February 2012

THE BAKKEN MEANS BUSINESS FOR BILLINGS

Dating in the Digital Age

Love at First Byte • Chemistry to Love By 10 Great Dates

Family Ties

The Icopinis: A Generational Saga

Lady Evelyn Cameron Pioneer Photographer

MAGIC I february 2012 I 1

A critical heart condition.

The choice: Billings Clinic.

This retired doctor from Butte notices his endurance waning while building his log home.

He knows it’s his heart, and following diagnostic testing, finds out he needs surgery. After extensive research he chooses Billings Clinic for his care.

He sees an interventional cardiologist who performs a cardiac catheterization and consults with the cardiovascular surgeon. The next day, Charles’ aortic valve is replaced. Throughout this process, Charles’ care is coordinated by a clinical nurse navigator, who links him to his hometown cardiac rehab program.

Charles is impressed with the team approach, the education he receives and friendliness of the nurses and staff. Thanks to the life-saving care from Montana’s first and most experienced heart program, Charles is now building memories in his new home.

Check it out at www.CharlesStory.com

Where it all comes together.

2 I february 2012 I MAGIC

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4 I february 2012 I MAGIC

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February 2012

50

BOOM!

Williston: Wild West of the 21st Century dan carter

56

The Smell Of Money Billings and the Bakken boom

dan carter

62

Love At First Byte

Dating in the Digital Age

On the Cover Black Gold Cover Photo: mattjeacock

Brenda Maas

66

Chemistry To Love By

70

Romantic Rendezvous

Love is all in your head, or is it?

julie johnson ROLLINS

MAGIC • BILLINGS’ CITY MAGAZINE SINCE 2003

72

10 Great Dates

Brittany cremer

Family Ties

The Icopinis—A Generational Saga

Alexis Adams

THE BAKKEN BOOM • FAMILY TIES • LADY EVELYN CAMERON

THE BAKKEN MEANS BUSINESS FOR BILLINGS

Dating in the Digital Age

Love at First Byte • Chemistry to Love By 10 Great Dates

Family Ties

The Icopinis: A Generational Saga

Lady Evelyn Cameron Pioneer Photographer

76

A Perennial Pain

FEBRUARY 2012

Noxious weeds choke our lawn and wreak havoc on our landscaping. Experts lead the fight to tame these invaders.

JIM GRANSBERY

79

All-Natural Weed Whackers

Red Lodge couple uses goats as

eco-friendly alternative.

Jim gransbery

82 Pick A Fight

A Montana-grown movement takes Third World oppression personally. sHELLEY VAN aTTA

86 Cookies Come of Age

Girl Scouts of America Turns 100

virginia A. bryan

90 This Is Reality?

Craig Lancaster

MAGIC I february 2012 I 5

February 2012

The List Fun, fascinating finds ...................................................................................11 Profile Brandon Burton: Venture Adventurer..............................................12 Giving Back MSUB Foundation Wine and Food Festival........14 Artists Loft Susan Kennedy Sommerfeld.................................................16 Elements Saavy Craftiness.............................................................................................18 Media Room Books, Music and Web Reviews ..............................20

11

12

23

SIGNATURE SECTION

Fine Living

At Home A Montana Dream Come True ...................................23 Epicure Inspirationally Creole...............................................................29 Just Desserts: Sweet Treats in our City

30

..............

16

34

Montana Perspectives

44

Legends Lady Evelyn of the Prairie..............................................34 Photo Journal Through Evelyn’s Eyes............................38 I’m Just Saying Change the Channel..............................42

Travelogue Beyond Billings

42

44

Romantic Getaways.............................

Why Magic City?

In every issue

Editor’s Letter The Boom Is Back......................................................................................... 8 Contributors .................................................................................................................................. 9 Seen at the Scene ............................................................................................................93 Datebook Your Calendar of events........................................................................................95 Last Word Bakken by the Numbers.....................................................................................98

6 I february 2012 I MAGIC

In the early 1880s, immigrants and adventurers came in droves to seek their livelihood on the verdant land along the Yellowstone River. The hastily constructed tents and log cabins made it appear as if Billings materialized overnight – thus earning the name “The Magic City.” Today, as the largest city in Montana, Billings proudly retains its ‘Magic City’ moniker. As for Magic City magazine, we promise to continue our mission to uncover all that is unique and wonderful and changing in this great community ... and we guarantee a few surprises along the way.

FEBRUARY 2012

•

Michael Gulledge

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 1 Publisher 657-1225

Local.

Personal.

Full Service.

Editorial

Allyn Hulteng Editor 657-1434 Bob Tambo Creative Director 657-1474 Brittany Cremer Senior Editor 657-1390 Dina Brophy Assistant Editor 657-1490 Katherine Berman Assistant Editor 657-1367 Evelyn Noennig Assistant Editor 657-1226

Larry Mayer, David Grubbs, James Woodcock, Casey Page, Bob Zellar, Paul Ruhter Photographers

Kyle Rickhoff, Preston Stahley

Online Web Designers

✺ ✺ ✺ ✺

Advertising

Dave Worstell Sales & Marketing Director 657-1352 Ryan Brosseau Classified & Online Manager 657-1340 Bonnie Ramage Sales Manager 657-1202 Linsay Duty Advertising Coordinator 657-1254 Nadine Bittner Lead Graphic Artist 657-1286 MAGIC Advisory Board

✺ ✺ ✺ ✺

Jim Duncan, Brian M. Johnson, Denice Johnson, Nicki Larson, Susan Riplett, Nancy Rupert Contact us: Mail: 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101 editor@magiccitymagazine.com Find us online at our newly redesigned Web site www.magiccitymagazine.com Find us at various rack locations throughout Billings: Including area Albertson’s, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Hastings Books, Music & Video, Holiday Station stores and Gainan’s.

Subscriptions are available at the annual subscription rate of $29 (5 Issues). Single copy rate $4.95. Mail subscription requests and changes to address above, ATTN: Circulation Magic City is published five times a year by Billings Gazette Communications Copyright© 2012 Magic City Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written consent is prohibited.

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 7

FROM THE EDITOR

this issue

The Boom is Back

Lessons from the past

On April 10, 2008, the US Geological Survey (USGS) released a report that stunned the oil producing world. Using new geologic models, the agency recalculated the amount of technically recoverable oil in the Bakken Formation beneath western North Dakota and eastern Montana. The revised estimate totaled between 3.0 and 4.3 billion barrels – a whopping 25 times more than the agency’s 1995 estimate of 151 million barrels. The report further noted the revised assessment makes the Bakken the largest continuous oil accumulation in the lower 48.

It was, in exploration terms, a significant discovery.

Billings is well-acquainted with oil booms.

The most recent, in the 1970s, spurred massive spending by oil companies in a frenzied search for oil. By 1986, the price of oil collapsed on the heels of a worldwide recession. Overnight, companies went broke and buildings were shuttered.

For many, it was a long climb out of the financial abyss.

Nearly three decades later, and in the aftermath of the worst recession since the Great Depression, the rush to drill the Bakken is welcome news. But before we leap unabashedly onto the development bandwagon, perhaps it is wise to reflect on a few important lessons from history.

Untapped treasure Oil exploration and production is not new to the area. According to the North Dakota Geological Survey, the first discovery in the Bakken Formation occurred in 1951. But because the Bakken is a deep, relatively thin shale formation, vertical drilling meant much of the oil remained trapped and difficult to extract in paying quantities.

All of that changed with new exploration technologies.

By 2008, drillers successfully combined horizontal drilling with new hydraulic fracturing technology in which pressurized fluid and sand is pumped deep into a well, cracking the rock and releasing the oil.

Suddenly, new wells are producing hundreds of barrels of sweet crude each day – and the race to develop the Bakken is on.

Bakken business

While Billings is not the epicenter of Bakken development (that distinction be-

longs to Williston, ND) we are the closest urban center and regional hub of commerce – a fact that has not gone unnoticed. In just the past few months, a growing number of local business owners say they have experienced a marked increase in business directly related to development in the Bakken. Moreover, a number of new energy-related ser-

•

•

•

•

Booms have a predictable cycle: growth, stagnation, contraction.

Spending should be tempered by the knowledge that the good times won’t last forever.

Booms bring jobs, and jobs bring people. We live in a place that has historically welcomed newcomers. So welcome them, but be sure they earn your trust.

Developing natural resources and protecting the environment are not mutually exclusive. Commit to doing both.

As stewards, we must thoughtfully consider the impact of today’s decisions on future generations. For better or for worse, we will be judged by the legacy we leave.

I can’t think of a better place to be right now than Billings. Not only did we weather the economic downturn better than almost any other city, but we have the opportunity to participate in one of the largest energy initiatives in history. Let’s be both bold and smart, so one day when the boom is long over, people will say, “they did it right.”

vice companies have already set up shop, and commercial developers report they receive “inquiries of a substantial nature” nearly daily.

All of this has created a buzz, and people are asking, “How can I cash in?”

editor@magiccitymagazine.com

8 I february 2012 I MAGIC

contributors

Alexis Adams divides her time between Red Lodge, Montana and Poulithra, Greece. A full-time freelance writer, her work has recently appeared in The Boston Globe, Afar, The Utne Reader, The Sun Magazine, The Art of Eating and Saveur, among other publications. She has two children, Sylvie, age 8, and Jasper, age 11. With them she loves to read, ski, swim, sail and explore the world. She is at work on a book about the traditional foodways of the Peloponnese Peninsula and blogs on that subject at theshepherdandtheolivetree.wordpress.com.

Dan Carter was born and raised in the Gallatin Valley and found his journalistic roots at the University of Montana. After graduating, he worked at weekly and small daily papers in Montana and Oregon before returning to Billings. He worked at The Billings Gazette for 14 years and now works in government relations and publications at MSU Billings.

Brenda Maas

Writing a feature article is like putting together a puzzle of interesting and intricate pieces-- each a fascinating story on its own.

At least that’s how Brenda Maas sees it. A relative newcomer to Billings (in Montana terms), she was raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm and moved West with her college love, Brett. Now she divides her time between various writing ventures, cycling country roads and parenting their three school-age sons.

Jim Gransbery is a retired agricultural and political reporter of The Billings Gazette. Since 2008, he has spent his time teaching, writing magazine articles for Montana publications and working on short fiction. He also looks after the well-being of his wife, Karen, who has made the whole trip possible.

Julie Johnson Rollins returned to her hometown of Billings in 1996 after a decade and a half living in Boston and New York City. A physician, mother, wife, musician, nonprofit devotee and writer, she desires to write about “anything and everything that piques my curiosity.”

Shelley Van Atta was raised in Laurel and graduated with a degree in English and journalism from the University of Montana. She spent 25 years in higher education as director of college relations and marketing for Rocky Mountain College and university relations director for MSU Billings. She has been actively involved in the Billings community and currently is director of communications and marketing for the new Billings Wellbeing Institute.

Montana’s Premier Destination Wedding Florist 60 Years Experience Specializing in Billings, Red Lodge, Big Sky, Moonlight Basin, Flathead Lake and Northern Wyoming destination weddings.

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References and portfolio available by request.

E: jim@gainans.com T: (406)245-6434

MAGIC I holiday 2011 I 9

OUR ORTHOPEDIC AWARDS PROVE WE’RE THE L A I U T Q Y R O O RTHOPEDIC CARE F E C I O H C S ’ N O I G E R We’re excited to be recognized by Healthgrades for Orthopedic excellence in 2012.

This includes 5-STAR RATINGS IN SPINE SURGERY, BACK AND NECK SURGERY (SPINAL FUSION) AND TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT. What does this mean to you?

It means that our St. Vincent Healthcare physicians are exceptional in their level of care and this translates to better outcomes for our patients. To learn more about our outstanding services, call (406) 237-7010 or visit www.svh-mt.org.

THE HEALING POWER OF EXCELLENCE 10 I february 2012 I MAGIC

FEBRUARY 2012

Smooth, radiant locks

Touted as “the most innovative and effective professional smoothing treatment in the world,” the Brazilian Blowout actually improves the condition of hair by creating a protective protein layer around the shaft to eliminate frizz and smooth the cuticle.

Fun, fascinating finds we think are great.

Remotely secure

Use your mobile device to keep an eye on your property when you’re away. Total Connect™ allows you to arm/disarm, receive status updates and/or alerts from your in-home security system through the web, mobile device or even text messaging.

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Amira Harper, Salon 17 - $125

Succulent sauces

For 20 years, The King’s Cupboard has been producing award-winning, rich, delicious, all-natural dessert toppings – the perfect complement to ice cream, cake, brownies, crepes, fruit and endless possibilities.

Available at many fine, area retailers or online at: kingscupboard.com $9 per jar

Air Swimmers™

With smooth, life-like motion, these giant, amazing fish provide hours of remote control fun. Powered by just four AAA batteries and helium, Air Swimmers™ have a realistic back-and-forth tail motion that actually propels them forward – just like a real fish.

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Sweet treatment

Treat yourself or a loved one to an indulgent Godiva® chocolate facial treatment with powerful antioxidants that rejuvenate and protect the skin, while natural moisturizers leave your face soft and glowing. Polish it off with a complementary Godiva chocolate and a cup of hot cocoa. Ooo la la!

Tallman Medical Spa - $65

MAGIC I february 2012 I 11

By Anna Paige • Photography by Casey Page

Venture Adventurer Brandon Burton

Brandon Burton is a self-described “yes” per-

son. “Anything that seems like an adventure, I’m going to run to it just to experience it,” he said.

Burton, who co-founded a theater company

in New York City, recently relocated to Billings to take on the role of conservatory director for Venture Theatre.

The offer “sounded like a great opportunity,” Burton said, who had been to Billings several times to act in theater productions at the urging of Venture artistic director Robert Wood. The two previously worked together at the University of Cincinnati, where Burton was pursuing his BFA in dramatic performance as Wood sought his master’s degree.

The decision to relocate was multifaceted, Burton said. “But Billings felt like home.”

During his previous visits, Burton had created a “theater family.”

“I missed working with these people, and I missed the connections – even outside of the theater. I made many friends here.”

In his position, Burton will help Venture enhance its youth education and youth productions. He said he sees the youth conservatory as a diamond in the rough and plans to grow the education program and provide accessibility to acting.

“Acting made me step outside of myself and look within at who I am,” he said. “I wish I had this opportunity when I was younger.”

Opportunities beyond the classroom

At school you read a book, and you write a report on your opinion of it. Here, we ask you to read the book, interpret that work and step into it. This method teaches you confidence, communication – so many things. Our goal is not to create future Broadway stars, though we would love that, but what we really create here are community builders.

We teach life skills they can use in acting as well as other future endeavors.

12 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Growth through acting

As an actor, I was taught to delve deep, to see where others are coming from, which makes me reflect on my life. Acting teaches students empathy and compassion through the stories they witness and create.

Growing up an actor

I’ve always had a huge imagination. I guess I didn’t know it at the time; I felt like there was something wrong with me because I was creating stories and pretending to be other people. I remember watching my brother perform in a musical in high school, and I decided I wanted to try that. I auditioned for a show and enjoyed it so much that I knew I wanted to be a part of the theater in some way. So I pursued acting.

Making a home in Billings

There is something special here. Billings is beginning to distinguish itself, and this theater is a reflection of this community.

This year, Venture is celebrating 20 years. There is a yearning within the theater and in the community as a whole – a yearning for knowledge, for arts and for culture.

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 13 www.omnispinecenter.com

By Carmen Daye Irish • Photography by James Woodcock

MSU Billings Wine & Food Festival 2012 Schedule of Events

MSU Billings Foundation

Wine & Food Festival 20th Anniversary

Wine & Food Festival Pre-Events: Wine 101 Tuesday, February 28 & Wednesday, February 29, 7 – 9 p.m.

History of Wine: White wines, red wines and wine & food pairings. $40 per evening or $60 for both evenings Wine 201 Tuesday, March 20 & Wednesday, March 21, 7 – 9 p.m.

Spice and Wines: Matching wines with spicy foods from around the world. $50 per evening or $75 for both evenings

Wine Festival week:

Every spring, Montana State University Billings Foundation hosts the Wine and Food Festival, a multi-day event to raise funds for university programs and student scholarships. The 2012 event marks the 20th anniversary of this successful endeavor, which has made a difference in the lives of countless students.

For people like Megan Covington, a 2011-2012 recipient of the Wine Festival Recognition Scholarship, the festival is just the beginning.

An education major and Billings native, Covington said the community’s support for education means a lifelong opportunity.

“It has been rewarding to have this support and for people to see me through my accomplishments,” Covington said. “And that is what MSUB education major, Megan Covington, is a grateful recipient I hope to do in my career of of the 2011-2012 Wine Festival Recognition Scholarship. education – pay this forward and be a mentor to kids like me. I want to give them hope and help them see their potential, too.”

Since 1968, the Foundation has promoted educational opportunities, community partnerships and philanthropic work through fundraising initiatives like the Wine and Food Festival. Despite the economic recession, last year the Foundation raised more than $1.2 million and granted 1,025 scholarships, both record highs.

“Even during these hard times,” said Jeanne Moller, development officer for MSUB Foundation, “folks think about the lifelong value in education—not only to the students, but the value of an educated citizenry makes for a stronger community. If we invest in our students now, we all benefit.”

Since the first festival in 1993, the event has raised roughly $3.7 million providing Wine Festival Recognition Scholarships for 449 students and support for numerous university programs.

“Community members really identify with the purpose of the event,” Moller said. “People have been incredibly generous, and we are grateful for the support.”

The value of a college education goes well beyond a diploma for Covington and other students alike. It’s an opportunity for personal growth and intellectual expansion. It’s an opportunity to find a farther horizon. And the community is what makes this possible.

“I always told myself, ‘I know I have what it takes to go to college,’” Covington said, “but I was unsure of how I was going to pay for it. I am so thankful to all the people who donate money to make college an actual possibility for people like me.”

14 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Monday, May 14, 6 p.m.

Guest chef dinner $150 per person

Monday, May 14 “From Pasture to Plate II: A Day of Discovering the People, the Land and the Legacy of Beef.” $100 per person Tuesday, May 15, 11 a.m.

