October 4, 2022

A Month in Summary - September 2022

Hidden Lake, Logan Pass
Glacier National Park, Montana
September 2022

We have just returned from our road trip to Glacier National Park. We left Depoe Bay on September 6th, so the trip was just shy of a full month. We traveled through Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, and while we didn't see as much wildlife as I would have liked, we saw some amazing sights and made new friends along the way. As with previous road trips, I will blog about this one in the coming weeks, but I have hundreds of photos to cull and edit, so it may take a little while. Here's one of my favorites:


As it goes with a long trip, my reading was pretty dismal. I finished only one book and am in the middle of two others (one print and one audio). I might have read more, but the print book isn't very compelling and it's been a struggle to read even a chapter each night. I've been walking or hiking with either Rod or new friends, which is when I typically listen to an audiobook. No complaints, though! I'm happy to take a break from reading when it comes to exploring new locations and making new friends.


Books Read (click on the title for my review):

The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie (4/5)

Movies & TV Series:


Deadwood - We continue to watch this while traveling in the RV. It's just as good as the first time we watched it.

Bookstores Visited:





We spent an afternoon wandering around Whitefish, MT and went into Bookworks, a nice independent bookstore. The organization/layout of the store was somewhat odd, but I managed to find a couple of books that I've been eager to read. The store also carries a large selection of greeting cards and gift items, but it was lunchtime and we were starving, so I didn't linger.





Missoula, MT is another nice town to explore and we found a small, independent bookstore (Fact & Fiction) with a good selection of new releases and local history. I bought one book, but since it's a future gift, I won't share a photo. 

I spotted a couple of things as I left the store that made me smile:



Back in Oregon, after a delicious lunch and coffee, we strolled around the Village at Sunriver. I couldn't resist popping into Sunriver Books & Music where I found a book that I was unaware of by one of my favorite authors.




I rarely buy books for myself, but when we're traveling, I'm inspired to visit and support the local independent bookstores. 

Other News:


I was saddened by the news of Queen Elizabeth's death, and was touched by this sweet image that appeared in my newsfeed.


I was also heartbroken to learn that the husband of my dear friend, Robin, had passed away on the 21st. Robin (of A Fondness For Reading) and I have been blogging friends for many, many years. When Rod & I moved to Oregon, we were able to meet Byron when he and Robin came out to the coast for a visit. Robin and I have also enjoyed getting together for lunch and book shopping in a nearby town, but it's been a few years since we've seen one another. Hopefully, we'll get a chance later this year or in 2023.

The days are getting shorter and it won't be long before the holiday season is upon us. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to summer, but there is something about autumn that makes me happy, as well. Be well and happy reading!

16 comments:

  1. Traveling and reading don't always work well, I'm sure you will settle in as the colder weather arrives.Always nice to visit new bookstores when traveling! Elizabeth Strout is a favorite author -- good choicesI (That store looks a bit disorganized ti me LOL) I was sorry to hear of Byron's passing as well. Have a good October.

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    1. Diane, if we're camping in a place we've been to before, I get a lot of reading in. This trip was all about exploring new locations, so I rarely sat down to read. Yes, as it begins to get colder, I'll start reading in the late afternoon, as well as at bedtime. Ha! That bookstore really wasn't the best. Rod was ready to leave almost as soon as we walked in!

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  2. Anonymous7:41 AM

    I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Robin's husband. I had not heard.

    I love your posts and I am glad that I can catch them regularly on Instagram because blog reading has been hard for me these past few months. And until I finish that chunkster that Irving wrote, finishing other books is a pipe dream.

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    1. I'm going to guess that this comment is from Ti? It showed up as "Anonymous," but I seem to recall that you are reading the new John Irving book, right? I'm sorry you've had trouble keeping up with blogs, but your return to work has probably been quite an adjustment. Let me know if I guess your identity correctly. :)

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  3. I am so sorry to hear of your friend's husband's passing.

    Your trip sounds like a wonderful combination of friends, books, bookshops, nature, and relaxation!

