As there isn’t much going on around here and certainly nothing exciting I thought I would tell you a story. The Cowboy’s family has lived in the Boulder valley since the late 1800’s when his great-great uncles arrived. In 1894 great-great uncle Frank Bliss purchased the Grand Hotel and made it a first class hotel and restaurant. Family rumor has it Uncle Frank lost the Grand Hotel in a horse race! Grandfather Clark, as a teenager, helped care for an outlaw who having been shot in the street was brought into the Grand to recover. Rumor has it the bullet was removed while the outlaw reclined on the pool table. The Grand Hotel still exists in Big Timber and is a hotel/bed and breakfast/restaurant. It’s one of the places the Cowboy took me during our short courtship. The building is a stately, gorgeous brick building with lots of beautiful oak paneling inside. I think if you click on the photo below it will enlarge–this article hangs in the bar of the Grand Hotel.
And another Grand Hotel story–when my Dad was alive we had all gone there to have dinner one summer evening. My dad was a southern gentleman, very private and did not like to cause any scenes. He spoke very slowly and ate even slower. That night the dining room was packed and noisy. Dad began to choke–I noticed but didn’t do anything so as not to call attention to Dad, thinking his choking would resolve. But, it quickly became more serious and my mother said, “Janna, do something.” I sprang out of my chair, jerked my father to his feet, performed the Heimlich maneuver and out popped a piece of steak. All was well except for Dad’s embarrassment! The next morning when Dad woke I asked him if he was OK and if his throat hurt. His reply spoken in that loooong southern drawl, “no, I’m OK but daughter, I thought you were going to let me choke to death!!!” So much for my being worried about his being embarrassed!
Geez has our weather been nasty–our high temperature today was around 38 degrees, the wind blew and it spit snow pellets all day. We went into Big Timber this afternoon–the fall colors along McLeod Street are stunning–
The Cowboy has been working on his chain saws–we cut firewood the other day and two of his chain saws quit. My morning consisted of routine chores–making granola, bathing the dog, laundry, etc. It may well be a long winter.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
38 sounds positively spring like around these parts, we got another 3″ of that white stuff yesterday and the roads are pretty much winter driving. I think it did warm up to 32 yesterday but today is a mite cooler. Rumour has it that next week we will warm up into the 40’s though so there is still some hope, that the snow will go and harvest can resume.
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We too are hearing rumors that next week might be nicer–let’s hope so, the Cowboy has more motorhome work to accomplish!
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I’d love to learn more about the Clark history. I have been very fond of the family for a long time. Ask Mike if he’ll tell you about the sawmill place and what happened to the brother of Nat and Bo.
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So many long time residents of this community don’t remember there was another brother. Friends of ours own the sawmill place now and had built a small cabin–all that burned in the 2006 fires.
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Thanks for sharing with your followers. Yes, Here’s hoping I’m not the only one who laughed.
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I still laugh about Daddy thinking I was going to let him choke! A physician was dining there that night and came over to the table after it was all over to tell me how well I handled it!
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That was like icing on a really good cake. Such a good memory.
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Yes it was Carolyn–I would give anything to hear one more time that southern drawl belonging to my Dad.
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It has been, warm, fall days here!
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Yes we know!–it’s been beautiful in Pearce–friends sent photos of our house and the trees we planted survived!
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Interesting little stories! Think of all the quilting you can get done if you are there this winter:)
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I’ve been telling myself exactly that Pam!
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It’s so nice to have great family history stories.
Are you going to go to Arizona this
winter? Thought that was your plan.
Got to use that wonderful motorhome!
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We won’t be going to Arizona until Nat dies Linda–Mike is an only child and we feel the need to stay here at this time–there will be other winters to go south.
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So wonderful to be deeply connected to the community through all that shared history! LOL at Dad’s comment :-)) I too would love to hear my dad’s voice again. The trees are so beautiful. I love that little town!
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We like our little town too–if it only had some decent restaurants!
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Tell Mike if he puts some gas in those darn saws they’ll work better.
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You’ve been dizzy for too long Al! 🙂 🙂
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It’s really windy here, infact we are under a wind warning. Leaves are flying everywhere and it just started raining. Supposed to warm up next week for a few days. Your story reminds me of my husbands grandfather. In the mid to late 1800’s he was a very rich man and owned many hotels, apt. buildings and houses here in Calgary. Unfortunately he was Russian/German and was illiterate. Crooked lawyers got him to sign lots of papers that he couldn’t read and they stole everything from him. He died a pauper!!! Hie grandmother was left with 8 children and not much else. Pretty sad.
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Another cool story for the history books. We too are supposed to warm up next week.
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