Wary (Seagull) - Flathead Lake, Polson, Montana

“For one carved instant as they flew,

The language had no simile—

Silver, crystal, ivory

Were tarnished. Etched upon the horizon blue,

The frieze must go unchallenged, for the lift

And carriage of the wings would stain the drift

Of stars against a tropic indigo

Or dull the parable of snow….” 

- From ‘Sea Gulls’ by Edwin John Pratt (1882-1964)

Read the remainder of this poem here, and more of his work at Canadian Poetry Online.

Tied Tightly, Polson, Montana

"Launching our from the ship--
ha, ha! courtship--
Oh the misty matrimonial sea,
Let the cable hang lightly,
but tie the knot tightly."
So the hoary sailors tell me.”
- Henry Clay Work, from “Tie the Knot Tightly"

Click in the previous text link to enjoy Work’s wordplay in this thoughtful yet jaunty poem, & listen to some of his music compositions here.

Hard Used, Missoula, Montana

“…They blend along small-town streets
Like a race of giants that have faded into mere mythology.
Our eyes, washed clean of belief,
Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses, 

struts, nuts, insulators, and such
Barnacles as compose
These weathered encrustations of electrical debris…”

From "Telephone Poles" 
by John Updike

(Click on the author's name, above, to read an insightful article on Updike's mother, also a writer.) 

Long-Term Parking, Hamilton, Montana

If I had a buck for every time I drove past this old truck with an admiring glance, I'd be rich. 
(Sing with me in your best Tevye voice: "If I were a rich man!..." Go ahead - flail your arms! You shouldn't resist.) Well, maybe I'd be rich if I,d invested those bucks in a mutual fund boasting a reasonable 12% long-range return. (See how Dave Ramsey's class can colour even random thoughts? But it's a good thing.)
Anyway, this old truck graces the roadside yard of a local engine shop in Hamilton, Montana.
On a weekend when available time and clement weather collided, I finally stopped to take pictures. Item #137 checked off my list.

Weathered Tight, Missoula, Montana

Mildly ironic how weathered is this weather station shed near the Bitterroot River in Missoula, Montana.

Upkeep, Hamilton, Montana

I taught the 5-12 year-olds class at kid's church last night and this morning, which has left my brain trending toward catatonic, so I can't think of anything to say about today's photo. If you've every worked with children, you are probably laughing maniacally with empathy.
The cool thing about the grey building is that the owners replaced the window frames recently. These buildings are in my old walking neighborhood, and this are the first upkeep efforts I've seen in years. In our disposable society, it's refreshing to see the useful life of anything preserved.