Winter Snow and Sunshine - Greenough Park, Missoula, Montana

Winter officially - at last! - and there is plenty of poetic odes to this season.

Click here to immerse in some popular winter poetry, including the full text of Douglas Florian's "Winter Eyes", 
and here to appreciate Janet Martin's thoughtful verse for now or any time of year.

"Look at winter
With winter eyes
As smoke curls from rooftops
To clear cobalt skies.

Breathe in winter
Past winter nose:
The sweet scent of black birch
Where velvet moss grows.
Walk through winter
With winter feet
On crackling ice
Or sloshy wet sleet....."
 - from Winter Eyes by Douglas Florian

Authentic Happiness Via Bitterroot Winter Sunrise - Corvallis, Montana

Another glorious Bitterroot Valley view from Big Brother 3, that ponders well with this quote: 

 “Happiness does not lead to gratitude.
  Gratitude leads to happiness.”

- Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast 
(found in A.J. Jacobs’ book, Thanks a Thousand!)

Winter Bitterroot Range - Corvallis, Montana

Big Brother 3 (BB3) is working above some amazing Bitterroot Valley views lately, and kindly shared today's post pic.
Would that we all had such an inspiring and calming office view!  But for the rest of us, there's always the desktop background consolation prize....
 
BTW, if you've never seen in person the "purple mountain majesty above the fruited plain", Western Montana is always a great vacation destination.