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Variety of summer visitors flies off the charts in glorious Montana summer of 2015  A ruby throated hummingbird visits our feeder each morning, enjoying nectar we make twice weekly. Soon, he'll head south. Raptors out our door near the river enjoy a partly dead cottonwood perch. Grosbeaks are frequent visitors at the feeder, passing through.    STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER EVEN IF YOU  don't know a finch from a flicker, you would be impressed by the abundant bird life at High Chaparral, here in our hide-out high in the Beartooth Mountains of the Northern Rockies of south-central Montana. In a lifetime of summers in Montana, I've never seen such a proliferation of birds. Remember this when days grow short. Bluebirds, buntings, flickers, finches, chickadees, grosbeaks, towhees, wrens, many kinds of sparrows and more hawks than we have ever seen have graced us with their presence from early spring to late summer. We're told by experts that the bonanza has to do, logically, with both food and water. A mild winter meant that more birds survived. Migratory birds stopped here and stayed longer. Food was plentiful and water didn't freeze for as long as usual. WE'RE HOPING  for fantastic bird watching into late autumn, like last year -- a month longer than usual, almost to November. There are so many birds in our yard and gardens this summer that we are hard pressed do get our writing and carpentry done. More fun to grab the cameras, binocs and bird books! The lazuli bunting: sure sign of summer at High Chap. We keep seven feeders filled -- with thistle, mixed seed, sunflower seeds -- plus suet rectangles along with three hummingbird feeders. Orange and apple if the raccoons don't devour. Both orioles and catbirds have visited, with redwing blackbirds, siskins and even jays in the spruce. Mockingbirds, cardinals, woodpeckers and morning doves are abundant, along with grosbeaks, song sparrows and tree swallows doing their ariel shows - ballet like dips and dives below the cliffs out back.   THE SAME  titmouse I fed in Arizona is up here in the northern Rockies -- the bridled titmouse. Watching the wrens feed their young, then observing the fledglings is a joy. Blue grouse have finished off the berries in the berm, soon to move high in the mountains to feed on conifer needles. From our living room picture windows, we've seen an abundance of little birds -- two types of chickadees, red-topped and yellow finches, nuthatches and many warblers, plus lazuli buntings with their striking blue and copper colors. AS IN past summers, we enjoy watching the peripatetic house wrens raising their young. With their industry, beautiful singing and warnings to keep our distance, they studiously tend the wee ones until all safely fledge. Ah, glorious! Making hollyhock dolls is a tradition in my family. UP NEXT : Hollyhocks, those stately spires in country gardens, evoke memories of childhood, grandmothers, doll making and more.  We even find medicinal uses for this uncommonly beautiful "common" garden plant. Remember to explore, learn and live and check us out Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com

The view from Mystic View Cabins near Fishtail is spectacular, with the beautiful Beartooths right out the door. QUIET, QUAINT CABINS INVITE RELAXATION, EXPLORATION IN SECLUDED RURAL MONTANA A rustic motif awaits guests at Mystic View Cabins, with books and games to entertain visitors of all ages.  Owners Jerry and Sheri Cross are your hosts. Each cabin includes a welcome with brochures, suggestions and contacts.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WE HAD  an overflow of about 15 people at the weekend's family reunion when the RSVPs came in. So a couple months ago, I started researching vacation rentals in our area in the remote Beartooth Mountains. We found an idyllic place in Mystic View Cabins, where part of the Cosgriffe Clan stayed for two peaceful, nature-nudged nights. Owners Jerry and Sheri Cross have poured lots of love, toil and tenderness into the four cabins near Fishtail. A full kitchen and plenty of sleeping await in the large A-frame. Artist and originator of the Day Time Planner, Rick Cosgriffe, right, visits with owner Sheri Cross at Mystic View Cabins. Named for the elk, moose and deer that inhabit the countryside, the artfully decorated cabins have a rustic, comforting appeal. The price is reasonable -- about $125 for the large A-frame cabin for four people, plus $10 per each additional person. Each cabin has a full kitchen, comfy beds and pretty views. From the cabins, you can walk or ride a horse, enjoy the vistas of the gorgeous Beartooth Mountains, rest, read, soak up the quiet. "We've tried to make people welcome," says Sheri, who comes from Illinois. (Jerry is a native New Yorker.) The couple has had the cabins for three years, working full-time to create the enterprise and get the word out. LOCATED on Jules Way, about 12 miles out of Fishtail on the West Rosebud Road, if you approach from the West, you'll come via Fiddler Creek. (The two roads intersect.) The cabins accommodate from two to 10 guests. Check Mystic View out on Facebook, or call 406 321-3103. E-mail: crossj@hotmail.com A hummingbird pauses at High Chaparral to enjoy a drink of sugar water. COMING UP :    Birds of a feather.  