Huckleberries…
Nature’s Purple Gold

Recipes by Electric City Coffee | Photography by Rhonda Adkins

Huckleberry Baked French Toast

Butter, For Greasing
1 loaf Crusty French Bread
8 whole Eggs
2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract

Text by Claire Baiz  •  Photography by Phil Procopio

It figures that a guy who graduated from the school of hard knocks wound up working with wood, and the gal who hired him, years ago, is now splitting time between two careers.

Chris and Susan Crocker’s business, The Good Wood Guys, located in the old Hodges Plumbing complex off 8th Ave. North, serves contractors, hobbyists and homeowners.

Chris, a trained millwright, machinist and fabricator, palms a photo of a bulbous, barky lump. “Production mills don’t want this wood…It will make spectacular oak burl,” he beams. “We specialize in the unique and different, mill direct.”

Susan, who worked in advertising and retail management, met Chris when she hired him as an archery expert at Scheel’s. Years later, they reconnected and re-educated themselves. Susan still teaches English at Great Falls High, but Chris is too busy to teach college chemistry.

With ash, cherry, oak, hackberry and other hardwoods stacked and leaning against every wall, wrapped chocolates in an open jar, and a mahogany-brown mascot, this is the best treehouse in town.

Text by Kelsie McKenzie, Health Coach at the Benefis Weight Loss Center

Each year, people all over the world make New Year’s resolutions to “give up” eating junk food or sweets and find little success. This year, the Benefis Weight Loss Center wants to challenge you to “take up” a healthy habit, rather than give one up. Here are four healthy habits that you can take up in 2016 to help you on the journey to a healthier lifestyle.

Take up: Positive Affirmations

Instead of feeling guilty for skipping the gym or eating a donut the day before, start every day with a positive affirmation. You can make up something specific to your goals and personality, such as “Today is going to be great. You are awesome, and you are going to make awesome choices to fuel your body.” If that particular sentence doesn’t fit your fancy, there are plenty of books and apps that will give you a new positive affirmation every day. Focus on being positive, and you will be surprised how unsatisfying that donut starts to look.

Text and photography by Phil Procopio

If you’re like me, you love trying the latest products to hit the market.  Here is a sampling of the products I’ve been trying on myself, on guests in the salon and on photo shoot sets as well. Enjoy!