Home Cooking School with Amy Smith, executive chef at The Grand Hotel in Big Timber. $75 per person Tuesday, May 15, 6 p.m.

Iron Chef Competition $50 per person Wednesday, May 16, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Hands-on Cooking School with chef Phillip Estipular, freelance chef and instructor from Lake Tahoe and San Francisco. $125 per person Wednesday, May 16, 11 a.m.

Home Cooking School with Matt Israel, executive chef at the Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks. $75 per person Wednesday, May 16, 6 p.m.

Home Cooking School with Andy Blanton, executive chef at Café Kandahar in Whitefish. $75 per person Wednesday, May 16, 6 p.m.

Indian Cuisine Cooking School with Raghavan Iyer, chef, author and owner of Tumeric Trail of Minneapolis, Minn. $75 per person Thursday, May 17, 11 a.m.

Home Cooking School with Scott Myers, executive chef at The Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton. $75 per person Thursday, May 17, 7 p.m.

Winemasters Symposium $100 per person Friday, May 18, 6-10 p.m.

Wine & Food Pairings under the Grand Tent $85 per person Saturday, May 19, 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.

The “Fine Finish” under the Grand Tent $125 per person For more information or to buy tickets: Call 406-657-2244 or 1-888-430-6782 or visit www.winefoodfestival.com

A Special Valentine’ s Event “Handkerchiefs:

The Artful Little Squares of History” presented by Terese Blanding $20 admission per person in advance • $25 at the door

February 12, 2012 • 2pm

3301 Marketplace • 3301 1st Ave. N. • Billings, MT

Come join your friends for a fascinating look at the handkerchief ’s role in history and in the world of opera. We will be serving a variety of juices, champagne, afternoon tea and coffee with delightful desserts. After the event, guests will be able to shop privately at the Antique Market.

Call 406-671-2214 for tickets and reservations

OperaFest

April 14, 2012 • 6pm Yellowstone Country Club

Th e Crucibl e WARD’S

April 28 & 29, 2012 • 7:30pm & 3pm Alberta Bair Theater

Monday-Friday 10am to 6pm Saturday 9am to 6pm Sunday Noon to 5pm

406.671.2214 www.rimrockopera.org

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 15

By Anna Paige • Photography by James Woodcock

Susan Kennedy Sommerfeld 30 years of cutting-edge color

Each shimmering pane of glass Susan Kennedy Sommerfeld solders together tells a unique story.

From long narrow stained glass windows of churches to decorative windows in libraries to glass walls in commercial properties, Sommerfeld’s work has a timeless, calming effect.

Stained glass as an art form goes back more than a thousand years. It was called “stained glass” because of the process the glass underwent to achieve such visual impact – a process that involved painting images upon the glass panes, and then firing the glass to produce detailed pictures that tell stories of Biblical proportions.

While Sommerfeld creates many large pictures, she also produces many decorative and functional pieces. The modern stained glass medium has a vast amount of applications, from mosaics to furniture to fused items.

The bulk of Sommerfeld’s work is commissioned, and she works closely with clients to ensure their piece will look as they envision. She also collaborates with a team of four others to create stained glass work. Sommerfeld oversees design with the assistance of Jean James. Sherina McIntire is Kennedy’s “right hand,” a partner with whom she can discuss glass choice and design. Painting is done by Debbie Heidema, and Liz Alexander does the prep and finishing work.

Sommerfeld has been working with glass for three decades. She started her business in 1981, creating stained glass art, teaching classes and It is so very fun to selling glass.

“I did that for about 15 years do all these different before I got to the point where I could things with glass. just do my artwork,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what you do; you have It pushes your to pay your dues for a bit.”

abilities, as each window is unique.

16 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Window treatment

It is so very fun to do all these different things with glass. It pushes

your abilities as each window is unique. I have to be aware what the client wants, and the architecture and environment that the windows will go into has a lot to do with the choices I make.

Craft consulting Before I’ve even seen the space and talked to the client, the wheels are already turning. The design also evolves over time. I make many design adjustments before we start building.

Symphony of colors Picking out the glass is the fun part. When I have the design together, I have a good idea of what I want the final window to look like, so I basically paint with my glass.

Color connections What has made this rich for me is that I’ve made so many close friends though my clients. From church committee members to private home owners, you get to know these people, and you truly make a connection.

Kennedy Stained Glass recently relocated to 2923 2nd Ave. N. Kennedy is available most days by appointment. Call 245-3788 or e-mail Kennedysstainedglass@bresnan.net.

1.

“

The big box store almost sold me the wrong windows!

The experts at the local Pella store helped me make the right choice.

”

“

Thank you, Pella, for saving me time and money!

2.

”

We’ll Come to You. 3.

4.

1., 2. and 3. Commissioned pieces 4. Mule deer Photos courtesy of Don Sommerfeld.

Replacing windows or doors? Every home requires special considerations. At Pella, we’ve got experts ready to help you every step of the way. Stop by your local Pella store or call for a free in-home consultation.

2520 Grand Ave. Billings (406) 656-1516 (800) 727-3552 pellamt.com MAGIC I february 2012 I 17

Savvy Craftiness

Must-haves for your arts and crafts workbench Modern macramé

Macramé has come a long way since the jute plant hangers of the 70s. This crafty board makes it easy for modern artists to macramé beautiful jewelry with colorful, fine cords and shimmering glass and semiprecious beads.

Bead Depot Knotty Board, $16

And sew much more

Husqvarna’s Designer Diamond deLuxe™ is a gem of a machine. It sets new standards for sewing and embroidery with seemingly endless features and cuttingedge technology.

Billings Sewing and Vac, Inc. $10,000

Artistic elegance

Built in Montana by master craftsman, Matt Usuriello, these beautiful hardwood easels can be used on a table or mounted to any standard camera tripod as a standing easel.

Q’s Art Shop, $450

18 I february 2012 I MAGIC

No more knots

Knitters know the frustration of a messy skein of yarn.

Rewind those partial skeins into tidy center-pull skeins or wind thin strands together to create custom sizes and colors.

Boye Electric Yarn Ball Winder Michael’s, $90

Success in school, and in life.

Our highly personalized approach builds the skills, habits and attitudes your child needs to succeed in school and in life.

Develops independent work habits.

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Provides feedback for parents and teachers.

Sylvan makes learning fun!

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Felted feathered friends

The age-old craft of wool felting is making a resurgence. These adorable bird kits come with 100 percent hand-dyed wool roving, a jewelry clip, a pair of wire feet and complete instructions for completing your felted friend.

Fiberworks, $20-23

SylvanLearning.com

• Reading • Math • Writing • Study Skills • Test Taking • College / University Prep and More!

MAGIC I february 2012 I 19

By Katherine Berman and Brittany Cremer

Music

The Very Best of Jane Monheit Movies/DVD

Midnight in Paris 2011 Sony Pictures Classics ; Directed by Woody Allen

It is cold outside, but nestled up by a crackling fireplace, sipping a glass of luscious red wine, listening to the throaty, soulful jazz of Jane Monheit is hot, hot, hot. “The Very Best of Jane Monheit” is a thoughtful medley of tunes, both familiar and exotic, bound together by Monheit’s mellifluous and melodic finesse. Monheit doesn’t merely cover these classic gems of jazz, she embodies them. The album is the perfect backdrop for a dinner party, date or simply to add a little swagger to your step on a quiet afternoon.

Web Ed

www.kickstarter.com The first thing you need in creating something cool is a good idea. The second thing, oftentimes, is a little cash.

Enter Kickstarter, a new way to fund and follow creativity, where anyone can post the details of a project and solicit the necessary money to make it happen. If enough people make pledges by a set deadline, the idea is funded and the donors get gifts specified by the project’s creator. A Kickstarter effort can be anything from a wristband that turns an iPod Nano into a watch — which received a record $1 million in pledges — to a map of the U.S.A. made up of frying pans.

Even if you never ante up any money, it’s fun to see what creative people are coming up with.

Book

Q

Woody Allen’s 2011 romantic-comedy fantasy film might

best be described as a love story for bibliophiles. Gil (Owen Wilson) finds himself drifting apart from his fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams) on a trip to Paris when, at midnight each evening, he becomes magically entwined with the inner circle of the Lost Generation—cavorting with the likes of Earnest Hemingway, Salvador Dali, Gertrude Stein and other luminaries—Gil’s longstanding personal heroes. What ensues is a wild romp through 1920s gay Paris merging modern satire and whimsical surrealism with the clever winking wit that only Woody could pull off.

20 I february 2012 I MAGIC

by Evan Mandery

We find the unnamed hero of this transcendental romance burgeoning on literary success and happily in love with Q—the woman of his dreams. Shortly before his wedding, the narrator is visited by his future self who bears a very distinct and ominous warning: “You must not marry Q.” And thus the incredible and impossible dilemma—if you were able to go back in time and tell yourself something, would you, could you, heed your own advice?

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652-1380 • 1816 Grand Ave. www.stepn-out.com MAGIC I february 2012 I 21

“With an older home, it’s not always possible to anticipate what may be lurking beneath the surface.

That’s why we chose a remodeling company with the ability to handle any situation.”

-Rodger & Jan Wilson

Rodger and Jan Wilson had spent many happy years in their Billings home when they came to the decision to update their kitchen. The wall of windows overlooking the backyard pool from the kitchen sink was a favorite feature of Jan’s and one that she had no intention of modifying. However, when Freyenhagen crews began construction on the new kitchen, they discovered that years of water damage had taken its toll on those windows and the walls that supported them.The entire wall was re-engineered to ensure that history did not repeat itself in coming years. Four solid skylights replaced the leaky overhead windows and Jan was able to maintan her beautiful view overlooking the backyard pool.

For more on the Wilson Remodel, visit www.freyenhagenconstruction.com/wilson-kitchen

22 I february 2012 I MAGIC

FINE LIVING

great estates

A MONTANA DREAM COME TRUE

Few home sites are more picturesque than that of Steve Hopsiter and Pat RosemaHopsiter. Perched high above the Yellowstone River a few miles outside Columbus, the home is surrounded by hundred-year-old pines and boasts magnificent views of the snow-capped Crazy and Beartooth Mountain Ranges. Yet it’s a view the couple didn’t know existed when they purchased the property a decade ago.

“We had no idea until Mike (Vinton, the general contractor) called us and said we needed to come see it,” Pat said. “We drove up and couldn’t believe our eyes.” The stunning vista was a welcome sight for the couple who had relocated to Montana from California.

Steve, a Chino, Calif. police officer, and Pat, a Los Angeles law enforcement dispatcher and transit authority supervisor, first saw the 20-acre lot in 1999.

The year before, they had traveled through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana on an extended camping trip, looking for the place that would provide a respite from the pace and stress of Southern California.

When the couple happened to see an advertisement

for the wooded lots in Stillwater County, they had a feeling they had found what they were looking for.

“We had looked at other properties before, but they sold before we could come for a second look,” Steve said. “Pat convinced me we needed to get this property, saying it would be a good investment if nothing else. We kept coming back year after year, and it just grew on us.”

Eager to retire in Montana, the couple worked countless hours of overtime, saving and planning to build their dream home.

“We sold my condo in Chino Hills, taking advantage of the housing boom, and we moved in with family,” Pat said. “For three years, we lived in a

By Julie Green • Photography by James Woodcock

Nestling the home into the hillside allows for a full walkout basement filled with natural light.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 23

great estates FINE LIVING MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

single bedroom and worked six and seven days a week.”

Knowing they wanted a log home, Pat subscribed to three log home magazines and began reading books geared for first-time home builders.

Trips to model homes and home improvement stores fostered ideas for lighting and finishes. Together, she and Steve created a binder containing photos of the features and floor plan ideas they wanted to incorporate.

“I recommend putting together an album like that to anyone building a home,” said Pat. Steve agreed. “Contractors can’t read your mind.”

After researching contractors and companies specializing in log home construction, Pat and Steve selected Bridger Log Homes out of Belgrade, Mont. and contacted Mike and Sue Vinton of Vinton Construction.

“Steve and Pat were great,” said Mike, who has been building homes

24 I february 2012 I MAGIC

i’m just saying

Accent pieces in a palette of rich merlot contrast beautifully against the buttery log walls and plank flooring.

The couple acquired their furnishings over time as they planned their home, focusing on pieces that were comfortable, reflected their personal sense of style and sturdy enough to withstand the antics of family pets.

Inside the great room, heavy beams provide a feeling of timeless stability while keeping light flowing throughout the space.

since 1996. “They knew what they wanted to incorporate and brought their folder of pictures. They’d thought about it, dreamed about it; we wanted to make their ideas come together.”

The result is nothing less than spectacular.

The 4600-square-foot log home evokes a warm and welcoming western charm. On the main level, friends and family gather in a lightfilled great room which opens into a spacious and inviting kitchen. With ample space, the kitchen can accommodate multiple chefs while providing the perfect spot for a chat over a steaming cup of coffee. South-facing windows and custom lighting keeps the living area bright and airy. There is also plenty of storage – a requisite for Steve – with additional storage in

The double-sided rock fireplace centered between the great room and dining room underscores the balance of rustic charm and modern elegance found throughout.

Pat knew that her home’s exposed log walls would provide a variety of colors and textures, so she chose sleek maple kitchen cabinets stained a deep cherry red. Granite countertops and stainless steel appliances were also selected for both function and finish.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 25

great estates FINE LIVING MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

i’m just saying

the attached mudroom, laundry room and oversized pantry.

On the home’s west side, the cozy master suite has doors that lead onto a private wraparound deck. The suite, like the rest of the home, is furnished with pieces the couple purchased and placed in storage while waiting for their house to be finished.

“We compromised on the design,” Pat said. “I wanted the upstairs to look a certain way, and he wanted the downstairs to be a man cave of sorts. That’s exactly what we ended up with.”

The walkout basement has been transformed into a game and media room for family and friends. Overstuffed furniture and a custom lodge-inspired entertainment center are the perfect spot for TV and movie viewing. Steve – an avid hunter – uses the space to display several of his trophy mounts.

Two guest rooms, a bathroom with walk-in shower and exercise area complete the lower level.

Now enjoying semi-retirement in Montana, the Hopsiters have the home they dreamed of in the place they dreamed of.

And all with a view they never dreamed existed.

Many mornings are spent on the back deck. From this vantage point, there is an unobstructed view of the breathtaking Crazy Mountains.

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The spacious master bedroom opens to a wrap-around deck with beautiful views of the surrounding mountain ranges. The west-facing windows were specifically spaced to accommodate their beautiful sleigh bed.

A large walk-in shower is the showpiece of the ensuite master bath. Wall-mounted faucets perch over stone bowl sinks, while light reflects throughout the space through the careful use of glass, gleaming wood and tile. The space also includes a jetted soaking tub and is flanked by his-and-her walk-in closets.

After years of living in cramped quarters, Steve looked forward to having a place to get away, shoot some pool and watch the game. With its tall ceilings and open layout, the downstairs living space fulfills all of his expectations and more.

Inlaid with buffalo nickels, this lodge-inspired pool table was custom-built for the couple. The room also features other pieces made specifically for the space, including an entertainment center, built-in bar and custom stools.

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 27

A Lender You Can Count On...

Loan Terms You Can Trust

Robin Hanel

Knowledge Integrity Reliability Mortgage American a division of Network Fundinglp

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Office: 652-6677 Cell: 860-6181 1575 Shiloh Road, Suite H Billings, MT Robin.Hanel@nflp.com Originator #307440 • NMLS #2297/Branch #885

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28 I february 2012 I MAGIC

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FINE LIVING

epicure

inspirationallyCREOLE

By Katherine Berman * Photography by James Woodcock

Chicken Fried Quail with Bourbon French Toast

Romantic recipes are a must this month – a special dish to share

with a special someone.

Q Cuisine executive chef, Daniel Roberts, created this sumptuous entre for just such an occasion. Recipe on page 32

Daniel Roberts Executive Chef, Q Cuisine

Daniel received his culinary degree from the California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA), Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, Calif.

Prior to moving to Montana, Daniel had the opportunity to work at i Cugini in Santa Monica, Calif. as well as for the world-renowned restaurateur, Piero Selvaggio in Las Vegas, NV. Today, Daniel cooks from the heart as the Executive Chef at Q Cuisine since 2004, where he specializes in traditional American bistro cuisine.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 29

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES epicurebillings TRAVELOGUE FINE LIVING beyond

i’m just saying

Just

Walkers Grill

Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp

Chefs Ben Howland and Jason Damjanovich

Cinnamon and apples with a sugary, oatmeal crust topped with Wilcoxson’s French vanilla ice cream and Maker’s Mark caramel saucE

Desserts

By Katherine Berman • Photography by James Woodcock

We scoured the city in search of the most indulgent desserts. Treat your beloved to one of these decadent offerings - or order one to go, sharing a few sweet spoonfuls at home.

TRAVELOGUE FINE LIVING

epicurebillings beyond

chocolate Bacon Cheesecakes

Bin 119 Mary Hall manager

Sweet, chocolaty mini-cheesecake with a touch of salty bacon, topped with maple cream cheese frosting and finished with twigs of candied bacon

gRANDMA’S cARROT cAKE

Good Earth Market Perry McNeese

Grandma’s heirloom recipe for the perfect carrot cake includes coconut, organic shredded carrots, cream cheese frosting and walnuts

Chicken Fried Quail with Bourbon French Toast 32 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Preparing the Quail:

Preheat oven to 375 F

4 semi-boneless quails 1 whole egg 1/2 cup of 2% milk 1/4 cup flour for dredging 2 cups of cracker crumbs, preferably whole wheat (no saltines) 1/2 cup of butter for frying

Cut quail into four pieces, keeping the breast and wing attached as well as the thigh and leg. Check quail to ensure that it’s free of fine feathers.

Whisk egg and milk together, set aside.

Dredge quail in flour and shake off excess.

