Bitterroot and Bergamot

Curve of the earth, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

The curve of this hill against the Bitterroot mountains is a lovely scene that changes every minute with the weather coming in from the west. Moose Can Gully Ranch in western Montana.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 10:22 PM 0 comments

Storm over the Missions, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Storms brew up quickly over the Mission Mountains in western Montana.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 7:34 AM 0 comments

Cliffs on the Smith River, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Late afternoon sun makes a dramatic shadow pattern on the cliffs bordering the Smith River in central Montana.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 12:32 AM 0 comments

Snow, granite, and pines on a cloudy day, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

The Swan Range, western Montana. This is a closer look at the view just below.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 11:36 AM 0 comments

Fresh snow in the summer, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Fresh snow in the mountains in June is a good harbinger for lower fire danger later in the summer. We could use a little more of that precipitation now, however.

This photo is best viewed large. Click on pic to get to Flickr, and click again on "All Sizes" to see a larger version.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 12:10 AM 0 comments

Barn with soul, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

This old barn has a soul of its own, having sheltered many generations of critters and kids. As a youngster, this was one of my favorite places to play on a summer afternoon. Magical!

# posted by Bitterroot @ 7:47 AM 0 comments

Montana kinnikinnick, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

This sturdy little plant is part of the mosaic of the forest floor in Montana woodlands. Birds and bear alike, along with many other animals, depend on kinnikinnick for food. The leaves are reported to make a refreshing tea.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 10:51 PM 0 comments

Morning sun touches the peaks of the Swans, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

The Swan Range again...imprinted on my mind's eye when I was very small and my dad built a little cabin at their foot. The Swans run north and south from just below Glacier Park to the Blackfoot Valley. They form the western boundary of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. The beautiful Seeley-Swan valley runs between the Mission and the Swan Ranges.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 2:13 PM 2 comments

Storm rolls in, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Sunshine and storm clouds compete as the thunder rolls over the hills above the Smith River in central Montana.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 12:13 AM 0 comments

Study in greens, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Taken on the Clearwater River in Swan Valley, Montana just south of Glacier Park. This river, linking a chain of several lakes and joining with the Blackfoot east of Missoula, is well named. Its waters have a startling, almost unbelievable clarity.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 12:11 AM 0 comments

Sunset over the Mission Mountains, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Another shot taken from the Double Arrow Ranch in the Seeley- Swan Valley in western Montana.

(See June 29 for more about the Double Arrow.)

# posted by Bitterroot @ 12:30 AM 0 comments

Lake McDonald, Glacier Park, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

In various parts of the world, live webcams are focused year-round on some spectacular scenes. Some of my favorites are in spots in Glacier Park. If you go to the sites at just the right moment, you will find some breathtaking views in real time -- peaks on fire with sunrise, magnificent storm scenes, etc.

Here is Lake McDonald during a quiet period a couple of hours ago. The webcam shots are fuzzy and spotted from drops on the camera lens, but the scenes they record provide a continuous window on a glorious world.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 10:13 AM 0 comments

Old sidesaddles from early Montana days, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

From an era when ladies' limbs must be arranged in a decorous fashion, certainly not astride!

# posted by Bitterroot @ 10:16 PM 0 comments

Sunny day? Rainy day? Who can tell in Montana?, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Watching the weather roll in refreshes the soul. The interplay between sun and rain on the mountains of western Montana is endlessly absorbing.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 11:39 AM 0 comments

Logs with history, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Contrast in shape, dimension, and texture: in the background are old tamarack logs stacked to form a cabin. This little dwelling rests within a grove of its cousins that are six centuries old. There is something elegant, mysterious, and timeless about the tamarack tree, also known as the western larch.

Taken in the Swan Valley, western Montana.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 7:52 AM 1 comments

Breadbasket, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Family farms still dot the countryside in southwestern Wisconsin.

Here is a glimpse at the breadbasket of the middle west: a thriving

stand of corn on the Fourth of July.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 8:40 AM 4 comments

From my kitchen window, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

A puzzled pair of twins slipped out of the forest to gaze around the clearing and then bounded away, leaving me to wonder if I had seen a dream.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 12:07 AM 2 comments

Vicki's miracle, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

A cactus garden planted in Wisconsin's rigorous clime that thrives and blooms each year. Vicki's green (or thorny) thumb is the source of this particular miracle...

# posted by Bitterroot @ 7:29 PM 0 comments

A tiny fern's foothold, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Plants create their own mini-world by clinging valiantly to inhospitable surfaces. A testament to the tenacity and adaptability of all life.

Taken in Iowa County, Wisconsin

# posted by Bitterroot @ 1:15 PM 0 comments

A final glow, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

A young pine tree in southwestern Wisconsin captures evening's last rays.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 11:23 PM 0 comments

Black butterfly, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Taken at the height of butterfly season in Iowa County, Wisconsin.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 6:46 PM 0 comments

First light, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

The river and its surroundings remain shrouded in fog and mystery as the first light of day brightens the horizon. Taken at Camp Baker on the Smith River in Central Montana.

# posted by Bitterroot @ 7:04 AM 2 comments