After Hours Alley, Downtown Missoula, Montana

Have I mentioned before how I love meandering down (safe) alleys? Alleys provide a whole different perspective on day-to-day life.
Residential alleys, in particular, can be a revealing window into the inhabitants' inner workings. Tidy gardens, or stockpiles of junk, a work of art in progress - you never know what you'll see and if it matches the front yard impression. If you're lucky, a talkative resident will be up for a chat over the fence.
This view shows a shop at rest for the night, with all in readiness for tomorrow's business-as-usual.

Well-Travelled Penny, Stevensville, Montana

My husband has a knack for finding pennies - on neighborhood strolls, while walking back to the care in the grocery store parking lot - and he always pick it up, sometimes commenting, "Find a penny, pick it up...." (I think that's the Irish in him.) Most of the time, I can't see for looking, so I was delighted to find this wilderness penny.  It travelled a long, and turbulent road over 12 years, from the mint to Western Montana. So I left it soaking up spring sunshine.

Post-St.Patrick Picture, Butte, Montana

Given the city’s Irish devotion, Butte’s historic M&M Cigar Store sign seemed a fitting follow-up to St.Patrick’s Day.

The M&M was opened in 1890 and, in the tradition of all-night establishments in Butte, its doors have reportedly never been locked.

Green, Missoula, Montana

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I was going to title the post, "The Wearing of the Green", but found that's actually a pretty serious phrase (more on that if you click the link).
Honour to this day is best served by sharing words of encouragement penned by St. Patrick himself.

The Deer's Cry

I arise to-day:
might of Heaven
brightness of Sun
whiteness of Snow
splendour of Fire
speed of Light
sweiftness of Wind
depth of Sea
stability of Earth
firmness of Rock.

I arise to-day:
Might of God for my piloting
Wisdom of God for my guidance
Eye of God for my foresight
Ear of God for my hearing
Word of God for my utterance
Hand of God for my guardianship
Path of God for my precedence
Shield of God for my protection
Host of God for my salvation
against nares of demons
against allurements of vices
against solicitations of nature
against every person that wishes me ill
far and near
alone and in a crowd.

(This is my favourite  portion of a poem; for full text and background, click here.)

Whitaker Road Sunset View, Missoula, Montana

I'm so thankful for the extra daylight shifted to the end of the workday.
The morning people are just going to have to tough it out for another month or so to recoup their wake-up daylight.
This view is from the corner of Whitaker and Dean Stone Roads, up above Missoula's South Hills neighborhood.  Click here to look at the map, then scroll down to where the road divides at the pasture, then zoom in for the - believe it or not - rotating street view.

River Meets Sky, Downtown Missoula, Montana

Mmmmm..... can you just feel the reflective peace seep into your soul? Not yet? Look longer, and breathe in, slowly; out, slowly. Repeat as needed.

Expanses of water and prairie always uplift my state of mind. The stretch of calm, stroked by rippling fingers of wind, provokes a feeling different from the craggy awe of mountains and roaring rivers.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel....Downtown, Missoula, Montana

If Rapunzel's father was a banker, she might still be up in the tower....

(Click here to take a short virtual stroll starting from this corner of Missoula's downtown.)

Dyno-mite, Downtown Missoula, Montana

A tradition of artistic expression holds forth in downtown Missoula’s Taco del Sol. You too can flex your sculptural muscles in the medium of leftover foil wrappers. But first you must eat; I heartily recommend their fish taco, a delectable deal at $2.85. If you make it to town for a visit, I’ll even treat.