Add quail to egg mixture to coat then toss and coat each piece in cracker crumbs.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add butter. Place quail in pan and cook for 2 minutes per side and place in oven for 5 minutes. Remove quail from pan, drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Jake’s

tollhouse pie

Kerry Kaiser pastry chef

Warm, gooey, just like the cookies mom used to make, with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries

Montico’s

cANNoli

Dean Icopini general manager

Crunchy pastry with sweet mascarpone filling complete with chocolate & cinnamon chips and pistachio

Preparing the Bourbon French Toast: 3 tablespoons of bourbon 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup sugar 2 egg yolks 1 whole egg 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Zest of 1/2 lemon 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 - 6 thick slices day-old bread Butter for cooking French toast Powdered sugar and caramel In a bowl mix cream, milk, Bourbon, sugar, egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Whisk

until well-blended. Reserve in the refrigerator until needed.

each batch and cook remaining slices of bread. Keep the French toast warm in the oven on a sheet tray tented in foil until ready to serve.

Pour the batter into a shallow baking dish. Allow the bread slices to soak in the custard until absorbed.

Plating:

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

Add butter to coat. Lower the heat to medium. Cook the French toast in batches, about 4 minutes per side, until the color is golden brown. Clean pan between

Cut French toast into triangles and place a piece of quail atop each slice of toast, alternating breast and leg. Lightly dust with powder sugar and drizzle caramel over. Serve immediately.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 33

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

legends

Lady Evelyn of the Prairie Evelyn J. Cameron, pioneer photographer and incidental historian

By Gail Mullennax Hein Imagine a life of elegant ease with servants to do every imaginable task for you—even brushing your long silky hair at bedtime. Such was the life of Evelyn Jephson Flower, born in 1868. The Flower family estate, just south of London, was typical of wealthy aristocrats occupying themselves in luxuriously appointed parlors and ballrooms, hunting parties and horse sports.

Near-suffocation in the tightly-laced corsets of the day was nothing compared to Victorian social constraints. A young woman of Evelyn’s status was intellectually and artistically accomplished, groomed to wed a man of her own wealth and social elevation, if not grander. Evelyn Flower looked the part and knew the drill, but was far from fitting the mold.

Evelyn’s spirit and ideology longed for adventure, independence and “a life worthy to look back upon.” Her first departure from the narrow pathway was to “marry beneath her” to Ewen Cameron, a much older Scot from a family possessed of an ancient castle, but bereft of fortune.

An exotic non-conformist naturalist, primarily interested in birds, his passion and purpose attracted her.

The good lands of the Badlands Off with Ewen on a big game hunting adventure/ honeymoon in the wide open American West, the new Mrs. Cameron was enchanted with the wildly beautiful Badlands of eastern Montana Territory. More than that, she saw a lifestyle among the early pioneers where a woman did her own work, managed her own life and lived free of society’s shackles. Ewen and Evelyn settled along the Yellowstone River near Terry, and they began to establish Eve Ranch.

Evelyn used a No. 5 Folding Kodet camera to photograph life on the Eastern Montana prairie.

Photos courtesy of the Montana Historical Society and Evelyn Cameron Heritage Center.

34 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Evelyn with a domesticated wolf pup.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 35

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

legends

An obsessive diarist, Evelyn recorded the minutiae of each day for 35 years.

About 500 yds from gate saw doe antelope. She ran off like lightening. Searched for young. I found it crouched low in the grass. I carried the dear, wee, timid thing on Col. It bleated 3 or 4 times only. In at 1:50. Put it in stable. Fed chick. Lunch. Made milk warm & fed antelope- sucked out of a spoon well.

She did it her way Attempting to make a living raising polo ponies while developing their homestead, the Camerons found themselves immersed in hard labor. Evelyn embraced the physical work of ranch life with joy and gusto.

Cleaned stable thoroughly. Little sun.

Rose 7:50. Overslept.

Breakfast 9:00. Went out. Let chickens out & fed ‘em. Horses also, began to clean the stable, couldn’t stop, but did the whole concern.

In. I worked the bread, such a small batch. It hadn’t risen as much as it ought to have in the night, my yeast too. I went & swept & spaded out the rest of the stuff in the stable. Put ashes down where our horses stand.

plate photography in 1897. Thus a new course was set for the rest of Evelyn Cameron’s life.

Packing a large camera and tripod on horseback, she traveled the area, photographing sodbusters, cowpunchers and sheep shearers, poker-faced ranch families, itinerant workers and dream-chasing immigrants, charging 25 cents a print. Five dollars bought an album of 24 prints to send “back home” – Facebook from the frontier 100 years ago.

Additionally, Evelyn spent days on horseback in the Badlands taking hundreds of shots of the landscape, endlessly seeking the artist’s view.

In her later years – aside from a few months in California seeking a cure for ailing Ewen, and when none was found, burying him there in 1915 – Evelyn rarely left the ranch.

Through 13 years of widowhood, Evelyn remained alone on the ranch, managing without hired help. She died of heart failure in 1928.

Her extensive diaries, photographs and glass plate negatives were bequeathed to a dear neighbor, where the stored collection remained undisturbed for the next 50 years.

Finding Evelyn In the late 1970s, Donna Lucey, a determined journalist and Time-Life editor, set about to unearth the story of the pioneer photographer whose work was known far and wide.

Through her sleuthing, the artifacts were at last brought to light. Lucey spent 10 years researching for her book, Photographing Montana 1894-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn

While Ewen was more likely to be perched in the branches of a tree making notes on nesting behavior, Evelyn did everything from churning butter to tending the livestock. A hired hand cost too much, so Evelyn Top: Pages from Evelyn’s diary. Above: Ewen Cameron with wolves trained horses herself, the couple domesticated. leading them back and forth through the laundry flapping on the wash lines until they calmed.

Cameron (1990).

Even so, the Brits back home in England found the American ponies “She’s gotten under my skin,” admitted Karen Stevenson, – the few which survived the first transport by train and ship – too teacher and storyteller, “because I played her in the first person “rough” for polo players, and the business failed. for 10 years on the road.” Stevenson portrayed the pioneer photographer in a Humanities Montana presentation, An Packed things for Ewen. He is so terribly worried, and I am Evening with Evelyn Cameron, between 1998 and 2008. not enough up on these business affairs to know how to console “When you read her diaries you are just there. It’s like a him…E said he felt like a man going to be hung, going to Miles on time warp.” Often, audience members were descendents of the horrid business. Very blue at parting. photographed settlers, Stevenson said in a telephone interview, “honoring their own past.”

Desperate to pay the bills and keep the ranch, Evelyn took in “I really don’t know how I hit on the idea of transcribing the wealthy boarders, one of whom introduced her to the art of glassdiaries,” said Wynona Breen, Terry historian. But she persisted

36 I february 2012 I MAGIC

them wrong. With help from others after she suffered a stroke, she completed the project in three years. The work was dedicated in 2011. The Evelyn Cameron Gallery in Terry displays a transcript; a second set is with the Evelyn Cameron Heritage, Inc. and the third is stored with the Montana Historical Society in Helena.

“A life worthy to look back upon.”

Self-portrait of Evelyn kneading bread.

until the Montana Historical Society, where the actual diaries are archived, agreed to photocopy them, even though they told her she “wouldn’t be able to read them anyway.”

Relishing the challenge, Mrs. Breen proved

Evelyn Cameron’s amazing legacy lay in darkness, gathering dust for half a century. But perhaps it was revealed to the world at exactly the right time, a time when interest in family history is widespread; when people were in place with preservation technology and skills; and grants and other resources were available to set it all in motion.

One imagines Evelyn would be modestly pleased to know her worthy life resonates a bit of immortality in this part of the world.

Learn more about Evelyn •

“Evelyn Cameron: Pictures from a Worthy Life”

57-minute PBS documentary produced

in 2002 by John Twiggs for KUFM /

Montana PBS, University of Montana

•

Prairie County Museum Terry, Mont., 406-635-4040, prairie.mt.gov/pages/museum.htm

•

Evelyn Cameron Heritage, Inc. http://evelyncameronheritageinc.org/

•

Montana Historical Society http://mhs.mt.gov

•

• •

“Photographing Montana,1894-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn Cameron” (1990), Donna Lucey

“Evelyn Cameron: Montana’s Frontier Photographer” Kristi Hager “Evelyn Cameron Country” Badlands Hike with Karen Stevenson. Download brochure at http://www.wildmontana.org

•

“A Mile in Her Shoes” exhibit featuring working women like Evelyn Cameron at Western Heritage Center through Dec. 2012 Watch the entire PBS Documentary, “Evelyn Cameron: Pictures from a

Worthy Life.” Just log on to:

http://watch.montanapbs.org/video/1430362984

MAGIC I february 2012 I 37

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

photo journal

“Manual labour . . . is all I care about, and, after all, is what will really make a strong woman. I like to break colts, brand calves, cut down trees, ride and work in a garden.” ~ Evelyn Cameron

Through Evelyn’s No photographer captured the essense of pioneer life in eastern Montana like Evelyn Cameron. Her images of homesteaders, ranchers, cowboys and wildlife give witness to the spirit that embodies the Treasure State.

Photos courtesy of the Montana Historical Society and Evelyn Cameron Heritage Center.

38 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Cowboy

Homesteaders

Prairie branding

Eyes

Two owls

MAGIC I february 2012 I 39

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

photo journal

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406-254-1550 | www.floberg.com | 1550 Poly Drive, Billings, MT 59102 MAGIC I february 2012 I 41

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

i’m just saying

Change the Channel

By Gene Colling • Illustration by Lee Hulteng

Once upon a time there was a place where there was no television...

I know this sounds like the beginning of a fairytale, and my kids scoff at the notion, but it is true. I lived there.

I can clearly remember the day when TV first came into our house. The curious-looking contraption had a tiny screen and after some dangerous gyrations of the giant antenna attached to the roof of our house, we saw the first grainy images of a cartoon show called “Crusader Rabbit.” Our family of seven sat entranced by its electornic glow.

In the surrounding farm houses, a similar scene was taking place. The only thing different was the number of kids gathered around the television set. With only five kids, our family was considered smallish by the standards of the time. Most of our neighbors had at least 10 kids, and some as many as 14.

It was the 1950s in rural South Dakota. Back then, large families were economically possible and even practical. Farms were labor intensive and required a

42 I february 2012 I MAGIC

cheap work force. Food was home-grown and other essentials, like clothing, were endlessly recycled and mended. If you were a kid in the middle of the pack, the best you could hope for was possibly a new pair of shoes once a year. Most everything else came down with patches. Having your own bed was inconceivable.

Everything flowed from the oldest to the youngest – including the bath water. Baths were limited to once a week; the rest of the time, kids and dirt coexisted just fine. Boys’ haircuts were military-like buzz cuts in the summer and bowl cuts in the winter. By the time the third kid got into the chair, the electric clippers were hot as a branding iron. The smell of the hot oil my mom used to lubricate the clippers is still an indelible memory.

There were no vehicles large enough to take 14 kids on family vacations, and even if there were, no

One of

sane parents would ever attempt such a thing. Car trips were limited to church, school and nearby relatives. Play was mostly outdoors and unsupervised.

Safety was mostly self-learned.

Upon seeing one of my friends leaving the house carrying a sack full of fireworks his mother looked up from her work and admonished, “Don’t come crying to me if you blow your head off with those firecrackers.”

Rough play did have its consequences. While moms could handle most of the common bumps and cuts, the local doctor did a steady business of setting bones and stitching gashes. The only rule we had was to be home for meals and be within our mothers’ yelling range. If you heard your first AND middle name, you had better start running.

A quarter mile down the road the neighbors had 12 kids so there was always someone close to my age to play with. We would roam back and forth looking for fun and adventure. It was easy to get teams for a ball game or to form a posse for some hijinks.

One of our invented games was something we called the “cow tail run.” The neighbors had milk cows and when the Holsteins would exit the barn, a line of us would be waiting by the door. The kid in front of the line would grab a cow’s tail and hang on as the Holstein galloped toward the pasture. Inevitably, there would be the point where your legs couldn’t keep up.

Then you let go and marked that point in the dirt. The objective was to hang on the longest.

This game was best played close to bath day.

In those days, television did not have the hold on kids that it does now because it came with a couple of self-regulating features. The antenna, which today would be appropriate for the International Space Station, could only receive two channels. This alone severely limited children’s programming. Television sets also required cathode ray tubes which would periodically burn out. When this happened, our parents would wait to replace them for

a couple months to wean us off what they thought was too much viewing. Initially, as with any habituated creature, there was a great hue and cry, but soon we rediscovered outside play, card games and reading. After a couple month hiatus they would have the repairman come out and replace the tubes. It was a cycle I look back on with appreciation.

In another generation the family size began to shrink as television screens expanded.

Today, it seems practically primitive for the average 2.3 kids to watch anything smaller than a 46-inch screen. The antenna on the roof has evolved to a cable line or small dish. Hundreds of channels are fed into homes 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. Televisions rarely break down and have become voracious beasts that must be fed.

Reality programming has become the convenient fodder to satisfy this appetite.

Reality programs are relatively cheap to produce and only require people who are willing to let cameras expose the excruciating minutiae of their lives. It seems one of the favorite topics has been large families because they are now the exception.

To say I find this ironic is an understatement.

In my day a reality program would have chased around a couple with an only child or even more outrageous – no child. That would have made us shake our heads and wonder, “Can you imagine that?”

All this makes me wonder where this reality programming is heading. I’m sure that somewhere people are sitting around fancy conference room tables brainstorming future series. I’m trying to come up with something so utterly ludicrous that it wouldn’t possibly be considered – but seeing what’s already been produced, I can’t think of a thing.

Besides, I had the good fortune to live in the middle of a genuine reality show. That’s something that can never be recreated and best left to the reruns I watch in my mind’s eye.

our

invented games was

something we called the

“cow tail

Puppies will be puppies.

run.”

Teach me to be part of your family.

Call for upcoming class schedules

Gene Colling claims dual residency in both Billings and Missoula. He recently retired after a career with the U.S. Forest Service. For 25 of those years, he produced video programs including ones on such Billings area topics as the Beartooth Highway, Pryor Mountain wild horses, Lewis and Clark expedition, Hebgen Lake earthquake and Nez Perce Trail.

Visit us on the web at:

MAGIC I february 2012 I 43

TRAVELOGUE MONTANA PERSPECTIVES beyond billings

i’m just saying

Look out.

Cupid is sharpening his arrows.

The cold wintery weather seems to extend an engraved invitation in white to rekindle some romance.

We’re fortunate that our sobeautiful-in-the-summer state is also full of wonderful winter getaways. Here are our suggestions for romantic places guaranteed to heat things up when the thermometer drops.

320 Guest Ranch Big Sky, MT The 320 Guest Ranch is about 12 miles up the road from Big Sky and stretches along two miles of the Gallatin River. The Ranch offers endless opportunities for a romantic getaway. >

A romantic sleigh ride is one of the special offerings of the 320 Guest Ranch.

Photo courtesy of the 320 Guest Ranch.

Stay cozy and warm with your honey at a romantic Montana inn

By Karen Kinser

TRAVELOGUE

beyond billings

History and lodging

The 320 dates back to 1898 when Sam Wilson purchased 160 acres along the Gallatin River.

In 1936, Dr. Caroline McGill—Montana’s first female doctor and first pathologist—bought the land from the Wilson family. Believing in the healing powers of the outdoors. McGill used the property as a retreat for family and friends. Now you can enjoy the healing powers

of the outdoors at the 320, along with a romantic adventure, in a wide variety of lodging. Choose from deluxe log cabins, lovely chalets, or luxury log homes.

Dining

For superb dining, head over to the 320 Ranch Steak House and enjoy Jack Daniels duck confit, shrimp scampi, braised elk and grilled buffalo. 3

for $30 menu—three courses for an exceptional value of $30—allows you to select an appetizer, entree and decadent dessert. Complement your meal and romance with a fine bottle of wine.

For an especially enchanted evening, make reservations for the Montana Dinner Yurt at Big Sky. Accessed by Snowcat and located on the side of Lone Peak, the Dinner Yurt offers an incredible multi-course candlelight dinner, along with torch-lit sledding and bonfire.

Package specials

The Ranch has a remarkable Celebrate Snow, Sleigh & Stay special. The special includes four nights lodging, a half day of dog sledding, a snow coach tour of Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful, an evening sleigh ride, a dinner at the 320 Steakhouse, a cowboy breakfast buffet and discounted Moonlight ski tickets—all for only $465 per adult.

Activities

Dine yurt-style at the 320 Guest Ranch. Photo courtesy of 320 Guest Ranch.

With Big Sky and Moonlight Basin close by, you can spend the day skiing before relaxing back at the Ranch. There are also sleigh rides, snowmobiling, dog sledding, crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing and tours into Yellowstone.

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Getting there & resources

From Bozeman, take Highway 191 into the Gallatin Canyon. Continue south on 191 to mile marker 36, and the 320 is on the left. For information, visit 320guestranch.com or call (800) 243-0320. For Dinner Yurt reservations call 406-995-3880.

Izaak Walton Inn and Resort Essex, MT The Izaak Walton Inn’s recipe for romance is almost guaranteed. With no telephones or televisions, in a location so remote that there is no cell phone service for 30 miles, there will be no interruptions for the two of you.

History and lodging

Listed as a National Historic Landmark, the Tudor Revival Izaak Walton Inn was built next to the railroad in 1939 to serve as boarding for railroad employees, and, ultimately, to be a resort for nearby Glacier Park. The Empire Builder rooms are decorated in the tradition of the country’s

Charming and secluded, the Izaak Walton Inn is a stone’s throw to Glacier Park. Photo courtesy of Izaak Walton Inn.

railways, with engineer-striped duvets sporting the Burlington Northern logo.

Dining

Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Dining Car where Montana specialties,

including a huckleberry-orange chicken, are served, along with buffalo meatloaf wrapped in bacon, spicy elk sausage and ruby-red rainbow trout with lemon pepper pesto.

Indulge in their fine selection of wines and microbrews.

Magic Magazine Aug 2011.pdf 1 7/20/2011 5:39:14 PM

YOUR CITY. Y. Y YOUR FAMILY LY. LY Y. YOUR UNIVERSITY. Y. Y C

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More Montana families are of higher education right here in Billings. Discover MSU Billings for yourself!

