steamboat helena

Earlier this year my husband and I went to visit my parents in the Flathead Valley. It's a gorgeous, unspoiled spot near Glacier Park in the northwest corner of Montana.

On this particular visit, we spent a lot of time exploring. One day, we pulled off the road to visit Kehoe's Agate Shop in the tiny, miniscule, eensy weensy town of Holt.

Holt was one of the first settlements in the valley; complete with a saloon, post office, and blacksmith shop. These days, there's not much left but the wreckage of a steamboat at the edge of town.

Steamboats were the main means of travel back in those days. At one time, there were over 15 steamboats on Flathead Lake, a freshwater body larger than Lake Tahoe. The Helena was one of the last freight boats around.

it's been a month

As it turns out, I knew a few people, who knew a few people, and then, well, things just took off! The g r a y l i n g blog is now a month old.

I've had tons of fun compiling photos and links; the phrase "there's so much out there" doesn't even begin to describe it all! Fear not - the best is yet to come. I have several exciting stories and interviews planned featuring local and national designers, shop owners, and industry insiders.

In the meantime, I'll be updating my website with a shopping cart and working on a new cast metal line.

Thanks for reading - your support means everything!

-Katy

In closing, I thought I'd share some pictures from my trip to Montana this Summer.

Montana: home to dinosaurs, cowboys, and half my family.

A hard-rock hamburger and fries at the Earth & Sky Gem Show, held in Billings, Montana. The show brought more than 3000 rock collectors to town. I also snapped pictures of key lime pie, baked potatoes, steak, and sausages - all made of solid rock.

A handsome buck near the Stillwater River. There were nine in all. As cute as they were, I kept thinking how much I wanted a set of their horns for the wall in my office. Don't worry. I love animals and I would never do such a thing...