Summer of parties in the North Fork

Normally, when I turn in a column, I tend to forget about it and seldom read it again – even when it appears in the paper. If I ever to go back to it, it is likely to be at least months, and sometimes years later. This might be to check on how my opinions have changed or, more likely, as research on a North Forker who has passed away.

Recently, I reread a couple of columns written this summer. I guess because I missed most of the summer of 2019 I focused on incomplete information and wrote almost entirely about the summer Interlocal. Of course, that meant mostly complaining about how the federal agencies seldom get it right. I didn’t say much about the things they do right and said nothing at all about all of the fun things that went on even if I wasn’t there to take part.

Of course the usual parties continued with GATR (Gather at the River) parties being held at various locations along with a ton of others, like float parties and square dances (even more this summer as Paul Marotz added his efforts to hosting square dances using the NFLA’s old record collection). There were also game nights, the ice cream social and the crazy hat dance, with Janet Leigh becoming the new Mrs. Polebridge, replacing Chris Heitz, who replaced Lois Walker.

Also, Dawn and Danny Jacobson hosted a big Fourth of July party for the whole North Fork that I really hated to miss. I usually have a great water fight with their granddaughter, which is fun even though she always wins. Wait until next year!

Big new party this year was the Janet Leigh birthday party celebrating the anniversary of her 21st birthday. This was a grand affair, complete with live music and a ton of good food as well as good friends and neighbors to enjoy it with.

There were also some educational/informative functions like the Bear Fair, fire mitigation info and a speaker on conservation easements. The speaker was from the Montana Land Reliance, just one of several groups who aid landowners who want to put covenants on their land. Of course, historian Lois Walker added to the knowledge of North Fork history with her report on the Ford School and Karina Petty did a fine tour showing where the 1932 shooting of a North Fork homesteader took place along with details.

Just to add a little spice to the summer, there were a couple of disputes between neighbors who disliked the noise, etc., from their next-door neighbors. These disputes have gone on for years with no violence (yet), but have resulted in the construction of several privacy fences to block the sight of neighbors if not the sound of them.

And we still have Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years to look forward to before 2019 ends.

Larry Wilson’s North Fork Views appears regularly in the Hungry Horse News.