I counted 12 deer on our drive to Noxon Dam yesterday.
After all, it was an early spring Sunday drive to Montana.
Counting deer was always our assignment to keep us occupied when, as kids, we sat in the back seat of the Ford Ranch wagon, with me on the hump in between my two older brothers.
Mother and Harold occupied the front seat with a box of bacon thins sitting between them.
Occasionally, along the way down Montana back roads which sometimes seemed like they went to nowhere, Mother would hand us each a single bacon thin.
I also remember that it seemed like it must have been against the law to stop anywhere for us to go to the bathroom. So, as the trip went on, my bladder would add a new dimension to the suffering of sitting on the hump.
Yesterday's Sunday drive resembled those of yesteryear, only the characters, the hand-outs and the dynamics were different.
Only two four-legged, black, white and brown occupants with tails took up the back seat with no draconian hump to endure.
I think Bridie and Foster view their back seat assignments as Heaven cuz they get to go for a ride with Mom and Dad.
No Bacon Thin handouts, though.
Instead, Mom offered some Beneful baked doggie treats.
In the front, the treat of choice for Mom and Dad came from a baggie of peanut butter mini pretzels.
I could not help but take a page from the past and start the deer count, once we passed the Montana border.
Our trip yesterday did not last as long as some of those original Sunday drives, so the deer count was low in comparison to the overall enjoyment.
After all, the sun was shining when we pulled into the picnic ground, complete with restrooms, next to Noxon Dam, and the ground was generally bare and dry.
Plus, there was a facility for bladder relief.
We enjoyed our time there, and then I suggested that we take the dogs back to Noxon and walk around town.
Usually we just drive through this little community, so I never really noticed before that there really isn't a central downtown area.
So, we spent some time at another little park along the river and walked across the highway to get a good look at the Noxon Methodist Church.
By that time, the afternoon was winding down, so we headed home, quite pleased with our resurrection of our family tradition of the Sunday Drive.
It was good to take advantage of the sunshine because rain has returned and snow is sliding off from roofs and MUD has returned on this Monday morning.
Even though the weather is not that great, I am have enjoyed listening to the inaugural David Begnaud podcast, "The Person Who Believed in Me."
David, who hails from Louisiana, chose Oprah as his first guest because the watching her show inspired his amazing career with CBS News as a storyteller.
This podcast offers an inspiring way to start off on a rainy Monday, and it's a great listen.
Give it a try.
Happy Monday. Enjoy the photos.