Never have we seen such fantastic bird life in our little nook of the Northern Rockies.  Come with us to enjoy the bounty, from raptors to hummingbirds. And buntings, flickers, grosbeaks and much more. Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us Wednesdays and weekends at www.whereiscookie.com

TOAST THE HOLIDAYS WITH A PLAY! "A Christmas Carol" at Cygnet means new music and an "reimagined"telling of the holiday classic, adapted and directed by Sean Murray.   TWO THEATERS OFFER UNIQUE SPINS ON FAVORITE FARE Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick in the movie version of "The Rocky Horror  Picture Show." Cygnet presents the play. (Part two of our theater piece.) Cygnet Theatre.  Cygnet's name was inspired by the Old Globe's moniker. Deciding against naming itself after that other famous Elizabethan playhouse, the Swan, the Old Town based company took instead the name Cygnet. Now the "young swan" has matured into a full fledged member of the theatrical community. Versatile director-actor Sean Murray (exemplary in "Sweeney Todd," "Man of LaMancha," "My Fair Lady" and more) directs the holiday classic, "A Christmas See La Jolla Playhouse and San Diego Rep  Cygnet Theatre in Old Town is a pleasant venue for a  afternoon or evening of entertainment. "A Christmas Carol" is up next, with a lively season through mid-June. Carol," which he also adapted. The beloved Dickens tale of hope and redemption is "re-imagined" as Cygnet offers new music, live sound effects and puppetry, all marked by Cygnet's original stamp. It opens the day after Thanksgiving for a run through Dec. 27. Cygnet's eclectic mix of musicals and drama continues with "When the Rain Stops Falling," Jan. 14-Feb. 14; the campy "Rocky Horror Show" (the movie is celebrating its 40th anniversary) March 10-May 1, and "Stupid F**king Bird," May 19-June 19. The recent Noel Coward double-header of "The Vortex" and "Hay Fever" featured a gifted cast in repertory.   http://www.cygnettheatre Holiday audiences will visit Pottersville and hear from a host of familiar characters from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life," in a one-man staged take. NORTH COAST  Repertory Theatre may be relied upon for finely staged work, Actor James Leaming brings his popular "This Wonderful Life" back to North Coast Rep. presented in a small, creative venue. What could be more creative than taking the beloved holiday film, "It's a Wonderful Life" and offering a one-man, staged tour de force. "This Wonderful Life" features actor James Leaming returning to North Coast Rep with his winning one-man tour-de-force based on the perennially favorite film, Frank Capra's "It’s a Wonderful Life." Lauded for his physical and verbal virtuosity, Leaming brings to life over 32 familiar characters from the beloved film.  His Jimmy Stewart-inspired George Bailey leads the cast of Bedford Falls folks, including Clarence the Angel, Mary, Zuzu, and others who rely on George to save them from the greedy Mister Potter. The run is Dec. 8-27. NORTH COAST  Repertory, founded in 1982, celebrates life, love and laughter in its 34th season with David Ellenstein at the helm as artistic director. North Coast Rep's fine work is staged in a small, creative space. Following the holiday hit, the gifted director and actor Ellenstein directs "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Great Nome Gold Rush" which takes the famous sleuth north to Alaska. A lively Georges Feydeau farce, "Now You See It," runs Feb. 24-March 20, and then Ellenstein directs a pair of works -- "Way Downriver" based on a William Faulkner story, "Old Man," April 13-May 8, and Henrik Ibsen's time honored "Hedda Gabler," June 1-26,    http://www.northcoastrep.org/ Consider   the gift of theater tickets during the holiday season, particularly for a friend or relative who has everything.  A play or musical is always welcome! All our theaters offer gift certificates. A tom turkey in his full, puffed up glory. This one was spared. UP NEXT: Talking turkey.  How did this bird with the goofy looking neck become the focal point of our holiday feast -- popular this Thanksgiving week and into New Year's at millions of households around the world. We'll find out Saturday. And I'll share a favorite family recipe for "turkey wiggle," a noble way to use those delicious left-overs.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekends and as the spirit and adventures move us.

