Wanda's Blog From Billings, Montana

I found this home for sale in a golf course community that has the kind of charm and upscale finishes I would look to expect in a more upscale price range for the price of $395,000.  The Pryor Creek Golf course is pretty good sized, do you like to golf?

Over 4,100 square feet of open living space, with the backyard right on the fairway.  My favorite part of this home is the open kitchen dinning room, very Montana!  Huge eating bar to saddle up to with friends and family. 

The school system is excellent in this small town community.  You may have heard of Huntley Project School, lots of people want their kids to be a part of this class B school system.  The town of Huntley is actually closer to Billings than the rest of the Project Community, and you can hop on the Interstate and be downtown in about 20 minutes.

Here's a picture of the kitchen:  for more pictures and info follow this link to 1351 Florian.  I toured this home last week, listed by Kellie Saville, and just had to blog about it.  Call me if this is something you'd like more info about. 

The Quilting Realtor

Many Dream Of Living In Montana I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do! Wanda Thomas 2wandathomas@gmail.com Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana. Local MLS Search Link

3 Weeks Ago Flood Insurance Was A Hot Topic On The Project, with snow-pack levels at near record levels the irrigation project community worried that snow-melt would be a huge impact.  Little did anyone know it was going to rain 4 to 9 inches above the tiny creeks that feed this community and flood the whole area!

Shock and dispair at the once trickle creek beds to wide river flows taking out building, cars, cows and roads.  It's hard to believe that all that water would come so fast and so strong.

The aerial pictures that the county emergency crew representatives are taking from helicopters and air planes in the last couple of days will be blown up and mounted at the county courthouse to document the water takeover of lots of land.  This will help people who may want to build someday on bare land, determine if their home would be in a flood plane. 

On topic, what about flood insurance?  Did people succeed in their purchase?  Did they do it in time?  I understand that insurance must be purchased at least 30 days ahead of time in order to assist with flood damage.  The Yellowstone River is swelling, hard to tell just how much trouble this will cause, but it looks to be at least as big of a problem as in 1997.

Interstate 90, the major thoroughfare east of Billings headed to Wyoming is under water in Hardin, nothing is moving.  This flooding is primarily from the Little Bighorn River. 

I tried to tell my kids about how floods had shut down traffic when I was in College, back in the old days.  The Great Falls area was so bad, I couldn't get from East to West, just no way to make it.  That was in 1975 I think.

I have to wonder with the horrible tornado's in the middle part of our country, with death and destruction at record levels, should the science of climate change take some priority?

Stay safe.

From someone grateful that my home is safe, for now.

The Quilting Realtor

Many Dream Of Living In Montana I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do! Wanda Thomas 2wandathomas@gmail.com Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana. Local MLS Search Link

My East Slope Internet Guy Is Really Good, Small Town Service.

Tonight I was having a little internet connection trouble so I gave my internet provider a call, it's after 6pm.

The wife of this family team always answers the phone with the sweetest voice, you'd think she had a fresh batch of cookies she just pulled out of the oven.  Her husband Bill is the techy brains of this outfit, I don't know how old he is, but let's just say most guys his age retired 10 years ago!

Bill I say, I don't have a connection and I've done the reset like you have told me before in the past, but I still don't have a connection, is there something going on with your tower?

Well, let me see what's going on, I don't think the tower is the problem, and if we can't figure out what it is, I'll come over first thing in the morning and get you fixed back up.

Can you walk from your computer to your utility room, and you know where we have the transmitter power plug?  (He knows the inside of my house and he hasn't been here for over a year).

Long story short, we figure out that one of my connections was loose, and oh by the way, I just put up a new tower a month ago and I think we could make your connection faster if we tried that one, oh great, we were at 350ms and now we're down to 11 (or something like that).

This is how East Slope Internet operates!  He asks me how my business is going, tells me about where he's picking up good service for new orders and so on.  This family lives across the Yellowstone River from me, practically neighbors.

I love small town service, and frankly, this old guy could wipe the noses of most of the young techies I know!  LOL

If you need to see about his internet service called East Slope Internet, you need to actually call them at 406-348-3001.  I keep recommending them, and I've never regretted doing that, ever!

The Quilting Realtor

Many Dream Of Living In Montana I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do! Wanda Thomas 2wandathomas@gmail.com Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana. Local MLS Search Link

Where were you?  At the Homesteader Days Celebration, that's where!

This annual event highlights the strong heritage of this farming community.  People out on the Project, and those who've had the misfortune of having to move away, seem to migrate back to the homestead for a weekend of family fun and get togethers.

My Mother In Law, Shirley Thomas, grew up on the Project.  She now supervises the Old Schoolhouse part of the Huntley Project Museum, very fitting since she is a retired School Teacher!   A board of volunteers organizes this event for the benefit of the local community, you can find out more about the Museum at this link.

For Friday's program, check out the map below for directions to the center of the activities at the Osborn Park on Hwy 312 between the little town of Huntley (with the big heart) and the little town of Worden (home of a really good football team).

Friday Evening, July 9, 2010

5:30  Gates open, vendors are ready to serve you, show tickets $30 at the gate

7       Johnny Lee and the Copper Mountain Band

8       Mark Chesnutt

10      Bucky Beaver Ground Grippers

Caution!!!  Dancing and general happiness breaks out at these shindigs.  Bring your chairs, blankets and cushions, but buy your refreshments from the vendors at good prices, served with a smile!

Saturday July 10, 2010

8 am   Gates Open

10       Parade!!!   Theme "Stake Your Claim On The Project"  Museum of Irrigated Agriculture open

11      Beer Gardens open (bring your designated driver if you plan to drink and leave, safety first).  Some people drive from other States just to participate in this event, and to eat the food!  I'm not kidding, the BBQ Beef and Chicken are famous around here!

All Day   Kids carnival, bingo, craft show and sale, Museum indoors and out!

3pm    Duck Race

6pm  Live music begins again with Johnny Lee and the Copper Mountain Band

10pm Fireworks begin at dark

Click the link to the map below for directions.  If you get off of Interstate 94 at the Huntley Exit just East of Billings Montana, you can't miss the fun!

Enjoy

View Homesteader Days on the Project in a larger map

The Quilting Realtor

Many Dream Of Living In Montana I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do! Wanda Thomas 2wandathomas@gmail.com Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana. Local MLS Search Link