River Stories, Cottonwood Leaves - Clark Fork River, Missoula, Montana

I do wonder what travel stories this cottonwood leaf duo could tell (if, of course, they could manage to stop for a chat or interview …).  

“The face of the river, in time, became a wonderful book . . . which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it had uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day.” — (Samuel Clemens (1835-1910) aka Mark Twain , Life on the Mississippi)

Tree And Sky - Missoula, Montana

"Why waste your money looking up your family tree? 

Just go into politics & your opponents will do it for you." 

- Mark Twain (1835-1910 aka Samuel Clemens, who BTW was a dear friend of Helen Keller)

Toward Clarity - East Missoula, Montana

 “Old habit of mind is one of the toughest things to get away from in the world.”  

-Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), in A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court, Ch. 22: The Holy Fountain

Spring Changes - Hamilton, Montana

One would think he'd lived in western Montana.....

“In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.”

— Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens, 1835-1910) 

Flags And Flowers - Missoula, Montana

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living; the world owes you nothing; it was here first."

- Mark Twain (1835-1910)

On this Independence Day, it's good to remember and to be thankful for the countless many who contribute(d) to freedom.

Sagebrush And Stormclouds - Corvallis, Montana

"Sage-brush is a very fair fuel, but as a vegetable it is a distinguished failure."

- Mark Twain (1835-1910), Roughing It

Love-ly Water - Missoula, Montana

"High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water." - Mark Twain

Snow Squared - Missoula, Montana

"A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape." - Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Winter Courage - Missoula, Montana

"Get a bicycle. 
 
You will certainly not regret it.
 
If you live."  

– Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), US writer and humorist (1835-1910)

Interestingly enough, this particular bicycle was parked outside that venerable Missoula beverage establishment, Charlie B's.

Up To Sky, Missoula, Montana

"The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be? — it is the same the angels breathe." - Mark Twain, "Roughing It"

What better motivation to keep climbing to the top of the hill - to inhale deep of God's big, wide sky? Keep going, step by step - you can make it - we're cheering you on!
(Plus, we can stop for real ice cream once we're back down in town.)