San Diego's skyline reaches high and proud -- and its theater matches in its lofty accomplishments. Southern California city pushes the "play" envelope to provoke, amuse, enlighten   Delightful Yiddish music carries themes of "Indecent" across the footlights of La Jolla Playhouse. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and courtesy marketing and media contacts FINE THEATER  is as much a part of San Diego as the ocean. And it's equally seductive. No U.S. city this size has the variety and richness of theater life (less than three million people in the whole of San Diego County). Hershey Felder brings his virtuoso Berlin  performance to La Jolla Playhouse's Mandell  Weiss Theatre opening Dec. 16. We try to see everything; this month has been fertile, fun and varied -- from Noel Coward gems to new, provocative works. I'm a kid on holiday, with a stocking full of stimulation. In a two-part piece beginning today and continuing Wednesday, We highly recommend: An American born mother's notions of family are challenged when it is suggested her  young son might be a budding master. (At San Diego Rep.)  At La Jolla Playhouse : The edgy new play with music, "Indecent," is inspired by "God of Vengeance," an older controversial play that got its cast thrown in jail nearly a century ago. The play is gorgeous to watch -- marvelously lit and with beautiful music and choreography.  While it explores and celebrates Jewish culture, it also tackles issues of morality, hypocrisy and artistic integrity through its contemplative book.  It asks tough questions about the role, rights and responsibility of the playwright in an artfully staged extravaganza (complete with rain!) where strolling musicians move the action forward. Rebecca Taichman's daring direction of Paula Vogel's work will garner national attention. It's up though Dec. 10, followed by Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, in Felder's own dazzling production. His show traces the brilliant composer's rise from prejudice and poverty of Czarist Russia to esteem and honor in the U.S., penning dozens of beloved American songs. (Dec. 16-Jan. 3).   http://www.lajollaplayhouse.org/ "A Christmas Carol" gets Cygnet's stamp of originality and flair.  North Coast Rep has a holiday production, too. More soon. At San Diego Repertory Theatre: The current play, "The Oldest Boy," on tap through Dec. 6, is billed as a "bewitching, beautiful meditation on motherhood, love and letting go." It is a complicated story of two parents caught in the challenge of deciding if their young son should move to India to train as a Buddhist master. The Rep is no slouch when it comes to pushing the envelope, with pioneering Sam Woodhouse at the helm. He directs this Sarah Ruhl work about faith, belief and family loyalty in conflict with centuries old Buddhist tradition. The thought-provoking production includes a puppet moved by three actors- dancers, imaginative choreography and musical background and gongs to keep you alert. The Rep season continues with a Romantic comedy, "Outside Mullingar," a Buckminster Fuller reflection, and a look at gender politics with an intriguing title, "Rapture, Blister, Burn." Sounds like a recipe for a satisfying theatrical repast perfect for the season.   http://www.sdrep.org/ Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy a play! COMING WEDNESDAY:   Whereiscookie looks at Cygnet Theatre's upcoming "A Christmas Carol," directed by the always engaging Sean Murray. And at North Coast Repertory Theater, another treat for the holiday stocking awaits with "This Wonderful Life," a tour de force one-man spin-off of "It's a Wonderful Life."  Theater life in San Diego is an endless supply of creativity and surprise. Remember to explore, learn and live and treat a friend to a pair of theater tickets!

INFAMOUS BATTLE BEGAN WITH THIS ADMONISHMENT: 'SAVE SOME INDIANS FOR THE REST OF US' The much visited Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument memorializes a major battle fought on June 25 and 26, 1876. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Native people celebrate their culture with a drum ceremony June 25. WHEN LIEUTENANT Colonel George Armstrong Custer traveled to Montana, to bring "hostile Indians" under control, he was already famous, a decorated Civil War hero and career military man. He had no reason to believe his next mission would go wrong -- but, boy, howdy, did it. Big time.   For Custer and 262 of his men, the battle, known for decades as "Custer's Last Stand," was bloody, brutal and fatal. FOLLOWING  orders from President Grant, the Army was charged with removing the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne peoples to the Sioux Reservation in Dakota Territory. Naturally, the native people resisted. They were there first. A young native American dancer arrives at the battlefield June 25. While there are many myths about the details, the facts are: The battle between the Indian people and the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry was on June 25 and 26, 1876.  It involved 31 officers, 586 soldiers, 33 Indian scouts and 20 civilian employees. They did not all die. WHEN THE  smoke cleared on the evening of June 26, 262 were dead, 68 were wounded and six later died of their wounds. Custer’s Battalion – the five companies of C, E, F, I and L – was wiped out.  Many of the seven other companies under Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen survived. Custer's decision to divide up his troops contributed to his demise, historians and military strategists agree. Men from the other companies admonished him: "don't be greedy -- save some Indians for us." Ironic in view of what Native American flags lead the way to a beautiful memorial honoring the fallen Indian people, with quotes from their leaders about peace. happened. I GREW UP  with the moniker, "Custer Battlefield," but the name was, rightfully  changed to Little Bighorn Battlefield, honoring the lost on both sides. A striking Indian Memorial was dedicated in 2003 and completed in 2013 and now stands proudly just 75 yards northeast of the 7th Cavalry monument for Custer and his men. Red granite "warrior markers" honor fallen native warriors.  With the contrast of 265 white marble military headstones for the Custer contingent, visitors get a balanced story. We should have long ago honored the fallen Indian people and the end of their way of life. Indians join in part of a re-enactment of Custer's last days last weekend. COMING NEXT at whereiscookie :  CUSTER'S MISTAKES  were many, but mainly he radically misjudged the numbers of the Indian warriors and he divided his companies. We're clearing up the misconceptions and "holes" in the story. For instance, most people don't know that water travel played a role in the expedition and probably saved many lives.  After   “being whipped and driven up the hill by Indians,”wounded men from Benteen's and Reno's commands were transported by steam boat to medical care in North Dakota. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekends and Wednesdays at www.whereiscookie.com .  Absarokee's Saturday Market is this Sunday, July 5, complete with barbecue, crafts and yours truly signing "Lilian's Last Dance." And if you're anywhere near this corner of Montana, don't forget  the Sunday, July 5, Saturday Market and the legendary Barbecue Cook-off in Absarokee. Head for Itti Bitti Bistro for barbecue under the Big Sky! Tasty stuff. And I'll be signing my new novel, "Lilian's Last Dance."!

