Great Gray Owl

the light of the setting sun

beckoned

then presented 

the glorious great gray

who was hunting

and silently swooped to the earth 

capturing dinner

flew to another area

to hunt some more

how wonderful

the owl let me photograph it

take to heart it's artful ways

of 

being

an owl

in the setting suns light

~

*

Spring in NW Montana

last years flowers

look at the tiny little seed holder

a vessel that has endured through sun, wind, rain and snow~

~

tiny little flowers

looked like a grass flower to me

i thought this was a tiny bee, but it is a fly, just two wings

looks like a healthy tree

but covered in wooly aphids, they look healthy too

sweet smelling

wonderful healing 

arnica returns

 this warm week will deepen springs growth 

~

*

Spring begins in shades of gold and brown

the day began like above

perfect for a wander about

I headed to the North Fork River

you can see our world is greening up slowly

 

 this is the Montana State Butterfly

Mourning Cloak Butterfly

 water flowing over rocks

soothing to watch

beautiful to see

lots of snow on the mountains

these are the trees, Cottonwood that burned long ago

also the ones that Mamma black bear had her cubs in: years ago

naturally occurring zen garden

this week

for one day

this little yellow finch visited

such a joyous splash of color 

~

*

First Flowers this YEAR

wandered down the fairy steps

hoping to see my first flowers this year

their scent strong and sweet

do you know what kind they are? 

i don't

(if you can ID for me, I will send you 5x7 inch photo from my shop, your choice) 

if it helps: another post on them here 
Flowers have been identified in the comments by Arija! 
Thank you so much!

along with flowers were budding maple wings

sprouting on the creek's bank

new spring life

a joy to espy

and then the climb back up the fairy steps

glimpses of spring

~

a photo of these flowers from a previous year with leaves beginning

~

*

Spring has begun

snow is melting

river rising

aquas and green water rushing

Montana Rockies 

wearing Snow cloak

wandering

hoping to find a freshly fallen antler

and there it was!

first butterfly sighing of the year!

river rocks

dressed in sunlight and snowmelt

because so many of you love our river rocks

just so that you can see them dry

sandy floor

then i noticed

most the sticks on the beach whittled at each end!

beaver home must have been torn apart by the river.

never knew they chewed each side of their sticks:

wet and dry:

i feel thrilled 

with our new season Spring

except

that i found a tick walking around on me yesterday

~

*

Spring is Evident

spring is tumbling into our world earlier this year

snow is melting 

meadows make their way to holding lakes

I have seen robins three days now

a sure sign of spring

nature is busy creating artful sightings

cattails long gone to seed

 become characters

 that make me smile with wonder

 I love how each year there are new things to chance upon

 I wonder if insects tuck deep within these whacky holes

and called them home sweet home

this past winter

~

*

The Unwary Pine Grosbeak

against our gray day
earth cloaked in old snow
starting to tarnish with age 

a new joyous song filling the air

i spied RED
unexpected in our usual and sparse wintry mix
of birds

the pine grosbeak

it ate sunflowers seeds that fell to the ground

but not from the feeder

the lovely female nearly disappears

into the colors of the mossy limbs of the tree

a poor photo above

but i wanted you to see the male and female

side by side

a small yellow spot at the corner of it's eye

~

also their song is lovely

to me i hear: pretty bird over and over

but not on the recordings on websites

~

they have stayed around for a month and a half

a bit of color means so much in deep winter grays

they inspired a painting:

the bird feeder hat

i share my art at my other blog:

Beauty Flows

~

*