Search where?

This Portfolio (normajeantrent)

All of Writing.Com

◄ August ►
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31
Archive				RSS

Create New Item

Read & Review

Community

Browse By Type

Browse By Genre

Writing Resources

Sat, Aug 23, 2025

2:50pm EDT

Members: 835

Guests: 3,048

Total Online: 3,883

PORCH PONDERINGS

by QueenNormaJean AKA Marilyn M.

Rated: 13+ · Book · Biographical · #2198921

Norma's Wanderings around a small section of Montana

Well, hey there!
Welcome to Roundup, Montana! If it's a nice day, we'll sit a spell on my porch and talk awhile.

A poem captured my attention the other day.

Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget 
Falls drop by drop upon the heart, 
Until, in our own despair,
 Against our will,
 Comes wisdom 
Through the awful grace of God.

Aeschylus

What's on your mind today?

Signature for use by anyone nominated for a Quill Award in 2020

Signature for nominees of the 2019 Quill Awards

... About this awardicon ...

Given by jim-d

Given to

Date Awarded: August 6, 2021

... About this awardicon ...

Given by brennus

Given to

Date Awarded: July 23, 2021

... About this awardicon ...

Given by andy78

Given to

Date Awarded: July 10, 2021

... About this awardicon ...

Given by 4provinces

Given to

Date Awarded: June 8, 2021

... About this awardicon ...

Given by lilli_in_fl

Given to

Date Awarded: May 26, 2021

... About this awardicon ...

Given by sophie

Given to

Date Awarded: September 8, 2021

... About this awardicon ...

Given by sgcardin

Given to

Date Awarded: June 5, 2022

... About this awardicon ...

Given by gervic

Given to

Date Awarded: September 17, 2022

... About this awardicon ...

Given by b.meridith

Given to

Date Awarded: September 15, 2022

... About this awardicon ...

Given by purplesunday

Given to

Date Awarded: October 8, 2022

... About this awardicon ...

Given by grcubby

Given to

Date Awarded: December 31, 2022

... About this awardicon ...

Given by gervic

Given to

Date Awarded: February 16, 2023

... About this awardicon ...

Given by brothernature

Given to

Date Awarded: April 5, 2023

Previous ... 12 13 14 15 -16- 17 18 19 20 21 ... Next

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Kåre เลียม Enga

Aug 19, 2025 at 1:07am
In response to "The BBB comes to Signal Peak "

I'll keep my mouth shut about coal. In 2008 I did get to ask a question of the governor about how a D in an R state got anything done. He had a good answer. Basically? He was good at building coalitions.

QueenNormaJean AKA Marilyn M.

Aug 11, 2025 at 12:17am
In response to "A Great Weekend"

Okay - you're on for the carousel. I will lean over like all the young ones. Everyone will gasp, shriek and cry. Why? Because I didn't fall off and I did grab that gold ring! Although the hip injury is going to be the devil to take care of.

I'm not too sure about the Dragon Hollow. Perhaps down the slide I will go, to end up in a puddle at the bottom. Clothes all every which way, shoes discarded somewhere, and my hair all messed up. Then you will call 911 because this crazed woman is suddenly laughing hysterically and you think she's perhaps hurt.

The butterfly house is great, I've been in one before. But perhaps this time I will morph into the grandest butterfly of all. Shed my cocoon and fly away, leaving a trail of purple and red and orange and the green that reflects my bug eyes. YeeHaw !!!

The best thing I liked about our day was all the talking to intelligent people. You, your poet friend, the shop owners. I sometimes feel starved for conversation with smart people. Thank you for filling me with words and thoughts and feelings.

I send a picture I took when in Medora, ND. I went there for my last official meeting with the SE Montana group. We celebrated Teddy Roosevelt. I drove through the national park named for him.

IMAGE

Wild Horses

(E)
Teddy Roosevelt National Park - wild horses
#2345108 by QueenNormaJean AKA Marilyn M.

2 Like

Soldier_Mike

Aug 10, 2025 at 11:45pm
In response to "A Great Weekend"

It's great you two got to meet and spend the day together. And all the things you were able to see and do - wonderful! Missoula's on my planned route to knock Idaho and Washington off of my States to be Visited list; I just don't know when that will be.