Amusements abound at the Buffalo Bill Cody Center of the West -- and Cody town herself; then there's Fishtail, Montana Step right up to a feast of fantastic art as Cookie is doing at the Buffalo Bill Center's Whitney. TWO SMALL TOWNS ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOR VISITORS   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER CODY, WYOMING  brings out the fun in a person. So does Fishtail, Montana. Fishtail facts: Did you know that a town only one block long can produce a parade that stretches two miles? Check it out Saturday, June 27, at Fishtail Family Fun Day. Fishtail General Store is at the hub of the action. A shoot-out in Cody, Wyo., takes  place each evening by the Irma.. At the heart of the Saturday Fishtail Family Fun Day is the historic Fishtail Store. Since its opening in 1900, Fishtail General Store has been operating in the same location in Fishtail, Montana. BILL AND  Katy Martin became enraptured with the store in 2000 and bought it. They've imbued the warm and welcoming institution with the feel of an old-time antique If you're anywhere around Fishtail, check out the all-day fun time June 27, for food, festivities, bakery, contests, games and the fun spirit that put Fishtail on the map. Give a pat to the pot belly stove, admire the original oak cases and old-time meat counter with great rib-eye steaks. Horses will be part of the fun in Fishtail this Saturday, June 27. store-grocery-wine shop and gift shop which stocks an abundance of western memorabilia from candles to homemade jam, and this reporter's new paperback novel, "Lilian's Last Dance." CODY BOASTS  a different kind of treasure -- both art and antiques.  And many surprises.  Did you know that one of the paintings in the gorgeous Whitney Museum features "roving eyes"?  The eyes of the doe in the painting will follow you as you walk about 10 feet in front of it. There are historic, eye-popping Bierstadt paintings -- used to lure settlers West -- but there are playful modern art paintings, too. Keller takes a bow next to Buffalo  Bill Cody in Cody, Wyoming. WHAT WE  love about the Northern Rockies, especially in summer, is the variety of beautiful scenery, historic attractions, fun restaurants and enticing places to stay. REMEMBER  to explore, learn and live, and check us out Wednesdays and weekends at www.whereiscookie.com We're on the road touring "Lilian's Last Dance" in eastern Montana -- between Hardin, Forsyth and Miles City.  Tomorrow, we're on at 2 p.m.(Saturday) for a reading at the Miles City Library.  And we've been invited back to Cody in October, to read at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Catch our adventures, on the road with "Lilian's Last Dance" at that blog, too: www.lilianslastdance.com

AS 'THE ROOSEVELTS' FINISHES ITS PBS ENCORE,  WE PAY TRIBUTE TO TEDDY AND HIS COUSIN FDR Lake McDonald  in Glacier Park belongs to all of us, thanks to the national park system and the Roosevelts' push.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS FDR loved the parks as his distant cousin Theodore Roosevelt had. Here, FDR visits Glacier Park and makes a radio broadcast.  PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and news archives "There is nothing so American as our national parks.  The scenery and wildlife are native.  The fundamental idea behind the parks is native...that the parks belong to the people...."    FDR Teddy Roosevelt above, said his love of nature was encouraged  by naturalist John Muir. ONE FEELS  a swell of pride when entering a national park. For me, it's as close to "church" as I  get, for as I pass the ranger station, I enter hallowed ground. We here in Montana are lucky to have three national parks within easy driving distance.  Whether exploring Yellowstone to our south, or Grand Teton a bit farther, or heading north, "going to the sun" on the breathtaking highway by the same name in Glacier, we remind ourselves of our good fortune and the foresight of the Roosevelts. So much beauty awaits in the national parks -- in large and small doses.  Here, a close-up of algae makes a lovely mosaic on rock . FRANKLIN Roosevelt's cousin, Theodore Roosevelt --"the conservation president" -- was a champion of the National Park System well beyond his term in office. He doubled the number of sites within the National Park system and enabled future presidents to proclaim historic landmarks through the Antiquities Act of June 8, 1906. This Act allows for structures and historic and scientific objects to be protected under federal ownership. We appreciate the Roosevelts' vision and that of naturalist John Muir. He guided Teddy Roosevelt into the wilderness of Yosemite, and friends said it marked Teddy for life. Conservationist John Muir engendered a love of nature in the common man -- and in presidents.  