Thistle Be Gorgeous and Moody - Missoula, Montana

"Josie is a Pye," said Marilla sharply, "so she can't help being disagreeable. I suppose people of that kind serve some useful purpose in society, but I must say I don't know what it is any more than I know the use of thistles...."
- from Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, Ch. 37

New Leaves, Sunshine - Missoula, Montana

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new a day with no mistakes in it?" 

- L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)

Violet Breath - Missoula, Montana

"You are the only person who loves me in the world," said Elizabeth. "When you talk to me I smell violets." -  L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables, #4)

Amethyst Souls - Missoula, Montana

"Do you think amethysts can be the souls of good violets?" - L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)

May your precious soul be redemptively blessed this Easter Day.

Bridge Over Finley Creek - Arlee, Montana

"Oh, here we are at the bridge. I'm going to shut my eyes tight. I’m always afraid going over bridges. I can't help imagining that perhaps, just as we get to the middle, they'll crumple up like a jackknife and nip us. So I shut my eyes. But I always have to open them for all when I think we're getting near the middle. Because, you see, if the bridge did crumple up I'd want to see it crumple. What a jolly rumble it makes! I always like the rumble part of it. Isn't it splendid there are so many things to like in this world? There, we're over. Now I'll look back. Good night, dear Lake of Shining Waters. I always say good night to the things I love, just as I would to people. I think they like it. That water looks as if it was smiling at me." - L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Another gorgeous site on Z5 Ranch - their very own bridge over Shining Waters. But a bit shallow for a Lady of Shallot reenactment.

Almost Cordial, Missoula, Montana

One of my all-time favourite book series is Lucy Maud Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables”.
Here’s a delicious raspberry-flavoured excerpt.
 “Marilla is a very generous woman. She said we could have fruit cake and cherry preserves for tea. But it isn’t good manners to tell your company what you are going to give them to eat, so I won’t tell you what she said we could have to drink. Only it begins with an R and a C and it’s bright red color. I love bright red drinks, don’t you? They taste twice as good as any other color.”….
“Now, please help yourself, Diana,” she said politely. “I don’t believe I’ll have any just now. I don’t feel as if I wanted any after all those apples.”
Diana poured herself out a tumblerful, looked at its bright-red hue admiringly, and then sipped it daintily.
“That’s awfully nice raspberry cordial, Anne,” she said. “I didn’t know raspberry cordial was so nice.”
“I’m real glad you like it. Take as much as you want. I’m going to run out and stir the fire up. There are so many responsibilities on a person’s mind when they’re keeping house, isn’t there?”
When Anne came back from the kitchen Diana was drinking her second glassful of cordial; and, being entreated thereto by Anne, she offered no particular objection to the drinking of a third. The tumblerfuls were generous ones and the raspberry cordial was certainly very nice.
“The nicest I ever drank,” said Diana. “It’s ever so much nicer than Mrs. Lynde’s, although she brags of hers so much. It doesn’t taste a bit like hers.” - "Anne of Green Gables", Chapter XVI

To make your very own batch of Aunt Marilla's Raspberry Cordial, check out this recipe - complete with luscious photos! - from The History Kitchen.