2 Like

Kåre เลียม Enga

Aug 10, 2025 at 8:58pm
In response to "A Great Weekend"

Thanks for taking time off to visit me. You truly lead a busy life going from meeting to meeting.

Heard: loud screech of a band, carousel, market bustle.
Seen: children, old people, historic buildings.
Tasted: orange, almond, vanilla (me: raspberry).
Touched: brick and stone and wood.
Smelled: roses, coffee, leather.

I'm sure you can come up with more!

In my fantasy:

You holding on to a carousel horse going 8 mph, grabbing a golden ring and screaming to it all over again!
Climbing up and through Dragon Hollow, coming down the slide and getting stuck.
Visiting the Butterfly House adorned with tropical wings of blue, red and green that think you're a flower.

Thanks for the visit,

Kåre

1 Like

Wordsmitty ✍️

Jul 31, 2025 at 2:18am
In response to "Hail? Yeah..."

Glad you're all safe. Good decision to wait it out. I guess it was your turn to be dumped on.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jul 30, 2025 at 10:38pm
In response to "Hail? Yeah..."

Dry in Missoula.

Apparently Helena had flooding.

1 Like

Wordsmitty ✍️

Jul 13, 2025 at 5:10pm
In response to "20 years! "

Congrats on reaching 20!

And we're always told to move to a small town for peace and quiet. Another myth busted. At least it's only a couple times a year.

We'll be looking for your byline in the paper.

Wordsmitty ✍️

Jul 5, 2025 at 7:22pm
In response to "Fireworks"

Sounds like a nice day mostly. Sometimes I almost wish I was back where I could walk to lots of things. Not much to walk to around here, and the evening was eeriely quiet. I think the folks who used to blast fireworks about a block away must be gone, maybe moved?

Didn't even go out to look down to see the resorts display. Actually, a pleasant evening.

I know how you feel when you walk in to help and find that you're the only one who can make sense of things. I also usually end up having to do the cleanup when everyone else figures their time is up.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jul 5, 2025 at 6:26pm
In response to "Fireworks"

The 4th here was rainy. Even got unexpected rain today. Because fire-in-the-woods is a racial memory we aren't big on starting fires.

The ballpark usually has some.

Soldier_Mike

Jun 28, 2025 at 11:49pm
In response to "My the 4th be quiet"

You're right - second chances are good, but Yumpin' Yimminy! One felony maybe gets you a pass coupled with good oversight, but multiple felonies seems like an automatic "Thanks for stoppin' by and don't let the door hit you on the way out" kind of thing. I hope it gets resolved quickly. Senior Centers exist for a reason, and having to shut one down for something like this will do nobody any good.

December 12, 2022 at 12:00am

#1041702

Emancipation

I just watched a movie on Apple TV. I subscribe to it, since I don't have regular TV now. Plus it's on my computer.

'Emancipation' was just released. It stars Will Smith as a slave in Louisiana. He escapes a work camp and has to find his way back to his family he left behind. Oh my, it was wonderful. A very realistic movie based on an actual person, quite graphic and touching at the same time.

Will Smith is excellent in his role, as is the woman playing the part of his wife. The supporting actors also are wonderful.

Well done, Apple. They have quite a number of good programs on their platform now. Series, movies. Lots to choose from.

So if you can access it, by all means take the time to watch this movie.

I give it 2 thumbs up, as Roger Ebert used to say.

Comment • View 1 comment

December 6, 2022 at 6:06pm

#1041469

Einstein Quotes

As treasurer for the Chamber of Commerce in town, I get the mail from its post office box. Every few weeks the Chamber receives a little business newspaper. The issue I got today had a little column that for some reason had some interesting quotes by Einstein. So I thought I'd share a few.

"Creativity is intelligence having fun."

"Thinking is hard work; that's why so few do it."

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."

"Logic can take you from point A to point B. Imagination can take you wherever you want."

"I refuse to engage in an intellectual battle with an unarmed man."

And probably a favorite:

"I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious."