OUR NATURALIST  friends knew a single day -- or three -- couldn't do justice to a national park. Yet FDR's few hours more than 80 years ago inspired a stirring radio address about Glacier's wonders. If you only have a couple days, though, savor a national park visit to encourage an encore visit. The grizzly bear is  a sight to behold. Trees, critters, birds, majestic glaciers, waterfalls, redwoods and vistas are a few of the enticements. They impressed Teddy, Muir and FDR as they impress millions today. IN EVERY  visit to Glacier, Teton and Yellowstone, we've   been lucky to see bears.  We've watched them hike up hills and munch on grubs and berries, fattening up for the long winter's nap, months away. Once, we watched one unearth a carcass of a long dead mountain goat. The griz feasted on the smelly remains, buried months ago. No doubt, he'd remembered where he hid it. Photographer Rick Cosgriffe has a field day in Glacier. He visits the park several times each season, taking photos for his annual Daytime Planner.   The grizzly has been around for at least 10,000 years. The native people knew them first, and they'd been there thousands of years before European explorers showed up in the late 1800s. The "westerners" crossed the mountains in search of vast buffalo herds on eastern plains, documenting their observations of the grizzly.  NATIVE  people saw the parks' same wonders that Teddy, FDR, Muir and today's tourists do: rugged peaks, clear waters, abundant animal and bird life, breathtaking geysers and glacial-carved valleys.  May our national parks inspire those who love nature's beauty to protect and preserve it through the generations. Kateri, a golden eagle injured by a car, is part of the Raptor Exhibit at the Buffalo Bill Center. Coming soon here. COMING SOON : We're back from a road trip to Cody, Wyoming, with a store of wonders including the Draper Museum Raptor Exhibit and its live show at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekends and Wednesdays at www.whereiscookie.com

The drive in to Yellowstone from Red Lodge to the Cody entrance is lovely and varied, especially along the Chief Joseph Highway, then again  between Cody and the East Entrance of the park. It's a favorite summer ritual.  The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone showcases the turbulent Yellowstone River as it roars through golden cliffs and ridges with thousands of firs.  STONE'S THROW AWAY, DEER AND ANTELOPE PLAY;     ELK, BISON AND MORE ARE JUST OUT THE DOOR Slowing down as bison cross the road is a Yellowstone tradition.                                                                    STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER AS A CHILD growing up in Montana, no summer was complete without a pilgrimage to Yellowstone National Park. Although most of this splendid place is in Wyoming, our neighbor state, we thought of it as "our park" back in the 1950s. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, we didn't know better and fed bears from our cars. A herd of elk parades across the prairie on the drive from Gardiner  to Mammoth, a thrilling sight no matter how often seen.   I STILL THINK  of Yellowstone as "ours" -- with apologies to our Cody, Powell and Worland friends.  Even after decades of multiple visits -- at least 100 in my lifetime -- a trip to the world's first national park leaves me proud and humbled.  As a global citizen, I feel ownership.  I hope everyone who visits does.  I love hearing dozens of languages, spoken by people whose countries I visited. TOGETHER, WE  gaze at spectacular  waterfalls and geysers, identify wildflowers, admire birds and count mammal species. "Inspire, educate, preserve" is the motto. Keller is "arms up" at the Roosevelt Arch near Gardiner. WHATEVER PART  of Yellowstone's glorious two million acres we visit, Teddy Roosevelt's best gift to the country shines like a well loved tiara.  We hike one of Yellowstone's 1,210 miles of marked trails. We usually stay at Lake Yellowstone Hotel or Old Faithful Inn,  and the restaurant at Lake is our favorite. I usually ask to play the grand piano in the lobby. (I've never been refused) while the musician a break. If we have guests from the East Coast or Europe, we stop at Roosevelt Lodge for a cookout.  And we try to arise early one morning to visit "our Yellowstone" before the crush of folks begins about 10 a.m. OUR PLACE  north of Nye, Montana, is just 70 miles north of Yellowstone, as the crow flies. As people drive, it's at least a three-hour journey -- to one of the park's five entrances. Our favorites are the stunning Beartooth Highway to the Northeast Entrance, or the less frightening, equally beautiful road to Cody, Wyo., and the park's East Entrance. Because of its proximity, Yellowstone was a perfect "long weekend" trip for our young family, a journey taken in our Ford County Squire station wagon. We go by Ford Explorer now, and the family's dwindled since the carefree days of yore when we innocently fed bears marshmallows through the car windows. Lake McDonald  is a stunning sight on a drive through Glacier Park, up next! I HAVEN'T  missed a summer trip to Yellowstone and hope I never will. It's my celebration of a lucky birthplace -- and a thank you to TR! COMING UP: Getting to Glacier National Park presented a bit more of a challenge -- about four times further away than Yellowstone, from our little town of Columbus, Montana. Still we made it every summer -- my dad's parents ran a motel in Kalispell for years. Remember to explore, learn and live and check us out Wednesdays and weekends at: ww.whereiscookie.com

