Distinctly Montana Magazine

Contributors OUR Valerie Harms has edited this magazine since 2005 and says it is like throwing a party every season. A writer as well as editor, she is the author of nine books and numerous articles. A graduate of Smith College, for seven years she was an editor at the National Audubon Society in New York City. She has taught writing and given workshops around the country, plus in Greece and Canada. In 1995 she moved to Montana to see wild animals in their habitats and explore the mountains and rivers. For more info see her Web site at www.valerieharms.com. Email queries to valerie@distinctlymontana.com. THe Big Dry page 12 Gordon and Cathie Sullivan are professional photographers headquartered in Libby, Montana. Over a career that spans decades the pair has published eight books (two winning awards), dozens of colorful calendars, and a host of articles and covers appearing in national and regional magazines. Their most recent book is Photographing Montana. Montana in 30 years page 16 Lance Craighead, Executive Director of the Craighead Institute, is a conservation biologist. He completed his Ph.D. studying grizzly bear genetics in the Alaskan Arctic in 1994 at Montana State University where he is currently a Research Affiliate. He is a member of the IUCN World Committee on Protected Areas. Pronghorn page 18 Lacey Middlestead is a Montana native and freelance writer currently living in Helena. When she's not busy writing articles for newspapers like the Independent Record and Helena Vigilante, she can usually be found indulging in her second greatest passion–playing in the Montana wilderness. Lights! Camera! Montana! an illustrator-designer-author-art director-dog walker living in Bozeman. He's illustrated many children's books, including the award-winning First Dog: Unleashed in the Montana Capitol, and Yellowstone's Hot Legends and Cool Myths. His clients include Lucasfilm, The History Channel, Scholastic Books, Farcountry Press and many others. He isn't allergic to anything, can't remember birthdays, likes to cook, can wiggle his ears and hates writing bios. through pop-up harvest dinners, cooking classes, and a retail line of seasonings, marinades, rubs, and chutneys. See www.claudiasmesa.com for details. Re-Imagining your doorscape page 45 Rebecca Ballotta is a Bozeman-based freelance writer, editor, speaker, and teacher. Ballotta's articles have appeared in numerous publications both regionally and nationally. She also provides contract editing through MSU's Graduate Department. Pintler's Palette page 49 A photographer, instructor, and naturalist, Pam Barbour has traveled from the Arctic to the Antarctic, to capture wondrous images. Visit pambarbour.com to learn more about Pam and her work. The Pintler Scenic Highway is available on Amazon. com and at the Philipsburg Museum in Philipsburg, MT. Betting the Ranch page 54 Jaix Chaix writes columns and articles about Montana history, interior design, and architecture. He has traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe and lives in Lakeside, MT. page 26 Joseph Shelton is a freelance writer whose long tenure as a video store clerk makes him if not a film expert than certainly a film buff. A graduate of Montana State University, his movie reviews can be read in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle as well as www.moviewasteland.blog.com. Kitchen Guy: Catch or release page 36 Chef Jim Gray is the host of the syndicated weekly program, "Kitchen Guy—the Tastiest Two Minutes in Television," seen on Max Media Stations in Montana. He also owns and operates the Kitchen Guy Cooking School in Missoula. Contact him at chefjimgray@gmail.com. Turning Gold Green page 39 Will Muhlenfeld is a writer living in Billings. He enjoys hiking in the mountains and composing electronic music. Montana Caribe page 42 After 13 years in interior finishes design, Claudia Krevat is working at Sola Café and Bakery as Special Events Manager. Claudia offers a slice of Latin Caribbean Cuisine 10 Robert Rath collects hyphens. Currently, he's Knockout Punch page 57 Although this is Lyndel Meikle's second gambling-related article for DM, she prefers to confine her gambling to freelance writing. Hauntings: Songbirds in the alley page 66 Ellen Baumler is the interpretive historian at the Montana Historical Society in Helena. For the love of... Montana Raptor center page 69 Emily Harris is working on her Master's degree at Montana State University and loves the mountains. She lives in Bozeman with her boyfriend and two misbehaved but well-intentioned dogs. D I ST I N CT LY M ONTANA • FALL 2013

• Cover