Meadow Life

a neighbor called

said: come on down

I have a grizzly and her cubs in the meadow

we sat in chairs from a great distance 

and watched

then they stepped into the forest

~

we also saw a robin pulling a huge worm from the earth

It is so beautiful these days

winter seems far behind us

~

*

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!

~

*

Two Poppies

out in the meadow

near a tree stump

towards the beginning of summer

poppies appear

two lovely poppies dancing in the breeze

bathing in sunlight

near the forest trees

~

such beauty

 ~

*

 

Transformation of a Meadow

Snowy meadow will soon be a short lived lake:

This meadow has two names:
Snowshoe meadow,
because this is where Annie and I like to snowshoe
while we gab and pause to feel the silence.
And:
Bear Meadow,
this is where I saw a big
black bear last spring!

With springs warmer days
the meadow is very lively,
snow melts daily
then turns to ice at night.

Click to see the meadow with the bear in it~

To see more sky images from around the world: SkyWatch Friday

The Day After...

After yesterdays exciting adventure with the hawk, I went to explore the crime scene of Hawk kills and eats Duck. There were a number of animal tracks, a moose, canada geese and deer. Otherwise I found two bloody bones and so many feathers glued to the surface of the melting frozen creek. A pretty clean crime scene actually. Not much went to waste. What was yesterdays snow bank is now creek, for the days are warming. Evidence of winter in the form of snow melts becoming nourishment for Springs reign.

My mornings walk had me languishing in the softness of the earth under my snow boots. Peeling off my light down jacket, I realized "at last spring is here". Perhaps next time I go out, I will be donning hiking boots, storing away my big hefty snow boots that have cared for me all these winter months. Too my great excitement I came upon my first forest mushroom and then another group which looked to me like an orange colored lichen until I took a photo and looked up close!

Later joined a friend in a drive to Polson Montana. The day was the hottest this year, in the 60's. We had blue skies and wide open landscape, just lovely!
Flathead River:
Saw my first spring wildflower, the Yellow bell:
This last picture is not the best quality, shooting into the sun. Still I could not resist sharing this with you, as this is SO Montana: