Distinctly Montana Magazine

Publishers "It's a constant renewal." A NOTE FROM THE I n his classic 1961 sci-fi book, Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein coined a wonderful, new word, which really should be part of our everyday vocabulary. "Grok" means to completely share the same reality with another person, persons, experience or concept — so completely share, that one experiences a perfectly matched, total comprehen- sion of that reality. Distinctly Montana is the Montana lifestyle magazine, and what that means to us is that we are not just a guide or a dusty bin of old archives, but also (as our cover tag says) the place where adventure, inspiration, and spirit produce a quality of life which is exquisite in its sensibilities. A lifestyle which can be "grokked" at a visceral level. But how to bring that to the fore in our pages, or in our new digital world? The images and words in our magazine cover the breadth of the Montana lifestyle, and we try to look for the nuances which make this state such a blessing for those who live here, as well as a magical draw for the mil- lions who visit each year. What is it that residents and visi- tors "grok?" The answer is captured through one's senses, replete in the vastness of the landscape, the delightful splash of a rising rainbow, the wide-eyed sighting of a griz- zly, the heated throb of a well-worked horse, deep breaths on an up-country trail or the welcome aroma of a campfire meal. This is the promise…and the reality of the Montana experience. ~ TOM BROKAW ON MONTANA For a state of only a mil- lion hardy souls there is, we would say, an almost uni- versal appreciation of the natural world and the simplicity of that senti- ment which can nur- ture contentment, if not outright bliss. This may be what Brokaw is trying to describe when he uses the word "renewal." And, it may explain why visitors are so attracted to Mon- tana, which so perfectly matches their own vision of its promise of adven- ture, inspiration, and spirit. It may be fair to surmise that people seek that sense of renewal, which draws them here, Svengali-like to live, or to visit and to live fully — if only for a week or two. In the pages of Distinctly Montana, we invite you to "grok" Montana, to enjoy our take on "Monta- natude"— by living "The Perfect Big Sky Fishing Camp," losing yourself in the marvelous artwork of Missoula's Larry Pirnie, imagining the hidden treasure of the Yaak Valley or the pure joy of "Day Hikes with Dogs." If you "grok" Montana, we've done our job. Anthea George, Publisher anthea@distinctlymontana.com Bill Muhlenfeld, Publisher bill@distinctlymontana.com "I've been in real estate for 12 years, and Distinctly Montana has always worked well for my business." PAM MCCUTCHEON Realtor SMALL DOG REALTY "Distinctly Montana is one of YT's top choices for advertising our design-and-build construction business. We are very pleased at the results." RON ADAMS Owner YELLOWSTONE TRADITIONS "What I find appealing about DM magazine is that stories introduce us to our neighbors and the rather large "neighborhood" of our Big Sky state in a very personable way." BRUCE MUHLBRADT Photographer 10 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • SUMMER 2012

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