Visit www.msubillings.edu Call 406.657.2888 MAGIC I february 2012 I 47

TRAVELOGUE MONTANA PERSPECTIVES beyond billings

i’m just saying

Package specials

The Winter Adventure Package includes a room, breakfast and dinner, a group cross-country ski lesson and a guided ski tour into Glacier with a Resort Ski Pro. The Romantic Getaway Package will greet you with chilled champagne in your room, along with a romantic gift box filled with massage candles, chocolates and the opportunity to linger longer with a late check-out. There’s even a secluded Honeymoon Caboose located on a ridge overlooking the Inn.

Activities

Bring your cross-country skis or rent some at the Inn and ski along the Resort’s 33 km of groomed, wind-sheltered trails that snake through forested terrain. Refresh your skills with a lesson from a Ski Pro first or book a guided tour in Glacier and ski on the Continental Divide, with a trip tailored to your skill level. Not a skier? Then take a halfday guided snowshoe trip into Glacier’s winter wonderland.

Getting there & resources

From Billings, take Highway 87 to Great Falls, where you’ll pick up I-15. At Shelby, go west on Highway 2 for about 40 miles, which will take you to Essex and the Izaak Walton Inn. For more information, visit izaakwaltoninn.com or call (406) 888-5700.

The Gallatin Gateway Inn Gallatin Gateway, MT How about a romantic getaway a little closer to home? Use the Gallatin Gateway Inn as your home base and combine romance with artsy day trips to nearby Bozeman.

Activities

History & lodging

Built in four months in 1927 by the Milwaukee Railroad for tourists headed to Yellowstone National Park, the Spanish-style Gallatin Gateway Inn was recognized as one of the most luxurious and sophisticated hotels of its time. When tourists started taking their cars instead of traveling by train, however, the Inn’s bookings dropped significantly and it fell into disrepair. Restored in the 1980s, it is now one of the Historic Inns of America and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today you can stay in one of the lovingly restored 33 guest rooms that range from single king rooms to queen and king suites. There are even several charming cottages adjacent to the main lodge.

Dining

Enjoy fine wining and dining at The Porter House Restaurant at the Inn, where your choices range from such unique offerings as duck confit nachos or Mongolian pork chops.

For fine dining in Bozeman, try Ted’s Montana Grill with their made-from-scratch comfort food or the Emerson Grill known for Northern Italian cuisine.

Art, museums & antiquing

Share a day rekindling your love of art and creativity. There are more than 15 galleries in Bozeman, and they range from several fine art venues, to functional and whimsical home art, Native American art, Western art, repurposed art (jewelry, clothing and furniture) as well as hand blown glass, photography, pottery, woodworking, paper and fiber arts. The Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture houses artists, galleries, studios, restaurants and classrooms, along with a 700-seat theatre.

If you love Montana history, including natural history, head to the Museum of the Rockies.

If the two of you love to ski, opportunities abound with three world-class ski resorts, all within an hour’s drive from Gallatin Gateway: community-owned Bridger Bowl, Moonlight Basin and Big Sky Resort. For Nordic skiing, try Beehive Basin near Big Sky or the Bohart Ranch, 16 miles north of Bozeman in the Bridger Mountains. Relax and rejuvenate with a visit to Bozeman’s Canyon River Spa. Their services include waterfall therapies, massages and Fire and Ice Winter Specials that feature oil of peppermint. Spend an evening soaking in the Water of the Gods at nearby Norris Hot Springs and enjoy live music while soaking on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights.

Getting there & resources

From Billings, take I-90 to Belgrade (Exit 298), and take a left on Jackrabbit Lane for approximately 15 miles. Visit gallatingatewayinn.com or call 800-676-3522 for more information.

Sacajawea Hotel Three Forks, MT This elegantly restored hotel — celebrating its 100th year — proclaims that history is happening there, and it’s a sure bet that romance can happen too.

History and lodging

Entering the lovingly-restored lofty lobby from the front-porch verandah, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped back in time – with historic light fixtures, arts and crafts period wallpaper, dark beams, polished wood, steam registers and comfy, overstuffed furniture. Each of the 29 guest rooms features luxurious linens and amenities with spa-inspired bathrooms.

Spanish-style architecture hallmarks the luxurious and sophistocated Gallatin Gateway Inn. Photos courtesy of the Gallatin Gateway Inn.

The elegant front porch of the Sacajawea Hotel harkens back to the golden age of railroads.

Photo courtesy of Sacajawea Hotel.

Activities

Book a spa experience for the two of you at the Madison House Spa, and rejuvenate together in a tranquil world as you enjoy a soothing massage or body treatment.

For outdoor recreation, Bridger Bowl Ski area is about 30 miles away, as is the Bohart Ranch for cross-country skiing. If the weather’s warm, borrow one of the hotel’s bicycles—a complimentary service to guests—and tour along the Milwaukee Road trail, an abandoned railroad bed, to the confluence of the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers.

Special packages

Dining

Music and dancing on the weekends, along with live poker, make The Sacajawea Bar a popular watering hole. Food options range from bison chili and masa-dusted calamari to Philly cheese steaks, burgers, hog wings (yes, we mean hog),

The Sacajawea is offering a Valentine’s Day package featuring a special menu, and beginning Feb. 10, you can book reservations for Friday and Saturday nights. A creative new menu will be launched on the seasonal Grand Opening on March 1, 2 and 3. yellow fin tuna, and even a smothered chicken burrito with Hatch Valley Red Chili-Lime Sauce. For fine dining, don’t miss the elegant and sophisticated Pompey’s Grill.

Getting there & resources

Take I-90 West to Three Forks, and take Exit 278. For more information, call (406) 285-6515 or visit http://www.sacajaweahotel.com.

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Williston: Wild West for the 21st Century

By Dan Carter • Photography by Larry Mayer

50 I february 2012 I MAGIC

What does an oil boom look like?

From outer space, it’s clearly demarked by lights of activity that can be seen from the International Space Station.

With the natural arrow of Fort Peck Lake hinting at its location, the lights from oil rig activity in North Dakota were photographed by an astronaut.

The moment shows a cluster of focused activity rivaled only by Minneapolis.

It’s makeshift sci-fi looking housing units called “man camps,” quickly thrown together by oil exploration and development companies to house workers. It’s also people sleeping in cars and campers just to keep a job.

It’s standing-room-only at eateries where heaping plates of biscuits and gravy are consumed to keep energy levels up.

What does an oil boom sound like?

It’s the rumble of a steady stream of workers pouring into a city that once stood at 12,000, but has ballooned to more than 20,000 in just the past two years. Pickup trucks, cars and other rigs that used to ply worksites in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Oregon, Mississippi, Utah and most counties in Montana are now dusted with Dakota dirt. It’s lunch-table negotiations, where workers are hired on the spot if they can simply drive a truck.

What does an oil boom feel like?

It’s the empty feeling of having arrived for a new job and having nowhere to live. It’s the uncertain feeling of wage inflation felt by city leaders and local restaurants as they worry about more workers being lured away by the promise of big paydays and unlimited

overtime in the oilfields. >

Opposite page:View of Williston, N.D. from outer space. Photos, top row left:Workers fill Target Logistics man camp cabins as they arrive to work the Bakken oil field boom in the Williston, North Dakota area.,Worker enjoys a plate of bisquits and gravy . Second row from left: Lights of bustling Williston. Gene Davis, of Jacksonville, Florida, cooks sausage in the WalMart parking lot in Williston. He, his father and many others have been living in the lot while they look for work. Third row:Various out-of-state -plates are finding themselves in Williston. Fourth row: Chronically short of housing, workers build homes in a new subdivision in Williston, ND. Gas flares off of an oil well near Savage, ND. Fifth row: E. Ward Koeser is the City Commission President E.Ward Koeser attends a strategic planning session at Williston State College. Cook and waitress Jen Wilson takes an order from water truck driver Richard “Barney” Fife at the bustling Trenton Store in Trenton, ND.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 51

But it also looks, feels and sounds like economic development, opportunity, job growth and budget surpluses, the mantra of every public official in a national economy where unemployment hovers at 9 percent or more. Welcome to Williston, the bull’s eye of the Bakken. If you ever wondered what San Francisco might have felt like in 1849 or Seattle looked like when Klondike fever struck in 1897, this is it. It’s the Wild West for the next century.

Slick gold If you rounded out the edges of the shape of Oklahoma like Silly Putty, tilted it slightly in a clockwise direction and placed it over the top of North Dakota, eastern Montana and parts of southern Canada, you get the idea of what the Bakken formation looks like.

From a geologic perspective, it’s called the “Upper Devonian–Lower Mississippian Bakken Shale Formation” and occupies about 200,000 square miles amid the shale two miles or so below the surface of the earth.

An April 2008 United States Geological Survey report estimated the amount of technically recoverable oil within the Bakken formation at 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels.

Oil was first discovered in the Williston area in the 1950s and even though early drilling met with limited success, petroleum has been a part of the community’s proud heritage. The Williston Chamber of Commerce sign still has stocks of wheat and oil wells as part of its logo.

But in a perfect storm of technology, relatively stable crude oil prices and positive exploration results, the oil play has picked up in Williston since 2010. The number of active rigs in the region remains at about 200 and the oil keeps on coming.

“Technology has really been a key to it all,” said Tom Richmond, a petroleum engineer and division administrator for the Board of Montana

52 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Oil and Gas in Billings. “People have known about it since 1954 and at one point there were like 30 vertical wells doing 10 barrels a day.”

Then along came horizontal drilling techniques, better drill bit technology and hydraulic fracturing of the rock (called “fracking”) to better reach domestic oil reserves. Now, instead of drilling straight down and reaching relatively limited supplies of crude, drillers could punch holes 9,000 or 10,000 feet down and then turn horizontally to reach a broader portion of the oil. Using high pressure water and other material, the rock is then “fracked” and the oil flows. Unlike the thick gooey stuff from the Canadian tar sands oilfields, the Bakken crude is more fluid and highly prized because it is easier to refine.

And there seems to be plenty of it… at the rate of hundreds of thousands of barrels per day.

“It’s called unconventional oil because drillers tend to find oil every time they drill,” said Tom Rolfstad, the head of the economic development agency in Williston and often the point person who explains to others what is happening in that area. “Because of all that, it brings a lot of interest to the patch.”

Rolfstad is a longtime Williston resident and knows the needs of his rural community. Because the population of the city has exploded from

Opposite page: Traffic ties up the streets in once-sleepy Williston, ND. Top: Workers build a domed storage tank between Williston and Watford City. Water truck drivers wait to fill their tanks at a water terminal. Williston’s Walmart parking lot has been home for many while they look for work.

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12,500 to about 20,000 in the past couple of years (and that doesn’t count the large number of temporary workers who require services) and the oil boom produces its own needs, there are priorities on the horizon.

“It’s going to take a great deal of infrastructure out here to meet all the needs and position us for the future” he said.

Oil storage facilities, power lines, natural gas lines, roads, water treatment facilities are just a few examples.

“There are 14 rail hubs under construction right now,” Rolfstad said as he viewed the landscape in late December. “This is likely generation-long growth (because of the oil). Something like what we saw on the north slope of Alaska.”

Just how successful has it been already? A January 2012 report on the oil and gas impacts on Williston provides a few examples:

• City sales tax receipts for Williston have risen

from around $100 million in 2007 to more than $700 million as of the last quarter in 2011. That leads all cities in North Dakota.

Life in a “Man Camp” Clockwise from top: The Target Logistics Muddy River Lodge man camp was moved from the site of the Vancouver Olympics and is occupied by the oil services company Halliburton. The building is made from shipping containers. Terry Legions shows a visitor a room at the 590 man Target Logistics man camp north of Williston.Williston Workers walk down a 550 foot long corridor called “The Blue Mile” because of the blue flooring in a Target Logistics man camp north of Williston.

An oil field worker excercises in the gym at the 590 man Target Logistics man camp north of Williston. Jenna Daniel, from Arkansas, folds towls at the 590 man Target Logistics man camp north of Williston. The floors in a Target Logistics man camp north of Williston are cleaned after the breakfast rush

54 I february 2012 I MAGIC

• More than 2,100 housing units

were permitted in 2011. Another 691 hotel rooms were permitted last year as well for seven different hotels.

• Valuation for building permits in Williston

topped $276 million in November alone, and

ended the year at more than $357 million.

• Those in Williston were earning the highest

average annual salaries in the state, slightly

more than $57,000 a year. (By comparison,

the Census Bureau reports median annual income

in Montana at about $38,000.)

• Currently, more than 31 percent of Williston’s

employment base is related to mining, oil and gas.

In the eye of it all

Eventually, the experts say, the Bakken boom will spread beyond the Sidney-Culbertson-Williston region. But right now, much of the pressure

A flare pit burns behind a vial of prized Bakken oil, handed out by Williston Economic Development.

– and attention – seems to be squarely on Williston. Unemployed workers looking for a brighter future, high school kids chasing down rumors of $100,000-a-year jobs and companies in the hunt for their piece of the action have moved to Williston. That has put pressure on housing and local services.

Ward Koser, the mayor of Williston who has been in business and civic life there since 1978, said the city is doing what it can to keep up with

demands. He noticed Bakken activity gathering strength about three years ago, but noted “now it’s kind of wild and crazy.”

The city added 20 public employees this past year, including a half-dozen new police officers. He and other city leaders are also working to find new ways to compete with high salaries to keep good city workers on board.

“We have to be very innovative,” he said.

It’s not hard to understand why a city truck driver making $40,000 would go to work for an oil company when he or she can earn $80,000. While the city can’t compete with salary ranges, it can do other things, Koser said.

Late last year, Williston city officials agreed to provide $350 monthly housing allowances to current employees and will offer $500 monthly housing allowances for new employees. It helps show good faith in workers, he said, and attempts to keep them on board.

Meanwhile, the school district is trying to cope with its own growth. More than two-dozen teachers were hired last year and school officials are trying to figure out how best to cope with an expected 800 to 1,200 new students this coming fall.

While there is a younger mix of people in Williston these days, both Koser and Rolfstad want to be sure those people stay, finding out for themselves that western North Dakota offers a good, friendly style of living and families will take root for the next generation, getting involved in the life of their community.

And that, they said, is what a successful oil boom looks like.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 55

Billings & The Bakken Boom

By Dan Carter • Photography by Larry Mayer

56 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Oil booms can be fickle

mistresses, and Billings has been in this relationship before. But the current batch of stories seem too good to be true: Million-dollar royalty checks. Houses renting for thousands of dollars. Hundreds of good-paying jobs waiting for someone to fill them. Millions of barrels of oil on its way to market. And it’s all just 325 miles to the northeast.

Billings and Williston, N.D., may be

connected by the cold concrete of I-94, but the boom in the Bakken is a roar of a commerce freight train headed in multiple directions.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 57

with job opportunities and sustainability going with it, many noticed the same was not happening in North Dakota. Companies or curious individuals started making connections and even relocated some of their operations to the northeast section of Montana and into North Dakota.

One of those is Quentin Eggart, owner of Eggart Engineering and Construction. And that move has proven prescient; it was a lifeline the company needed to weather the economic storm.

In June 2010, as private construction work was dwindling, Eggart started looking at options of sending crews of eight to 10 workers to the Montana/Dakota border to work on various private buildings associated with the oil boom. Eighteen months later, his crews are still rotating in and out of the Williston area, and he has completed eight private projects ranging from 8,000 to 24,000 square feet.

“Half of my volume has been in Sidney or western North Dakota,” he said, noting the 2011 year saw twice the volume he’s ever had.

Eggart, who has owned his own company since 1998, works to make sure his crews are paid competitive wages so that he doesn’t lose workers to the lure of higher pay at an oil rig. Through longtime professional connections, he rents houses for his crews (“we’ve never had our guys stay in man camps”) and makes sure they rotate back to Billings every 10 days.

With infrastructure work getting into full swing and more private investment in the area, Eggart said he figures “the drilling will go on for a long time.” He calculates enough commercial building opportunities to continue for the next four or five years and residential construction to remain steady for a decade.

Professional colleagues of his have made

Tom Richmond isn’t accustomed to celebrity status. But this winter, he became the most visible scientist in Montana.

Richmond happens to be a petroleum engineer. As division administrator for the Montana Board of Oil and Gas in Billings, he became THE petroleum engineer when he traveled the state in January and February as part of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research economic forecast tour. He was the featured attraction, as it were, giving his insights to information-hungry business and civic leaders from Missoula to Havre to Billings.

Everyone, it seems, wants to know how the Bakken boom can be a boon to their community.

The focal point is Williston, lying just across the Montana/North Dakota border. But the curiosity is spreading, and so is the interest in the Billings bump for this boom.

“It’s way busy over there, that’s for sure,” the soft-spoken Great Falls native says.

And oil work is picking up in Montana as well. In the past year, permits for oil drilling rigs in the northeastern part of the state ­ – mostly Roosevelt and Sheridan counties – have

and economic development opportunities.

Dr. Scott Rickard, an economist and director of the Center for Applied Economic Research at Montana State University Billings, said the full impacts of the Bakken boom could “fully arrive in our area in the next few years.”

Once investors and petroleum companies get returns on their initial investments in the bull’s eye of the Bakken shale formation, they will likely aim for sites in Montana. And for Billings, that is good news.

Some business owners will jump right in

....many experts say this oilfield play will likely last a full generation, carrying with it jobs and economic development opportunities. increased by about 12-15 rigs. With each rig drilling multiple wells, the action is picking up, but nothing like what is taking place in the Williston area.

Richmond has been a petroleum engineer for 30 years and has been in Billings long enough to remember the last oil booms that brought excitement to the region in the 1970s and 80s. He knows all about the bust that can ride the coattails.

But many experts say this oilfield play will likely last a full generation, carrying with it jobs

58 I february 2012 I MAGIC

while others will be more reticent.

“That’s not to mean there won’t be shortterm or immediate returns on their investment,” Rickard said. “They have to be pragmatic about those investments and how quickly they can get a return on that investment.”

Eyes on the horizon Business and economic development professionals have been keeping a close eye on the Williston action for at least a year, some longer.

When the economy went into a deep freeze,

similar moves.

Kevin McGovern, owner of CMG Construction, Inc., has been focused in the Williston area since 2010.

“By the end of 2009, we could see work in Billings declining quickly,” McGovern said. “The following year we made the decision to go into Williston – just ahead of the boom.”

