This little guy surprised us by flying down and landing right in front of us while we were walking in a dimly lit forest. We are not sure if it is a Western or Eastern Screech Owl as both are commonly seen in our area and we only got a couple of photos before he flew off further into the woods. A nice little surprise on a summer afternoon.
Missouri Headwaters State Park, MT is where the three major tributaries of the Missouri river; the Gallatin, the Jefferson and the Madison come together and form the Missouri river proper. The Missouri Headwaters area is a geographical focal point and was important to early Native Americans trappers, traders and settlers. Coveting the regions bountiful resources, the Flathead, Bannock and Shoshoni Indians competed for control of this area, as did the trappers and settlers who followed.
Lewis and Clark passed by the Missouri headwaters on both ways of their voyage of discovery in 1805 and then again in 1806. In his journal documenting the expedition Meriwether Lewis wrote the country opens suddenly to extensive and beautiful plains and meadows that appear to be surrounded in every direction with distant and lofty mountains.
From the wet river bottom to the dry bluffs above each slightly different ecosystem was bursting with life the day we visited.
A fine way to spend a summers morning.
There is nothing more beautiful than a great sunset. The same could be said of wildflowers. Photographed on a hike near Schofield pass CO.
Fun with fungus, or maybe fungart for short, making spore prints is a wonderful way to get a snapshot of how mushrooms work.
Sometimes we scan the spore prints but this day we decided to photograph a few and the results were interesting.
Since our basket of monochrome flowers is essentially overflowing here are just a few more flowers to add to your bouquet from yesterday.
Have a wonderful weekend and welcome to September.
A Great Blue Heron with periscope up and at the ready.
Some say there is healing power in a long forest experience, a practice called shirn-yoku in Japan. There certainly are days when you leave a nice walk in the woods with a feeling you can equate with healing. It need not be walking as a long sit on that quiet bench or rock also seems to do the trick.
Although scientific evidence is currently sparse as to the specific mechanism by which a forest walk promotes positive health we can all agree it does no harm at all.
On some days it is what we see and others what we smell. Many days it is what we do not see or smell as we walk away from the hustle and bustle and into the woods.
Whatever it is about a forest bath I sure wish Doctors would prescribe it more.
Bathed in its golden glow a Grasshopper enjoys a fine late August sunset.
I bet he can tell the days are getting shorter and shorter each and every day.
Change is in the air.
Photographed in Central Colorado but not in Aspen.
nature has no boss 
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