Riverbank Path At Maclay Flats, Bitterroot River - Missoula, Montana

“... By the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spellbound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea.” —Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), The Wind in the Willows)

Harvest Path - Near Park City, Montana

“A quiet presence over takes me, and my pulse slows. My hands relax, and my palms open spontaneously as I am reduced to blessed clarity. I feel subtle yearning for adventure, similar to the way I felt last fall. Haven't I been counting on seeing new paths? Don't they abound everywhere, out here?”

-Joan Anderson, in A Year By The Sea, p.97

Open To Imagine - Bitterroot Valley, Corvallis, Montana

“Yet are these things more difficult to accept than that all of existence came out of a single, random moment when cosmic gases exploded? Our eyes perceive so dimly, and our brains are so easily confused. Far better, I believe, to be like children and open ourselves to every beautiful possibility, for there is nothing our hearts can imagine that is not so .”

-from This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger, page 444

(Big thanks to Sissie #3 for this glorious walking scenery shot!)

Simple Focus - Missoula, Montana

“A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”
— Herbert Simon (1916-2001)

Happy New Year - Missoula, Montana

“Each first of January that we arrive at is an imaginary milestone — at once a resting place for thought and meditation, and a starting place for fresh exertion in the performance of our journey. The man who does not at least propose to himself to be better this year than he was last must be either very good or very bad indeed.” 

 - Charles Lamb (1775-1834), as quoted by Joan Anderson, in A Year By The Sea, p.82

Following - Missoula, Montana

 “...to follow God does not often mean traveling with certainty about where God will lead us. Rather, following God propels us to be present to the place where we are, for this is the very place where God shows up.”
― Jan L. Richardson, Through the Advent Door: Entering a Contemplative Christmas

(FYI, today's photo is a little hot-summer-day infusion into a snowy week....) 

 

Happy Anyways - Missoula, Montana

"Dear life,

  You've been very difficult lately.

  But I'm gonna be happy anyways.

  Because I can be difficult too."

  -Pig, from 07/31/2020 Pearls Before Swine comic strip

  (& you should totally click here to see the last image.)

Inspired Path - Grant Creek, Missoula, Montana

"I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. 

 Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it."

-Rosalia de Castro

From Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs, Part 6 intro page

Perhaps the Lewis and Clark exploration team felt what this quote expresses....and even looked down a similar water-path! I'm extremely impressed anytime I ponder the tenacity of previous generations who forged ahead in the face of varied physical hindrances - and without all our modern "must-haves". There's something to be said for making your own way - and there are plenty of modern-day pioneers still to admire. For inspiration (or maybe more at "whew, glad that's not me!"), check out the latest posts from the Canadian Renegade(s).

Patience Under The Big Sky - Clark Fork Bike Trails, Missoula, Montana

Yes, that is the still-patient (which is not quite the same as ever-patient...) Best Husband Ever, waiting at the top of the hill and under that glorious sky while I climb on a park bench for elevated perspective. 
(I am pleased to report that his patience yesterday ended up with the just reward of Sweet Peaks - plus new ice cream flavours!)

Pocket Snake - Missoula, Montana

"Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."

- W. C. Fields (1880-1946)

Spying this dandy little snake along our walking trail instantly flashed me back to another day about 20 years ago on a trail rife with tree root crannies, when a dear nephew excitedly whisper-yelled, "Auntie! Don't move!" 

Of course, being a good auntie, I froze mid-stride - and said nephew reached right between my cranny-straddled feet to pick up a lovely little snake much like this one. (Shudder!)

The same dear boy, at an educational classroom event, volunteered his mum who was 'not afraid to hold the snake' - this one giant-sized and showcased by a professional handler. And - bravo! - Mum did not disappoint! 

Ah, the joys of loving fearless boys!

No Barrier at All - The Teller Trail, Corvallis Montana

"What have we to do this day, more pressing than the call to wander. " Pat R

"Dear old world', she murmured, 'you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you."

- L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1

Thanks to guest blogger Pat Richards for sharing views and thoughts from her Montana wanderings!

To see other far-flung paths Pat's feet have trod, take a peek at JourneysWithGod.com.

Fair To Middlin' - Missoula, Montana

"I've been to the highest of highs and lowest of lows, so one day I'm going to find my middle ground and be happy." - Cheryl Cole 

Dandelion Wilds - Missoula, Montana

“Dandelions, like all things in nature are beautiful when you take the time to pay attention to them.” - June Stoyer

Guest: Pat Richards: Less Travelled - Bitterroot Valley, Montana

My youngest older sister and her husband visited about 6 weeks ago - hard to believe it's been that long ago already.  Gleefully for me, their Montana meanderings yielded some reflective perspectives and worthy views, both of scenery and heart. Thanks for sharing from your good well, Pat.
You can see what Pat & Gary are up to lately at their missions blog, Journeys With God.
 
"Two roads diverged in the middle of my life, I heard a wise man say. And I took the one less traveled by, and that's made the difference, every night and every day."

Larry Norman's introspective adaption of Robert Frost's descriptive poem has often given me pause and provided comfort when weighing life choices.
 
Give a listen here to this lyrical pioneer's song and take a step back into a segment of the '70s. 
Tell me what music of your growing up left a lasting impression.
(Time-Saving Hint: If you're in a hurry, submit comments as "Anonymous"; you can type your name at the end of your comments.)

Unwary Comeliness, Missoula, Montana

“Art was the rememberer. He know what he knew and what had been known by a lot of dead kinfolks and neighbors. They lived on in his mind and spoke there, reminding him and us of things that needed to be remembered. Art had a compound mind, as a daisy has a compound flower, and his mind had something of the unwary comeliness of a daisy. Something that happened would remind him of something that he remembered, which would remind him of something that his grandfather remembered. It was not that he “lived in his mind.” He lived in the place, but the place was where the memories were, and he walked among them, tracing them out over the living ground. That was why we loved him.”
- Wendell Berry, in his story “Are You All Right?”, from the five-story volume "Fidelity"

This paragraph brought to mind some beloved and comely daisies in my own dear family. What a delightful blessing, to partake of their rememberings.

Optimism, Missoula, Montana

“Sorry, old girl," I said to [the bicycle] Gladys in the gray dishwater light of early morning, "but I have to leave you at home."

I could see that she was disappointed, even though she managed to put on a brave face.

"I need you to stay here as a decoy," I whispered. "When they see you leaning against the greenhouse, they'll think I'm still in bed."

Gladys brightened considerably at the thought of a conspiracy. [...]

At the corner of the garden, I turned, and mouthed the words, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," and Gladys signaled that she wouldn't.

I was off like a shot.”
- Alan Bradley, A Red Herring Without Mustard

Possibilities, Missoula, Montana

Summertime is full of outdoor possibilities in Missoula, without even counting the State Parks a short drive from town. Missoula boasts a collection of parks offering diverse activity features - riverside hiking paths, softball fields, a skate park, family picnic areas, a fishing pond… and the list goes on.

Curvaceous, Missoula, Montana

Spring has sprung in Western Montana, despite a couple weeks of setback to blowing and snowing.  The canal spanned by this curvy bridge is running with water, and the bench seat invites to stop for a calming look, or sit and read a good book.

Return Trip View, Bitterroot River, Hamilton, Montana

If you compare this to yesterday’s photo, you’ll see the willows at the end of this view are the same batch as at the beginning of yesterday’s path.

Wandering the Willow Path, Bitterroot River, Hamilton, Montana

This leaf-strewn path is a lovely stretch for the legs - or the more modest ‘limbs’, in 1870's speak.