Small World Garden - Missoula, Montana

"The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here and there who thinks and feels with us, and though distant, is close to us in spirit - this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden." 

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)

One Little Rock - Missoula, Montana

"Looking at numbers as groups of rocks may seem unusual, but actually it's as old as math itself. The word "calculate" reflects that legacy -- it comes from the Latin word calculus, meaning a pebble used for counting. 
To enjoy working with numbers you don't have to be Einstein (German for "one stone"), but it might help to have rocks in your head." 

- Steven H. Strogatz, The Joy of x: A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity

Moon-ish Rainbow - Missoula, Montana

"...the moon with 
its rainbow crown 
smiles down ..."

- from Rainbow Around The Moon by David Harris

Lichen Love - Missoula, Montana

"...lichen (tiny but relentless!)..."
Quote from A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson
 
Another wee nature heart, this one found with a lacey collar.
 
In case you didn't notice, I've got a theme going towards Valentine's Day.  Tune in tomorrow for the next installation!
 

High Water Mark - Glacial Lake Missoula, Missoula, Montana

4200 feet above sea level makes for a great Missoula Valley view. This high water marker for Glacial Lake Missoula was a great excuse to pause and ponder: how many years ago was our present view underwater? did anyone care about lakefront lots back then?  who drew the short straw to schlep this huge stone marker up the mountain?

Thanks to the Ice Age Floods Institute for placing these hefty conversation starters.

Click the text links to get a few answers and perhaps provoke additional pondering.

Temple Emanu-el, Helena, Montana

While currently home to offices of the Catholic Diocese of Helena, the cornerstone of this stalwart structure laid in 1890 anchored the first Jewish temple between St. Paul, MN, and Portland, OR.
Despite significant modifications in the 1930s, the Hebrew date 5651 still graces the cornerstone as testament to its legacy. More visible from the sidewalk, a National Register of Historic Places plaque entices the curious passerby to pause and learn.
Click here to read more history of this enduring piece of Montana’s capitol city and view the architectural changes from its original construction.