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Finding Gemstones on the Beach in Montana

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Finding Gemstones on the Beach in Montana


Last weekend, my spouse and I got to experience something fun. We went hunting for “rubies” at Ruby Reservoir in southwest Montana. We had booked an Airbnb in Virginia City for a weekend getaway from Billings. Having some time to kill, I suggested we check out the reservoir. I’m a bit of a rockhound and it’s been on my list of places to visit forever.

Ruby Reservoir, located between Ennis and Dillon in Madison County Montana, is a hidden gem for gem enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Set against the backdrop of the Tobacco Root Mountains, it’s not only a haven for outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, and hiking but also a popular spot for garnet hunting.

An old storefront in Alder, MT. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

An old storefront in Alder, MT. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

Playing tourist in Southwest Montana.

We took the short drive from Virginia City to Ruby Reservoir, stopping for a couple of quick photos in the tiny hamlet of Alder. The paved road to the lake provided a picturesque drive, easily accessible by car.

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A handful of boaters and jet skis were zooming around the lake as we parked and headed down to the only “beach” that was accessible without a boat.

There wasn’t really much of a beach at the BLM campground on the east shore of the lake, but we managed to find a sandy spot at the boat launch and plopped down on a couple of folding chairs.

Mrs. Foth probably won’t like me sharing this pic. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

Mrs. Foth probably won’t like me sharing this pic. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

We found our first garnet within minutes.

I didn’t expect to find anything, but not five minutes after we wandered down to the water’s edge I spotted the first reddish/purple sparkle of a tiny garnet. Eureka! I got the same adrenaline rush I get from hitting on a keno machine or when a trout strikes my line.

Credit Michael Foth, TSM

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My improvised pan. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

No equipment? No problem.

We didn’t have a shovel, gold pan, tweezers, or even a bucket, but I improved with a plastic cooler lid. We spent the next couple of hours soaking up the sunshine and the pleasant afternoon, collecting a bunch of tiny red garnets in the process.

Credit Michael Foth, TSM

Credit Michael Foth, TSM

Most of our “rubies” were about the size of a coarse sea salt.

My improvised pan – aka cooler lid – showed countless specks of shimmering garnet, the size of fine sand. We collected about 20 that were big enough to pick.

Talking to locals after our adventure, they recommended visiting late in the summer when the water level at the reservoir is lower for best success. Others mentioned searching downstream from the dam.

Credit Michael Foth, TSM

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Credit Michael Foth, TSM

If you want to feel like a treasure hunter too, stop by Ruby Reservoir next time you’re in southwest Montana and try your luck hunting for gemstones. It’s fun, free, and an enjoyable experience.

How 10 Montana Small Towns Got Their Interesting Names

Miners, railroaders, trappers, and homesteaders all played a part in creating Montana’s most unique town names.

Gallery Credit: Michael Foth

Riding a Train on Montana’s Southern Route

We hitched a ride on the BNSF Employee Appreciation passenger train as it rumbled across southern Montana in 2024.

Gallery Credit: Michael Foth

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Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc. (NASDAQ:EBMT) Plans Dividend Increase – $0.14 Per Share

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Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc. (NASDAQ:EBMT) Plans Dividend Increase – alt=



Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc. (NASDAQ:EBMT – Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, July 23rd, Zacks reports. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th will be paid a dividend of 0.142 per share by the bank on Friday, September 6th. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.01%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 16th. This is a boost from Eagle Bancorp Montana’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.14.

Eagle Bancorp Montana has raised its dividend by an average of 13.0% annually over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 13 consecutive years. Eagle Bancorp Montana has a payout ratio of 33.5% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities research analysts expect Eagle Bancorp Montana to earn $1.64 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.56 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 34.1%.

Eagle Bancorp Montana Stock Down 1.3 %

Shares of NASDAQ EBMT opened at $14.15 on Wednesday. Eagle Bancorp Montana has a 52-week low of $11.26 and a 52-week high of $17.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91. The stock has a market cap of $113.48 million, a P/E ratio of 12.63 and a beta of 0.54. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $13.24 and a 200 day moving average price of $13.29.

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Eagle Bancorp Montana (NASDAQ:EBMT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 23rd. The bank reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.29 by ($0.05). The firm had revenue of $19.17 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.50 million. Eagle Bancorp Montana had a net margin of 7.39% and a return on equity of 5.29%. Analysts expect that Eagle Bancorp Montana will post 1.27 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on EBMT shares. Hovde Group started coverage on Eagle Bancorp Montana in a research note on Friday, July 5th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $13.50 target price for the company. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Eagle Bancorp Montana in a report on Sunday. They set a “hold” rating on the stock.

View Our Latest Report on EBMT

Insider Transactions at Eagle Bancorp Montana

In other Eagle Bancorp Montana news, Director Peter Joseph Johnson sold 2,954 shares of Eagle Bancorp Montana stock in a transaction on Friday, May 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.21, for a total transaction of $39,022.34. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 71,139 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $939,746.19. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other Eagle Bancorp Montana news, Director Kenneth M. Walsh sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.98, for a total value of $129,800.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 156,039 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,025,386.22. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Peter Joseph Johnson sold 2,954 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.21, for a total transaction of $39,022.34. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 71,139 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $939,746.19. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 14,405 shares of company stock worth $187,859 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 6.70% of the company’s stock.