Comment • View 2 comments

December 5, 2022 at 1:18pm

#1041421

Longfellow

We woke to another snow-covered day today. But then again, it is December, so snow is welcome. It is moisture for our parched earth here in SE Montana. It covers, insulates, and protects the ground from the freezing cold.

Last night we joined friends in Billings for a rare night outing for us. We rarely go venturing down that road for a 50-mile one-way trip at night. But this was for a movie about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

https://www.iheardthebellsmovie.com

There were some facts about the poet I never knew. He taught at Harvard. He lived in a house once occupied by George Washington.I learned that Longfellow supported the abolition of slavery during the civil war. This movie is inspiring, has a Christian slant, and is good for everyone, unlike some movies today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heard_the_Bells_on_Christmas_Day

So as I sit in our cozy little house this morning, warm and snug, doing a few chores, I thank God for His watch over us and His blessings.

Comment • View 1 comment

December 1, 2022 at 8:21pm

#1041225

Famous in my own mind

I just changed my cover picture again. This is the famous billboard picture of last winter. It was featured in a email I got today from the SE Montana group. So now anyone that gets that email blast sees us! Terrific... Morgan, Brenda and myself

Here's the blurb:
Kick off the Holiday Season in Southeast Montana

As leaves fall and hibernate under the snow, there are those who eagerly await winter's arrival. These adventurers know that out here they will be rewarded with quiet, wide-open spaces and brilliant blue skies as far as the eye can see. Start your trip planning with the Southeast Montana Travel Guide for your cold-season adventure out here.

So all of you city dwellers, if you want to see wide-open spaces, big gorgeous blue skies, stars on black velvet on a crystal clear night, and perhaps a bit of snow and cold, come on out!

I hope all my OctoPrep friends got finished. It was quite a ride to the finish I bet.

Comment

November 28, 2022 at 12:01pm

#1041102

After Thanksgiving

I woke this morning to find this Blog mentioned in the Blogging Bliss Newsletter "November 2022 Blogging Bliss Newsletter One Hundred Nineteen"

- thanks Wordsmitty ✍️!! Lots of good Blogs to peruse in that newsletter. Give it a read.

So what did everyone do for Thanksgiving? We went to Big Timber. It's a nice, small town about 2 hours from here, where there is always a good wind blowing. In Big Timber, there is the Grand Hotel. It's been there since 1890. They do a wonderful buffet for the holiday. We stayed two nights in a decent hotel room, had a great meal, then made our way home after doing some shopping in Billings on Friday. But since we did food shopping, we avoided all the crazies at the malls and other retail stores.

Now the push is on for Christmas. Egads. Doesn't everyone have enough stuff? We never send Christmas presents anymore. That stopped when we stopped working. All I do now is Christmas cards.

We have a Christmas Stroll here in town. As treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce, I get the applications for vendors. So there is a bit of jockeying for the best location for booths. Everyone wants to be in the best location to sell their little trinkets. Goodness.

Everyone in the Northern reaches of this great land, stay warm! Winter is upon us. I am waiting for a thaw. I still have some potatoes in the ground, safe and secure under their blanket of snow. I need to get them inside. Perhaps soon.

Comment

November 16, 2022 at 10:05pm

#1040737

Zoomed Out

It's been an interesting week so far. I've suffered sat through four Zoom meetings so far. There are two more coming. Gees Louise. As much as we are grateful for technology, I sure would much rather be in a real meeting with real people, not faces on a screen.

We got some snow, it's still lingering. We may get some more tonight, or tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Does anyone really know the weather? I look at my barometer. If it dives below 29.00, and then the wind gets to blowing, I know there is a storm coming.

So I'm gearing up for Thanksgiving this year. We're going to Big Timber, about a 2 hour drive from here. They have an old hotel with a restaurant there, The Grand. Every year, except for a few, they put on a big Thanksgiving buffet. Oh my, what wonderful food. We get a room for a few nights. Have a nice meal I don't have to cook. Perhaps we'll hike a bit in the mountains around there. It depends on hubby's knee. He had surgery about a month ago.

And it depends on the wind. They sometimes can get wind gusts up to 70 MPH. I know someone in church who grew up there. He remembers winds of 100 MPH.