CMG crews have remained busy ever since, building pad sites for drilling rigs, hauling clean water for fracking operations and doing site work and construction related to the energy industry. “In just the last month we’ve seen a real positive uptick in work in Billings, too, with inquiries by energy-related companies. These are very enticing projects; I feel good about Billings being able to benefit economically.”

Other companies, from steel manufacturers to trucking firms to suppliers, are increasingly interested in finding out how they can get a piece of the action.

The Billings Chamber of Commerce and Big Sky Economic Development have organized

tours of the area, exposing business and civic leaders to the realities on the ground. The Chamber also organized a roundtable discussion in early January between U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and various education, civic and business leaders.

While Tester was there to listen, he was also there to provide a measure of reassurance that Montana would take measured, strategic steps toward the opportunity horizon.

“There are tremendous opportunities if we meet the challenges in a responsible way,” he said.

Striking while it’s hot When Big Sky Economic Development organized a trip to Williston about a year ago,

the intent was to bring 40 Billings businesses up to date on how things were playing out. What they got was a crash course in oil patch economics.

Hundreds of jobs were going begging. Streets were lined with trucks hauling fracking water or piles of heavy pipe to drill sites.

There was no place to stay, and fast-food joints that were open were fighting wage inflation.

“The whole intent was to provide businesses with firsthand look at what was going on,” said Shelley Pierce, former member investor coordinator for Big Sky Economic Development. “We walked away just blown away by what was going on.”

In the months that followed, she and Jeremy Vanatta, who direct business outreach for the agency, started working on connecting the economic development dots between Billings and Williston. Health care professionals with St. Vincent Healthcare helped provide advice to a stressed emergency department in Williston.

Billings helped push Gulf Stream Air to schedule direct flights from the city to the Bakken to help ease business travel pressures.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 59

And in early April, Big Sky Economic Development has organized a two-day energy fair to be held at MetraPark to help get businesses thinking strategically about how to tap into the Bakken boom.

“There is a feeling from people that ‘we know we should get involved, we’re just not sure how,’ ” Vanatta said.

It only makes sense, he said.

“Billings is uniquely positioned because we can locate regional offices and provide services in a place with a strong workforce and a great quality of life,” Vanatta said.

Those wondering when the effects of the boom will reach Billings are probably looking in the wrong direction, he said. The boom’s already here. (Bob – pull quote) If you have any doubt, take time to visit with Ken Kunkel.

Kunkel, a broker with NAI Business Properties, said in the last quarter of 2011 his firm saw a big jump in the demand for commercial real estate. “Since October, the phones have been ringing off the hook, and there’s more substance to the inquires. These companies are ready to do business.” Kunkel said. Since October, NAI brokers leased more than 84,000 square feet, and they have another 60,000 square feet in immediate demand by companies needing large-scale facilities.

“The current inventory of commercial space

today’s energy-driven business and the boom in the 1980s. For one thing, oil exploration and production in the Williston Basin is projected to be robust for at least the next 20 years. Moreover, businesses are more cautious about investing; owners are looking for long term value, not short term gains. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t pressing forward on projects.

“Unlike other places, there’s been no drop in construction pricing in Billings,” Koelzer said.

“Contractors have work; they aren’t discounting their bids.”

Also helping is the city’s diversified economy. Billings is the hub for health care, finance, retail and professional services as well as home to three refineries. Multiple amenities,

“The Bakken can’t come to market without Billings, Montana,”

­— Laura McRae,

Billings Financial Advisor

is rapidly being absorbed,” said Kunkel. “Once it’s gone, there will be no alternative but to build.”

Drew Smith, also a broker with NAI, noted that the demand is coming from industrial types of businesses – such as fabrication, manufacturing and warehouse facilities typically related to the energy industry. “We’re seeing companies from out of the area relocating to Billings so they can serve operations in North Dakota, Wyoming and central Montana from a centralized location,” Smith said.

More momentum, better inquires, more activity – it’s a trifecta that commercial property brokers haven’t seen since before 2009. And it doesn’t appear to be hype and puffery. Al Koelzer, a long-time commercial broker with NAI, noted there are distinct differences between

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good schools and quality of life make Billings an appealing place to live.

“Roll it all together, and there’s good reason to feel optimistic about the city’s economic future,” said Kunkel.

Yet, the optimism doesn’t stop with brick and mortar development.

Laura McRae and her husband, Kendall, were two of the Billings folks who took a trip into chaos a year ago. They came back from Williston wondering exactly how they could provide realitybased business-to-business information to those wanting to be a part of the boom.

She saw major discrepancies in levels of understanding among opportunity-hungry businesses. Entrepreneurial-minded individuals were relocating entire enterprises to the Williston

area without a place to stay or a business plan.

They risked failure because they lacked the right kind of information, she said.

“We wanted to help people leverage this opportunity in an effective and efficient manner,” said McRae, a longtime financial advisor. “Billings has the potential to take this boom and run with it.”

So the couple spent the next few months developing Synergy Station, a web portal that provides information and access to business links between Billings and the Bakken. The site – www.synergystation.com – went live in December and features local experts providing business advice, marketing tips while also serving and a news clearinghouse for the Williston area.

“This has economic viability for a lifetime if we do it right,” she said. “We wanted to bring some common sense into the equation.”

Recent posts have included such things as “Three Pieces of Advice to be a Success in the Bakken” another on wage reciprocity between Montana and North Dakota and information on what products are made from crude oil. The site also links available expertise with needs that are a state away. In December, the site was able to connect a person from Billings who can provide online bookkeeping services with companies in the Bakken struggling to keep on top of their books. At the same time, the site connected a company with a highly specialized job with a qualified worker in Australia.

“The response has been amazing,” she said.

McRae said she understands energy development and the fallout from the Bakken will make Billings an interesting place in the near future. She also said it doesn’t have to resemble the Wild West.

“The Bakken can’t come to market without Billings, Montana,” she said.

Facial Plastics

New year. New you.

Perhaps you’re noticing the first signs of premature aging and would like a less invasive, “quick fix.” Billings Clinic Facial Plastics offers non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Feel confident knowing they are performed by Dr. Matthew Wolpoe, a surgeon who is double board certified in Facial Plastics & Reconstructive Surgery and in Ear, Nose, and Throat (Otolaryngology).

These procedures consist of: Botox® injections Dermal fillers - Radiesse® - Juvéderm® - Sculptra® Aesthetic Erbium fractionated ablative and nonablative laser resurfacing Photo facials Hair removal

Skin care products available at the Clinic include: PCA Skin® Care, a physician-exclusive line for basic skin care problems, anti-aging, sensitive skin, and pigmentation Neocutis, a bio-restorative skin cream consisting of a balanced mixture of proteins associated with optimal nutritive properties for skin Colorescience®, a mineral makeup and skin care product for sensitive skin Billings Clinic provides a safe clinical environment for these types of procedures at an accredited health care facility.

For more information or to make an appointment for a consultation, call Michelle Webb at (406) 657-4653. www.billingsclinic.com/facialplastics

Dr. Matthew Wolpoe is double board certified in Facial Plastics & Reconstructive Surgery and in Ear, Nose, and Throat (Otolaryngology).

MAGIC I february 2012 I 61

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You see it everywhere—on the street, at a sports game, in the bars, in the car. People of all ages have an almost umbilicalcord-type attachment to their hand-held mobile device. Today’s cell phone is all about staying connected.

While e-mail was the greatest thing since sliced bread to Generation X, it’s slow, old-school for today’s Millennials. They simply let their fingers do the walking with texting and turn their eyes to Facebook for a broader scoop.

love

at

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first T H E

byte

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Gone are the days of handwritten love letters and flirty notes passed in class. Instead dating has gone digital. Hidden behind keystrokes and profile posts, romantic interests race about at gigabyte speed, offering the singles of today a whole new field to play.

But has digital communication really negatively impacted the way that we humans meet, date and fall in love? Or has it simply changed it?

B Y

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M A A S

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years. She sees, almost daily, a reason to be cautious about dating gone digital.

Billings, is a First, she notes, technology can literally shape the way we look, the way we want to be seen. For example, few people post unflattering photos of themselves on Facebook. The need to feel attractive is universally human, yet a technological profile does not reveal the real, authentic person behind the data stream. It can’t.

“In the early phase of a relationship, it is important to establish physical and emotional safety,” notes Moses. “You have to create a faceto-face social situation over and over again in order to really get to know that person.”

She goes on to explain the first stage of a relationship, or being “in love,” where euphoria dominates and a loving bond develops. However, that cannot last. “In a true relationship, the euphoria of falling in love fades, and we recognize each other as human beings who have flaws. It can be jarring when our humanity shows up in a relationship,” emphasizes Moses, “But that’s where the traction for growth is, and that’s where the couple can develop the emotional intimacy they will need for mature love.”

Eden Kreiger, a 20-year-old student at

Montana State University pretty typical Millennial.

She remembers first using a computer as young as age 6 for educational programs and games. In middle school she had her own cell phone (“A big brick that I had to wait until half-way through my eighth grade year to get.” she laughs.) and met local friends in AOL chat rooms. As she moved into high school, the social network expanded and she posted a MySpace site. Next came more text than talk via her cell phone and a move to Facebook as the social media of choice.

It was about that time that she met Dusty Sowards. Although they were first introduced via friends face-to-face, he later asked a friend for her phone number and they began a casual texting conversation that ultimately lasted almost a year while Dusty lived outside of the Billings area. Their personal contact was pretty much limited to text messages and meeting within a group of friends. When Dusty first asked Eden out for dinner, it was in person.

“If he would have asked me over a text, I would have said no,” says Eden. “It’s a lot easier to talk about things when you are not physically Failure to thrive seeing that person in front of you – it might be awkward in person – but Akin to a long-distance relationship, relying on texting, Facebook it doesn’t have the same meaning, the same depth.” conversations or IM-ing for more than affirmation, socialization or casual Two years later and Dusty and Eden are engaged – he creatively conversation about where to grab dinner can be detrimental. A true proposed in person, after formally talking with her father – to be married relationship takes time to develop and that’s in direct contrast to what in June. Although Dusty is often gone for days or weeks at time because technology represents: quick, efficient, non-emotional communication. of his work as a switchman with Montana Rail Link, he says, “Eden and I talk all the time. I’m gone so much that texting is like being there.”

It’s a lot easier to talk about things But for Dusty and most other Millenniums, the term “talk” refers to a text message. Eden explains, when you are not physically seeing “Talk means text, unless we are in the same room. We really only call each other when we need something that person in front of you – it might be quickly.” awkward in person – but it doesn’t have When asked how often they “talk,” Eden checks her phone’s features. She notes they send roughly 100 the same meaning, the same depth. or more messages – each way – to each other every day. She sends half as many to a close friend. Their ­— E d e n K r e i g e r stats are not necessarily excessive, but average.

According to the most recent Pew Research Center information available, daily text messaging friends among American teens shot up from 38 percent in February of 2008 to 54 percent in September 2009.

The arrival of the lauded iPhone in the Billings market has more than likely pushed that number.

In addition, those who are texting are texting in bulk. Half of all teens send 50 or more texts per day or 1,500 texts per month. And, one in three send more than 100 texts a day—a whopping 3,000 text per month—similar to Eden and Dusty.

While there’s little research to dissect how all this technology has affected dating, there is no doubt it is the shiny, new thread of the Millennial’s social fabric.

Real talk Jane Moses, M.S. Ed and LCPC, has counseled individuals and couples on relationship issues for 15

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“You have to

...always the PERFECT gift!

create a faceto-face social situation over and over again in order to really get to know that person.”

Jane Moses, M.D., ED and LCPC

­— J a n e M o s e s ,

M . S . E d a n d LCPC

As we grow, we need to develop the ability to modulate our own emotions and responses, explains Moses. That’s where, when presented with a conflict, we discover how to stop and listen to our partner and honestly attempt to understand his or her feeling of how their world works. We listen with our entire bodies, learning from rich non-verbal cues like a shaking hand or deep sigh or tearing eyes.

In the sterile world of technology, all of this is missing. A simple click and someone is “unfriended” or curtly dismissed with a text. That can happen when our limbic system is triggered and the non-rational part of our brain instantly flairs; simultaneously the rational brain cannot function. End of relationship.

A real concern, says Moses, are those people who get stuck in this “failure to thrive” loop – they rely too much on technology when things get tough and miss a real opportunity to grow as an individual, and as a couple, instead of working things out face-to-face.

“The real peril for the Millennial Generation,” she points out, “is that it’s hard to build the emotional skills you need, such as how to handle hurt; how to deal with jealousy; and how to acknowledge and dissipate anger via a text message. Technology undermines the ability to develop the depth that a relationship needs to endure over time.”

A complex fabric Yet the silver thread of technology is so intertwined in today’s society, that it cannot be overlooked.

As another Millennium who grew up with technology, Laurie Davis embraces online dating for the tool that it is. Founder of eFlirt Expert, an online date coaching company, Laurie Davis, Founder eFlirt Photo courtesy of Laurie Davis

Photo by James Woodcock

Davis uses her hip, sassy smile to emphasize the need for modern and old-school dating etiquettes to co-exist.

On her website, Davis says, “singles often tell me that they’re disappointed that the new norm is to get asked out on a date via text. On the flip side, just as many tell me how talking on the phone seems too formal. Of course, it’s ideal for your date to call and invite you out voiceto-voice. And you should still call, because it certainly ups the level of commitment and attention you’re giving your match,” she advises.

And according to Davis, phone calls do carry more weight.

“The more technology rules our lives, the more calling becomes akin to riding in on a white stallion. Consider the social norm. Do all your friends call to invite you out to dinner? It’s likely that some — if not all — text you instead.

When society’s behaviors shift, your dating life follows. Because at the end of the day, dating is part of your social life.”

And that social life is increasingly dominated by a rectangular digital device that fits in the palm of your hand.

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Chemistry to Love By Dipping into the well of our neurochemical nature may spark and sustain love.

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“Shrek” hit the big screen more than a decade ago, earning the Academy Award’s first ever Best Animated Feature, inspiring some to rank it among the best date movies of all time. The attraction for couples to this celebration of an unlikely pairing may be as compelling as the draw between ogre and princess itself. As Shrek’s faithful companion, Donkey, sagely noted to a newly besotted ogre against the backdrop of the setting sun, “Wake up and smell the pheromones!”

Extensively studied in much of the animal kingdom, pheromones are not well understood in Homo sapien. They may, however, trigger the chemical reaction of attraction that floods our central nervous system with dopamine, the central player in romantic attraction.

Dr. Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist at Rutgers University, has spent more than 30 of her 66 years studying the biology of love. With sleek blonde hair, a slender physique and striking presence, Fisher appears to relish sharing her extensive research on the lecture circuit, in her publications and on her website.

“I and my colleagues have put 32 people who are madly in love into a brain scanner,” she said with a sly smile in a lecture posted on TED.com. Her findings reveal that when it comes to romantic attraction, dopamine, an excitatory neurotransmitter, is in full force. As research subjects gaze at pictures of their object of passion within the confines of the scanner, their brains light up in the ventral tegmental area, a region rich in cells which make and secrete dopamine, and the caudate nucleus, rich in receptors for dopamine. Both areas are involved in motivation and reward.

Euphoria, extreme energy, sleeplessness, impulsivity, risk-taking, mood swings and intense focus of attention can all be chalked up to dopamine.

With dopamine in the tank, lovers can leap from a skydiving airplane and then dance until dawn. They are always in each other’s thoughts. In fact the intensity

of their mutual craving has led Fisher to conclude that romantic love is not an emotion, but a drive—the most intense drive in the human psyche. She cites poetry and lore from peoples and cultures the world over through millennia, noting, “People will kill for love. People will die for love.”

In explaining this drive to love, Fisher describes three “core brain systems:” lust, attraction and attachment. Lust is mediated by those familiar hormones testosterone and estrogen, testosterone being the dominant player in both men and women.

Lust and attraction do not necessarily go hand in hand and can arrive in either order, but most often attraction proceeds attachment.

As an anthropologist, Fisher necessarily takes the long view of life, noting that intense, early-phase romantic love is metabolically expensive and therefore unsustainable. Anyone who has ever been in love and then settled down can attest. One moment you are racing up mountains, the next you find yourself knee deep in diapers and dashing off to daycare before hitting the desk at work, too tired by 9 p.m. for more than a peck on the cheek.

Enter love potion number nine Oxytocin is an ancient, nine-amino acid neuropeptide, long known to be operative in maternal-infant relationships, stimulating uterine contractions during childbirth and promoting milk production for breastfeeding mothers. A

By Julie Johnson Rollins

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2814 2nd Ave N 259-3624 68 I february 2012 I MAGIC

growing body of research suggests that tide of oxytocin after orgasm provides a bridge oxytocin evokes feelings of contentment, between attraction and attachment. calm and security around one’s mate. It’s Zak explains that many things can stimulate considered a major player in attachment endogenous oxytocin release. His research and long-term bonding. Produced by the reveals that increased levels in our own oxytocin posterior pituitary gland in the brain, this are associated with all the same virtues found with a snort up the nose. For the molecule, nicknamed the overworked couple with little cuddle hormone, has made a spare time or energy, there is splash across the scientific scene Oxytocin an easy way to induce oxytocin over the past decade and a half, being spotlighted in such far is an ancient, release – a hug. In fact, Zak is such a proponent and practitioner of flung fields as psychiatry and this simple method, that he has economics. nine amino been labeled Dr. Love, a name he Leading this charge is acid accepts with the good natured Dr. Paul Zak, professor and of one under the founder of The Center for neuropeptide, appearance influence of oxytocin.

Neuroeconomic Studies at “Here’s your prescription from Claremont Graduate University ...A growing Dr. Love,” he said in his online in California. Tall, lean and body of research lecture. “Eight hugs a day. People clean cut, named by Wired who release more oxytocin are Magazine as one of the “10 suggests that happier because they have better Sexiest Geeks in 2005,” Zak cuts a dynamic figure, outlining oxytocin evokes relationships of all types.”

Furthermore, there may be his prolific research to date at a such a thing as a cyber hug.

