Down to the River to Pray, MT

Tyler and I just returned from a trip through a few of the national parks to Yellowstone, making the most of this season of rest before he starts his intern year of residency.  Though out of sequence, I couldn’t help but post some frames from our stay in Pray, Montana.

This cozy guest cabin was hand-built with love by a dear woman named Lorna, whose simple and beautiful life captivated me.  About a 40 mile drive north of Yellowstone, Lorna lives surrounded by mountains in what is appropriately named Paradise Valley.  There, she raises sheep and chickens, grows her own food, and delivers the town’s mail among many other things.  She even grows her own hops and hopes to keep bees.

Some of my most treasured memories from our trip were with Lorna’s granddaughter, Nevaeh, as she cared for her month old calf, Midnight, and sitting by the fire with T to watch the sunset.  Neveah’s youthful joy on this farm reminded me that though we have much or though we have little, we are not in want of any good thing.  Maybe the sunsets in Montana are longer, or perhaps we simply recalled the value of uninterrupted company and the importance of savoring each moment.  I was reminded of how sweet it is to lie by green pastures, not fretting the future or the past, but resting deeply in the present.

Oh darling, let’s go down, down to the river to Pray.

Thank you, Airbnb for helping us find this slice of Paradise!