Since I was on-call today, I dressed for work in the event someone needed me, and then headed out to drop Jax at playcare, stopped by Coffee Traders to pick up my free Valentine Day coffee treat from HopeWest, and then went to the last place I had hoped to visit before heading back home…The Museum of the Mountain West. Situated just on the outskirts of Montrose, and on the way to Black Canyon, it was started by a man who began collecting things as a four-year-old. A fascinating story, but I won’t go into that. Needless to say, he had amassed quite a collection, and eventually opened this museum so others could enjoy what had been his passion for so long. Old stuff.😂💕
Anywho…since I was the first visitor to the museum that day, I had the full attention of the curator. Once we exchanged initial pleasantries and she learned I was from Montana, she proceeded to tell me about every person she ever knew in Montana, every place she had visited in Montana, and every place she still hoped to visit in Montana. Then she started me off with a brief introduction to the museum, which ended up taking about 45 minutes. She was a lovely lady, so don’t get me wrong, but if you’ve ever been in museum by yourself, the curators are either bored, or so passionate about what they are doing that they can’t help but talk about every single thing present in said museum😂😂 Melarvie’s and I had a similar experience while visiting a lovely, quaint museum in Seeley Lake last summer. I think we all breathed sighs of relief when another couple walked in about half an hour after we had arrived. The young curator left our side at last, and our ears had a wonderful, quiet break.
So after 45 minutes of the ‘brief’ tour, the curator turned me loose with a happy, ‘Enjoy, hon!’ Off I went. Only to be called back multiple times with the phrase, ‘I just HAVE to show you one more thing!’ I was getting frustrated by this time, and so I decided to head outdoors to explore the outbuildings the next time she sent me on my way, at least until other people showed up to distract her😂. It was still fairly early, so cooler outdoors. I figured she wouldn’t venture out after me, and she didn’t. Plus, she was the only one manning the museum at the time.😂😂😂😂 A blessed relief! And the outbuildings were amazing. I may have to post the pictures in two batches, but pay special attention to the beautiful, blue Montrose sky! It is especially lovely today🩵
I had posted a picture of this Indian chief’s final resting place while at the Ute Indian Museum a week ago.😊
Chelle would have loved this!😂🤣
A store that would have resembled Grandpa Senger’s store in south Bismarck💕.
Just two of my favorite places on the Western Slope!
To be continued…
Beautiful Ouray💕
More clearly here, but I think you just have to see this in person. 
Guardians of the field. 
A REAL LIVE CAMEL IN THE ‘HOOD!
And a FRIENDLY camel😂😂😂. 
Camel with a backdrop!
Alpaca😆! Not to be confused with LLAMA! 
If you look to the left, my little cottage is between Oak Grove and Spring Creek, just off the edge where the page ends. I am roughly 5.5 miles from town. 
Just imagine what these rims have seen!
An old rail car. 😊
For the longest time I thought this was snow when I’d see it from a distance, but one of my coworkers told me it is alkali that sleeps up through the soil.