TED Talk in July of last year. feelings of Zak’s more recent research has In search of a “morality contentment, found that people engaging in molecule” to explain differences social media can experience in trust between countries with calm and a rise in oxytocin. One young different economic standards, Zak happened upon oxytocin, security around subject’s oxytocin level increased an astronomical a “shy” molecule with low one’s mate.

150 percent after visiting his baselines levels in our bodies girlfriend’s Facebook page. This and a short half-life and chemical of connectivity may duration of action. have far reaching effects in the “Would you like to see digital age, promoting a better it?” said Zak in a TED.com sense of emotional union and lecture. “I brought some with social comfort. me.” Picking up a syringe If all this talk of the chemistry from a stool, he squirts a of calm and comfort sounds a stream of clear fluid into the bit unexciting, Fisher has some air. Degraded when ingested, encouragement for the committed oxytocin must be given couple. Dopamine, that agent of by injection or intranasal attraction, is stimulated by novelty. administration.

By Fisher’s measure, couples Through a series of who try – well – something new, elegant experiments, Zak may effectively prime the pump discovered that an intranasal of dopamine, reigniting the dose of oxytocin increased excitement of romance. Those trustworthiness, generosity date nights may have more to offer and empathy – desirable characteristics in a lifelong mate. In fact, an than the warmth of an oxytocin wave. oxytocin-based product called Liquid Trust has One might speculate that oxytocin sustained been made and marketed, promising success to Shrek and Fiona through three sequels over the past decade. At the end of the day, harnessing singles and salesmen.

Snake oil, however, isn’t required. Couples the chemistry of love is still speculative, but can make their own. Dancing, massage and the research is provocative. Besides, hugging making love all stimulate a surge of oxytocin one’s mate eight times a day can’t hurt and production that just might increase your mutual may stir up more than just oxytocin. That gravitational pull. According to Fisher, the high can’t be bad for the long haul.

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Romantic Rendezvous

By Brittany Cremer

Searching for romantic redemption? Perhaps it’s time to branch out from the dinner-and-a-movie doldrums and add new options to your romantic repertoire.

This weekend, don’t just date—innovate—and explore our suggestions for a more than memorable tryst.

Movie Marathon A Saturday with Scorsese, a Friday with Francis Ford Coppola—pick a particular director or genre and go with it. Hastings has all the titles you need.

Finders Keepers Who doesn’t love a treasure hunt?

Geocaching is a game in which you go online to find the coordinates of real caches—treasures—and use a GPS device to find them. The discovery of the treasure is the perfect time to score a sweet kiss.

His and Her Massage For the ultimate in relaxation, book a sensual massage with your sweetie.

Neither of you will have to endure hand cramping as you lie and enjoy the respite. Schedule today at Sanctuary, Sage or Rituals.

Hit the Road, Jack Nomad dates are en vogue and spark spontaneity in us all. Fill your tank and head onto a scenic byway of your choice—one person drives the first leg, the other the second. No agenda, preplanning or preconceived notions, but plenty of stops, shops and pictures.

Beguiled by Breakfast Break tradition and opt for a pre-dawn date instead of candlelit dinner. And the best part—if breakfast goes well, you have the entire day to enjoy your date’s company. Try dining downtown at Stella’s or for the late riser, brunch at Bin 119.

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Great Guffaw Tickle your funny bones with amateur comedy at Manny’s, Venture Theatre, the Carlin or the Billings Hotel and Convention Center. For less than $10, these stand-up standouts will have you belly laughing with your beloved.

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Hook, Line and Sinker Scope a spot, bundle up and hone your inner Ahab with some ice fishing. Pack a thermos full of your favorite soup or cocoa and top it off with tunes from your iPod.

Skate Date Grab some hot cocoa (peppermint schnapps optional) and hit the ice rink at Veterans Park to show off your figure … eights that is. And if the weather is too blustery-bad, Centennial Ice Arena offers public skating.

Best Buds and Board Games Invite your favorite couples over for an evening of fancy cheeses, dips, crackers and wine. After snacking, team up for a raucous rendition of Pictionary (always a crowd pleaser) or for the music lover, try the name-that-tune-style game, Spontuneous

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 71

FAMILY TI The Icopinis: A Generational Saga

BY ALEXIS ADAMS

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TIES

Drive east from Billings on Interstate 94 and the city’s big-box stores and housing developments eventually give way to rolling prairie, coulees and the wide open sky this state is famous for. It’s a place where antelope and wild-maned horses dash over tan-colored hills, where the wind can blow relentlessly, where the land is so vast it diminishes the size of any dwelling or town that attempts to stake a claim on it.

It was on a bluebird day in December that I took that

route to one of those wind-swept towns, following the interstate past Huntley and Pompeys Pillar, past Custer and Bighorn, past off-ramps marked “ranch-access-only” until I reached the exit to Hysham. With a population of 300, more or less, Hysham is Treasure County’s county seat.

Despite this, and despite its gorgeous grassland views and its interesting downtown (of which the circa-1931 Missionstyle Yucca Theatre is its jewel), Hysham is one of those places you likely wouldn’t visit unless you had a reason to do so. Lucky for me, I did.

I was on my way to the home of Ernie and Marian

Icopini, farmers and longtime residents of Hysham. In a region built on no small amount of grit and perseverance, the Icopinis and their family epitomize both qualities. The couple has farmed their land south of Hysham for more than 50 years. Over that half century and then some they have weathered farming crises, national and regional economic crises and personal crises to raise a devoted family of 10 children, 21 grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren. All the while, they have worked to nurture the land and their crops—sugar beets, corn, pinto beans, winter and spring wheat and safflower—creating a legacy in the process, one that sustains and supports the Icopini progeny and their endeavors.

Opposite page top: A recent photo of the Icopini clan. Bottom photos from left: Ernie Icopini’s grandparents 55th anniversary. Ernie Icopini’s parents celebrating 33 years of marriage. Aerial shot of the Icopini farm, circa 1950. A field of sugar beets. Ernie on a horse. Photos courtesy of Marion and Ernie Icopini.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 73

When I arrived at the Icopini farm, I drove to its heart—a tidy collection of outbuildings, grain silos,

a basketball court and a farmhouse set against a sweeping expanse of fertile land. As soon as I pulled up, Marian greeted me warmly, ushering me to the kitchen table where Ernie sat with their son, Bart, and his 3-year-old daughter. The family was just finishing lunch, and I was late for it, but Marian offered me a bowl of chili anyway, which I accepted gratefully.

Marian is small, pretty, in her late 70s and talkative. Ernie, at 80, is quiet, but warm. Both were welcoming, and it didn’t take long for any of us to get over the awkwardness of a stranger appearing out of nowhere and plopping down at the kitchen table with a notebook and a digital recorder.

Marian and Ernie told me the story of their family’s history. With roots in Croatia, Italy and England, it is a story of immigration, of partings and promise and new beginnings. It is also a story of family and of the joys and occasional, inevitable sorrows of parenting. And it is a story of the land. In some ways, it is classically Montanan. In others, it is absolutely unique.

The couple met in 1953, at the soda fountain in downtown Hysham after a Saturday night movie at the Yucca Theater. Marian was a junior in high school, Ernie a few years older. By 1954, they were married. “We lived in a trailer house that sat where our basketball court is now,” explained Marian. “This house was an 1880s railroad section house that we bought when the railroad downsized.

has to do something, even down to the little ones.”

Marian and Ernie not only fostered a work ethic in their children, they also inspired a love of learning. “I didn’t go to college,” said Marian, “and I never wanted to. I wanted to be married and be a mom. I never wanted anything else, but I did love to learn. I still do. When our kids went off to college, I wanted them to live in the dorms so they could get to know people from different walks of life. I didn’t care if my kids ended up with a degree, it was the interactions I wanted for them. ‘You need to get away from the homeplace,’ I’d say, ‘to learn new things, meet new people. If you come back, wonderful,’ I’d tell them. There is always more to learn,” she smiles.

Marian credits her family—both of her parents were schoolteachers— as well as Ernie’s family for her passion for learning. Ernie’s parents were immigrants, his mother from Croatia, his father from Italy. “They left a whole world behind them,” she said. “That took some curiosity, some courage.”

“We were all together, and that’s what counts ...and you don’t fight over the details. If one person likes margarine and the other likes butter, you set the table with both.” — Marian Icopini

We poured the foundation and put the house here. We moved in December of 1958, and we’ve lived here ever since. We pretty much stayed put,” she laughs.

Above the picture window in the Icopinis’ living room are 10 photos, one of each of their children, arranged chronologically from oldest to youngest.

Their first child was born in 1955; their youngest in 1978.

“I tell my friends that I’m probably one of the most spoiled people in the world. When it comes to who we marry, sometimes it’s plain dumb luck. I think I had a little intervention because God knew I was going to need help. I married a man who welcomed every child without a problem.”

“And then he put them all to work,” Ernie added with a laugh.

Ernie’s not joking. Like most farm kids, the Icopini children did work.

They took care of the chickens, they helped in the house and in the garden, they learned how to drive the tractors and operate all of the farm equipment, and they hoed sugar beets – a lot of them.

“When our oldest daughter had her first child, she used cloth diapers,” said Marian. “‘Nancy,’ I said, ‘I never thought you’d use cloth diapers. You’ve been folding diapers since you were 5 years old!’ I thought she’d be the first to go for the disposables...but she didn’t. They grew up helping. It wasn’t a matter of, ‘do you want to do it?’ When there are that many people living in a house, everyone

Whether it’s due to the family’s work ethic, their love of learning or, as Marian might say, “plain dumb luck,” the Icopinis tend toward success. Picture the Icopini farm as a pin on a United States map. From there, imagine—as if the spokes of a wheel—the lines that radiate outward, leading to the lives, innovations and accomplishments of the couple’s descendents. The spokes lead to Penn State, to Harvard, and to other colleges and universities around the country. In Billings they lead to the Italian-inspired eatery, Montico’s, to Legacy Homes, and to Q2 Television. The family counts among its offspring teachers, a caregiver, a contractor, a restaurateur, a newscaster, a professor and, yes, farmers.

Two of the Icopini sons still farm with their father. Of all of the children, only two of them have settled outside of Montana; the rest have remained within— or returned to—the state, most within a couple hours’ drive from their parents.

Despite the family’s successes, it hasn’t always been easy. They’ve suffered their share of heartbreak, but something, be it tenacity or a deep sense of faith (both Ernie and Marian are devout Catholics), pulls them through. One example: In March of 1985, their son, Todd, was returning to the farm from Custer and drove off the interstate into a coulee. For 14 hours, search and rescue crews combed the area. They simply couldn’t find him. “He disappeared from the face of the earth, pick-up and all,” said Marian. “Airplanes finally spotted

Top: Marian and Ernie pose in their living room with portraits of their 10 children over the bay window. Opposite page top and middle: Marian is still an avid cook and baker, her recipies collected over the years are kept neatly organized for use today. Opposite page bottom: Ernie stands among his farm equipment. Photos by Casey Page.

74 I february 2012 I MAGIC

him,” added Ernie. “Whether it would have changed anything, who knows? But probably not.” Todd had broken his neck.

“After the accident, the doctor examined him and told us he’d be a vegetable the rest of his life,” said Ernie. “‘He’ll never walk, he’ll never be able to use his limbs, he’ll never be able to do anything,’ he told us.” Todd proved them wrong. Yes, the accident had changed his life, dramatically, rendering him quadriplegic, resulting in the loss of use of his arms and legs.

But within two years, he had returned to Montana State University in Bozeman, where he was enrolled when the accident occurred. To some, he was “handicapped.” To the Icopini family and to himself, he was fully able to do anything he set his mind to.

Today Todd is a contractor, the owner of Legacy Homes and Montico’s, which his brother Dean manages.

“He truly is an amazing person,” Marian said proudly.

No matter which of their offspring they’re talking about, Ernie and Marian exude pride and love. “They all have individual personalities. They all grew up on the farm, they learned to work on the farm, and they like to come back to the farm,” said Marian.

“We are very, very fortunate. All 10 kids come back home. All the grandkids and all the great-grandkids come home. That’s pretty special.”

When I asked Marian and Ernie if they had advice for modern-day parents, they laughed. “We’ve been asked that a million times,” said Marian. “‘How did you do it?’ My standard answer is, we didn’t have time to think about it. I just kept getting up the next morning and hoping there were enough clean clothes to outfit them for the day. You get the basics taken care of and the rest of it happens. The children were close to their grandparents and their cousins and aunts and uncles on both sides of the family. They all knew Grandma Icopini, Ernie’s mother, very well. She was 96 and a half when she died. Until then, she lived right here on the farm.”

“Mom gave ‘em coffee every morning!” laughed Ernie.

“We were all together, and that’s what counts,” said Marian, modestly. “That and you don’t fight over the details,” she added.

“If one person likes margarine and the other likes butter, you set the table with both.”

“I think it’s the Granny Rolls,” Ernie chimed in, referring to the dinner rolls Marian, an avid cook and baker, makes every week.

That afternoon, I left the Icopini farm almost reluctantly. On my way home, I had plenty to think about.

When you look at a family like theirs, you try to separate the strands, the stories. You try to figure out just what makes people like them so solid and strong, so loving, so tenacious, so successful and humble. You can point to faith, to the family’s connection to the land, to their love of learning, but you can never really know.

You can only wonder and appreciate, perhaps taking the cue that old-fashioned family values combined with unconditional love are worth a bit more than most of the things we tend to place value on today.

And then there are those Granny Rolls. With a recipe for them in my pocket, I followed Interstate 94 west through that wide open, wind-blown, beautiful country that spawned an extraordinary family.

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 75

a perennial

pain 76 I february 2012 I MAGIC

“A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1912

The renowned essayist had a way with words – a definition good for 100 years.

Few, if any, search for “virtuous” invasive, forage-killing plants, which are objects of curse. But many are engaged in efforts to restrict destructive vegetation.

Ultimate responsibility belongs to landowner stewards. Besides a moral imperative, the law says so, too. It’s about being good neighbors.

Eradication is improbable, if not impossible, yet many tools are available for keeping weeds at bay and encouraging growth and expansion of natural, useful vegetation. There are no short-term solutions, only continuous diligence to prevent weeds from overrunning the landscape and destroying grasses that sustain domestic and wild animals as well as from stealing water and produce from lawns and gardens.

The preferred solution is to keep desirable vegetation healthy, which is much less expensive, says Jane Mangold, an Extension range weed specialist at Montana State University.

Montana has 32 plants on its noxious weed hit list, and it is illegal for landowners to allow them to go to seed. Changes enacted by the 2011 Legislature put some enforcement teeth into the state’s weed laws, but education is the preferred option for all those engaged in weed control.

“My (outreach) programs are attractive to smallacreage owners who have no experience with weeds,” Mangold says. In recent decades, Montana has experienced expanded land subdivision. The appeal of rural lifestyle has attracted owners with little or no experience in stewardship responsibilities.

“People don’t realize the weeds are there,” she notes, “but once they are educated, they willingly accept best management practices.” That can include using natural enemies such as insects, herbicides, mowing, tillage and grazing with sheep and goats.

Rather than focus on destroying weed infestations, Mangold favors cultural practices that encourage revegetation. “Plant something desirable,” Mangold emphasizes. “What do you want to have? Encourage the plants you want.” Weed prevention is less expensive. “For every $1 spent, $17 is saved.”

Vigilance is imperative. Case in point: Yellow starthistle. This cousin of Spotted knapweed, which has choked out thousands of acres of grass mainly west of the Divide, is priority 1A on the state’s list of noxious weeds.

“This is the new invader,” Mangold says, waiting to the west in Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California.

“We must aggressively eradicate any population found.”

Technically, Montana does not now have any Yellow starthistle, but a small population was found near Columbus.

Herbicide was applied immediately and the site is monitored for any seedlings that might appear, Mangold notes, and any individual plants found will be pulled and burned. She lists Spotted knapweed, Leafy spurge, Dalmatian toadflax, and Canada thistle as the weeds having the most detrimental effect on Montana range.

Numerous studies over the past two decades have estimated the economic losses to rangeland and crops from weed infestation to be multiples of $100 million a year.

Urban encroachment For the urban dweller, Field bindweed and Canada thistle pose the most threat to non-agriculture property, says Amy Grandpre, Extension horticulturist for Yellowstone County.

“They’ll never be eradicated,” she says, “but you must control them for the long-term benefit and preventing your weeds from getting into your neighbors’ vegetables.”

Weed control in Montana emanates from the county level. Each county weed district is funded through a mill levy and a fee attached to vehicle licenses.

Yellowstone County charges slightly less than 1 mill each year for a $1.92 tax on real property. When vehicles are registered, $1.50 goes to the Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund, which provides grants to counties for special projects such as the starthistle eradication near Columbus.

Weed warden Jim Visser, weed control superintendent for Yellowstone County, has spent his adult life fighting weed infestations as a farmer, commercial herbicide applicator and leader of county weed control efforts, coming from Stillwater County to Yellowstone a year ago.

Visser’s job got a bit easier this past year as the Montana Legislature enacted laws making the county attorney the legal adviser to weed districts, outlining procedures and time tables for handling complaints, seeking a court order – if needed – to access private property to implement controls and instituting a lien on the property for unpaid civil penalties. Also, Billings is working on a plan for weed control on city properties and will file that plan with the county.

“The new laws protect landowners and districts,”

Jane Mansgold, Courtesy photo

“People don’t realize the weeds are there,” she notes, “but once they are educated, they willingly accept best management practices.” ­— Jane Mangold, Extension

range weed specialist at Montana State University.

By Jim Gransbery Opposite page: Thatch of houndstongue on a local trail. Courtesy of Montana State University Extension Office.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 77

Visser says. While he spends a great deal of time resolving complaint situations, “I have never had a ‘get the hell off my property’ confrontation,” he says. “I work with landowners with a plan that works for all parties.”

The most difficult land on which to control weeds are the 1-to-2-to-5-acre units that make up rural subdivisions. “They are really not capable of supplying enough feed, say for horses,” Visser says, “When the forage is gone, only the weeds are left.”

Say it and spray it Visser again emphasizes education as the best method of control. The Montana Weed Association is funding a grant that sets up a curriculum for schools, real estate agents and civic groups to help the public understand the necessity of controlling weeds. Visser also spends time inspecting subdivisions and gravel pits annually to guard against weed expansions.

