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host a fall party,
montana style!
By Shelby Humphreys
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Shelby
Humphreys
writes about health,
weight loss, and being
true to ourselves
at her two blogs:
100poundsin1year and
Radically Authentic.
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Give a Heads-Up
When Montanans pass a deer alongside the road, we flash our brights at
on-coming vehicles, just to give a heads-up of potential action ahead.
Give your guests the same courtesy by sending invites four weeks out.
Tweet a "save the date." Send postcards. Make a personal call. Whatever
your style, advance invitations create buzz. Tip: mention "family friendly"
in your invite to set an informal mood.
Use What You Have
Along Montana's backroads, rings of barbed wire hang from posts, just
in case a fence needs mending. There's something about frugality that
not only sets friends at ease but makes party planning easier, too. When
guests spot your buffet table up-cycled from sawhorses and a door, or
garden veggies doubling as décor, they'll admire your ingenuity. Tip:
dress up pumpkins atop plastic buckets to make a festive couple for
greeting guests.
Be Neighborly
As Montana temps drop, community spirit rises. Neighbors help neighbors
raise a barn or pick tomatoes before the first frost. The highlight of any
work day is the potluck dinner. Sharing meals knits folks together and
showcases local bounty. One favorite: hot apple cider pressed from Bitterroot Macintosh apples. Tip: throw Cottonwood or Alder chips on BBQ
coals to infuse a smoky flavor. (See apple cider recipe next page).
D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A
Gal
