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Camping at Blue Bay

This is my first blog. I read an article about an ISU professor who starts all her blogs with Dear Clara, addressing her posts to her deceased mother. I decided to write mine to my Aunt Donna, my second mom who I called "Aunt Jimmer."

Dear Aunt Jimmer,

I just spent last week at Blue Bay Campground on Flathead Lake. The campground is run by the Salish and Kootenai Confederated tribes. From it you have a surreal view of a mountain of pine trees, a clear blue huge lake, and an even bluer sky. My husband was with me and my mom, a feisty 105 pound 72 -year-old who still works full-time and has a yard with seven flowerbeds and a pond she built herself. What a nice place to recharge. This year the upper area of the campground had some tepees built for a diabetic conference. We "lived" in our Copper Canyon Sprinter--not too primitive but very nice for me with my surgical rebuilt neck.

My brother-in-law Wayne has his boat set up withdownriggers and a fish finder to fish out on the lake. He has caught some truly monstrous fish, which decorate his family room wall. My husband Neil teaches an Outdoors Class in Idaho. This year he built me a pole just for fishing off the dock. The pole turned out truly beautiful. I added a silver Shakespeare reel. I had to have Shakespeare because I teach English literature and had spent two delightful days in Stratford last summer including a relaxing walk on the greenbelt of the Avon River, I spent one day of lazy fishing--a colorful umbrella protecting me from the sun. I caught and released four huge lake trout while my mom spent some time on the dock with us happily reading a Nora Roberts book.

We drove up to Glacier, but most of the park is still closed--Montana had as tough a winter as Idaho. Mom and I were able to shop at West Glacier--if we can shop the trip is always a happy one. It is nice to be home today, but I'm missing the scenery. I need to round up my camera and post some pictures.

Best,

Vickie