Freshening Charms - Missoula, Montana

"...each mile of the river's length presents fresh charms, and the thoughtful mind is awed and purified by the contemplation of these, some of the grandest works of Nature."

- George Bird Grinnell, quoted in Last Stand, p. 25, by Michael Punke

Cradled - Missoula, Montana

"how can i ever
breathe normally again

after having been cradled
by the kind of sorrow
so silent, that it nourishes

after having been swept
by the kind of joy
so absolute, that it wounds."

- Sanober Khan, from Turquoise Silence

Enduring Design - Livingston, Montana

"The more you overdesign something, the quicker it dates. 

When you're dealing with high-value assets, they can't afford to be fashion projects."

 - Ian Dryburgh

(And isn't the definition of 'high-value asset' all a matter of perspective? To some viewpoints, this obviously refers to a private jet or superyacht. But in rural ranchland, the assumption could right fully be made that we're talking about miles and miles of fencing - definitely an asset AND high-value!)

Super Leaf - Missoula, Montana

Well, those of us snuggled under cloudy skies missed out on the luminous glory of last night's supermoon. So here's this red maple leaf from me, instead; I've been saving it for just such a sad scenario. You'll just have to tap into your inner Canadian (you know you want to have one, so dig deep!) - think gratefully polite thoughts and be happy with this.

If the elite inner-Canadian technique doesn't quite work for you, click here to bask in the grand glow of John Solvie's supermoon capture over the Las Vegas, Nevada, mountains, and here for more views from myriad clear-sky locations worldwide. 

Or you can just wait until 2034.

Vast Secrets - Livingston, Montana

"...Father John had come to love the quiet vastness and the way the plains revealed their secrets when you happened upon them unexpectedly - the swell of a bluff, the cut of an arroyo, the patches of sagebrush and pink, blue, and yellow wildflowers."

- from Shadow Dancer by Margaret Coel, page 2

(Minor disclosure: Regretfully, this photo is not from a weekend jaunt to Livingston, but delightfully left over from an earlier trip. Because it's almost the season for delightful leftovers...)