Big Sky Blog

I saw the documentary “Prodigal Sons” on Saturday, and it is quite remarkable.

If you grew up in Helena in the mid-80s, you might remember the name Paul McKerrow – he was the star quarterback for the Bengals, co-valedictorian, and BMOC in general. His brother Marc – adopted just a year before Paul was born – graduated with him, and younger brother Todd came along a year later.

The movie tells an intriguing tale: Paul returns to Helena in 2005 for his high school’s 20-year reunion, but he returns as Kimberly Reed, having complete gender-reassignment surgery and now living life as a woman. He is re-introduced to brother Marc, who suffered a car accident years ago, had part of his brain removed due to seizures, and is now suffering from bizarre mood swings and mental illness. Todd is now living in San Diego as an architect.

Turns out that Helena seems pretty blase about Paul’s’ transformation into Kimberly – there was no sign (in the movie, anyway) about any discrimination or hostility.

During the course of the movie, Marc discovers who his birth mother is: Rebecca. Sadly, he learns this just days before she passes away, and sees her for the only time in his life in her casket at her funeral.

And then comes arguably the biggest surprise of the movie: Rebecca was the daughter of cinema icon Orson Welles and actress Rita Hayworth: Marc is the grandson of Orson Welles, and the physical resemblance is uncanny.

If you have the opportunity to see “Prodigal Sons,” it is highly recommended. Might want to bring a hankie.

Today’s edition of The Billings Gazette has some good stories today which are worth reading.

The first is a story about the Japanese community in 20th century Harlowton and the second is of the last Japanese native in Harlowton. The story of Henry Muneta is especially poignant since he is the father-in-law of a Big Sky blogger.

I’ll let you figure out who the blogger is.

The next story is a nice one about the Billings Bluegrass music club which has weekly jam sessions at a local Hardee’s. The Gazette also has a nice photo album to go with the story.

I wonder if the Long Time Lonesome Dogs ever play at Hardee’s?

From the Billings Gazette:

Music, area poets and food are in the mix in Joliet at “Beans, Franks & Cowboy Poets” on Saturday at Joliet Community Center. The Joliet Public Library event starts with the meal at 4 p.m. and poetry at 5:30 p.m. Space is limited.

For information, call 406-962-3013.

If you’re looking for some great insight into becoming a published author in a Montana based magazine this is a “must attend” event; there will be publishers and/or editors from nine Montana themed publications hosting a discussion panel on their role in the state’s literature and how to become published in their magazines.

If you have family members who might not be interested in the book festival or it’s subject matter they can always spend time at the Bair Museum, fishing at Deadman’s Basin or relaxing at the Spa Hotsprings Motel. There are links on the festival website for places to stay and if you do a little Googling you can find quite a few family fun events also.

From the Billings Gazette

The fourth annual Meagher County Book Festival in White Sulphur Springs has a regional theme again this year, with much of the attention given to the increasingly popular genre of Montana magazines.

The festival will begin at 5 p.m. Aug. 7 with a reception and presentation at “The Castle” Museum in White Sulphur Springs. The morning of Aug. 8 features a panel discussion with 10 editors from bestselling magazines that focus on Montana and its happenings.

Molly Holz, Butch Larcombe, Seabring Davis, Valerie Harms, David Reese, Courtney Lowry, Nick Ehli, Rick Newby and Hayley Lennington-Leray will talk about what it takes to publish and sell in magazines in the Big Sky.

From 8:30 a.m. to noon Aug 9, Sue Hart, a Montana State University Billings professor and Montana author, and Valerie Harms, editor of Distinctly Montana magazine will present a workshop for anyone interested in writing for one of the many Montana magazines.

The workshop and the scheduled events of the Meagher County Book Festival are free and include a free tour of the Charles M. Bair Family Museum on the afternoon of Aug. 9

There is a charge for lunch on Aug. 8 and the annual Steak Fry at the Jock and Jamie Doggett Ranch. Entertainment at the Steak Fry on the evening of Aug. 9 will be provided by “Mark Twain in Montana,” performed by Michael Delaney.

Here’s a peak at the proposed banner that we will be using here at BigSkyBlog…eventually, I hope to have a few rotating banners to highlight different aspects of our wonderful state, but this one is our starter. And we owe the lovely design to our very own Jen!