On the way home

 On the way home with Whitefish Mountain in the rear view mirror.It has been an active weather day with lots of clouds and differing precipitation. Rain in the valley with Mountain snow. The clouds are dramatic.

 Crossing the Flathead River bridge a rainbow broke through the clouds . Just a bit of the river peaking through the trees on the left side of the picture. This has been a colorful few weeks with the Western Larches turning golden on the mountain sides

 Closer to home breezing through the fertile fields ever vigilant watching , scanning for the deer that roam the area. Mist rising from the recent precipitation as the cooler air of the night settles in the valley. Below one of my favorite fields where deer can often be seen in the early hours of the morning . Tonight as dusk approaches it is quiet.

 These are my favorite cows. I suppose in rural areas that is the norm to enjoy a herd as you drive by each day  and  they say hello. It is interesting to notice which way they are all turned depending on the weather. One particularly cold morning they were bunched up in the trees to the left using the hill as a wind break. Smart bovine I would say. Many times deer will be keeping them company at a distance. There is also a cream colored cat that is often in the field although of late I haven't seen much of him.

 Dusk proceeds. The mists rise. A lone light beckons and looks comforting in the growing dark. In the distance Strawberry Mountain , Jewel Basin and Mount Aeneas on the right . The Swan Range is graceful in the glowing twilight.

 At home in the snow belt there is still some snow from the last fall . Something was in the yard earlier. I pull out my favorite book Scats and Tracks of the Rocky Mountains by James Halfpenny and look for the pattern. Interestingly enough the cotton tail , jack and snowshoe hare all have different "hops". It appears to be a snow shoehare. Hardly surprising as I have seen them cruising through the yard at times. I hope he has a cozy burrow and was on the way to get warm for the night. Sounds like a good idea.