Sunday, July 24, 2005

 
Hello faithful readers!

I shall be gone until mid-August, but will be back with more heart-places to share. Thank you for your visits. I enjoy reliving these magical places with you.

Bitterroots

Bitterrroot

Saturday, July 23, 2005

 

Curve of the earth


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.


Friday, July 22, 2005

 

Storm over the Missions


Storm over the Missions, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

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


Thursday, July 21, 2005

 

Nature's Terraces


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.


Wednesday, July 20, 2005

 

Snow, granite, and pines on a cloudy day

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


Tuesday, July 19, 2005

 

Fresh snow in the summer


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.


Monday, July 18, 2005

 

Barn with soul


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!


Sunday, July 17, 2005

 

Montana kinnikinnick


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.


Saturday, July 16, 2005

 

Morning sun touches the peaks of the Swans

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.


Thursday, July 14, 2005

 

Storm rolls in


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.


Wednesday, July 13, 2005

 

Study in greens


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.


Tuesday, July 12, 2005

 

Sunset over the Mission Mountains

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.)


Monday, July 11, 2005

 

Lake McDonald, Glacier Park


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.


Sunday, July 10, 2005

 

Old sidesaddles from early Montana days

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


Saturday, July 09, 2005

 

Sunny day? Rainy day? Who can tell in Montana?

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


Friday, July 08, 2005

 

Logs with history


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.


Thursday, July 07, 2005

 

Breadbasket


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.


Wednesday, July 06, 2005

 

From my kitchen window


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.


Tuesday, July 05, 2005

 

Vicki's miracle


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...


Monday, July 04, 2005

 

A tiny fern's foothold


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


Sunday, July 03, 2005

 

A final glow


A final glow, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

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


Saturday, July 02, 2005

 

Black butterfly


Black butterfly, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

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


Friday, July 01, 2005

 

First light


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.


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