Beautiful Autumn

 

It has been a beautiful Autumn.

The colorful part lasted weeks, yay!

 

We had lots of sunshine to inspire adventures in the mountains and forests. 

 

Snow has come and gone many times. 

Though the snow is magical and beautiful, 

it is nice when autumn returns, as winter is a long season here in NW Montana. 

The other day I drove out of the aged golden grasses of autumn 

into the snow clad forest of the mountains. 

 

Autumn's wanders revealed one of last summers

hummingbird nest. 

Seems one of my little birds friends 

was as curious about it as I was.

Wishing you a lovely autumn 

as we lean towards winter. 

~

*

Summer, Beautiful Summer

 

I drove to the mountains hoping to visit butterflies. When I got to the top of the pass there they were, a 1,000 of them fluttering about is not an exaggeration. 

 

They were around puddles sipping water absorbing minerals. I wish I had gotten a photo of the multitudes, yet as I approached they took to the air and fluttered around me. So glimpses is what I have to share.

 

The tiny pond snails are laying their eggs on leaves along the water.

 

lovely Self Heal is blooming, dotting the woods and meadows with their lovely presence. I am also using it in my tea and made a body oil with it. 

 

 

late spring and early summer we have had rains from time to time. Moss plumps up and grows at these times revealing their artful beauty. 

 

Enjoy each day, seasons come and go swiftly and each one holds its own special gifts.  

~

lovely summer to you 

~

*

 

 

Oyster Mushrooms

 

Yum yum

it is oyster mushroom season

in our area they grow on dead or dying aspen or cottonwood trees

I have found them in three places this week

get out and wander

 they burst through the bark and grow fairly fast, a few days and ready to harvest

These are growing in my yard on a dead aspen tree

this tree not only hosts mushrooms, 

there is a hairy woodpecker family nesting, 

bugs

bats

moss

lichen

an entire realm going on in this tree

if i had found them in the woods

I doubt I could have reached

yet here at home

a ladder and then a long rake

did the job

~

*

 

 

Critters

 

lovely to see these Ruffed Grouse in a bush

their chamouflage is wonderful

it was a pair of birds

nice that they have one another for winter

the second bird was well hidden

ice crystal season has begun

this one is not super clear as it was a bit frosty on top 

of the crystals

lovely in its star shape

Looking out the window, a deeply gray day and the world seems frozen.

Yet I step out and two little birds fly to me, land on my hand for nuts.

A doe wanders through the yard and gazes as me as I fill my carrier with wood for the stove.

She wanders off between the ponds, we are all aware of one another.

THEN an explosion of movement and sound appears from the far side of the pond.

A buck at high speed appears to be flying and the doe flees swiftly. 

The chase is on. 

Flying over fences at high speed. Then it all stops, she got away. Five minutes later, nearly the same event happens all over again, this time I had my camera out and captured this photo of the buck on the hunt. I stood still as a tree and he ignored me. He heard her movement and the chase was on. Again she escapes. A few minutes later I hear them charging through the woods. Three times….. he was quite sincere in his chase. I did not see the outcome, did she get away?

I read there are a number of reasons for a buck behaving this way. Not always the rut, sometimes due to the amount of testosterone. This was a first sighting for me.

Our frozen world is not entirely frozen for the season. Step outside and one never knows what they will experience.

~

* 

Autumn Glory

 

yesterday 

the western larch

were cloaked in their golden hues

most the day was cloudy gray

and 

then the sun came out to show off the beauty even more

entirely tangible how light coming through autumn colors

inspires vitality and awe

these beautiful days pass by swiftly

and 

nearing deep cold temps will change the colors fast.

Be sure to get out and enjoy!

~

*

My goodness, it has been near a year....

 

Kokanee Salmon are swimming upstream

spawning season

 Always a joy to see their bright orange bodies

moving through the water

And the rocks

cloaked in dancing light and shadows

So hard to choose just one photo to share with you. 

(which of these would you choose, 1, 2 or 3?).

~

Wishing you a lovely day and beyond. 

Tammie

~

*

Little Bird Movies

 

Hello, 

I hope you enjoy my bird friends as much as I do. 

The top wee movie is in real time. 

You can see how swiftly they move. It is a fun little film due to having 22 birds coming and going.

Three types of chickadees and red breasted nuthatches.

 

 The wee movie above is in slow motion.

I love seeing the second bird, the female red breasted nuthatch, when something gets her attention behind her and turns swiftly. Things like that are hard to see in real time. 

And just in case you are loving these, one more little slow motion film of a mountain chickadee:

Lovely day and beyond to you~

.

~

*

When the Sun Shines

 When the sun lights up the world.....

This is the largest and deepest lake in Glacier National Park.

A beautiful place to simply be.

 Lake McDonald

 I love the little feather do on this one:

 Lovely day to you

~

*

 

 

Late Autumn

 

I returned home to find her laying in the sun. I love seeing the furry natives of this land. 

 

 autumn snow

autumn rain

nature's beauty

morning light begins to paint the world

 

remembering early autumn 

with this family of fungi

I love seeing the fox as they pass through.... never staying long. 

Which is true of all the wildlife.... 

they are on the move.

 

~

Looking at these photos, 

autumn sure does have a color theme.

~

*

Autumn turns to Winter

A week ago

I walked along a river, the sun was out, it was lovely and warm. There were rocks cuddled in moss. 

The previous snow had melted away,

it felt like autumn again.

 Western larch, though fading, 

still appeared as golden torches lighting up the mountains.

This seed pod was maybe an inch long. 

I have no idea what plant it is. This close up shows me details my eyes could not see. I am mesmerized at the design for protecting and sending off it's seeds. 

Let me know if you know what it is. 

For two days it has been snowing.

It is a winter wonderland out there.
I plowed for the first time of the season. 

The little birds are busy as can be, 

collecting seeds and seem happy as can be.

I never know who I will see when I look out the window!

~

*

 

Sweet Little Nuthatch

 

About a year ago I slowly beckoned little birds to come to my hand for seed. This spring nesting season arrived & they took to the trees to nest and feast on insects, (all but three birds that is). Now that nesting season is over my little flock is slowly growing. 

I think this sweet little female nuthatch was born this year, her feathers are all in place, where as some of the older birds have been molting for a month and look like they need their feathers combed ;-). 

This one fluttered about me for two weeks before she landed, before she felt safe. Now she flies to me more than all the rest.

They take a seed and fly off to eat it, or more often they hide it in the bark of a tree for later. Yesterday I saw her tuck a seed under bark and break off a tiny bit of bark to cover it. I had never seen that done before, clever. 

They are so cute hanging upside down in trees or my roof, short little tail, long beak, fast as can be, top of the pecking order, i am guessing because their beaks are twice as long as the others. Meaning the chickadees usually let the nuthatches get a seed first and the nuthatches make sure of that by chasing them off.

Female because her crown is gray, the males crown is black. There is a male that comes to me. He is still cautious about taking a seed. Interesting to find that he is above her on the pecking order and she waits and quivers until he finally takes a seed.

I love learning about them up close. Things i would never know from watching them in the trees or even at a feeder. 

I have experienced that going outside, whether on my porch, lawn or forest, many times a day, standing like a tree, arm and hand outstretched, waiting for the little birds to take seed, brings alignment to the energy in my body with a mix of peace and joy.
~
*