BIG SKY COUNTRY CHARMS, EVEN WITH ITS WEATHER SHENANIGANS -- and oh, the birds! Columbine and poppies, bending in the wind and rain, look toward the sunshine in the changing weather at High Chaparral. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Cookie's at the weed whacking, as the endless summer yard work begins. MY GRANDMOTHER  Olive often described Montana weather in this fashion: "Nine months of winter and three months of company." I'd add: "We've gone from rain coats and fires in the fire place to weed whacking and short shorts -- in less than 10 days. Canada geese stop for a spring stroll  and snack on our hillside grasses. MOST STATES  have some version of "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."  But in Montana, we've experienced drenching storms and flooded main streets (Harlowton suffered through crazy thunderstorms a couple weeks ago, with torrential rains. "I've never seen anything like it," said my 70-plus year old Catch up with 'Lilian's Last Dance' cousin, who has lived there most of her life.) Lightning, hail and thunder visit Montana most Junes and sometimes into July.  But the radical change from cool to sweltering is always a shock.  The thermometer at my Billings bank said 96 yesterday as we dashed around for errands. It was a nippy 46 degrees 10 days ago. WE CAN'T control the weather, and here in cattle and ranching/farming country, it's blasphemous to curse the rain. So we smile and slog through the mud, and peel off a layer when the sun shines.  We relish the bird life that comes and goes -- tanagers are plentiful this year, gold finches, orioles, chickadees, and the gorgeous lazuli bunting with his showy aqua and orange plumage. A lazuli bunting caught in song, outside our home windows. We've had hawks, owls and eagles fly right over the place, resting on a telephone wire just out the front window. So, thanks, Gram, for your sayings, which included this little ditty you sang, always with an Irish accent! Whether the weather be fine, Whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold, Whether the weather be hot, We’ll weather the weather,  whatever the whether, Whether we like it or not! A baby wren squawks for supper from inside a bird house in our yard. THE BIRDS MAY BE CALLING... But theater and national parks take starring roles in upcoming whereiscookie posts ! We show what can happen when an enterprising opera company and an inventive theater troupe merge their resources and creativity. And we explore splendor in our two nearby national parks -- Glacier and Yellowstone! Remember to explore, learn and live, and follow us Wednesdays and weekends for our twist on travel, the arts, nature, cruising, pets and interesting hotels.

CAMELS, HEDGHOGS, GOATS, BIRDS, ZEDONKS, TORTOISE LIVE IN HARMONY AT UNIQUE ARIZONA CAMEL FARM The Camel Farm near Yuma, Ariz., is devoted to preserving animals rare to the area for families, school groups, tourists.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Zedonk or zonkeys are a mix of zebra and donkey, part of the menagerie. YOU HAVE  to see it to believe it. More than 250  animals representing over 30 species are happily co-existing. The unusual setting is The Camel Farm, 10 miles south of Yuma, Ariz. The idea grew from enterprising entrepreneur and farmer Ben Standley and  his sister Carol.  She had bought the land with her Middle-Eastern husband, intending to breed Arabian horses. "BUT THAT DIDN'T  pan out," says Ben, "when the bottom fell out of that market." Each critter's cage has an information plaque which describes the animal. The kinkajou is a  delicate rain forest animal.  The improvisational farm's menagerie includes ibex and wallaroos -- large kangaroo -- tortoise and goats, zebra, lambs, ponies, mules, donkeys and hybrids. Ostriches, rhea and emus stretch and preen. A tiny rainforest creature, the kinkajou, looks content. This lovely, delicate rainforest creature, also called a honey bear, sports a plush, velvety coat and is a favorite at the place. ANIMAL CARETAKER and groundsman Lance Baker loves them all -- this multi-continental mix. He pets, scratches and talks to them as he feeds them and cleans their cages. Ibex with their splendid curved horns lead a peaceful life at Camel Farm. "The Camel Farm has grown through 16 years to become a popular destination," says Baker. Schools sponsor day trips, Marines from the nearby military base come for outings. Tourists spot advertising in hotels -- as we did -- and visit the 40 acre haven. Follow the palm trees and head south of Yuma 14 miles and you'll find it. Baker is a former circus and carnival worker, raised on a farm in Oklahoma. This is his second year with the operation and he's doing a fine job, says Ben. "THE FIRST  year we had 200 people and we had 13,000 last year," says Ben, who came to Arizona from a logging career in Oregon.  