Collection: 4 Fun Ways to Take a Break Outside

Like us, you may have a hard time sitting inside all day. So we're thinking about what we can do outdoors without having to stray far from home. Here are some simple suggestions on how to take a break from the indoors and get a little fresh air.

Toy/Tool Shed Cleaning

Maybe it’s a mix of toys and tools. Either way, now is a great time to get organized. Just the other day, when we were cleaning out the basement of our Bozeman store, we came across two pretty incredible pieces of history.

The first was an old whiskey bottle. Old Blue Ribbon Kentucky Whiskey, distilled by John Cochrane & Co. in 1917, is from the Prohibition Era, when production, sale, and consumption of spirits were completely banned. However, a select group of distillers were able to exploit a loophole that allowed them to sell their products for "medicinal purposes." Unfortunately, John Cochrane & Co. didn't survive the inevitable legislation of that era when so many similar businesses were forced to shut down. ⠀

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The second item was a photograph dated 1918, and shows a young couple, dressed in the style of the time. It was taken in California, but you have to wonder if somehow, someway, there is an overlapping story between these two pieces of history. Perhaps the husband squirreled away the bottle (it was well hidden) for an occasional drink. Maybe the building was his place of business, the photo lived on his desk, and a few snorts of whiskey helped him get through the day. Either way, there's a good chance the bottle passed through the hands of a Montana bootlegger). Who knows, some historical gem or family heirloom might be out there right now waiting for you to discover it.  

Dog Training

With the waterfowl season behind us, now is a great time for some training in the backyard. Even maintaining simple obedience like sit, stay, and heel can go a long way in the lull between now and fall. Add in some bumper work for that much-needed cardio. And if you live near water, even better.

Perhaps you’ve recently acquired a puppy. In that case, you might kick some of these other suggestions off your list because your hands are already full enough. Starting a dog can be tough, but the reward that comes in seeing a young one excel is so rewarding. Getting going around that 13-week mark will set you and your puppy up for success once the real work begins.  

Yard Work

Seems like there’s always something to check off that list. Perhaps it’s even been “suggested” that you put in a new flower bed. Or work up the garden. We must say, it’s pretty dang pleasing to get back to those agrarian roots and get our hands dirty in the earth that’s been frozen for months. Just think, do it now and later you could be fishing.

Get Lost in the Pages of a Book

Sometimes, there’s no better place to escape than into the imagination. You can do this by walking right out the front door and sitting on the porch with a good book. Perhaps it’s the base of an old oak tree where you prefer to do your reading and thinking.

A couple favorites circulating our crew right now are Undaunted Courage (an account of the Lewis & Clark expedition and the opening of the American West) by Stephen E. Ambrose and Alaska (a chronicle about the spectacular history of our northwestern-most state) by James A. Michener. This might also be a good time to revert to the classics like Zane Grey, Jack London, or Louis L’Amour, those great authors who took us out to sea, onto the Klondike in search of gold, or allowed us to sit a horse with them atop a plateau watching a distant rainstorm. Like that storm, this too shall pass.