Where We Be
Housesit in St. Ignatius, MT
After spending two months getting our condo
ready to rent out, we lucked out and found the
perfect renter in just two days, which meant we
were free to begin our extended travels --
starting with a road trip to Montana and Alberta
to enjoy summer hiking in the Rocky Mountains.

But before the hikes begin we have a breather
of sorts: house-sitting for good friends in St.
Ignatius, Montana for two weeks. St. Ignatius is
a quaint town located about forty minutes north
of Missoula and two hours south of Glacier
National Park. The setting is an 80-acre ranch,
and our only real responsibility is feeding and
caring for Travis the dog. The three horses in
the pasture pretty much take care of them-
selves, so we're free to relax on the porch and
enjoy the soothing views and local wildlife. It's
a tough life being retired early, let me tell you!
Good friends and fellow early retirees Steve & Lynn Miller were able to stop by for a visit on their way to
Glacier National Park. We had a great time catching up with them while sipping beers out on the porch.
The three horses essentially take care of themselves in summer since the pastureland has a
bubbling creek as a water source. The horses do enjoy an occasional visit from us humans.
The house sits on 80 acres at the base of the Mission
Mountains -- pastureland surrounded by mature forest
This is western ranch living complete with cowboy hats, horseshoes, hay fields, horses,
barns, and plenty of surrounding wildlife -- including deer, elk, black bear, and grizzly
Local wildlife includes this young fox, who likes to curl up
in the mornings on a sunning rock near the main house
This was Robin's first chance (and my second) to visit Mission Vale Farm.
Getting to house-sit and pet-sit in such a splendid setting is a real treat.
The custom log home is simply gorgeous