Preparing….

Winter sun in the Southern Heaven

clouds boiling over Jewel Basin

Frozen passage on the Lake

Winter Greetings from  Latitude 48.  ( Aye , I know that my friends in Canada and Alaska are more North ) On the winter solstice the sun will make it to 18.4 degrees on the horizon. That is low enough for me . I will be glad to see it's return to a warmer and more elevated position . For those in Montana Winter solstice will be here at 4:03 PM MST on December 21st. It amazes me how astute our ancestors were in noticing the turning of the stars and our sun , all without that annoying voice on the GPS. Although GPS is certainly a fun gadget , is it making us dumber and less aware of how to navigate? Brave our ancestors were to board rickety wooden ships and cross the oceans with hand held instruments. No GPS in sight .

This is a good time to take stock of where your footprints have been . Take a moment to consider how many people have received your kindness and compassion  Are you taking care of those things that have been put into your trust ? 

Happy in Montana : Solstice

Wishing you a pleasant evening as winter solstice proceeds forward. This is the day that the sun appears to hover still in the sky as it passes over the Tropic of Capricorn. The Long Night is over. We welcome the Sun and it's warmth back to our sphere. A quiet night  with a light snow falling . Good Solstice to all !

"In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived , and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you " ~ Buddha

Lazy Day Becomes the Long Night

 Lazy snowy day for errands . Snow all night and everything is newly frosted. The Swan is quite glowy in the afternoon sun. Some blue sky peaking through the snowy clouds . Heading East on the Swan Highway after the days chores in town.

 A particularly bright spot on the mountains north of Jewel Basin . I stop by the lake to see what is going on . It is a slow day so I wait by the lake by a hole in the ice. There are bubbles coming up so maybe some kind of animal is lurking under the ice. I have to be very quiet. I am sure it has super human hearing and even my shallow breathing can be detected by this unknown entity that is locked under the icy crust of the lake .

 My patience is rewarded by a river otter that surfaces and slithers onto the ice. It is breathing hard as it had to hold it's breath waiting for me to leave. Of course I didn't leave and now we are face to snoot. It watches me and I watch it. Then it dives back into the icy waters.

 Before it climbs out again it pokes it's head out and peaks around the border of the ice free hole.

 North end of the lake is quite still in the afternoon chill. It was fun to spend some time with the otter.

 Back on the road to the house . Hovering near freezing as I travel past Jewel Basin. The roads are not too slick but still have patches of ice.

 The trees at the top of Jewel Basin are covered in snow. These trees are quite tall but look tiny on the 7000 foot ridges.

The road into the basin is beckoning but more work to do so maybe another day .

A quiet day of exploring the great frozen North West gives way to the silence of the night. Tonight is the Long Night . Tomorrow is Solstice and we will once again welcome the sun back from it's long journey in the Winter sky.

Lengthening Days

Frosted Foothills

Many people imagine that January is a gloomy month. However for me getting through November and the first three weeks of December is the chore. The days are getting shorter and are grey more than not. After the Winter Solstice we start adding minutes to the day as the Northern Hemisphere tilts back towards the warmth of the Sun. Many folks think that the seasons are caused by our relative distance to the sun. However we have the changing of the seasons due to the 23.45 degree tilt of the Earth's Axis. Our position in the grand ellipse around the Sun has little effect. How amazing that a slight nod towards the Sun can create our warm summer season allowing us to grow food.

Sun riding low in the Southern Skies

 For now the northern reaches of the Swan Range lies sleepily beneath this years' snowfall. The valley is sunny while the foothills have their own weather events at 7000 feet.

Wheat sleeping beneath the snow

 The promise of a crop this spring as the snow nourishes the seeds and protects them from frigid over night temperatures .

Strawberry Mountain Gleaming in the distance

Finishing the journey home Strawberry Mountain is glowing with the recent snow. I particularly enjoy the cloud play.

Snow shoeing on the access road to Strawberry Mountain

A fine end to the day before night fall over takes the daylight. A bit of snow shoeing up the access road to Strawberry Mountain. I recently snagged a pair on sale at Sierra Trading Post . So far they work pretty good. With a beautiful sky above and a foot of snow under my feet , it couldn't be better. A good day to face the sun and appreciate the warmth. Say hello!

Good Bye Solstice

Solstice from the latin ( sol = sun ) and ( sistere = standing still ) . I know I am glad I took latin now .I am glad another solstice has come and gone, the best part is the days are getting longer and that is something to celebrate. It is the return of the life giving light of the Sun. It is totally amazing to sit in an astronomy class and take in the whole celestial mechanics of seasonal change. The complex dance of the Earth's tilt, revolution about the Sun,and the Milankovitch cycles. Gazing at the night sky I realize the complexity of the dance of the heavens and how our lives depend on it's orderly steps.