Welcome Friends - Missoula, Montana

“Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us.

Let's not be afraid to receive each day's surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy.

It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.” - Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

Meadow, Mountains, Sky - Creston, Montana

No matter where your Montana drive meanders, the view opens your heart and calms the mind. 
Breathe deep; enjoy this vicarious big sky view.

Betwixt - Missoula, Montana

Along my drive home just after 9:00 yesterday evening, the sunset show was well underway, its golden primal donna already resting on the western mountain range. Surprise, surprise! - Summer has committed to its waning hours, closing up shop long before the 10 pm final curtain of end-of-June evenings. 
These golden grasses leaning toward autumn speak their own reminder, echoing this verse by Janet Martin: 

"Alas, alas, our days are as grass
Our wisdom a grain of sand
Alas, alas, the summers pass
As I, like a mute yet stand
Watching time, like phantom infantry
March beyond the hills
Beyond the moon, beyond the sea
Beyond the starry sills..."

Ponder the full poem, 'A Dandelion Seed' here, and Janet's current poetic musings at Another Porch...A Poetry Blog.

Pink Dahlia - Missoula, Montana

"My advice to the women of America is to raise more hell and fewer dahlias."

-- William Allen White, author, editor, Progressive leader (1868-1944)

While I don’t consider the two presented options as mutually exclusive, I gather that William Allen White was a rather feisty, twinkle-eyed fellow who probably livened up any gathering he attended.

View Under The Orange Street Bridge - Missoula, Montana

The westward end of Missoula's downtown river walking path winds under the shade of the Orange street bridge, conveniently merging enjoyment of two of my favourite things - architecture and the river. 

Happily, I found a couple appropriate bridge quotes from Bruce Jackson - I couldn't precisely ascertain which Bruce Jackson, but I'm leaning toward the filmmaker  and photographer over the former Military Intelligence Officer.

"Bridges are perhaps the most invisible form of public architecture."

"Bridges become frames for looking at the world around us."

Yellow Petals - Missoula, Montana

"...each floweret, chilled by the night air, expands its pure petals; the gentle breeze shakes from the blades of grass the heavy dewdrops." - John James Audubon

Stunning Studebaker - Missoula, Montana

"I have a phrase, ‘You can drive a Studebaker forever.’ My lifelong ambition is proving that’s true." - Ken Michael, Studebaker restorer

Read his full interview with Car and Driver magazine here.