Among Other Things: Summertime!

Finally! Our long delayed warmer weather and visitor season arrived over the Independence Day weekend.

Suddenly the highway was swarming with traffic, RVs, fifth wheelers, boats on trailers, and family cars with out-of-state license plates and a good assortment of varied Montana licenses.

The Fourth of July parade in Polson was a dandy as was the fireworks display that night. Each went a little over 30 minutes. And the parade even had a marching band for the first time in several years. Two F-15 jet fighter planes roared overhead at precisely 12:07 p.m., their pre-advertised time of arrival.

I can remember when some local parades and fireworks shows lasted barely more than 15 minutes.

The Polson-Flathead Historical Museum had so many visitors at its open house and free ice cream social that the huckleberry ice cream supply ran out before the visitors!

It was really nice to see so many folks linger on at the museum and check out the various exhibits and re-arranged displays and new features. Our compliments to Lois Hart, Gay Cochrane and volunteers for their efforts. If you haven’t visited the museum on Main Street for three or four years, be sure to do so this summer — and take your visitors.

Speaking of museums, this coming weekend, July 16 and l7, Miracle of America Museum will have its annual Live History Days with all kinds of special demonstrations, music, kids’ rides and more. I’ll be there Saturday to sign my Among Other Things books. The MOA is the only place I’m aware of that has a few Proud Heritage books available — less than a half dozen, I think. Montana Nessie books are now officially out of print. There are a few of those remaining at the museum and some stores in Polson.

And don’t forget to take in Port Polson Players’ summer theatre offerings at the John Dowdall theatre on the Polson Golf Course’s “Old Nine.” Presently playing is Wally’s Café through July 17. Next will be Bullshot Crummond, July 22 to Aug. 7, and then The Cemetery Club, Aug. 11 to 28. Showtime is 8 p.m., Wednesdays-Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Call 883-9212 for reservations.

Still have some spare time? Well, there’s fishing, swimming, boating, water skiing, hiking, picnicking, dining and dancing, American Legion baseball games, white water rafting, scheduled cruises on the Shadow tour boat, and the “wet trips” on the Happy Hippo amphibious craft, golfing, tennis, biking, hike down to the Kerr Dam vista point, and check out the stores and shops along Polson’s new streetscape downtown design with its new street, sidewalks, lighting.

Of course, there are side trips at easy to reach places like the National Bison Range, the historic mission church at St. Ignatius, Four Winds Trading Post, the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana, museums at Ronan and Arlee, and an around-the-lake drive.

If you need to recharge your internal battery, there’s always snoozin’ in the shade, reading and relaxing, and plain old loafing.

Summer is too short, so don’t waste it.