His love of nature is the obvious drive for his devotion to the operation, which accepts rescue birds and animals, caring for and rehabilitating them. All critters are veterinary inspected, vaccinated and treated. THE PALM-LINED entrance evokes a "Midnight at the Oasis" feeling -- even in mid-day. Camels snooze beneath the healthy looking palm trees, casting a weary eye at onlookers before getting up slowly to make a closer inspection.  "Four of them  are a good 30 to 33 years old," says Ben. At one time the place had more than 60 camels, but they have not been replaced as the females pass away and breeding slows. A curious, bright-eyed hedgehog lets us carefully hold him. Ben Standley operates The Camel Farm. Groundskeeper and "animal whisperer" Lance Baker enjoys his job. He estimates that 300 baby camels have been born at the place, some of them sold to the movies in Los Angeles -- not far away. And while there are hybrids on the place, there are purebreds, too. Jack, the farm's proud male Sicilian miniature donkey, was recently bred with another Sicilian miniature donkey. A coati -- somewhat like a raccoon but more slender and longer -- munches watermelon as we stroll. "Lilian..." returns to Montana, click here ANOTHER FACET of the operation is the Camel Farm's annual participation in living nativity displays in Arizona and California. Animals, props and scenery are painstakingly transported as far as Santa Barbara, for church and community festivals and ceremonies. Birds are an important part of the project, too. Mandarin ducks live on the property, as well as rescue birds from neighbors. It's a great place! tlstandley.wix.com/the-camel-farm . Who is this man, 28 years a magic maker of flowers and bouquets? Find out next at www.whereiscookie.com UP NEXT:  An unusual flower shop, Sweet Floral, transports us from northern San Diego to the streets of Rome or Venice. Find out about Sweet Floral in Sorrento Valley. And catch us Wednesdays and weekends at www.whereiscookie.com Remember to explore, learn and live.

YORKIES WILL TURN TEN THIS YEAR! PAWS UP FOR OUR FAITHFUL COMPANIONS AND ROAD WARRIORS Nick and Nora enjoy a recent trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. The Dancing Bear Inn is dog friendly. Nick and Nora Charles, after whom Nick and Nora, the Yorkies, are named. Here they are (Myrna Loy and William Powell)  with their dog Asta. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER NICK AND NORA are our children. No, we're not deluded. We're fully aware that they are dogs and we are humans. We know that I did not give birth to these two adorable Yorkshire terriers.  We realize they're canines -- and, dear to us as they are -- we face the fact that they will likely not live as long as we will.  Still, I call them "our final dogs," hoping they will coast gently into their dotage as we do ours. THEY ARE  not my physical offspring, but I have nurtured, raised and coddled them. Nick and Nora on a Montana ranch patio -- all eyes and ears. Nick and Nora on the desert in Phoenix. Nick and Nora are a part of our personal and professional lives, here at a writing workshop on a ranch near Harlowton. I've nursed them from the jaws of death (rattlesnake bites, grizzly bear encounters, run-ins with the gravel truck, a near fatal pit bull attack, a wheelchair run-over, a half-dozen illnesses, plus sprained legs and collapsing trachea, both common ailments of the Yorkie breed). I'VE SPENT  far more on vet bills than I have on my own medical care, and Nick and Nora have every shot and vaccination they could possibly need. Nick's awake but Nora's napping at the Omni in Los Angeles.  The hotel welcomes well behaved doggies, and offers amenities for them.  I named them after that dapper couple invented by Dashiell Hammett, of "The Thin Man," fame.  I've long admired that 1934 portrait of the elegant, crime-solving couple who tackeled mystery with martinis and wisecracks. Myrna Loy's Nora was always gorgeous and William Powell's Nick suave and debonair, even in the haze of one martini too many.  The fact that Loy was born in Helena, Montana, added to the charm. So Nick and Nora it would be. Since 2005, they've traveled the California coast with us on road trips.  They've flown back and forth between our Beartooth place in Montana and our San Diego town house.  