My family and I have been blessed to return to Montana. I am not writing or saying that Tennessee was not a lovely and colorful place with plenty of nature to see all around us, but we have been enjoying outings and taking more pictures here recently of things we are seeing and appreciating.
This picture is of the kids walking across a little bridge at Lewis & Clark State Park and Fish Hatchery.
These pictures of trees were taken at the Goat Lick in Glacier National Park.
The kids played in the water at Whitefish, MT where the scenery is gorgeous. A good time was had by all, including the ducks that visited me for some potato chips.
Here are Avery with his new found rock and Wynston all smiles in the water.
The scenery back behind them was as breath-taking as ever -- The Big Mountain, a busy ski site in the winters.
This picture was taken outside my aunt and uncle's house. I years ago stepped outside during the winter to take a picture of the snow covered scenery and the trees, only to get locked out and no one else was home. I had to travel and visit a neighbor for short while during that mishap.
On the way home from our Labor Day weekend travels to the Kalispell area, we decided to take a little bit different route. We drove through smaller towns like Choteau, Valier, Bynum, and Fairfield. Here are a few photos while driving that my boys took from the van. Also, thrown in is a little humor -- Wynston said the shadow reflection our van was casting off looked like SHREK . . . so we were following him on our way back home to Great Falls, MT.
Last weekend my family traveled to Kalispell, Montana to attend my uncle's funeral. The weather poured like our tears did for this wonderful man. I can't remember a time or visit with him when he didn't smile or make me smile. He always made good conversation and seemed genuinely interested in whatever I had to say. That means a lot to me especially from my childhood days.
This man will be thought of and stay in my memories for years to come. I am blessed to have known him.
My aunt, (his wife) and I talk on the telephone almost once a week and I have been making it a great effort to try to travel the 4 hours one way to spend time with her (them) while the snow is off the roads. In a conversation a week or so before my uncle passed away, I remember my aunt and I commenting that we don't see rainbows in Big Sky Country like we use to. I first moved to Montana when I was 21 and everything was so new, wonderful, and different. I could not stop marveling at the skies. Now I marvel at them still, but life has become so "hurried" at times. I forget to take the time, to step out on the porches at home and be in "awe" no matter what time of day or evening.
Even so . . . on my sad travel last weekend, the rain/sleet ended after the funeral. My family didn't want to spend time in the hotel room and bother my exhausted aunt with more people so we ended up driving and viewing important lovely spots in Kalispell and Whitefish, MT.
Rainbows were found. I was able to smile. Our travel and spirits were lightened. Hope you enjoy the photos I snapped. One is on top of Big Mountain in Whitefish, Montana. The other is at Woodland Park in Kalispell, Montana.
