-7 in Montana

Every year my siblings and I take one vacation all together. This is only possible because Kathy is able to take care of the 17 pets (yes, SEVENTEEN) between the 3 of us in Greenville. Before that we had to split up and go on trips 2 at a time. We usually go skiing at Big Sky in Montana. Today the low was -7. That actually means that we are not going outside until the afternoon in hopes that we won't freeze body parts.

My friend Lynn from Missoula is visiting for a few days here. Her husband was supposed to come along, but you can't really leave your dogs outside when the temperature is -20 as it was in Missoula last night. So Mike is dog-sitting while we're in Big Sky.

Last night we took a sleigh ride to a cabin on the mountain. Our draft horses were Pepsi and Rum. They are loaned out from a working ranch in Montana where they do all the heavy work with horses rather than tractors and stuff. I believe they are Belgian, Percheron mixes. Beautiful horses.

We also had incredible food. The Lone Mountain cook says "we don't consider vegetables food. We consider vegetables what food eats." So if you don't eat meat you have to make a special order for a vegetarian meal AND you have to specify that fish is not your idea of a vegetarian meal. Even though this was an alien concept to the cook, the meal was wonderful - a spinach linguine with vegetables (what food eats). The prime rib eaters were jealous of Lynn and me. All the food is cooked on this giant old wood burning stove. The rolls are to die for - whole wheat oatmeal. I was very happy that Lynn was tickled about the evening. She loves horses.

Great evening, everybody. Look at the happy horse girls.