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    1. Helen, the trip was great fun and I'm already looking forward to our next adventure. I'm hoping we can get back to Glacier when we visit the Tetons and Yellowstone in the next year or two.

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  4. Laurel6:49 PM

    Les, I agree, it's really hard to read when there are new adventures waiting right outside your door! But I do enjoy reading at night just before bed, even when we're traveling. I'm so looking forward to reading all about your trip to Glacier. I think I mentioned that we've tried at least twice to make a trip to Glacier, but smoke and wildfires kept us away. You're inspiring me to try again. And I love that you visit bookstores everywhere you go. I do, too. Some of them are so creative, with cozy fireplaces, or gardens, or coffee shops.
    Take good care, I hope you're enjoying being at home. And I'm very sorry to hear about your friend's loss of her husband.

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    1. Laurel, I usually read at night too, but we started re-watching Deadwood and I'm too sleepy after that to read more than a page or two. I hope you someday get to Glacier, but be sure to tack on the Grand Tetons National Park, as well. We decided to save that for another trip and after seeing a lot of photos that a friend has been sharing, I wish we had extended our trip and gone on over there. I'm taking lots of notes for a future trip, though! My travel list continues to grow, just like my reading list! Take care and safe travels!

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  5. Great post. I love how you write & post about your road trips ... and this one is to places that we've road tripped too. We've seen a mountain goat high on a peak at Logan's Pass & you have a beautiful pic of a goat with flurry white fur. & we like Whitefish & Missoula too! Great bookstore shots and so great how you support the local bookshops, which seems so necessary. It seems you had a wonderful trip. Can't go wrong with those scenic states. And now things are getting cooler & dark sooner, uh-oh. Sorry to hear of the blogger's husband. Sad. take care & look forward to your trip photo posts.

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    1. Thanks so much, Susan. It's fun to go back and read these monthly summaries from a few years ago. In a way, it's my online diary. One of the shuttle drivers told me that the mountain goats are very active around Logan's Pass, so I'm glad I spotted one as close as I did. We saw a grizzly and a black bear, and I got some photos, but they were quite a ways away from me (which is probably a good thing, I guess!). Yes, the days are getting shorter and it's been overcast/foggy and cool ever since we returned to our cove. We saw 6-8 whales the other day, so that was exciting! Take care.

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    2. Wow love the whales. Were they near the cove or far out at sea? Terrific sight. I guess it's good we do these posts ... as they are like diary entries in a way ... I can see what was happening years ago ... back to 2009!

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    3. Susan, the whales weren't right up against the shoreline/bluff (which they have done in the past), but they weren't far out at sea, either. We could easily see their backs and flukes. Pretty fun!

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  6. Les, what a great trip you had. I've always wanted to visit Glacier. Maybe one day I will. Until then, I look forward to your upcoming photos of your adventures on the road.

    I also love seeing the bookstores you visited. "No hate in our state..." wow. I used to feel that way about Texas, but lately it's been difficult to love a place with so much meanness.

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    1. Deb, it was such a wonderful trip and I've begun culling my photos for future blog posts. I hope you and your hubby are able to visit Glacier sometime soon. I'm now anxious to see the Tetons, which look even more spectacular.

      I was a bit surprised to see the "No Hate in our State" sign since we were in a "Red" state, but Missoula is a college town and I suspect there are pockets of liberal communties throughout the state. I understand your difficulty to love Texas...

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  7. Dearest Les, I stopped by your blog today to catch up and found your header photo to be just stunning. Then, I enjoyed reading about your travels (and look forward to your upcoming posts with your travel stories). And then I saw your beautiful and touching tribute to Byron and me… Thank you so much for your memories of meeting Byron. It is so comforting to know that he is in the hearts and memories of others right now.
    I, too, hope that we can meet up again soon. We’ll have to find a new spot to meet for lunch and catch up! Big hugs to you, my friend.❤️

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    1. Robin, you continue to be in my thoughts and I look forward to a visit with you sometime soon. xoxo

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