Montana Conservation Corps - Tools for Living. Experience for life.

I needed a job, this one was outside.  Sure I’ll take it, I’m down for a ride. 
So I came to Montana, Billings at that.  “How is it?” friends asked. “Well, Billings is flat.”
The office was chilly, awkward, but somehow felt right.  It was the mood of the season I’d better enjoy, rather than fight.
Day 2 they told us to pack our things, tomorrow we’d be off to a valley that sings.
The cabin was perfect, and burnt quesadillas were nice; we played cards, chopped wood, and slept with the mice.
By morning the snow blanketed the land, some waited for the sun to rise, but the mountains in front had the upper hand. 
State trainings took us to Mak-a Dream, Helena and Bozeman, where we played games, rolled logs, and healed wounds by the dozen.
Our hearts opened, eyes widened, new friends we found. Like Shannon often said, to Service we were bound.
Ready to go, bring on the crews!  You may be stressed, but don’t rely on the booze.
Red Dawn was born in a matter of days; a crew of personality, excitement, but no sign of laze.
Camp Paxson needs cleaning, and wood piled into cords, so we chopped, piled, and broke tools in hoards.
The hitches began.  Will you kick some rocks?  This is a tread. Take a break.  Do you have wool socks?
My first taste of motherhood: thank God they can read, write, and have potty training but the other lessons they needed were hard, repetitive and also insane-ing.
We perfected the bump-line out on the prairie; spraying weeds, saving p-dogs, or finding logs to carry.
We explored the Beartooth Mountains, connecting old trails.  It was a taste of heaven with moose, mulies, and white-tails. 
Our waists shrunk and our arms grew, but so did our patience and tempers ‘til fists nearly flew.
Tell us your problems, “I” statements not “you”, then hug and make up, apologize to your crew.
The rest of the season was a honeymoon, our family so strong—quality work, great entertainment, damn right, we’re Red Dawn!
We jumped the hurdles, laughed the whole race, man I love these guys, I love this place.
The last hugs goodbye we wished peace and luck, shed some tears, and they packed up their truck (ok jeep).
Taking ‘just a job’ afraid I’d regret, turned out to be friends and a life I’ll never forget. 

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