His department is responsible for 900 miles of county-right-of-way. According to Visser, Yellowstone county’s most prevalent weeds are Spotted knapweed, Leafy spurge, Houndstongue, Poison hemlock and Puncture vine, a nasty thorn capable of puncturing a bicycle tire and inflicting

a painful wound to bare feet. The county uses herbicides, which have become more targeted and safer for the environment, he says.

Joe Lockwood, the weed crew foreman, says the county sprays twice each year – May and August to mid-September. The targeting is timed to prevent seed maturation and dispersal.

The weed department’s budget is approximately $400,000 a year with $270,000 coming from the county weed tax. Another $70,000 is raised through contracts with state and federal agencies which have rights-of way in the county and from rental of spray equipment.

Special grants from the trust fund total $60,000.

Resilience on the range

As the use of pesticide has increased, so too has the incidence of pesticide-resistant weeds.

It is analogous to the resistance to antibiotics by bacteria, explains Fabian Menalled, a crop weed specialist at MSU. He lists Green foxtail, Wild oats, Persian speedweed, Koshia and Russian thistle as “confirmed” pesticide-resistant species. Because of extended and over use, bacteria and weeds have developed protection against their would-be killers. He says scientists suspect that Wild oats has developed a metabolic

resistance to the chemicals in that the weed “eats the herbicide.”

While ranchers face perennial weed species on their range, Menalled says they do not display much resistance to herbicides. However, “Concern is high among Montana farmers to resistance because the tools are very limited.

They depend mostly on two herbicides” to defend their crops.

He cautions against using fighting words in the context of weed management. “You cannot win a war against nature,” he says. “You manage weeds with better control because eradication is not possible.”

For more information on weed control, contact: Jane Mangold, Extension range weed specialist, MSU, 406-994-5513 Amy Grandpre, Yellowstone Co. Extension horticulturist, 406-256-2828 Jim Visser, Yellowstone Co. weed control superintendent, 406-256-2731 Fabian Menalled, Extension crop weed specialist, MSU, 406-994-4783

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All Natural Weed-Whackers Goats eat the weeds and sterilize the seeds

By Jim Gransbery • Photography By Bob Zellar

Chia Chen-Speidel and Ivan Thrane have committed themselves and their future to the land. In a modern culture reversal, they plot a way of life and livelihood that is a throwback to Ivan’s grandmother who taught him: “If you don’t love it, don’t stay.”

Their reverence for land is expressed with a herd of goats they use both as a tool of stewardship on the acreage Ivan inherited, and for their Carbon County neighbors who hire them to control noxious weed infestations.

Together, the couple owns and runs Healthy Meadows Goat Services, a natural alternative to chemical control of noxious weeds. In a bite, goats eat weeds and sterilize

the seeds. They stir up the soil and fertilize it with their waste. Simple, but labor intensive as Chia and Ivan testify. “In the summer, we camp with the goats,” she says.

Hoofing it The underlying philosophy of using goats to graze weeds comes from the Savory Grazing System, introduced to America in the early 1980s by Allan Savory of

Above: Chia Chen-Speidel herding weed-eating goats. Right: Ivan Thrane explains his goat business.

MAGIC I february 2012 I 79

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Zimbabwe. Intensive, short-time grazing and control enhances productivity. Savory adapted his method after observing grazing habits of migrating herds on the African veldt.

“We are helping landowners get rid of weeds and encouraging plant diversity,” Ivan explains.

“It is a three-fold approach: what weeds are we dealing with and how do we reduce and rid the land of them; concentrating the attack with a mobile fence; and fertilizing and aerating the soil.”

He says the process regenerates the land so that native plant diversity can thrive. The goats are concentrated on the heaviest infestation of weeds on a parcel of land. The area is circumscribed with the mobile electric fence that is charged by a battery replenished by a solar panel.

Timing is key. “During the flowering stage, the weed is putting its energy into producing seeds,” Ivan notes. “The goats will eat 90 percent of the flowering heads and leave nothing but a bare stalk. The plant goes into shock.”

The soil is usually crusted from lack of hoof action, he explains. The goats aerate the soil, fertilizing it with their urine and feces. They also activate seeds in the soil of grasses and flowers lying dormant. “They are also activating weed seeds, so our system is a several-year approach,” he says. The weeds “took time to establish. It takes time to reduce them. It is not a one-year fix, but neither are herbicides.”

The goat is a tool which has proved itself

for millennia, Ivan notes, and it is adaptable world-wide. It eats harsh plants and is incredibly effective, but they must be managed. “We can move them five or six times a day, while working a field,” he says.

He cites a North Dakota study on goats and weeds in which 99 percent of the viable Leafy spurge seeds were destroyed. The digestive juices of the animals kill the seeds. According to Ivan, goats also have a large liver compared to body mass which is adapted to ingest toxic plants.

“We provide a service and educate people to be better stewards without the use of chemicals and machinery,” he says, “because we are at the end of the era of cheap oil.”

The road to Red Lodge In the shadows of the Beartooth Mountains, the retro couple tends their flock. From opposite ends of the continent, they converged on the home place of Ivan’s grandmother, Ruth Felton Dion.

Ivan, 27, grew up in Maryland and spent summers with his grandmother on the ranch of more than 2000 acres. When the estate was divided, he was the owner of the home and 145 acres in the Red Lodge Creek drainage.

With a history degree, he faced a challenge to live off the land. Having raised goats as a 4-H project and investing intense effort to learn, he chose goats to remove the monoculture of weeds on his property where he has lived for about

three and a half years.

“As an owner, I realized I needed to do something,” he says and after consulting the weed district coordinator, he concluded goats were the best choice. He began his flock with nine females in 2009.

Chia, 23, grew up in Oakland, California. While studying for a degree in urban studies at Brown University, she decided to take a break, ending up in Red Lodge in the summer of 2010 where she worked with Ivan and his goats. It was a complete change.

“I was in open space, living outside, sleeping on the ground,” she relates. “It was an eye opener for me.

I found it incredible and wonderful.

You cannot plan your future. You go with what you find.”

She admits it has not been easy.

“It is not the path I was educated for,” she says. Last winter she returned to Brown to complete her degree. Her parents, both professional executives, were very opposed to her diverted path, but they can see now she is happy living the rural life, she says. A visit last fall assured them she was safe.

A budding business The flock now consists of 100 goats of every breed except Angora, Fainting and Nigerian. Their favorite is the South African Boer. This is their third season of breeding, with the most recent kids born last March. Each doe produces one to four kids. The couple feels a flock of 500 will be what they can successfully manage.

“We don’t want to get too big, too fast,” Chia says. “We want to stay local.” She notes that word of mouth has been a powerful force for growing their business.

Ivan adds, “People are calling us. We have no loans for operating capital and no part-time jobs. We make enough to live through the winter.”

Montana law allows the movement of livestock along public roads as long as the animals are accompanied by flaggers ahead and behind.

Though Ivan checked with the Red Lodge Historical Society and could find no record of goats being trailed in the county, he and Chia trail their flock from job to job, covering up to seven miles in a day.

The pair envisions a weed-eating circuit in Carbon County so that they can walk the weed-eaters to every single job, says Ivan. “It saves gas, it’s healthy for the goats and they arrive hungry,” he says.

To augment their income, they have sold some wethers (neutered males) for meat. They also raise chickens, ducks and pigs.

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 81

“Once you see the vision, you want to join the movement, and once you join the movement, the struggle becomes personal.” ­­­­— Jesse Murphy, Founder, MyFight.org

PICK A

FIGHT

A Montana-grown movement takes Third World oppression personally

By Shelley Van Atta

poverty • child soldiering • hunger • human trafficking • child slavery

In 2004, the year Mark Zuckerberg dreamed of changing the face of social

networking from his Harvard computer, Jesse Murphy, a small-town Montana boy, was switching channels on his television and by chance watched a riveting PBS documentary about the realities of child slavery in developing countries. From that moment on, Murphy dreamed of rescuing these enslaved children on continents half a world away from his family’s Dillon, Mont., farm.

From Massachusetts to Montana, both young men’s dreams of changing the

world came true.

The thought that a child slave in Cambodia and the Sudan could be bought for

$50 burned in Murphy’s conscience throughout high school. His frustration came from not knowing what he possibly could do about it.

Opposite page photos one and two: Jesse Murphy with the Atsbeha Family. Third photo: Honduran lady in a “borrowing” store. Photo top: Honduran brother and sister.

Above: Honduran village woman. Photos courtesy of Jesse Murphy/ MyFight.org.

sudan • honduras • ethiopia • cambodia • thailand

“I was coming from the cowboy background of: Get off your high perch and get to work.

Go do something. There are people dying!”

Murphy entered Rocky Mountain College and made a conscious decision to devote three years to researching the problem: “I studied it in the context of system’s theory, asking the question, ‘How can there be child slavery in this day and age?’” The fundamental answer, of course, is extreme poverty. “It’s a capsule of vulnerability.”

from this micro-enterprise, He learned that the Milla was able to bring 300,000 child soldiers, electricity into her home, such as those recruited by about which she cheerfully Libya’s former dictator recounts: “I bought all the Muammar Gaddafi, were wire and everything to get not necessarily fighting electricity in my house, so for a cause or a regime, now when I turn on the but to make money to lights, it’s a reminder of the feed themselves and their loans.” families. “Guns and bread.

It’s their best chance of survival,” Murphy said.

Spreading the The horrifying reality, mission he found, was that the In another part of the vast majority of these world, microloans are Not having a physical office, Jesse Murphy conducts business at various coffee children are not captured helping children earn a shops in town. Photo by Casey Page. into slavery. Bereft of livable wage. Sammy, a alternatives—especially man who has become a when the alternative is starvation—they choose enslavement. good friend of Murphy’s, as well as his regional partner in Ethiopia, “But that also provides hope. If it’s just a situation where slavery grew up “in the trenches and full grip of poverty” and now has a is their best choice, then that’s something we should be able to passion “to revenge poverty through business,” he said. He used change,” he enthused. “We should be able to give a different choice his first microloan to create a furniture manufacturing business to these kids; a different choice to little girls other than prostituting which he began by hiring five “street children” and setting up themselves; and a different choice to moms from selling their kids shop under a homemade tent in a vacant lot. Rather than simply to provide a better future.” giving people money that once it is used, is gone, Sammy said it is It was during an honors project at Rocky that Murphy began more important to empower people to be able to escape poverty to formulate rescue plans for enslaved children. In a paper he by investing in their business, which generates and regenerates wrote titled, “A Farewell to One-Night Stand Humanitarianism,” money, providing them with a continual source of revenue and a Murphy postulated that rather than try to change a country’s permanent escape from poverty. “If you eat all of your seed, you’ll internal policies which leads to dead ends, frustration and a have nothing to plant next year,” he said. By planting his seed cessation of efforts to solve the problem, it makes better sense to money, he gets to watch it grow year after year. effect long-term systemic change by empowering the people who have the most to gain.

Selling T-shirts, providing hope “We empower them to succeed,” he said, “by investing in their Murphy gets the T-shirts at a greatly reduced price, adds a dreams.” custom MyFight logo, and then sells them from his website. The With encouragement and mentoring by his Rocky professors, profit goes into an account from which money is loaned to those Murphy developed and honed a plan to create a web-based suffering the most abject poverty, mostly women in developing microfinancing organization. The idea is to provide small-sized countries. Once the loans are repaid (they have not yet had a loan loans as seed capital to people in third world countries to start a default, he said), the money is re-lent, “bringing the power of freebusiness. Money for the loans comes from the sale of “MyFight is market ingenuity to the efforts of humanitarianism.”

Slavery” T-shirts.

Today, Murphy said he is proud to find that “MyFight is Ethiopia,” “MyFight is Honduras,” and other MyFight T-shirts are being worn by supporters throughout the world. He got a call from Meet Brenda Lizeeth Oliva Milla Murphy cited an example of a borrower from Honduras, Brenda a friend recently who spotted a MyFight T-shirt in Pennsylvania.

Lizeeth Oliva Milla, to show how the process of microfinancing “We have turned the most ubiquitous item of this generation—Tchanged her life. Milla used a $150 loan to start a food business, shirts—into microloans to end poverty and slavery.” selling popular meals such as fish platters and beef tripe soup Because MyFight is a web-based business, conducted on (called Mondongo in Honduras). With the income she earned Murphy’s computer in his favorite coffee shops, he happily points

84 I february 2012 I MAGIC

out that there is little overhead, allowing more money to be loaned.

“When somebody wears a MyFight T-shirt,” he passionately asserts, “I want them to declare that they are fighting for enslaved children; they are fighting for a woman in Ethiopia who had to sell her 5-year-old daughter; they are fighting for somebody or something. I want it to be their anthem.”

Fueled by faith In spite of initial setbacks and very little up-front operating capital, Murphy, a young man of immense faith, watched “successive doors of opportunity unhinge,” allowing him to attract those who supported his vision. “We took a leap of faith,” he said, citing as an example Eric Finstad, with AD Creative, whose advertising agency created the MyFight.org website, pro bono. Lawyers, accountants and other professionals also volunteered to be part of the fight. “What seemed in stark contrast to initially hitting concrete walls, doors began opening. Like a zipper, everything came together.”

MyFight’s noble mission to abolish child slavery by easing extreme poverty has captured the hearts and imaginations of people throughout the world who have joined Murphy in his realization that through global web networking—including Zuckerberg’s Facebook—one person truly can make a difference.

Many of Murphy’s good friends have joined him in the MyFight cause by spreading the message during speaking opportunities in coffee shops, summer festivals and at colleges and universities across the country. The reception they have received in all these venues, he said, has been warm, enthusiastic and has exceeded their expectations.

What really is gratifying, Murphy said, are the calls he has received from It is estimated that up to 27 million young people who heard him speak and people in developing countries, were inspired to start their own social most of them women and business. “I love being a part of changing children, are slaves because the conversation and shaping the way my of the abject poverty they generation is doing social benefit work.” suffer. With the alternative being starvation, many choose And the good word seems to be slavery. MyFight.org is fighting, one microloan spreading. at a time, to change that.

“I’m convinced that the world is not the worst it’s ever been; it’s not the best it’s ever MyFight T-shirts can be ordered through the been, but there’s a whole lot we can do about MyFight.org website. it. There still are good people who want to change it.”

To join the gathering force of MyFight.org, follow

Jesse Murphy’s vision is working. In its progress on Facebook and Twitter.

November and December 2010, MyFight. org sold only 50 T-shirts. In November and MyFight.org Core Values: December 2011, they sold 800.

• Life can be better.

• Dreams can become reality.

“The passion to empower • Freedom and justice are good. families to escape the prison of • Oppression and exploitation are poverty is infectious because wrong. people want a real way to help,” • We exist to serve others. said Murphy. “Once you see • We aim to do well at doing good. the vision, you want to join • We focus on possibilities, the movement, and once not problems. you join the movement, • We work in our the struggle becomes strengths, not personal.” starvation, weaknesses. many choose slavery.

• We pursue systemic and sustainable MyFight.org is fighting, change. one microloan at a time, • In all things, to change that. humility, integrity, and above all, love.

Mimi Atsebha wearing a MyFight T-shirt.

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 85

Cookies Come of Age

1922 The first Wyoming Girl Scout troop was formed in Casper.

1912 Juliette Low assembled 18 girls from Savannah, GA on March 12 for the first Girl Scout meeting.

1917 Girl Scout troops were started in Columbus and Hardin, Mont.

1929 Girl Scouts members grow to more than 200,000.

1930s The Girl Scout program was divided into three groups— Brownie, Intermediate and Senior—in order to enhance service and provide age-appropriate activities for girls.

1932 Timbercrest Camp, located outside Red Lodge, Mont. was built by the Billings Rotary Club to accommodate orthopedic children.

1948 The first sale of commercially baked Girl Scout Cookies® took place.

1948 Girl Scouts first used Timbercrest Camp.

1950s Timbercrest Camp was leased by the Billings Girl Scout Council. Girl Scouts have been utilizing the property ever since.

1952 Ebony magazine reported: “Girl Scouts in the South are making steady progress toward breaking down racial taboos.”

I have vivid memories of selling Girl Scout cookies as a 10 year old. Wearing a scratchy, hunter green uniform and a sash adorned with badges, I sloshed through spring mud puddles and braved barking dogs while lugging boxes of cookies door to door for the annual Girl Scout Cookie sale. Thin Mints always sold out first.

Recently, I tasted a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie, compliments of Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming. Their offices are in a red brick building with bright green awnings on Grand Avenue near 24th St. W. Girl Scout cookies are as good as I remember. And Girl Scouts? They’re even better.

Girl Scouts of the USA has declared 2012 as “The Year of the Girl” to commemorate the organization’s centennial birthday. For an entity struggling with declining membership just a decade ago, it’s quite a feat. Last year, membership in Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming grew by double-digit percentages.

Celebratory events, scheduled across the 245,000 square miles of the two states, are designed to let

1975 Girl Scout members elected the first African American National Girl Scout President, Gloria D. Scott.

1963 Girl Scout program introduces four program age–levels for girls: Brownie, Junior, Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts.

1960s The Senior Girl Scout Handbook was translated into Spanish, and the Brownie Girl Scout Handbook was translated into Japanese.

every girl know that Girl Scouts remain relevant and accessible, whether you live on an isolated ranch outside Ekalaka, Mont. or Cowley, Wyo. or you live in the “big towns” of Cheyenne and Billings. Weekly troop meetings have been supplemented with online access and self-directed activities called “pathways.”

For modest dues of $12 a year, every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout can.

1980 Girls Scouts of Montana and Wyoming was formed uniting three legacy councils: Girl Scouts Treasure Trails Council, Girl Scouts of Big Sky Council and Girl Scout Council of Wyoming.

1980s Management guru Peter Drucker cited the Girl Scouts as his choice for the best-managed organization.

1980s The Contemporary Issues series was developed to help girls and their families deal with serious social issues. The first, Tune In to Well Being, Say No to Drugs, was introduced in collaboration with a project initiated by First Lady Nancy Reagan.

1990s Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, the first and only motherdaughter prison visitation program, was formed.

