Beautiful Autumn

 

It has been a beautiful Autumn.

The colorful part lasted weeks, yay!

 

We had lots of sunshine to inspire adventures in the mountains and forests. 

 

Snow has come and gone many times. 

Though the snow is magical and beautiful, 

it is nice when autumn returns, as winter is a long season here in NW Montana. 

The other day I drove out of the aged golden grasses of autumn 

into the snow clad forest of the mountains. 

 

Autumn's wanders revealed one of last summers

hummingbird nest. 

Seems one of my little birds friends 

was as curious about it as I was.

Wishing you a lovely autumn 

as we lean towards winter. 

~

*

Summer, Beautiful Summer

 

I drove to the mountains hoping to visit butterflies. When I got to the top of the pass there they were, a 1,000 of them fluttering about is not an exaggeration. 

 

They were around puddles sipping water absorbing minerals. I wish I had gotten a photo of the multitudes, yet as I approached they took to the air and fluttered around me. So glimpses is what I have to share.

 

The tiny pond snails are laying their eggs on leaves along the water.

 

lovely Self Heal is blooming, dotting the woods and meadows with their lovely presence. I am also using it in my tea and made a body oil with it. 

 

 

late spring and early summer we have had rains from time to time. Moss plumps up and grows at these times revealing their artful beauty. 

 

Enjoy each day, seasons come and go swiftly and each one holds its own special gifts.  

~

lovely summer to you 

~

*

 

 

Oyster Mushrooms

 

Yum yum

it is oyster mushroom season

in our area they grow on dead or dying aspen or cottonwood trees

I have found them in three places this week

get out and wander

 they burst through the bark and grow fairly fast, a few days and ready to harvest

These are growing in my yard on a dead aspen tree

this tree not only hosts mushrooms, 

there is a hairy woodpecker family nesting, 

bugs

bats

moss

lichen

an entire realm going on in this tree

if i had found them in the woods

I doubt I could have reached

yet here at home

a ladder and then a long rake

did the job

~

*

 

 

Lady Slipper Orchids

 

This morning I glanced at the soft sunshine pouring through the forest

and wondered if it was kissing the lovely Lady slippers. Camera in hand I wandered into the woods. Sure enough sunlight gently graced the forest and landed on the lovely orchids. 

When I headed out, I thought I would be home soon for a cup of tea, but the forest beckoned me, wrapping an aura of rarified energy around me. I wander through trees, meadows and over hills. Green lush everywhere at this time of year. Flowers sprinkled throughout. Bird song as a companion. 

The forest has that ability, to wrap itself around us in a nurturing way, unwinding any tight places, bringing our breath gently home and mind quiet. It offers us peace and inspiration, inspiring awe for our beautiful world. 

~

*

Deeper into Spring

 

Thrilled to visit with the lovely Calypso orchids

more commonly called Fairy Slippers

Native stonecrop succulents that slept beneath winter's snow 

have sprung to life in perfection

along with joyous moss

 

 

 tis the season for lovely morels

or should I say yummy morels

make two wishes

one for you

and one for our lovely world

~

*

 

Spring treasures

 

The lovely pasque wildflower is gracing our presence in prairie landscapes.

Just as lovely from the back as it is from the front of their blooms:

Lately we have had Ms. Fox passing through often. 

Sometimes I find her curled up on my lawn, right off my porch. 

Maybe because I don't have domestic pets?

She is a red fox but considered a Cross fox due to her unique coloring.

Right now she is molting, a month ago she was fluffy as can be. 

 

We know she has at least 3 kits. The papa comes around to play and be with them. 

 

 

Spring flowers bloom later here in NW Montana than most places. 

I do anticipate their arrival and am willing to drive hours to be with them. 

Lovely Buttercup

above, spring beauties

also known as fairy spuds

as their corms are edible, but tiny

This handsome garter snake appeared when half the earth was still cloaked in snow. I was surprised to see it out of hibernation. 

I love being surprised by nature as it teaches me its ways. 

~

Lovely spring to you!

~

*

Frozen Lake

  

Autumn gold

held

beneath 

winters frozen breath of ice

twas a beautiful day at the lake

when the sun comes out to show off the beauty of our world

I try to be out under its lovely light

for our winters tend to be cloudy

The lake shore was frozen for quite a ways into the lake

yet there were windows in the ice revealing treasures below

the artful expression of nature

appears to be endless and whimsical at times

some winters

and this lake does not freeze at all

there were people walking on this ice.....

so fun to see ice forming in a myriad of shapes and different transparencies

I hope you have enjoyed the glimpses of Lake McDonald

in winter wonderland

~

*

Ermine

 

I donned my xc skis and headed out through the forest to the big back meadow.

Though it is above freezing the snow did not stick to my skis and it was nice to glide around. 

 

 

Returning home I remembered I needed to collect sticks to start tomorrows fire. 

As I did so, the birds followed me for seeds and they make wee chirping sounds to let me know they are there and to feed them. 

But then there was another sound…. Maybe more high pitched, after the 3rd time I felt a need to figure it out. 

 

 

Look at who I saw, a curious little ermine! A sweet way to start a new year. 

 

 Lovely New Year to you All

~

*

Critters

 

lovely to see these Ruffed Grouse in a bush

their chamouflage is wonderful

it was a pair of birds

nice that they have one another for winter

the second bird was well hidden

ice crystal season has begun

this one is not super clear as it was a bit frosty on top 

of the crystals

lovely in its star shape

Looking out the window, a deeply gray day and the world seems frozen.

Yet I step out and two little birds fly to me, land on my hand for nuts.

A doe wanders through the yard and gazes as me as I fill my carrier with wood for the stove.

She wanders off between the ponds, we are all aware of one another.

THEN an explosion of movement and sound appears from the far side of the pond.

A buck at high speed appears to be flying and the doe flees swiftly. 

The chase is on. 

Flying over fences at high speed. Then it all stops, she got away. Five minutes later, nearly the same event happens all over again, this time I had my camera out and captured this photo of the buck on the hunt. I stood still as a tree and he ignored me. He heard her movement and the chase was on. Again she escapes. A few minutes later I hear them charging through the woods. Three times….. he was quite sincere in his chase. I did not see the outcome, did she get away?

I read there are a number of reasons for a buck behaving this way. Not always the rut, sometimes due to the amount of testosterone. This was a first sighting for me.

Our frozen world is not entirely frozen for the season. Step outside and one never knows what they will experience.

~

* 

First Snow

 

Our first snow of the season

landed on trees that still have autumn leaves

a mix of autumn and winter

striking to see golden leaves in a nearly black and white realm

I wonder what deer think of the change of season?

morning two of the snowstorm

covered us even deeper in snow

offering a mystical and magical white realm

~