Some of you are new to JanBeek, and maybe you have not had a chance to peruse my blog enough to see this beautiful area around Montana’s Madison Valley where I live.
Here are some of my favorite shots of the scenery around me:
I found this one on the web and did a screen shot. In the springtime, Bob & I take our ATV up to this outlook. The wild flowers are magnificent and the snow-capped mountains are breath-taking! (God is quite an artist, isn’t He?)I think this one was taken by my favorite photographer, Ed Coyle, but he usually has his name on his. So, if it’s not… and you know who took it, please let me know. I love it!!
Our fall colors are so beautiful and the “Big Sky” filled with wonderful cloud structures never fail to amaze me. We are so blessed to be here.
I love this one with the cattle out in the snow.
That was the scene that greeted us when we returned home late January from a 5 week vacation in California. The winter break was good, but it’s always good to be home!
My friend, Susan Phillips, took this one.
The Madison River runs through our little town of Ennis. It’s a fly-fishing mecca!! Can you feel the peace of the river?
My friend, Caroline Feldman, posted this one. I think she took it on one of her ATV ventures with CG.Go to Ed Coyle’s website, click “LOVE”… because I guarantee you WILL love his photos!! (Don’t use them without giving him credit, please.) Ed Coyle Photography
You should put Ennis, Montana on your “Bucket List.” If you have never ventured to this part of the USA, make it a “Must Do!” We’ll be happy to welcome you.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek and enjoying a few of our scenes with me.
This post is sooo inspirational. Soooo beautiful. Sooo timely. I cried as I viewed it. I just have to share it with you. DO take time to view the video. You will be blessed.
The original painting of Jesus painted by Akiane Kramarikat age 9 was hidden from her for over a decade. Finally she was able to reunite with it for a moment before it shipped to its new owner. She is an amazing artist.
Our Ennis Arts Association supports a performance each year of Shakespeare in the Schools for our Ennis students. I was so impressed today with the performance of these young people.
Following the performance of Romeo & Juliet, the cast sat down and gave the Ennis High students a chance to ask questions.
Then members of our Ennis Arts Association gathered for a delicious lunch at the Sr. Center followed by installation of our 2020 Ennis Arts Association Officers.
The shortest one there is yours truly, installed as the new president. It’s a privilege to work with these folks (left to right): Chelsee Mahsman (Secretary) with her baby, Clementine, Sue Kinn-Brown (Vice-President and jury committee chair), yours truly, and Patsy Eckert (past president).
Unable to attend were Barbara Swan-Roger (treasurer), Jan Brooks (co-treasurer). Also in attendance was one who serves on the jury for our annual adjudicated Art Festival and serves as a member of the publicity committee, Margie Reck; Shirley Storey, one of our talented artists, and Barbara Gillispie, also on the jury committee and a key member of the Art Festival planning group. It takes a dedicated team to support the arts and artists in our art-focused Madison Valley.
The Phipps Arboretum in Pittsburgh is an amazing place. We visited there with Jodie this morning. I took all kinds of pictures so I could share the experience with you. I hope you enjoy these amazing plants, decorated trees, and flowers.
Jodie & Bob in front of the Phipps Museum
One whole area in the museum was devoted to plants from Cuba. That area was very humid and warm.Another area was devoted to the North Pole Christmas theme.These reindeer were made out of sponges!The gigantic glass flowers in the next picture were created by Jason Gamrath, a student of glass artist, ChihulyTake a look at these unusual orchids. The sign said, “Transvaal.”I love the ruffly white orchids.
Jodie was fascinated by the spotted orchids.
“Wine spots” – interesting, huh?
Thanks for touring with us. I hope you enjoyed the flowers as much as we did!
See ya later… I’m headed to the Masonic Home to play with Liam.
Arts education includes not only the visual arts, but also music, culinary arts, and all forms of creative expression.
The difficulty in auditory performing arts education is that excruciating learning period before clarinets stop squawking and violins stop screeching. Unlike my mother, who couldn’t stand it and sent me and my clarinet out to the shed across the driveway to practice, the teachers can’t send the students outside to learn! At least not all the time!
Those darling violin students that I introduced you to yesterday do not sound (yet) like the YouTube video I posted of beautiful violin virtuosos. God bless the teachers, students, and appreciative audiences who recognize the learning process and love them through the squawks and squeaks!
Listen without covering your ears!
Support arts education in your schools and in the independent Arts Academies that teach visual and performing arts after school and on weekends. God bless those teachers! Ya gotta love ’em!!