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Eagle Bancorp Montana Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Opportunity Bank of Montana that provides various retail banking products and services to small businesses and individuals in Montana. It accepts various deposit products, such as checking, savings, money market, and individual retirement accounts, as well as certificates of deposit accounts.

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Dividend History for Eagle Bancorp Montana (NASDAQ:EBMT)



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Pondering bringing the family together in Montana

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Pondering bringing the family together in Montana


Two years ago when I heard the words tumbling from my mouth, they seemed like a great idea.

All of my cool, out-of-state cousins could come to the ranch for a long weekend and enjoy some Montana-style fun.

Of course, back then I had plenty of time to repaint the peeling trim on the house, repair the crumbling rock wall, clear the clogged septic system, and plant an abundant garden next to a verdant lawn.

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This idea sparked from an uncle’s birthday party. My cousin, Brent, managed to bring all of us together for an afternoon, despite long distances and threadbare family fabric. At the impromptu after-party, cousins who had not seen each other for years discovered we all liked one another. Even better, we wanted to see each other again.

My ranch seemed like a perfect place for a reunion.

They would have to make more of an effort than I – it isn’t easy to get to Conrad, Montana, even if it is the true epicenter of the universe.

Still, I wanted my cousins to be impressed, not live my reality.

By last week, I could flush the toilet.

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The rest of my vision was fading fast.

The hot sun and wind sucked the grass dry, my tomatoes were still recovering from a late frost and I could pick peeling paint from the house trim as I walked past the windows.

So much for putting my best foot forward.

So I shifted my goals from appearing to embrace conventional societal standards to refraining from poisoning people I love with my potato salad.

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Fortunately, my brother brought the potato salad.

The thermometer in the shade pointed to the 90s.

My guard dogs growled sometimes.

People said it was too far to walk to the tepee I set up inside an old tepee ring far from the house so they could enjoy the isolated beauty of the prairie — although the kids managed to skip and jog the entire three-quarters of a mile.

I realized that other people choose convenience over isolation and shade over sweat.

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Oh.

Right.

That meant I needed to modify my plan to set up a shooting range a half mile from the house.

Instead, my shop became the shady visitors center from which to fire at targets.

Their rifles came out one day, pistols the next.

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Despite these blips in my interpretation of cultural norms and expectations, we all had a good time.

The kids swam in the creek while adults sat under a few shady chokecherry bushes.

The wagon ride to the sheepherder’s monument compressed a few passengers’ vertebrae, but they comprehended the scope of the landscape.

Some of us reviewed progress on my building remodeling project.

Others fed the orphan lambs.

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We took turns playing cornhole, trash-talking when necessary.

We learned that a competitive spirit just might be a shared dominant gene.

We relived childhood stories and recounted successes and failures of adulthood.

Nobody mentioned the peeling paint.

We all ate too much.

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People made supper and even cleaned up my kitchen.

Everyone contributed.

Best of all, we talked about our plans for the future.

Those plans included seeing one another again.

We wove the threads of our various lives into our family fabric again – fabric not quite yellow twine strong, but definitely as tough as wool yarn.

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Our next family reunion is now scheduled for next August, at a family tree farm in Oregon. All I need to do is show up, wash a few dishes and weave threads into an even stronger family fabric.

I can do that.

Meanwhile, I give it 50-50 odds on whether my house trim will be painted and the rock wall repaired by then.

Lisa Schmidt raises grass-fed beef and lamb at the Graham Ranch near Conrad. Lisa can be reached at L.Schmidt@a-land-of-grass-ranch.com.



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Hayley Burns proves third try the charm in Montana Mile

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Hayley Burns proves third try the charm in Montana Mile


BILLINGS — The third try was the charm for Hayley Burns.

The Bozeman graduate and Northern Arizona runner finally broke through in the Montana Mile, picking up her first career victory Friday to kick off the 2024 Big Sky State Games.

“It feels really good,” Burns said. “I think my first year was last and was pretty tough. The next year I came back and was like, I want to try and win, but it was pretty tough in the middle of summer training. I did what I could and that’s the same mindset this year. Just see where I’m at. Cross (country season) is what matters, but I wanted to do my best and see what I could do.”

Burns said she hasn’t necessarily been training for races as short as the Montana Mile, as she’s running upwards of 70 miles per week with a strong emphasis on her cross country season.

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She had some external motivation alongside her, though, as teammate and Helena alum Odessa Zentz kept pace with Burns nearly step for step.

“I think we’re mainly keeping each other loose, enjoying each other’s company and not getting so nervous for the race,” Burns said. “It’s nice having someone to warm up with instead of being alone. You both know the drill. You are both doing it. It’s support even though we’re both doing our own thing.”

Burns gives some credit for her performance to the training she does down in Flagstaff, Arizona, which sits nearly 7,000 feet above sea level and is a hotbed for high-level runners.

“There’s definitely benefits. It’s not something you feel, it’s something you see in time,” she said. “They say it’s similar to blood doping, but you don’t know unless you see a faster time. It feels the same. It hurts either way.”

Burns now hopes to carry some of this momentum forward into Northern Arizona’s cross country season, which begins in August.

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