The Wind from Eden: Montana Weather Stories

Jun 15 2021 11 mins 1

The Wind from Eden: Montana Weather Stories Podcast artwork

The Wind from Eden: Montana Weather Stories is produced by the Acoustic Atlas at the Montana State University Library: https://acousticatlas.org. The series looks at how weather has shaped the history, culture, and literature of Central Montana. It is brought to you by the MSU Library’s Ivan Doig archive with support from Humanities Montana. Original music for the series was provided by Flynn Cohen at flynncohen.net. Audio from Ivan Doig’s books English Creek and This House of Sky was provided by Recorded Books, Inc. and Highbridge Audio. The banner image on this site, "Meagher County, Montana" by J. Stephen Conn, is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/ 83372564@N00/3866726886. The series kicked off on February 22, 2021.

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

Bonus Track: Sounds From Doig Country

Jun 15 2021 27 mins

This track features a mix of recordings from locations that often appeared in Ivan Doig's writings. The episode (there is no narration) begins with the sound of Dupuyer Creek, the real-life inspiration for Doig's fictional English Creek. Other recordings capture sounds from nearby Choteau and White Sulphur Springs. These sounds feature birds, frogs, and weather such as rain, wind a

Bonus Track: Prairie Wind

Mar 22 2021 11 mins

Immerse yourself in the sound of prairie wind as heard in 'Doig Country' east of Dupuyer. This is an ambient recording of the wind sweeping along the Rocky Mountain Front. (See Episode 5 for more information about the prevalence of wind in this part of Central Montana.) The recording was made by Jeff Rice for the Acoustic Atlas at Montana State University.

Bonus Interview: A Rancher’s Perspective

Mar 15 2021 15 mins

We interview Ivan Doig’s cousin Gordon Doig about the influence of weather on ranching life. He talks about the importance of a good horse during a blizzard and recounts the ways that ranchers of Ivan Doig’s era dealt with outdoor life before the conveniences of modern weather forecasting.

Episode 5: Chinook Winds

Feb 19 2021 5 mins

The area along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front is known for its relentless wind, including a phenomenon known as a "Chinook," or "snow eater." We interview a meteorologist to help us understand what causes a Chinook and hear why Ivan Doig referred to Chinooks as "the wind from Eden.”

Episode 4: The Story of William Glasser

Feb 19 2021 5 mins

Glasser was 18 years old in the winter of 1948 when he volunteered to help a local rancher feed his cattle. He may not have known that 1948 would bring one off the fiercest winters in state history. His visit to feed the cows turned into a long and lonely stay in a tiny cabin he would call home for more than a month.

Episode 3: Extreme Cold

Feb 18 2021 11 mins

When it comes to extreme cold, Montana residents have some bragging rights. On January 20, 1954 at Rogers Pass, the temperature stood at 70 degrees below zero. The coldest it has ever been measured in the lower 48 states. So cold that the trees began to explode. We look at why this happens in Montana and how this was depicted in Ivan Doig's novel Bucking the Sun.

Episode 2: Spring and Ivan Doig's "place-defining literature."

Feb 18 2021 11 mins

We interview Montana State University cultural geographer William Wyckoff about the importance of weather to Ivan Doig's literature. The episode also includes a recollection (and music) from 93-year-old White Sulphur Springs resident Julia Short.

Episode 1: Summer Celebration

Feb 17 2021 14 mins

Our first episode looks at the ways that weather is depicted in Ivan Doig’s novel English Creek. We visit some of the locations that Doig wrote about and talk with local residents about how seasonal change has affected their own lives. Stops along the way include the hay fields of Dupuyer and a classic 4th of July rodeo. Keep an eye out for grizzly bears.

Introduction: The Wind from Eden

Feb 12 2021 1 mins

The Wind from Eden is a new podcast series about the connection between weather and the literature of Montana-born author Ivan Doig. This is an introduction to the upcoming series.