving our higher elevation perch atop Blacktail Mountain, we chose the next best option for beating the heat: time at the lake. We have spent most of the last two weeks camping at a variety of locations on Hungry Horse Reservoir or Flathead Lake. On hot days, we swim several times a day to cool off. Luna whines to go with us each time, as swimming is just about her favorite thing in life (after ingesting anything and everything). Homer tentatively plays at the water’s edge and keeps his paws nice and cool. For over a week straight, we bathed in the lake each night, bringing our body temps down enough to fall asleep comfortably and sometimes even with a little bit of a chill. We have been amazed by the water quality of both Hungry Horse and Flathead, especially after enjoying Lake Geneva’s clean waters each summer. We can’t wait to try out our water toys in the area – we just have to figure out how that works with an infant!

It’s bath time at Hungry Horse Reservoir!

Little by little, we are making our first baby steps towards being locals. I picked huckleberries at Hungry Horse (not as great as expected, but they started to grow on me). We’ve been told that locals will divulge their bank account number before telling you where they pick “hucks.” And we got our first taste of Flathead cherries when Nic bought some beautiful Rainier cherries from a local stand. You might not guess that Montana would produce fruit, but miles and miles of leafy orchards line the east side of Flathead Lake. We established ourselves with a local midwife after meeting with several. We will be one of the many locals who drives a bit of a distance to a hospital for delivery, but that’s typical for people here. We have checked out a variety of grocery stores in the area. On each trip, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by how courteous the shoppers and store employees were. I’m accustomed to shopping rather aggressively to defend myself against the bad manners of fellow shoppers and to make good use of my time. My pushy habits come across rather rudely here, as locals eagerly yield at the end of rows and smile kindly. Even our local driving experience has proven that most people here are pretty laidback, content to take in their beautiful surroundings even while following a slow RV on a narrow, winding road.

Take me swimming, Daaaaaadddd!

To sum it all up, we love this place so far. It’s been tough to summarize our impressions in this post, especially since few reading this will have spent any considerable amount of time in the area. We have already talked our parents’ and siblings’ ears off about Montana, and we will eventually bombard anyone who will listen with the same information. We hope to have many, many visitors who will be able to experience Montana in person. You will love it here – come check it out! Your airport shuttle, private dirt bike track, and guest room await!

Hungry Horse Reservoir