rather unexpected

   Last weekend, Garrett and I ventured to Great Falls because I had a second-round interview with an accounting firm. It was my first time traveling up to Montana’s very own “Windy City” and even though the visit was only for a few hours, I was looking forward to the adventure. It was nothing like I expected! I thought the town would be flat, desolate, and windy – the windy part was definitely true but that was it! The fall colors were gorgeous and the Missouri River awed me.

   My paternal grandparents both grew up in Great Falls so Garrett and I went on a scavenger hunt to find their childhood homes. It was fun winding around the neighborhoods and looking at all the old houses – it makes me itch to buy our first home! I can dream for hours about the cute front porch swing, cozy living room, and luxurious bathtub I just know I’ll have one day...

   At my interview, one of the women recommended Garrett and I take an alternative route back home through small mining towns and beautiful valleys. I jumped right on that opportunity! So after some coercing and promises of backrubs, Garrett gave in and we began the (slightly longer) trek back home.

   OHMYGOSH was it beautiful! The leaves were changing different colors, the river water was crisp and flawless, there was not a cloud in the sky, and only a few other cars on the road. I live for those afternoon drives!

   When we reached about the halfway point, Garrett was in the middle of some story or another and I was looking in his direction when I saw the last thing I ever expected to see: a cemetery! In the middle of nowhere! And not your typical plot-by-plot, organized, grid-like cemetery. This one consisted of grave markers simply scattered throughout a section of the forest. I immediately insisted we turn around and go check that sucker out! I have some weird fetish with old graveyards – yeah…I don’t really understand, either. When we were in New York, I spent about an hour in the cemetery across from the 9/11 Memorial just reading the names and exclaiming “holy crap that was a long time ago!”. So I did that same thing at this teeny tiny random cemetery in the trees.

   I think the oldest grave marker we saw was from a man who died in 1860. 1860!!! Can you believe that? That is so dang long ago. What was his life like? Where did he live? How the hey did he get to that tiny town in Montana? So many questions I wish I could get the answers to! Sometimes I think I should’ve been a historian instead of an accountant. Slightly different paths, eh? I am just fascinated with the homesteading era. I would love to take a few months and travel around Montana’s ghost towns and abandoned homesteads. Someday!

   There were also graves for five children from the same family. The youngest was 3 months at passing and the oldest was 19. I can’t imagine losing five children! My grandma (same one that grew up in Great Falls) made my family these amazing family history books tracing both sides of our family tree. I remember reading the brief biography she typed up about one of my ancestors who lost quite a few of their children as well. Wouldn’t it be strange to live in a time where childhood deaths weren’t unusual? You hear of children dying these days and it’s a tragedy – this poor little forest family lost five and not many people probably knew.

   I snapped a couple cell pictures in an attempt to capture the mood of the cemetery. I wish I had a better camera because my tiny pixel-y pictures don’t do it justice!

   As we were leaving, we passed a grave with a wind chime on the fence. I nonchalantly skimmed it with my finger as we walked by and it was sooooooo eerie! Note to self: wind chimes in cemeteries are not to be disturbed. Right after I did it, Garrett turned to look at me with the whole now-why-would-you-go-and-do-that look and we decided I probably just summoned some creepy spirit so we ran like heck back to the car, jumped in, and left the little cemetery in our dust! So far I haven’t noticed any ghosts following me…