So we'll enjoy the food and peace. And the rattling windows in the old hotel.

Comment • View 2 comments

November 8, 2022 at 2:41pm

#1040414

The First Snow

First of the season - snow that is. So we got about 2 inches of snow last night. Nice, light fluffy snow. And cold. The high today will be about 20°. But then it is November and it has been cold and snowy many weeks before this in the past. We welcome the snow, the cold? Grumble and complain. We are in Montana so why do we?

So many disappointments today. The artist to work on the never-ending remodel cancelled, again. The tires for the car never made it on the truck for delivery to the garage. Maybe tomorrow. I went to work on a computer at the thrift store where I volunteer. I couldn't accomplish what I went there for. Arrggh. I went to another shop to deliver paperwork for a charity event coming up. Asked a simple question, got a curt reply when a simple polite answer would've sufficed.

My afternoon may be spent playing games on the computer. Or reading. Perhaps reading would be the better choice.

I am reading 'The Sentence' by Louise Erdrich. So many ways that title is going. Such a good read, as are all her books.

And so the long dark winter is starting. I still have potatoes to dig. But now under their blanket of snow, they'll be snug for a few more days.

Comment • View 4 comments

November 5, 2022 at 1:43pm

#1040298

Good Grief - What a Wind!

Good grief! We just had a wind gust that shook the house. Now that is a strong wind!

A cold front is making its way into Montana, and a wind always comes with a weather change. 60 MPH winds are forecast for today. The barometer is now at 28.97. And if you know anything about barometric pressure, the lower it goes, the more it indicates a change is in the offing.

But it is November, and I know that the warm sunny weather we've been having cannot last forever. We pray for rain or snow. Moisture of any kind is welcome when you are in a drought.

Speaking of droughts, I pray everyone is doing well with their NaNoWriMo projects. I don't want to know that all the energy expended in the OctoPrep Challenge drained anyone. May you have enough left to finish your novel this month.

Hang on to your hats, it's going to be a windy day!

Comment • View 1 comment

October 31, 2022 at 2:15pm

#1040054

Quill Nomination!

I just received a note that this BLOG is nominated for a Quills award. Well, thank you to whomever nominated my ruminations and wanderings.

I am humbled and truly honored.

Right now the OctoPrep Challenge is in its last day. What a month it has been! A large group of writers undertook the challenge of preparing for the big job of NaNoWriMo in November.

I have done this challenge a few times. Truly it is a great way to get your novel up to speed.

Now for the second year, I am a cheerleader. This year, head cheerleader is the position I gladly took on. We exhort, cajole, encourage, even bribe just a bit. Anything to get people to finish, to strive just a little harder to work on their story.

I'm having a ton of fun. It's been a great month. So far, 27 writers have won, and 2 have become runners-up.

Good luck to all still writing, they still have a few hours.

Comment • View 1 comment

October 19, 2022 at 12:20am

#1039399

Back in Montana

Now back in Montana and I am so glad. Glad to be back home. Glad to be back with my hubby. Even glad to be back in my messed up house.

The time spent with my mother was spent feeding her, giving her medication, reading, and doing computer work. And rambling around a huge condo. For heaven's sake, why do you need 4 living rooms? I mean really.

But I did hear a lot of stories about family, stories I never heard before. Some may come to life as fiction. I have to mull over the details for awhile.

I was anxious on the connecting flight from Columbus, OH to Dallas. I made it with 3 minutes to spare. That was cutting it way too close.

But now I am back to reality. Back to prayer meetings, Bible studies, digging in my garden, laundry and meal planning, and trying to figure out how to clean my house when stuff is in the way.

I found a nice thought a while back. It is worth sharing.

Comment • View 2 comments

Previous ... 12 13 14 15 -16- 17 18 19 20 21 ... Next

© Copyright 2025 QueenNormaJean AKA Marilyn M. (UN: normajeantrent at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
QueenNormaJean AKA Marilyn M. has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.

Printed from https://webx1.writing.com/main/profile/blog/normajeantrent/sort_by/entry_order DESC, entry_creation_time DESC/page/16