Posts from the ‘Montana’ category

Summers in Somers

Somers, MT is located on the northwest corner of Flathead Lake in Flathead County, Montana.  Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.  I had not even heard of it before coming to Northwest Montana. 

Flathead Lake is beautiful – surrounded by mountains, longer north to south than it is wide east to west.  It is not really developed on its shores which is nice.  There is, however, plenty of public access and much of that via state parks that are wooded and very natural.  I grew up on Lake Erie which is not the most beautiful of the Great Lakes – but I did learn to sail on that lake and on the Maumee River in Ohio.  But I’ve sailed on Flathead Lake and it is incredible – the vistas, the water, the wind and the waves – big lake sailing at its best.

Late this summer on a not too smoky day, I took Karl to Lakeside, MT which is across Somers Bay from Somers, MT and took these photos.  Somers is home to a nice little marina – I’ve sailed from there and also from Dayton, MT which is further south along the west shore of the lake.  But Somers is a bit unique – itty-bitty town mostly on a hill overlooking the lake.  It reminds me of parts of San Francisco in that the houses are small footprint houses that step up the hill with beautiful vistas of the water.

Somers Bay

Tower

Sailboats

Karl

Another Whitefish Day

Yesterday –  Chiropractor, dog walk, eye appointment, lunch with friend, dog walk, Costco, Grocery, home – a LONG day “out” for this home body!  BUT… weather!!! rain, clouds, blue sky, sun – everything and clean, crisp, fresh air!  I took a LOT of photos but was hampered considerably by the eye appt which included dilation of both eyes.  I was reduced to absolute trust of my camera.  (my eye contines to be fine…one more check…)

The day started as a rainy, socked in day.  Mid-morning, the clouds lifted enough to show some blue patches and snow levels plenty low for early October!  If things keep up the 2 local ski resorts should be extremely happy!  As I moved from here to there and back there were areas of squalls – looked like snow vs rain ???  Judge for yourself below:

Whitefish Train Station – Amtrak – it seems SO old-fashioned – especially inside – something from another era.  I took Amtrak to Seattle several times in ’97-98 when I was working with a consulting company there.  The train leaves Whitefish early evening – and arrives Seattle 7 a.m.ish.  I always got a sleeper – took minis of scotch, my Walkman (the iPod of the 90’s!) and enjoyed the comfy-coziness of the tight quarters.  There was a 1-2 a.m. stop in Spokane, WA where I usually woke for a bit.  I’d then wake early enough before Seattle to shower and change before arrival.   It was a unique experience!  …. first photo below is the train station, ski area in the background is Big Mountain.

Train Station

Big Mtn

More Whitefish – Big Mtn and Whitefish Main St.

Train 

Main Street

A good fire

WoodstoveWe have had rain off and on, it’s cool and crisp and last night rained all night and continues this morning.  All fire restrictions were lifted the beginning of this week.  The time was right – first fall fire in the woodstove!  A bit odd this year after all of the scare of fire during the summer.

But, suddenly the weather forecast is much cooler, much wetter and snow levels are dropping with each front.  The leaves are turning on the aspen and birch but the larch pine are still green – usually the color here peaks about mid-October.  No fire-reds or oranges here like the east but the brilliant blaze of yellow and gold mixed with the ever green is still beautiful.

There is usually not much time between the end of the color and the first snow – every year I’ve lived in Montana (since Feb ’94) it has at least flurried on Halloween.  And often it gets very cold and we get a first heavy snow in early November.  So, yesterday was spent putting away mower and trimmer and getting the snowblower ready to go.  Garden and lawn stuff to the rear – shovels and snowblower to the fore.  In the next couple of weeks it will be time to put the driveway edge markers in place – so much easier when you can see the edge of the driveway :) !

The change of seasons is not subtle in Montana.  We seem to always blast from one into the next.  The summer-fall transition is my favorite as I’m never sorry to leave the heat of summer behind.  The last several weeks of balmy days and lots of sunshine have been wonderful.   Now we’ll start being cold and damp and I always say that it feels colder during this first cold, wet time then in the dead of winter as I adjust to different temps and humidity – the fire feels pretty good!

Another Saturday Walk

Karl

Karl II

This walking spot is next to and behind Costco and in the vicinity of a whole complex of shopping…Home Depot, Target, local stores.  The walking trails are actually part of a park that includes soccer fields and baseball diamonds.  It’s a beautiful spot with 360 views of the mountains – even if Costco and a new fire station are in field of vision.  Our walking spots are fading with local development.  The photos below are in the direction of Glacier National Park – called the “V”.   In a few weeks – maybe less, it will be snow covered.

No Zoom – med Zoo – as much Zoom as I have:

V Far

V Med

V Zoom