Front Porch Musings | The Road Home

Posts from the ‘Front Porch Musings’ category

Summer moon

The moon is just past full. I walked out with Karl this morning about 4:30 a.m. Coyotes were singing of a successful hunt in the eerie, high pitched, keening song that tells of their success and another’s demise – the circle of life in the wild. Usually this would send Karl into a sympathetic or empathetic ?? – howling song of his own, but he stood still and just listened. We started our walk down the driveway and the still nearly full moon was visible in a hazy circle through the trees.

As the sky lightened a bit, the coyotes grew quiet and the morning birds of summer started singing.

The sun rise behind the mountain was a firey hot pink by 5:20 and the first rays turned the wispy clouds overhead a lovely magenta.

The first full day of summer begins here in Northwest Montana.

Clouds on an almost summer day

Happy first day of Summer!

Here at 48 North (latitude) sunrise was 5:37 and sunset due at 9:42 on this solstice day. Yesterday was close in duration and these photos taken on the evening walk. Skies to the east were blue with only a few white clouds, while skies to the west were full of dark clouds. It was very quiet like before a storm but nothing happened – at least I don’t think so. I was not feeling well yesterday and went to bed after supper… Not quite 100% today but I think better.

Biscuits were made but my heart really wasn’t in it – they were flaky and tasted fine but no rise … and I didn’t feel like photographing the evidence. No wire so electric is delayed. I think I should quit writing about plans and just report after the fact.

After my second nap of the day and before supper I took Karl for a quick walk as a dog needs a walk and I thought it might make me feel better as well. It did, even if short-lived, and the clouds and scenery were worth capturing.

Blue skies above, then turning around – blue meets gray.

This first summer day has dawned clear and blue with not a cloud to be seen.

Early morning

I am a morning person…it doesn’t matter what time zone I’m in or what time I’ve gone to bed, I am up with the chickens…maybe before. This morning it was 4:25 a.m. And this time of year, it is getting light by then. Sunrise is about 5:30 but there is light in the sky, behind the mountains, through the trees.

Karl and I walked down the driveway and across the front property line and back to the house through the front part of the woods – our usual beginning of the day little walk. I carry my first cup of coffee (AND the pepper spray…) and enjoy the morning air, the birds singing and the quiet.

We end up on the front porch where I like to sit for a moment and watch the day grow. This late spring, early summer ritual is a joy to me and I’m grateful for every beautiful morning and also for the circumstances in my life that allow me to start my days in this beautiful place.

Snow Day 2

The evening of June 10…night before last – after the snow event…nearly mid-June, nearly the summer solstice – within 11 days of the longest day of the year – sunset is shortly after 9:30 p.m. The photo below was taken shortly after 9:00 p.m.

Maybe hard to believe, but the temperatures did not go below freezing. Yesterday morning at 5:00 a.m. it was nearly 33 and stayed there until late afternoon when it was almost 40. The snow is still around but melting and slushy and just a damp mess – not a snow that is fun to play in. Still, a dog needs to be walked and so we went…

Sad Lupins… (that’s NOT a lupin below…I realized Thursday afternoon when I walked that I was calling these wrong – they are actually a noxious weed and I’m not sure of the name. Those are lupins in the grass under the tree….)

Above – in the grass – is how they should look now.

the walk path – see the stump to the right?

see how much snow is on the stump???

Towards the end of the walk – the top of the mountains are fogged in, but still – the most of them we have seen in two days.

Headed North

Geese

I took these photos last Saturday. I kept hearing geese overhead and when Karl and I were walking our ridge path I heard them again. Although a bit hard to see in that first photo, I have never seen so many “V’s” at one time. The cacophony of honking almost hurt my ears. But it brought to mind “The Goose Story” … I could link to the old post but I think it is one that is worth repeating so here it is:

What science has taught us about why geese fly they way they do:

As each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following it. By flying in a ‘V formation, the whole flock can fly at least 71% farther than if each bird flew on its own.

Perhaps people who share a common direction can get where they are going quicker and easier if they cooperate.

When a goose falls out of formation, it feels the resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of flying with the flock.

If we have as much sense as a goose, we will work with others who are going the same way as we are.

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies on the point.

It pays to take turns doing hard jobs for our group.

The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. The lead goose (on the point) never honks

The power of praise and recognition is critical to success.

Finally, (get this) when a goose weakens or is wounded and falls out of formation, two geese fall out and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and they then set out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with the group.

If we had the sense of a goose, we would stand by each other like that.

Last night’s walk

This post is a little late for some of my “coffee with From the Front Porch readers”…Yesterday was a little out of whack…it started with no coffee and no breakfast as I had an 8 a.m. appointment for a “fasting” blood test as part of my annual physical. The no breakfast I can do – even though I am a daily breakfast person…the no coffee is another kettle of fish altogether! I have a 35 mile drive to the clinic and all the way there I just wanted to pull over and take a nap. The good news is that I didn’t fall asleep driving and my after blood test treat was a Cowgirl Mocha from my favorite coffee spot AND Lox on an everything bagel. I know that last bit doesn’t exactly sound like Montana, but Whitefish has a superb bagel place where they boil the bagels, then bake in the proper kind of oven – just like New York City!

Because I am trying to think about consolidating trips to save on gas costs, I combined a grocery shopping trip with the run to Whitefish. By the time all of this got done it was 11 a.m. before I got home and got to work and then I was called on to help with bus navigation… The day slipped away without much work getting done. Finally I just called the day, called Karl and we took our evening walk about 7:30. I had something else planned for a quick post for today, but the mountains had a new look that I couldn’t resist.

Back from the walk, I downloaded the photos and took the computer – and a glass of cognac to the front porch. I have to ‘fess to the cognac as it is in one of the photos and looks so pretty that I didn’t want to disappear it. I have sworn off wine for the week – ‘nother story – and really intended no alcohol but the cool evening and the playing with photos…..I succumbed and I’m NOT sorry! But I did run out of steam before getting the blog post finished – hence the late post this morning.

I know a lot of you skipped reading all of the above – that’s ok! Here are the photos.

It was the wispy clouds hanging around the mountain tops that called to me…

Mountain Views