Big Sky Country Waiting - Livingston, Montana

“Supposed to be no snow for two days. Hah. This country, it sat out there, breathing, waiting for the winter, like a big white cat and you the mouse.”

-from Coyote Wind, A Gabriel Du Pré Mystery by Peter Bowen (1945-2020), page 124

Calm Amidst Typos and Terseness - Flathead Lake, Montana

Most horrifying email signature to date:

 I'm sure Miss Manners would agree with me, dear reader, in graciously clarifying: 

   we are sure the sender is a lovely, polite human WHO

   certainly didn't mean it to sound dismissive, HOWEVER,

   such a signature caveat has latent flavours of 

    “I’m too busy / this message is not important enough to allot 10-30 seconds to skim & fix.”

Without getting tied up in PC or perfectionist knots, let’s forego excuses and keep rebooting to an honest pause and striving to be fully present, without need for excuses.

To that end, I leave you with a Montana visual antidote to rush-rush-rush culture – view as often as necessary. (Warning: Side affects may include a deep yearning for Big Sky Country…)

Endless Blue Sky - Pattee Canyon Trail, Missoula, Montana

These endless blue-sky summer days present so much opportunity - for The Best Husband Ever to get the house painted! (hee)

 

On Awakening - Along Hwy 200 before Sun River, Montana

“Everything good begins with awareness, whether awakening
 to the momentousness of the present 
  or to the damage we are causing.”

 -Anne Lamott, from "Almost Everything - Notes on Hope", p 91-92 

Comfort Food for My Soul - Bitterroot Valley, Montana

Familiar vistas spread before my eyes

Revealing layers of consistent beauty 

Never cease to calm, inspire, refresh

During our annual visit to Big Sky Country, Gary (MWH aka My Wonderful Husband) and I take every opportunity to just be outside. Breathing in the fresh air under endless blue skies, savoring views of rolling plains edged by mountainous peaks, or meandering along the river's edge.  

We return home refreshed in body and soul.

- Pat Richards

(A big thanks to Sis 3 (aka intrepid traveler Pat Richards) for sharing another guest post from their 2018 visit. Current crisp autumn skies look just about the same today, but with added swathes of yellow tamarack in the mountains.)