So many things to be thankful for this time of year (did someone say pie?). But the weekend before Thanksgiving underscored something for which I’m particularly grateful.
I went to Seeley Lake, about an hour northeast of Missoula, for a reading sponsored by the Alpine Artisans group, my second time there. Now, Seeley is a town of only about 1,600 people, and yet Alpine Artisans routinely turns out a wonderfully large, sharp and appreciative crowd for readings and other events.
Readings are held at Grizzly Claw Trading Co., run by Dee and Susan Baker, a store filled with work by local artists and craftspeople, and books by regional authors—and a great coffee shop, too.
The town is sandwiched between its eponymous lake and the Mission Mountains, claiming one of Montana’s most jaw-dropping settings, in a state that shrugs at the merely spectacular.
The event capped a string of readings and book signings for Silent Hearts, occasions that underscore yet again how fortunate I am to live in a place whose people, even in the smallest communities, are so supportive of writers and artists.
I hope all of those people had a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with art and books (and pie!) and the kind of fellowship that warms the heart in this cold time of year.
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