Today Girl Scouts took to the World Wide Web via the organization’s website (www.girlscouts.org), local Girl Scout council websites and online troop meetings. New badges include Global Awareness, Adventure Sports, Stress Less and Environmental Health.

Photos courtesy of Girl Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming.

Girl Power Girl Scouts’ founder, Juliette Gordon Low, was dedicated to the belief that girls deserved the same opportunities as boys for spiritual, mental and physical development. While in England during WWI, Low met Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts. Returning to her native Georgia after the war, she called a cousin to declare her intent to organize the first troop of Girl Scouts of the USA. “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah and all of America,” she said in 1912, “We’re going to start it tonight!” Low had big dreams. A woman had not served in the U.S. Congress until Montana elected Jeannette Rankin in 1916. Nationwide, women didn’t have the right to vote until 1920.

I wonder if Low had any idea what was starting. Today her message of empowerment is stronger than ever. Upwards of 80 percent of women business owners are former Girl Scouts; 100 percent of women astronauts are former Girl Scouts; 70 percent of the women who’ve served in the United States Congress were Girl Scouts. Even Low would be astounded by those statistics.

“Imagine what the world will be like,” said Sally Leep, CEO of Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, “when every girl believes that she can achieve all that she can be.” Leep and her staff are spreading the Girl Scout message among girls grades K – 12. “Girl Scouts were built by resilient women,” she said. “Our mission is to promote courage, confidence and character.”

You ought to see where Girl Scouts go these days. Macchu Picchu.

Costa Rica. Ireland. And that’s just a sampling.

“We are a girl-led organization,” said Leep. “We’ve learned to ask girls what they’re interested in. Then we ask them how they want to get there and help them achieve their dreams.” Today’s girls, like Low, dream big.

In July 2012, two area Girl Scouts will head to Paris as part of destinations, a national travel program. Last year, others journeyed to Seattle and Switzerland. Camp Castle Rock and Timbercrest Camp, both in Montana, and Wyoming’s Camp Sacajawea are still much-loved options and cookie sales often play a role in travel funding.

On a small table in Leep’s office, there’s a vintage Girl Scout sash covered with gold pins, embossed troop numbers and several badges sewn on with awkward white stitching. It isn’t mine, but it could be. Leep tells me badges aren’t sewn on anymore. They have a stick-on backing. Earning badges continues to be a popular activity and Girls Scouts still wear sashes proudly when in uniform.

Juliette Gordon Low was on the mark when she said, “The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.”

You go, girls.

For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming located at 2040 Grand Ave. in Billings, call 1-800-736-5243 or visit them on the web at www.gsmw.org.

Savvy Cookies “Girl Scouts is about more than cookies,” said Leep, noting that the stereotype is sometimes hard to overcome. Leep sees the tasty, ubiquitous cookie as a teaching tool for goal setting, financial literacy, people skills and decision making. In 2011, Montana and Wyoming Girl Scouts sold more than 1.2 million boxes of cookies.

“You can only buy these from a Girl Scout!” laughed Leep. “The cookie sale starts in February. We’ll put you in touch with a Girl Scout if you want more!”

In 1917, an intrepid Oklahoma troop made and sold sugar cookies to support their activities. In the century since, the Girl Scout cookie has become an iconic, cultural symbol and grown into a national enterprise.

Bold and bright cookie boxes reflect the vibrancy of scouting. No longer drab and tailored, uniforms include jewel tone vests and comfy, fleece hoodies for various levels of scouting from Daisies to Seniors.

Girl Scouts now take pre-orders rather than carry boxes door to door; they get to determine whether their sales proceeds Girl Scouts’ 100th will support troop or individual Anniversary events scouting activities. There’s even a in Billings: Girl Scout cookie iPhone app.

Denim & Pearls Friday, March 30

Wear your favorite blue jeans and pearls for a walk down memory lane for grown up Girl Scouts.

100th Birthday Bash Saturday, March 31 Girl Scouts turns 100 in March, and Billings is playing host to the biggest birthday party in a two-state area. Events are open to the public. Come be a part of celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouts. For more information, visit gsmw.org/100 or call 1-800-736-5243.

88 I february 2012 I MAGIC

Dream big The highlight of my Girl Scout experience was Camp Maiden in the Judith Mountains near Lewistown. I sat around a campfire with my metal canteen slung over my shoulder after hiking and crafting. There, I survived the removal of my first tick, made s’mores and pocket stew and learned proper flag etiquette. It was a big deal to travel 300 miles for a week of Girl Scout camp.

Girl-Building

The pressure is mounting for Betsy Speare and her nine Girl Scout colleagues.

These math-loving Billings high school girls, who’ve dubbed themselves “Artificial lntelligence,” are constructing a remote controlled robot for a regional robotics competition scheduled for February 2012 at MSU-Bozeman. They jumped at the chance to compete in the tournament aptly named “Bowled Over!” Their project is funded by a Motorola Foundation FIRST grant (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) intended to excite teenagers about science, math, engineering and technology. The girls are mentored by teachers at the Billings Public Schools Career Center.

In the competition, the “Artificial Intelligence” robot must successfully move a six-pound bowling ball up an inclined ramp.

The robot must be autonomous, as well as able to respond to driver controls for more than a minute.

One goal of the FIRST grant is teaching a skill called gracious professionalism. Betsy, as student leader, has mediated issues among her teammates. “We’ve gotten stuck, but we sat down and talked it out. We’ve learned that even if we’re not best friends in real life, we need to be polite, cooperative and listen with respect.”

Betsy was a Girl Scout in elementary school. “I never thought Girl Scouts were interested in math and science,” she said with some surprise. “We are in charge. We set the pace. We’re not sure what to expect when we walk into the competition, but we’ll be ready!”

SENIOR LIVING GUIDE BILLINGS

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At Valley Health Care Center we have a palliative care program that is much needed in the Billings area, an environment that is specifically designed for someone at the end of their life. The Sapphire environment provides the palliative care, comfort and services a person needs to ease the end of life transition; it is also a place conducive to having their family and friends around them. With our personalized attention in a private environment, we structure care and services to assist residents and their families in upholding their dignity, their values and beliefs during this time.

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Services are available for people of all ages and conditions that have terminal diagnosis.

Sapphire Suites Payment Options: • Medicare Benefit for Skilled Services • Private Funds • Private Insurances • Medicaid • General Inpatient Access through Hospice

Recognizing that people respond differently to treatment, our Medical Director, Dr. Charlotta Eaton, a palliative care specialist, is experienced in pain management and treating the For Admission specific symptoms occurring with the Call Megan Elbert, Admissions Coordinator at (406) 656-5010. end of life.

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See this article and more resources and news on montanasenior.wordpress.com MAGIC I february 2012 I 89

This is Reality?

The subject is reality television, and in the service of honesty, we should start here: Beyond the fact that these are (purportedly) real people, there is nothing remotely real about it. In the real world, nobody lives in “The Real World,� where people who would not willingly share space with each other are flung together by television executives who, whatever their personal failings may be, know how to drive ratings.

By Craig Lancaster 90 I february 2012 I MAGIC

When I wrote the above paragraph, I had to goes for strident women and little-girl dancers consult the mighty Google to make sure “The (“Dance Moms”). And for those who watch the Real World” continues to be a viable show, despicable “Toddlers and Tiaras,” I think we and to my simultaneous horror and utter need an “Intervention.” lack of surprise, it is. I was 22 years old when I think of the terrific shows of my youth, it emerged on the scene, and I recall being such as “Cheers” and “Hill Street Blues” and remotely intrigued by the idea, particularly in “WKRP in Cincinnati” (don’t you dare judge the second season, when a young man (naïve me), and I remember the sheer escapism, the cowboy Jon Brennan) from the town I lived absurdity, the fine human drama. These things in was cast in the show. Brennan, incidentally, held me in a trance that is impossible to achieve when the insufferable Jeff constituted one of the key Probst is reminding me, building blocks of a reality at every single moment, show: the rube. Other key Now, I’d like to that what I’m watching is elements: the charmingly be clear on this manufactured. innocent, the self-loathing To be fair, some reality drunk, the overtly religious, point: Despite my shows are exceedingly the floozy, the arrogant enjoyable.

“Pawn Stars,” urbanite, the militant mocking tone, I for instance, has an ethnic minority. Put them all together in a tony house really have nothing intriguing premise and educational value, and in some wonderland, shake against the reality those two attributes are well, and let America lap up enough to persuade me to the drama that sprays forth show, aside from ignore Chumlee’s blatant like a carbonated beverage. stupidity.

Now, 20 years after “The the inherent A couple of years ago, Real World” set the mold, my wife got me started on I’d say we’re at reality show dishonesty of watching “Project Runway” overload, except for the with her, and I was hooked fact that the pace of adding the description. from the beginning. I enjoy them continues unabated.

Television is seeing what these designers We have shows about truck can come up with under drivers, pawn shop owners, meant to be a intense pressure, even if my people who hunt gators, of what looks nice on people who catch fish with diversion, and boy, idea the runway is almost always their hands (why?), people at odds with Michael Kors’. who scour junkyards, do these shows I’ll also concede that I enjoy people who try to stay on the screaming matches. an island and then go to ever divert.

What can I say? I’m weak. another island when they Those concessions to fail. We have the guidos of “Jersey Shore.” (What is The Situation, anyway? pop culture aside, I would like to put forth It is An Enigma.) We even have a reality show this proposal: If you think what you see on hosted by Larry the Cable Guy, who is an television is intriguing realism, spend just one day taking a closer-than-usual look at your own invention unto himself.

Now, I’d like to be clear on this point: life and see if it’s not every bit as compelling.

Despite my mocking tone, I really have I’ll give you an example. Every day, my father nothing against the reality show, aside from and I play a handful of board or card games, the inherent dishonesty of the description. and it requires constant vigilance on my part Television is meant to be a diversion, and boy, to keep him from cheating. We argue about it. do these shows ever divert. It’s just that I wonder We threaten to never play again. We make up. sometimes why human frailty—especially the We keep playing. It’s dramatic, man. At a small frailty of humans other than ourselves—is so kitchen table here in Billings, Montana, we appealing. I’m sorry you’re “16 and Pregnant,” have intrigue, treachery, deceit, recrimination, and while I wish you all the best in overcoming generational angst and reconciliation. the steep odds your life has taken on, I’m not And, so far, Jeff Probst hasn’t shown up. much inclined to celebrate you. The same That’s a win, in my book.

Craig Lancaster is the Gazette’s copy desk chief and the author of two novels (“600 Hours of Edward,” “The Summer Son”) and a new collection of short stories, “Quantum Physics and the Art of Departure.”

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High Plains BookFest 1.

1. Burt Bradley, Ruth and Mike McLaughlin 2. Brad Watson and Susan Lubbers 3. Connie Dillon, Mike Fried, Brenda K. Marshall 4. Cara Chamberlain, Danell Lehman, Bernie Quetchenback

2.

3.

Billings Symphony Post-Concert Reception

4.

5.

5. Meg and Wayne Erlenbush, Anne Harrigan 6. LaRaine, Rosie and Steven Weiss 7. LaVonne Bessler, Bea Dana, Liza and Doug McClelland

6.

7.

Photos courtesy of: Connie Dillon, Jody Grant, Brian Wagner

MAGIC I february 2012 I 93

Holiday Parade 8. Jeff Sanstead and Kelcie Harris 9. Regan, Valeri and Zach Milburn 10. Jodee Mille and Chris McMorris 11. James Fleming and Macy Ann Swain

8.

9.

10.

The Nutcracker 12. Gabbie Aschim, Aubreahna Childers, Vickie Williams

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Holiday Party 13. Kathy Wise, Rick and Linda Byam 14. Olena South and Alyona Shvets 15. Jacquie Roberts and Verona Petrito 16. Delia and Mark Richler

11.

13.

14.

12.

For information on how to have photos from your event featured in Seen at the Scene, e-mail Dina Brophy at: dbrophy@billingsgazette.com

94 I february 2012 I MAGIC

15.

16.

March 2-18

Feb. 19, March 18 or April 15

The Yellowstone Chamber Players

The Yellowstone Chamber Players is a performing group of professional musicians who live in the Billings area. Unique to Montana, this group has the flexibility and talent to present a wide variety of chamber music, from string quartets, piano and wind quintets to small ensembles employing vocals and guitar.

Preferring intimate performance spaces over larger concert venues, the Chamber Players have an eclectic musical repertoire, with genres ranging from early Baroque to contemporary.

Catch one or all of their performances on Feb. 19, March 18 or April 15.

Photo courtesy of Yellowstone Chamber Players.

February February 3-18

The Trip to Bountiful Billings Studio Theatre 248-1141 billingstudiotheatre.com

February 3

Artwalk in Downtown Billings Downtown Billings 259-6563 or billingsartwalk on Facebook

February 4

International Guitar Night Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

February 10-19

17th Annual One Act Festival Venture Theatre 591-3370 venturetheatre.org

February 11

Doubt – Montana Rep Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org Buffalo, Bonnets & Chocolate Carbon County Arts Guild fundraiser 446-1370 carboncountydepotgallery.org

February 12

Harlem Globetrotters 2012 World Tour Rimrock Auto Arena 256-2400 metrapark.com Rimrock Opera Company Handkerchiefs: The Artful Little Squares of History 3301 Marketplace 671-2214

February 16-18

MATE Show Montana Pavilion, Expo Center 256-2400 metrapark.com

February 17

Elvis Lives Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

February 19

Yellowstone Chamber Players Cisel Hall, MSUB 248-2832 yellowstonechamberplayers.org

February 24-26

Annual RV & Boat Show Expo Center 256-2400 metrapark.com

February 25

Venture Into the Night Venture Theatre fundraiser 591-3370 venturetheatre.org Musical Landscapes Billings Symphony Orchestra 252-3610 billingssymphony.org Woofstock!

Friends of Billings Dog Parks Bones Brewing Company 672-9347

February 25-26

Huff’s Antique Show & Sale Montana Pavilion 256-2400 metrapark.com

February 28-29

Wine 101 Preview Event MSU Billings Wine & Food Festival 657-2244 winefoodfestival.com

March March 2 - April 1

Avenue Q Venture Theatre 591-3370 venturetheatre.org

Spring Awakening Billings Studio Theatre 248-1141 billingstudiotheatre.com

March 2-4

Home Improvement Show Montana Pavilion 256-2400 metrapark.com

March 3

Damn Yankees Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

March 6 & 9

Solas Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

March 10

The Toast of Billings Junior League of Billings 652-6272 juniorleagueofbillings.org

March 10-11

Rocky Mountain Arts & Crafts Festival Montana Pavilion 256-2400 metrapark.com

March 13

Blast!

Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

March 17

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Downtown Billings saveourparade.com bigskyseniorservices.org Celtic Celebration Billings Symphony Orchestra & Chorale 252-3610 billingssymphony.org

March 18

Yellowstone Chamber Players Losekamp Hall, RMC 248-2832 yellowstonechamberplayers.org

MAGIC I february 2012 I 95

OperaFest Rimrock Opera 671-2214 rimrockopera.org

March 20-21

Wine 201 Preview Event MSU Billings Wine & Food Festival 657-2244 winefoodfestival.com

April 15

Yellowstone Chamber Players Losekamp Hall, RMC 248-2832 yellowstonechamberplayers.org

March 22

Gizmo Guys Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

April 17-18

Mamma Mia! Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

March 25

Purple 5K Downtown Billings 294-5060 downtownbillings.com

Barrage is a high-octane fiddle-fest that features an international, multi-talented cast performing an eclectic mix of music, song and dance. Photo courtesy of Steve Nowlon.

April 13-28

April 13-28

April April 12

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

April 21

The Battle of Shallowford Billings Studio Theatre 248-1141 billingstudiotheatre.com

That Face Venture Theatre 591-3370 venturetheatre.org

Season Finale Billings Symphony Orchestra & Chorale 252-3610 billingssymphony.org

April 14

April 13

David Pendelton: Anything Can Talk Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

Barrage Alberta Bair Theater 256-6052 albertabairtheater.org

April 28-29

The Crucible Rimrock Opera 256-6052 (ABT) rimrockopera.org

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MAGIC I february 2012 I 97

by the numbers LAST WORDPERSPECTIVES MONTANA

Bakken by the Numbers $63,000:

The number of dollars paid in cash for a recent inmate’s bond at Williams County jail. The cash was carried into the jail in a plastic Walmart bag.

(Source: ND Sheriff’s & Deputies Association)

$15:

Per-hour wage McDonald’s in Williston pays its employees in order to attract and keep them.

The restaurant also offers a $500 immediate sign-on bonus and paid medical plan.

(Source: USA Today)

84: The number of

companies involved in the oil industry in western North Dakota.

(Source: ND Sheriff’s & Deputies Association)

2,200:

$57,300: Average annual salary in Williston.

The approximate number of semi-truck loads of water needed per well for fracking.

29,000: The number

of vehicles that passed through an intersection at Highway 85 south of Williston during one 24-hour period of time in October of 2011, 60% of the traffic being semi-trucks. (Source: ND Sheriff’s &

Deputies Association)

(Source: ND Sheriff’s & Deputies Association)

(Source: City of Williston, Dec. 2011)

$2,000/month: Average rent for one/two bedroom apartment in Williston.

(Source: Williston Economic Development)

31%:

258:

Percentage of Williston employment base affiliated with mining. (Source: ND

The current number of wells in progress in the Bakken. (Source: ND Sheriff’s &

Workforce Intelligence 2nd Quarter 2011)

Deputies Association)

3 to 4.3 billion: 148: The number of Estimated number of barrels of unrecovered oil in Bakken formation in Montana and North Dakota. (Source: USGS)

#1: Ranking of the

General Motors dealership in Williston for Corvette sales in the upper Midwest.

(Source: ND Sheriff’s & Deputies Association)

98 I february 2012 I MAGIC

campers sleeping overnight in the Walmart parking lot in Williston on Jan. 1, 2012.

(Source: ND Sheriff’s & Deputies Association)

$129.95: The cost of one night’s stay at the local Motel-6 in Williston.

(Source: ND Sheriff’s & Deputies Association)

MAGIC I february 2012 I 99

100 I february 2012 I MAGIC