Music increases Intelligence, I am sure; Especially strings!
Science bears it out! Or is it that violins Attract the wise ones?
Does music enhance natural intelligence?Just look at these bright youngsters!
Today at our Madison Valley Woman’s Club, there were about 75 women present to enjoy a variety of homemade soups for lunch while being entertained by Katie Coyle’s violin students.
These seven students were delightful!
Teacher, Katie, said she was not a trained teacher, but no one else in our little town of less than 1,000 residents was teaching violin. So, when Katie (who to played the fiddle when she was a youngster) was asked, she stepped up to the plate. There is no way you would agree with her when she says, “I don’t know how to teach violin.”
The students giggled when told they should play kneeling.They squealed with joy when told to play lying down!
Katie obviously knows how to teach violin in a way that brings the students back each week clambering for more.
Smart to begin with; smarter still with music lessons!Bright eyes, open minds, and ready smiles!
Our MVWC donates money annually to Katie’s Music and Art Academy. Our donation made it possible for 3 families to attend Fiddlers’ Camp last summer. Next summer Katie hopes 6 families can attend.
We have 150 members!
Our “Collect” or “pledge” that we resign together each month at the start of our meeting tells you a little about our mission:
We put into action our better impulses!
Today I was one of about 8 ladies who provided the crock pots of soup for the lunch. Each month a different volunteer committee provides the meal and decorates the tables with seasonal themes.
This wasn’t the one I made, but it was my choice for lunch. It was yummy!There were about 8 choices of soup plus cornbread and yummy desserts. The desserts were gone by the time the serving committee got to that part of the meal. Oh well… I didn’t need the calories!Happy November, my friends.
Do you play an instrument? Is it your conviction that music enhances intelligence? I may be a little prejudiced in that regard!
I hope you can access this gorgeous music. I found it by Googling it on YouTube.
Just listening to beautiful violin music makes me feel smarter! How about you?
My cousin, Cliff, who had surgery yesterday to remove his esophagus (due to cancer) loves sending me jokes about my instrument of choice: the accordion. I ask you to pray today for Cliff’s recovery and return to strength and humor. I think of him as I listen to this beautiful music.
One of the jokes Cliff sent me was a picture of St. Peter welcoming someone to Heaven saying, “Here is your harp.” And Satan welcoming someone to Hell saying, “Here’s your accordion.”
Thanks, Cliff!! In spite of your sarcastic humor, I love you!! (Maybe it’s because of your humor??) Even in your strapped down, hooked up, post surgery posture, I can see that devilish smirk and the twinkle in your eyes!
Please pray for Cliff!
Listen to music. It’ll make you smarter. And bee sure your kids get music lessons!
Bee well! Always Bee Grateful for your health!! See ya tomorrow, my friends.
Today our Ennis Arts Association had a guest speaker, Kathy Coontz, who represents the Federation, Quilts of Valor, in our state of Montana. Kathy is such an inspiration!! I love her quilts and her enthusiasm.
Can you see what a delight she is?
The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a nation-wide service effort that delivers quilts to service members and veterans. Its mission is to cover service men and women and veterans touched by our war(s) with comforting and healing hugs in the form of beautiful, warm, red, white and blue quilts.
Kathy told us the recipients do not have to have served in a “declared war.” Regardless of the conflict or the branch of service, the rank or the job (Clerk Typist Specialist 4 – behind a desk in Germany in 1961-2 was my husband’s job), we owe them a thank you for their service to our country. The quilts are stitched with love, prayers, gratitude, and healing thoughts. It’s the quilters’ way of saying, “Thank you for your service, sacrifice, and valor.”
In their brochure explaining the program, QOV quoted one recipient, a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan from ’05 to ’07.
Spc. JMcK, US Army, wrote,
“As silly as it might sound for a soldier with over three years in Iraq and Afghanistan to say, that blanket became a true item of comfort and peace for the road ahead.”
If you know a U.S. service man or woman or a veteran who might appreciate a Quilt of Valor, you can log on to http://www.QOVF.org and fill out an application. You also can discover on that site how to donate to the cause, join the organization, or designate a gift for a specific QOVF group or particular state.
It was a wonderful presentation. I wish more people in our Madison Valley had been there to hear Kathy’s message.
Do you have a Quilts Of Valor organization near you? Or do you know of a veteran who’d benefit? Think about it! There’s nothing like a warm blanket hug! My daughter DeDe sent me a blanket hug for Christmas last year. I love it!!
See ya later.
Written
on December 21, 2019