Greenough Park in Winter, Missoula, Montana

Our darling daughter found a Pinterest idea for a crafty Christmas present for her daddo, which required photos. She preferred a nature background, so off we went to Greenough Park - nature in the city's back yard. A hundred years ago, one of the park's great attractions was a bear cage - with a resident bear. Great things to see - and poke a stick at - on a Sunday afternoon stroll.

Aging Flower Power, Missoula, Montana

Flower photos are typically taken at bloom’s peak, but different details of beauty are discovered if you take a later look.
As I get older, I notice and appreciate more the varied loveliness in people, and often find time has not ravaged but rather revealed. Laughter and sorrow impart warmth and graciousness that gently outshine smoother, less-travelled faces.
Youth can possess a fresh charm but is not the end-all definition of beauty.

Winter Twilight Reflections, Bitterroot River, Montana

You'd never know to look at the river that US Hwy 93 S is directly left of this view, and busy with end-of-day traffic. Such is the delightful dichotomy of Montana - even in a city, the nearest peace-inducing vista is right out your window.

Weathered Tight, Missoula, Montana

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

Criss-Cross Applesauce, Missoula, Montana

If you jiggle your PC screen gently, this pattern could mesmerize almost as much as a larger-scale herringbone plaid coat on a person  walking down the street in front of you. Today, for some random reason, these winter patterns sparked memory of school bus rides spent creating "baby footprints" with our hands across the scenery Jack Frost painted on the bus windows. It's kinda crazy what kept us entertained, but we managed to never be bored!

Pinhole Style Snowy Tree, Missoula, Montana

Experimenting with the arty retro settings on my camera results in some interesting images. The pinhole camera effect yields dramatic mood. While there's nothing quite like the original processes to produce warmth and texture, digital mimics sure make it easy to spark your creativity.

Curvy Snow Branches, Missoula, Montana

A few years back, our neighbor planted this stunted tree with curly branches - I'm pretty sure it's a corkscrew hazel (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’). Branches from the curvy varieties of hazel or willow can pump up the interest level of a flower arrangement, but they also add texture and varied shape to lingering snow.

Basket Weave, Missoula, Montana

One swoosh would change this scene...but it would take a hard-core fan of cul de sac basketball to be out practising in freezing weather.