Casazza

Montana July 30 - August 5, 2006	Back to Home Page

This year Eric had a training class in Banff, Canada in late July. We decided to tack our yearly trip to Eureka onto the end of that class. Dan, Rose, and Uncle Larry graciously offered to drive to Calgary to get Eric after his class was over. I flew up from OKC the following day. We spent 6 days enjoying the wonderful weather and catching up with the whole family.




Our first stop is always our land on Costich lake. Someday this will be one of the views out our window.	This is the intake area at the top of the lake. It churns just like a jacuzzi tub in there and the water is warm from it's trip through the shallow irrigation ditches.


Scenes from a walk we took near the lake


We arrive at the Ponderosa just in time for a tea party in Rose's garden.	The girls are in full regalia for the party.


Later that evening, we made another trip out to Costich to look at some land. I think this is one of Dan & Rose's horses, this was taken just above the ranch house.	See the coats and long sleeves? Yes, my fellow Oklahomans, this picture was taken in July - during the second month of >100 degree temperatures down south. It was chilly that evening in Montana!


Dillon is a bass fishing mad man. This is Tracie and Dillon as he prepares to slay 'em in Costich.	This is a dark picture, looking back toward the Casazza Ranch.
Costich Lake
	I like how Eric is pointing one way, Dan is pointing a different way, and no one is looking at either of them!



On the left is the area on one side of the lake where Dan & Tracie want to live. The other picture is our land on the right side of the lake. Beautiful!


Eric and Lucas in the sunset.	Another shot of that pretty pond.


Dan and Tracie	Uncle Larry and I were pretty much always this far behind!


Here we assemble to view the big bass Dillon caught. I didn't get a good picture of it.	Yes, yet another shot of the lake


Here Larry prepares to head down to the Flathead.


Rose, relaxing amid her beautiful flowers on the patio.
And, now we're back to Costich lake. Yes, we spent a LOT of time there this trip.


This time we're with Larry & Mary Beth	From this angle, it looks like the bull is bigger than our rental car!
Looking out over the city of Eureka from the hill above Costich.
	Eric giving the bull a good talking to.



Dining al fresco at Cafe Jax	Now we're at Dan & Tracie's house for a cookout. Here the guys go out to admire the new barn.



Aunt Ada arrives! Here she is with Mark	The men-folk all gathered up to shoot the bull.
Dallas is telling a story (probably some basketball exploits - that boy is good!)




	Lucas is very excited that the chow line is open.


Dan has some very friendly deer. Here Uncle Larry helps Dillon and Eric get a good look.





It is decided to get a picture of all 7 boys + Dan & Rose. Here they get organized.	I always like to take pictures of them getting ready to pose since they look so much more like themselves at this point. (They get annoyed pretty quickly when posing for pictures.)

	Here they are. What a handsome bunch. Top row: Mark, Larry, Rose, Dan Sr., Danny, Eric Bottom row: Dallas, Lucas, Jeb

And one more, this time some of them are looking my way.

Now they are in order of oldest to youngest with the whole family included. Here's everyone from left to right: Dan, Rose, Mary Beth, Rebecca, Larry, Katie, Danny, Dillon, Tracie, Kaitlyn, Ashley, Eric, me, Mark, Jodi, Cody (with the new cat), Cami, Jeb, Coulter, Amy, Madison, Lucas, Kristie, Braden, Eric, and Dallas. Whew! Now I'm tired.
Just think - all of that started with these two right here.






Dan and Ada sharing a smile	Dan, enjoying getting hugs from the ladies.


Yeah, don't ask. It made sense at the time.


"Mama" Ashley with the tiny kitten they were bottle feeding.	I don't know who lives here, I just thought it was really pretty.


Here we are at Pine Shadow Estates - an investment property we were a part of. This is the road to Lot 4.	The beautiful sign that Tracie made.


Now I'm on a hike up Big Mountain (a ski mountain) in Whitefish with Amy.	The huckleberries were ripe so we just about didn't make it to the top in time to catch the last gondola ride down. They were yummy!


Amy's so sweet - she carried the pack since I'm a flat-lander.	Here we are on the last gondola ride down of the evening. Whew.


Cowboys kicked back on the porch of the Ponderosa.	Some of Rose's beautiful grandkids tucked in with her beautiful flowers.


Guess what - it's another walk to Costich lake! This time we're coming in a different way though...	This walk takes us through some woods where we saw a whole bunch of wild turkeys.


These boys used to hunt on this land when they were growing up.	Various parts of it is now for sale. Here they are trying to place us on the map of the parcels that are for sale.


Nice view, eh?	Looking down on Costich and Eureka


Views, views, and more views.	The pond and the lake.


Here's Amy, with the guys leaving us behind.	Here's me with the lake and the pond behind me.


Now it's the next morning and we're having a very nice breakfast on the patio.

Later that night we went to Big Fork to stay with Lucas & Kristie. They had friends over as well as one of Kristie's sisters. Dallas was also kind enough to come over so that we could visit with him too.


Braden &	Eric


Dallas, showing us his tool trailer.	Back in Eureka at the Ponderosa - a doe with two fawns along the driveway.

Same deer, different viewpoint.
	And this is Tipper. A more focused fetching dog you will never find.


We throw the stick way down that steep hillside and she finds it every time.	Scenes of Dan & Rose's house.





The last time I was here, this whole area was just dirt. Rose can do amazing things, can't she?


Dan's garden is a beautiful thing as well. We sure ate well out of it that week.	Tipper, the flowers, and Lake Koucanusa.


This is our very classy sign we put up at the entrance to our property. We had heard there had been some issues up there and were advised to put up a sign. As long as no strong winds come along, it will be just fine!	Another view of the lake and the inlet.


Here Eric opens the head gate to divert some water to our property. Just after this he got stung by a wasp on the face. Just after that we were nearly attacked by 3 dogs. It was an eventful afternoon.	Now we're at Pinkum Creek near Fortine. Some of the family was camping there so we went by to spend the evening.


Beaver dam	Mark & Jodi's camper


Another view of the beaver dam.	Mark, doing his 'thug" walk for the camera.


Cody, trying to hide from the camera. (You can't hide forever Cody!!)	Looks like Mark is giving bad news to Eric and Cody. I think they're both going to do a little pouting.

Now they're off to do some fishing up the creek.
	Cody, showing Eric the first of MANY frogs they caught that night.

Everyone chatting, Rose throwing them back. (Just Cokes!!)
	Cody and Jodi watching the river.


I tried to set the camera to take this shot of me by this huge tree. It ended up being a shot of a huge flower instead.	Dan supervises while Eric fishes.


Now Eric takes the picture for me but the tree doesn't look so big anymore.	Me and a pretty meadow.


The boys had a couple of these bikes that they used to take very fast joy rides. I went on one but it wasn't so much joyful as it was scary.	Normally I wouldn't put a bad picture like this on the site but I thought it was cute how they looked just alike.


Watching the marshmallows with great expectation.	The moon was beautiful that night.

Now it's time for some tall tales around the campfire.
	This one must be a doozy!


Time for one more adventure before it gets dark.	Another shot of the moon.


The next morning Rose and Tracie took me into Eureka for the quilt show.	There were some really beautiful quilts on display.

	After this we headed for the airport. Jeb and Amy visited us there (thanks for the cherries Amy!) but I had already packed my camera so there were no pics. It was a great trip!




	Back to Top