Tree Song - Missoula, Montana

"A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. 
But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent,
 their songs never cease."

- John Muir (1838-1914)

Summer Grass Shimmer - Missoula, Montana

'tis the season 
of
summer grass shimmer
wayside wafting 
along lazy backroads

Lingering Smoke - East Missoula, Montana

Hazing smoke amongst the in-town trees and buildings for the past couple weeks was cleared by yesterday's rainfall, but it still lingers in the surrounding mountains. 
We're extremely thankful to not have flames visible in Missoula's backyard wilderness this summer, and pray for calm rains to fall in Glacier National Park, British Columbia, California, and multiple other areas of the country that are still burning.

Seen And Not Seen - Missoula, Montana

“All I have seen
 teaches me 
to trust the Creator 
 for all I have not seen.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), from XI.Immortality, 
  p. 338, The complete works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Letters and social aims [Vol. 8]

Alliteration Illustrated - Stevensville, Montana

My favourite guest-poster strikes again! Big thanks to Pat Richards for sharing her thoughts and visuals from their recent Montana visit.

 

Alliteration Illustrated

The babbling brook bubbles by.

And indeed it did!

Musically mesmerizing my soul.

Relaxation music courtesy of Mother Nature

While the Bitterroot River can hardly be termed a brook, simply sitting on a rock watching and listening as it flows by is one of my favorite Montana pastimes.   

- Pat

Time Past In The Present - Missoula, Montana

”Time is a weird thing. 
 Sometimes you can appreciate a moment that’s gone 
 more in the present than you did 
 when it was actually happening.”
- Steven Pressfield 
From “10 Short Life Leasons From Steven Pressfield" (adapted from Tribe of Mentors)

Repetition - Missoula, Montana

“Practice builds habits. 
Our habits are our character. 
When it comes to virtue, practice “makes a very great difference — or rather, all the difference.” 
- Eric Greitens, Resilience

(Y'all think some deep thoughts, now, on how repetition and resilience and bees and coneflower patterns all tie together...then let me know how you connected these particular dots!)

Everyday Miracles - Missoula, Montana

“There are two ways you can live your life:
as though nothing is a miracle,
OR
as though everything is a miracle.”

(Omigosh -  thank you, Janet Martin, for painting another great word image:
 "...The fervor of [today's] live-laugh-love / Unfurling from God’s kiss."
Read Janet's full poem in the preceding text link - or here, if not obvious.)

(& many thanks to a dedicated child sponsor for this quote, included in Comments at this moving & motivating blog post from Compassion International.)