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Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.

–Henry David Thoreau

                                                           

With freedom, books, flowers and the moon, who could not be happy?

–Oscar Wilde

I spend a lot of time looking up when I’m outside.  Pretty much wherever I am, especially in the evening hours and at dark.  And in Montana it’s prime sky watching territory! Even so I know there is a lot I miss.  Early this evening the moon was so large and clear, it caused me to take a breath and be still a minute, then take a walk to the river while it hung in the sky behind me. 

One early winter night I stepped out of the house to get a fresh breath of air before bed – I looked directly up to where I knew Orion would be standing (during early winter I can first see him just outside my front door, then he heads to the West so he’s visible about 4:00am out my bathroom window).  Right when I looked up, a big shooting star went right down his middle.  I stood there a minute amazed, then gave thanks.  It was a message, I wasn’t sure what, but it felt like it was for me.

This photo was taken a few years back while I lived on a ranch north of town.  These are the Crazy Mountains you see, and I’m pretty sure I took this photo in the morning on my way to work. 

Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest.

–Beatrix Potter

Walks to the river are the best!  This picture was taken 3 weeks ago, when the yellow willows were just beginning to show their warmth of color.  Looking up and seeing views like this confirms my belief that there is a power greater than myself, offering moments of beauty that can easily be missed. Really we’ve only got moment by moment in our lives, to choose what we see and how we see it.  I hope this pic brings you some peace, or joy or tranquility.

Be like the bird

That, pausing in her flight

awhile on boughs too slight,

feels them give way beneather her and sings,

knowing she hath wings.

–Victor Hugo

You are listening to the sound of a Sandhill Crane.  One of the welcome signs of Spring is when you begin hearing these big and graceful birds.  I’ve seen them almost every day during the last week, a pair flying gracefully together.  Their distinctive call can be heard long before you see them.  I’m always looking madly at the sky in all directions, trying to discern which direction the call is coming from, hoping I can get them flying on film.    Some of the farmers don’t like them, understandably, because they eat their crops.  I read in Montana Outdoors that in the 1940’s the breeding range of the Rocky Mountain population of these birds dropped to 150 to 200 mating pairs due to unregulated hunting.  But current surveys show the population is up to 20,000 cranes – so amazing! They mate for life, which can be two decades or more. I love that!  It’s the most unique sound isn’t it?

What is life: It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time; it is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

–Crowfoot

He stood there patiently for over an hour, looking toward the spot where a pickup would drive through the gate and drop off a large square bale of hay.  The bulls are fed every few days.  There is one that is much smaller, and I’m not sure if he is younger, but this fella in the picture is the big guy.  He acts like he knows he doesn’t have to throw his weight around – he just walks slowly and deliberately.  He chowed down a little while after this picture was taken.