To: Earth
Dear Earth, how do I love thee?
Let me count the months and ways.
A few of the many gifts you send.
Thank you, Earth. - ER
January, the moon's long path on cold, clear nights (view west from Walkerville):
February, hungry moose in meadows (Moulton ski area north of Butte):
March, warm days on the prairie desert ("Hogback" of lower Big Hole River):
April, westslope cutthroat trout, our native fish:
May, calving elk on summer range (upper Big Hole River):
June, antelope on lush green meadows (upper Big Hole River):
July, meadow flowers in the high country (Goat Flat, Pintler Wilderness):
August, mountain peaks and Alpine lakes (Phyllis Lake, Pintler Wilderness):
September, big horn sheep on canyon cliffs (Gardiner River):
October, mule deer hunting, meat for winter ("Little Brother" AJ with his buck):
November, elk hunting, the freezer is full:
December, we gather and celebrate:
It is indeed a gorgeous planet. (Although you kind of threw me with that poor dead elk.)
ReplyDeleteI am definitely living in the wrong state. Your pictures make me long for the beauty available to the naked eye... they are completely stunning. No freeway noise, no radio blaring, no nothing but rewards for the eyes. Thank you so much for making this a Happy Earth Day.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Citizen--I really deliberated whether to post that, but it is where all the meat that we eat comes from, so I had to thank Earth for it.
ReplyDeleteTSD, Montana is a quite place: 4th largest state, well under a million people, diverse environments, and best of all I get to live in Butte--friendliest little city in America.
ER: When the use of the earth is done properly you can share from its bounty. Thanks for sharing your look through the months.
ReplyDeleteYes Mother Earth treats us many to gifts! I too was taken back by the dead animal.
ReplyDeleteA nice tribute to Earth Day!!
What a beautiful collection of photos! I've never seen moose in the wild and that trout photo is downright beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures. I live in a beautiful part of the country myself, but I'm still a bit jealous.
ReplyDeleteI also think you're right. The meat a lot of us eat comes from the Earth and is nourished by the Earth and we should say thank you both to the animal that feeds us and to the Earth for providing for us all.
Thanks, Fishing Guy--those of us who hunt & fish for our supper know this, but it's OK to eat without wanting to kill too.
ReplyDeleteNaturegirl, I'll try to be more careful with future photos--no one seemed too shocked by the photo of AJ hauling his deer out on the mountain bike--maybe because there was no blood.
Thank you, LisaW--trout of all species are incredibly beautiful, but I am partial to our cutthroats.
KrisineS, we all live in beautiful places, but sometimes it takes a little work to find it. My family buys the occasional free range chicken, but never beef--we try to live as close to Earth as possible.
I think I have just lost my heart to Montana.
ReplyDeleteAll the photos are so good, but my favorite is the cutthroat - dazzling!
(A real sparkler, which caught my corvid eye right away.)
:)