Posts from the ‘Nature’ category

Snow!

Yesterday (Monday), there was a bit of snow visible high on the mountains and barely visible through the cloud cover, but this evening! – this snow is low – maybe 4000 feet or even lower. My house sits at about 3300 feet.

It’s beautiful! Karl and I stood and called for the snow to “come hither”!

It is cold – that damp cold of fall and the rain/snow mix that chills to the bone and feels colder than it does in the dead of winter. But there is pure joy in getting cold to the bone when I see smoke from the chimney and think about the warm fire in the woodstove.

The color, the rain, the cold and the snow…harbingers of Winter, Karl’s and my favorite season.

Larch madness

It seemed like the larch turned gold overnight. The weather has turned cold and rainy. Snow is forecast nearly to the valley floor this week.

By the river, the willows have started their change from willow green to chartreuse on their way to the reddish brown their branches will keep through the winter. But it is the patches of larch on the valley floor and the mountainsides that are bright gold, even on this overcast Sunday.

Larch madness.

Along the way on a Saturday

Yesterday, Karl and I took our afternoon walk on a part of the Swan River/Swan Horseshoe Trail…

Llamas – such funny faces and so interested in us.

Brownie decided to give us a profile shot…

The color remains outstanding, enhanced by the gorgeous light. I was wishing we walked this trail a couple of weeks ago as that garden plot is all sunflowers!

Along the way on a Saturday.

A Calm day

Friday afternoon Beardog Consulting shut down early and all members boarded Wild Thing for an excursion to Kila, MT. Kila is about 15 miles west of Kalispell in a beautiful small valley – still part of the larger Flathead Valley – and home to Smith Lake. We received permission to park for the few hours needed in a field bordering the school parking lot. Wild Thing was shaded, on level ground and had wonderful views.

There is a continuation of the “Rails to Trails” walk way in Kila. “Rails to Trails” is a National conservancy that uses old railroad beds for the creation of walk/bike trails. The spot we walk in Somers is also part of “Rails to Trails”. Additionally, here in Kila, the trail bordered a public waterfowl hunting area. Visibility was great and no hunters so we were able to walk a bit of that as well.

Our primary destination, though, was Calm Veterinary Clinic to see Dr. Barbara Calm…one of those interesting things where a name befits the occupation. Dr. Calm is not only a DVM practicing normal veterinary procedures but she also does herbal and nutrional treatments as well as acupuncture and chiropractic. We went to see her to get her ideas on additional options for Karl.

The clinic is tucked up against a hill and overlooks the valley. We ended our walk in the front yard and it was so “calm” that Karl wanted to lounge in the shade – but I convinced him to go in and at least say hello :)!

We were established in Dr. Calm’s office for this consult… Windows all around let the afternoon light in – and they opened so we had fresh air as well. A beautiful foam dog bed went unused except by me…imagine that…

Karl was treated like royalty and we came away with good information. We returned to Wild Thing to check on Bob, have a snack and for me to check email…Beardog Consulting never really shuts down… Another walk and then we were on our way back home – a Calm day in a beautiful spot!

Starry, starry night

Last night.

Outside.

Waxing crescent moon through the trees

Karl near.

Pine and woodsmoke.

Bob on the front porch.

Gratitude for another good day with my good dog, another day with the big cat Bob, a good work day – a day “the Lord hath made” – and Karl, Bob and I enjoyed.

And a starry, starry night.**

**That is the constellation Casseopeia in the photo…the somewhat lopsided and sideways “W”…just “northwest” of center

Polebridge, Montana…and the “Merc”

So…we left off yesterday at a stop along the North Fork of the Flathead River. But back to the beginning of the day for a moment…

Sandy took this photo as we were headed down “the road home”…I love it! My little red Jeep, with Karl and I aboard, headed for adventure :)! We took 2 vehicles because I am a tourist wimp and they are energizer bunnies in comparison… I needed to be able to come home when it was my nap time…

Off we go!

Breakfast at The Whistle Stop Cafe in Columbia Falls – where we added the word “terrifical” to our vocabulary…courtesy of our waitress – then north with the stop at the river and on another 40 minutes of dusty road along rivers and creeks, to Polebridge, Montana…home of Polebridge Mercantile…

aka the “Merc”.

The Polebridge Mercantile is famous for its bakery – bread, sweet rolls, sandwiches. We partook! And ate all on their front porch…

…while we took in the local color – and not just the leaves on the trees, but I cannot bring myself to point my camera at strangers so you’ll have to take my word for it.

However, while Sandy was inside getting another Huckleberry Bear Claw, Jerry and I were kibbutzing and noting that the “color” in this kind of very remote place tends to be the same from remote spot to remote spot. And then, a car with people who reeked high class pulled in and asked Jerry if he was from here… Hee… In Jerry’s defense, although he was wearing a cap that said “Paddle Faster, I hear banjo music”, he was dressed in jeans, a freshly pressed oxford shirt, with a belt and shirt tucked in! – AND his hat was on right side forward. He didn’t really look like a Polebridge local…but it was funny.

After that, I was done…Karl and I headed for home leaving Sandy and Jerry on their own for further exploring…they have a Garmin, I knew they’d find their way back to the house..eventually and they did…and it was still light :)!

Meanwhile, Karl and I stopped at another river access. Polebridge local dogs are out and about so visitor dogs have to be on leash…I left Karl in the Jeep while in Polebridge, so this stop was for him.

Beautiful creekside break…and then we went home.