Big Sky Country is one of the many nicknames for the state of Montana, the place the author calls home. While Montana is a diverse state in people and in geography, north-eastern Montana is characterized by soft rolling hills and sharp coulees; scrub grass, sage brush and wild flowers cover the prairie lands and tall cottonwood, ash and willow trees shade the waterways, all outlined against skies a magnificent shade of blue which make this countryside unforgettable and unique. The people that have and still do call this place home are just as unforgettable and unique as the skies. This is a collection of stories and tales, mostly centered around the rural area of north-eastern Montana; some are from the authors own experience, including family and local history, as well as stories of wildlife, hunting and farming, and some belong to others who have been kind enough to share their own histories and recollections. The author loves the history of the Milk and Missouri river area and its many memorable characters and he feels that these stories need to be kept alive for others to learn from and appreciate. Some of these stories are from the time of the building of the Fort Peck Dam, which changed the complexion of this area of Montana, and some of the stories are about homesteaders and farmers and ranchers, many of whom are classified as legitimate characters and even a few that could be called rednecks! Ron is a 3rd generation Montanan and has farmed, ranched, hunted and loved the land for his entire life in north eastern Montana and he hopes that you will enjoy this collection of stories that he has shared.
