Glimpses of Early Spring, NW Montana

I have gotten to see the great gray owls a few times

one day there were two together!

(one hunting and one in a nearby tree)

the tiny world of lichen

looks big with my macro lens

Spring Beauties.....

an early spring flower

a tiny pool where fairies bathe:

found a few yellowbells on a cloudy day:

extra petals on this buttercup:

Last summer into autumn, someone made lacy pattern on all the alder tree's leaves.

The other day I found these tiny iridescent blue beetles on the wheelbarrow handles. 

Looking them up, I found their larvae eat alder leaves. 

Alder flea beetles:

spring is a fun time to explore

the tiny beginnings of new and continued life

~

*

autumn holding on

nearing the threshold of winter

autumn lingers on

the path through the forest was coated in an inch of snow 

wound this way and that to the lake, the frozen lake

reeds now held firm, leaned and stood with grace

reminiscent of masterful zen brush strokes

 we have had frosty mornings

for a couple of weeks

new expressions (for me)

like this spiky rime frost

(thank you Romping and Rolling in the Rockies,

for sharing the name of this frost!)

the frost grows in the direction that the weather arrives from 

the west

among the gray day

i did find a splash of color

 ~

soon Autumn will turn to winter

it has has a good long season this year

though in some parts of Montana they are in winter already

with deep snow falling a few times

Lovely ending days of autumn to you 

and yours

~

*

 

 

More from the Tiny World

standing above

it nearly looks like a cream colored rock with dark specks

kneeling to look closely

macro lens helps

an intricate world of detail

I wonder if this is what is meant (in the title of the book) Mycelium Running

it appears to be going from the stick to the leaf

(thank goodness for the decomposers of our world)

 

 don't you want to touch it ;-)

soft little moss sculpture

like something from manicured garden

a magical threshold 

to a underworld home

snow is melting 

meadows that will later be grasslands

are now shallow lakes

I saw my first butterfly 

of the year

it really is heartwarming to note the small details

of a new season

indeed, nature is a spirit helper

~

lovely days and nights to you

~

*

Magical realm of Lichen

these colors!

striking designs

and colors

like an island

of wonder

many kinds

look like

living art

I still have a foot of snow at my place

yet daily the rings of earth around trees grow larger

winter is thawing into spring

 the creek sings 

day and night

wandering around boulders

a delightful miniature world

of lichen thriving

macro lens and the details spring to sight

lichen will hold me over until the world turns green

and 

mushrooms and flowers abound

~

*

Spring

drove and hiked hoping to see

Spring Beauties

at first I thought I was too early in the season

once one was spied

I noticed they were sprinkled throughout the meadow

our first forest flower

 the lovely yellow violet

I love watching things turn green

sprout leaves

the sun warming our world

this last winter my walking bridge died

last week I made a new one

felt like a nice accomplishment

I have a huge plum colored bolder in my yard

after the rain

the lichen turns this wonderful color

here and there 

are mushrooms

full of fun character

another sign of a new season

the setting sun inspires pause

soaring as the sun sets

~

*

Lichens

here in the NW corner of Montana

flowers are not blooming

but some lichen are looking magical!

these sticks are about 1/4 inch think

my eyes can not see these amazing details

they look more like yellow and green fuzz to me

the earthy sage greens

and

golds are thrilling

cup like saucers intriguing

wood with algae, lichen and perhaps the large leaves are liverworts?

 two hours south of here

I did see my first wildflowers of the year!

 jagged chickweed

all

our meadows 

are lakes at the moment

abundant with water birds

Spring 

is a magical time in the little details

~

if you know what any of the lichen or liverwort are

I would love for you to tell me. 

So much to learn!

~

*

Tiny Realm of Lichen and Fungi

they call us pixie cups

we are tiny 

and live in the sylvan land

we grow in fanciful shapes

i have been enjoying the tiny realm of

fungi and lichen

they grow on trees

in wonderful colors

on rocks

even the black and gray speckles are lichen!

I look forward to getting to know them better

~

*

The More You Look

the  more you look

the more you see

when you slow down

and take a peak

one's heart may even

skip a beat

~

*