Snow-capped Winter Tansy - Missoula, Montana

“It was not for her to criticize the ways of Almighty God;…. if He liked to go to all that trouble over the snowflakes, millions and millions of them, their intricate patterns too small to be seen by human eyes, and melting as soon as made, that was His affair and not hers. All she could do about it was to catch in her window, and save from entire waste, as much of the squandered beauty as she could.” - The Rosemary Tree by Elizabeth Goudge (1900-1984), p. 158

Snow-capped Clarity - Missoula, Montana

“It is a fault to wish to be understood before we have made ourselves clear to ourselves.”
—  Simone Weil (1909-1943)

 (Thank you,  Tim Ferriss for this hmmmm-provoking gem.)

Mission Mountain Layers - St. Ignatius, Montana

"He unrolled the Bartram and held it to the yellow light and riffled through the pages until his eyes fell on a passage that caught his attention. It was this: 

    The mountainous wilderness which I had lately traversed appeared regularly undulated as the great ocean aftee a tempest; the undulations gradually depressing, yet perfectly regular, as the squama of fish, or imbrications of tile on a roof: the nearest ground to me of a perfect full green; next more glaucous; and lastly almost blue as the ether with which the most distant curve of the horizon seemed to be blended. My imagination thus wholly engaged in the contemplation of this magnificent landscape, infinitely varied, and without bound, I was almost insensible or regardless of the charming objects more within my reach.

A picture of the land Bartram detailed leapt dimensional into Inman's mind. Mountains and valleys on and on forever."  

- From Cold Mountain, P 276, by Charles Frazier

More Like March - Missoula, Montana

Aah... snow-dusted mountaintops and early morning roadways (not shown here), brisk winds quickening your step, precipitation shifting any given moment between sleet and snow and rain - THIS is more like what March in Montana ought to look like! And also the reason why studded snow tyres are allowed right through until the end of May.

Snow-Capped - Missoula, Montana

Same view as yesterday, but snow-capped overnight - hooray! 
Stopping at the grocery store on my way home from work, I spotted a young-ish fellow sporting long basketball shorts and flip-flops with a bulky pullover  hoodie (flashback: remember when we called them thongs and kangaroo jackets?!), despite the biting wind and just-freezing temperature. These are not uncommon  Montana wardrobe options for this time of year. But today, he best layer up his toes and beware the ides of March!