They've visited Atlanta, Las Vegas, New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco with us, staying in dog friendly hotels, delighting other guests. Nick and Nora with Keller, here Oceanside Harbor, California. They've also sailed Mission Bay, San Diego, and elsewhere. Nick and Nora at the dog friendly Vagabond Bed and Breakfast in Carmel, California. IF THE AIRLINES  awarded miles for doggie travel, Nick and Nora would have logged over 50,000 miles each in their action-packed near decade. Except for Europe, Asia or South America, they go where we go, by plane or car. They're happy little road-trippers. We've kept track of the best of the "dog friendly" hotels we've visited and estimate that Nick and Nora have bedded down in at least 75 hotels, motels and inns, besides many relatives' homes.   They've sailed Mission Bay and San Francisco Bay with us.  When they were tiny, we smuggled them into movies. Nick, Nora (Nora's on the left) with Cookie sailing in San Diego. THEIR LOYALTY  and love are worth the weight of gold-plated Yorkie kibbles. We brush their teeth, comb their hair, talk gently to them, hoping they'll grace us with another decade of devotion. They truly are "the children" and we are humbled by their presence. Nick and Nora Charles were fabulously wealthy. Our Nick and Nora give us far more than money can ever hope to buy. Keller inspects the groundwork for a bedroom addition at friends' home. COMING UP : We're off to Cody, Wyo., to teach another workshop and sign "Lilian's Last Dance." Then we're back to rural south-central Montana for a remodeling project, one that taxes the brain and the body equally. It's a hectic, happening summer here in the Beartooths. Coming up, a "Cody connection" and construction woes and wonders at www.whereiscookie.com Remember to explore, learn and live, and visit us weekends and Wednesdays for fun travel tips and more on cruising, hotels, dining, living well and the arts.

Albert Sweet's eye for color and design make his flower shop an appealing stop at 11696 Sorrento Valley Road, San Diego.  MAKING BOUQUETS, LIVING THE GOOD LIFE SATISFIES SORRENTO VALLEY FLORIST Pick up a bouquet on your way home -- each arrangement is custom designed. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER I T'S A SWEET  scent and a pretty sight to be driving down Sorrento Valley Road in north San Diego and come upon Sweet Floral. Albert Sweet is a familiar face in his flower shop, "Sweet Floral." It's a taste of Europe -- reminiscent of a neighborhood flower stall in Paris or Rome -- with buckets of roses, sunflowers, phlox, lilies, carnations and daisies awaiting arrangement, and dozens of artfully made bouquets ready to brighten someone's day. Proprietor Albert Sweet has been the heart and soul of the lovely flower shop for nearly 28 years. HE LIVES  on a yacht in Mission Bay, driving 30 miles to the shop. First he stops in Carlsbad to pick his fragrant stock from wholesale growers he's used for years. Have you danced with "Lilian..."? "I am a one-man show," he says with his characteristic warm smile. "I pick every posy myself, do all the arranging and the delivery." The stargazer lilies Sweet arranges are grown in Carlsbad and fresh daily. OHIO BORN, Sweet earned his associate's and bachelor's degrees before pursuing a career as a planning analyst for a micro-electronics firm.  "I got fed up with the whole corporate world scene," he says, "It just wasn't for me."  Sweet notes that for years he wore suit and tie and now relishes wearing a neat but open-collar sport shirt as he works. Jazz from the radio keeps him company. His office holds a pleasant array of flowers, ribbons, cards, notes to himself, orders, and of course, buckets of his beloved flowers. A SINGLE DAD, Sweet is proud of his accomplished grown daughter, Melissa.  He lived on a houseboat in Amsterdam for a time, walking the city's famous flower-bedecked canals. His first wife was Greek, born of another culture that loves flowers.  Sweet  thinks getting into the flower business was a natural for him.  "I know my travels to Europe played into what I love to do now," he says, reminiscing about the Rome flower stands that caught his eye and captivated him years ago. "It's that "old world" beauty I suppose," he says. "Flowers bring it home." Drop in for a "Sweet" visit and a bouquet next time you're in the neighborhood . SWEET FEELS good and looks fit -- attributing that to the ocean air that surrounds him on his floating home, and peaceful beauty flowers offer at work in Sorrento Valley. "Besides," he says, "I'm a 'Sweet' guy, haven't you noticed?" Sweet Floral: 858 792-1880, 11696 Sorrento Valley Road, San Diego, Cal. 92121 www.sweetfloral.com Keller captured this pair of bald eagles -- a mature one, at right, with the white head, and a juvenile, at left, perhaps an offspring. More bird photos coming. COMING UP : Montana in spring, with birds at the feeder and bald eagles in the trees out our window. Ah, Big Sky Country.  Where the deer and the antelope play. Remember to explore, learn and live and check out our other blog, for our novel, "Lilian's Last Dance." We'll bring you up to date on our latest readings and signings.   lilianslastdance.com/p/home.html