Family Mellmann

Saturdays are great for relaxing, catching up on random duties that often go ignored during the week, or taking an afternoon drive. The sunrise this morning was quite lovely and set the tone for a relaxed day.  In the afternoon, we took a drive to Absarokee to see the construction progress and show Dad and Sharon around - neither of them had seen the house with walls or roof trusses. More roof trusses have been added since my last visit, and some of the roof sheeting has gone up.  The first cement pour for the back patio is done and all the framing is ready for the second and third pours which should happen next week. The day ended with a colorful sunset.  

It is usually sunny with blue skies here in Livingston, but once in awhile the clouds roll in and bring some rain.  This time the clouds rolled in and brought some rain, but in the higher elevations and on the north faces of the mountains, snow was what we saw when the clouds rolled away.  I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. ❆😎❆  

It was raining when I prepared to go for my morning walk so I had to wait until later in the day.  As I walked out the door, I was looking at my phone to bring up a podcast to listen to and was startled when this neighbor turned around to look at me.  We stared at each other for a moment and then I said out loud, "I think I'm going to take your picture" as I brought my phone up for the shot.  They were about eight feet from me. After we finished staring at each other, I went on for my walk.  On my return, I got a nice view of lower Livingston.  With the mountains in the back.  

I have been walking (almost) every morning as long as it isn't raining or too cold (roughly 40 degrees Fahrenheit).  It's not something I particularly enjoy so getting a little sunrise show helps to make it worth the effort, especially as the nights get longer and the days get shorter. I thought I would share a little sunrise color; when I left for my walk, and when I came back.  

We went downtown to take in a little local Oktoberfest here in Livingston.  They close down part of 2nd Street and set up food trucks, beer tables, picnic tables, and a brat booth.  And there is a large "kid zone" in the middle with pumpkin painting, limbo games, llamas (because who doesn't love a llama?), and kid-sized swimming pool piled high with autumn leaves for the kids to jump in and throw around (they were having a blast!).  The brats and sauerkraut were good and there was a little "oompah music" at one end of the pedestrian zone.  Several people came dressed for the occasion with Dirndl, Lederhosen, or German-themed scarves and hats.  It's a far cry from the real thing in Bavaria and it pales in comparison to our Stowe Oktoberfest in Vermont, but it was a tasty meal, a nice walk, and a good way to wrap up a day...especially a day that began with a lovely sunrise.

When I look outside to the night sky it is dark.  Light pollution from the town below blots out so many of the stars.  And yet, with a camera, set to a slow shutter speed, one can see...Aurora Borealis.  The Northern Lights.

My weekly visit to the construction site was quick but busy.  Three crews were on site doing work.  The builder and his guys were busy raising more roof trusses.  The cement guys were there to prepare the forms for the front and back patios.  And the excavator was there to make sure the patio areas were perfect and ready for the cement crew, and to do some measuring for drainage.  Lots of questions to ask or answer and so many pictures to take. The view as you approach the property. Standing in the back hall looking toward the main part of the house. Standing at the front door looking through the Great Room (Office to the right, Kitchen to the left). Standing at the front door looking toward the Kitchen. Still standing at the front door...admiring that huge kitchen window and the view to the south. Cement and excavator guys working out some details on the footings for the posts. Standing in the Kitchen looking back at the front door, Office to the left. Still in...

We took an afternoon drive to Absarokee so that Joerg could have his first walk through the walls and halls of our house.  The last time he was here, there was just a hole in the ground. Since my last visit, more roof trusses have gone up and the back porch overhang is starting to take shape.  This helps to give us an idea of what it will be like on the back patio, and it is very exciting.  We look forward to lots of time spent out there. While we were on site, I had a chance to chat with our neighbors to the east.  They are very friendly and will surely be very good neighbors to have.  As chatted over the fence, I had a chance to take picture of the house from a new angle.  

With the low humidity and high winds, the wildfires west of here (mostly Idaho) have brought in quite a bit of smoke.  Sometimes we can actually smell the smoke or feel it in our eyes, but mostly it just blocks out the view of surrounding mountains.  On Saturday, I attended a memorial service (I was asked to lead the music) in Paradise Valley.  On a clear day, you can see mountains in every direction all the way through the valley but, with wildfire smoke, you can only see a few silhouettes. While the daytime view is a bit smokey, the sunrise view can be quite spectacular.  This morning, the horizon was painted bright orange and when the sun came up it was an intense red.  It was gorgeous.