Back in Montana With a Grizzly Story to Share~

Following a wonderful 2 1/2 days at Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, we returned to Montana.  One of our very favorite towns is Whitefish and our favorite place to stay is Grouse Mountain Lodge.  I would highly recommend this stay to anyone interested in heading to this part of the country.

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slide show presentation after you have read the narratives~

I will be linking up with Judith for:

www.lavendercottagegardening.com

Mosaic Monday

&

Stewart for:

   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/

Wild Bird Wednesday

Our lodging for 3 evenings was at the Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish.  

The Kahlua Chocolate Mousse Cake with Raspberry sauce...we had a slice with our coffee every night and I am still working those desserts off ;)

Out in the parking lot were guests arriving in some very neat cars, wow, I want one...

Right... just a little $$$

Mercedes Gull-Wings.

We decided upon returning stateside to visit Many Glacier, part of the Glacier National Park.  We had only just arrived and saw cars pulled off the road, and people standing wih cameras loaded.  I got out of the car, not knowing what they were seeing, it could have been many things and the husby stayed behind with the dogs. A Park Ranger said that a large female Grizzy Bear was making her way and had attempted crossing the road twice already that morning. We were all standing there waiting for her to cross when a very familiar car passed the group with a dog head sticking out each back window.  I just about had heart failure, as the husby pulled into the shade where the ranger stood, got out and stretched his legs.  The bear was right there!  The ranger  yelled for him to get back in the car and to back up, that a Grizzly Bear was RIGHT THERE!

The very nice ranger then had to scare the bear back from where it had been coming.

WHEW!!!

Afterwards the bear was back once again waiting her turn to cross and so we drove on into the park and see the lodging they had there.  As we were leaving Many Glacier, once again cars were lined up, only this time the opposite side of the road.  Yep, I got out and the husby stayed put...bless him!  The bear was  munching happily on Huckleberries.  All was well~

Lodging at Many Glacier, not too shabby, I must say!

We are now back at Glacier National Park.  Logan Pass and Going to the Sun Road had been closed for a few days due to 2' of snow at high altitudes. This day, it was open and we were finally going across after 2 failed attempts.  Come along with me.

First encounter this gorgeous Brown Bear.  I say Brown Bear...Black Bears can be brown or black, or cinnamon, so not sure, but I will just call it as it looks brown ;)

The well known red buses that take visitors on tours all over both Glacier and Waterton National Park systems~

Above a watercolourist doing her thing among the beauty of the majesty and below riding their bikes for a mission!

Making it to the top, for their cause!

Their are lots of tight curves in these very high places.  It was absolutely stunning scenery.  I kept looking for the gorgeous hybrid raptor, that I photographed up here 3 years ago, but never even saw a single bird this visit~

Here are a few more birds that call Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center in Kalispell,  their forever home, due to permanent injury.

Red-tailed Hawk, Swainsons Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk and Great Horned Owl, were just a few of these beauties. Their facilities were just wonderful!

Making Our Way From Kentucky to Glacier National Park~

Making our way from Kentucky to Glacier National Park...

We crossed over Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota and Wyoming, before arriving 5 days later at Glacier in Montana.

Along the way we saw the beautiful Monarchs at the Iowa South Dakota border that we have seen every time we travel West.

That is one of our 2 dogs that travel every where we go... the youngest Silveit in the mosaic with Monarchs;)

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slide show presentation after you have read the narratives~

I will be linking up with Judith for:

www.lavendercottagegardening.com

Mosaic Monday

&

Stewart for:

   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/

Wild Bird Wednesday

In South Dakota and Wyoming the scenes begin to change and then you realize you have traveled a great distance from home~

An Immature Bald Eagle gave me all of the time I wanted to taken a bunch of photographs of it.  

I had hoped it might fly, but it seemed no concern for my presence and we had to get a wiggle on down the road~

A little further down the road, there was no time for stopping and I took this adult Bald Eagle's images through glass as we traveled I-90 going approximately 70 mph.  

I always end up taking more this way than not and it works OK~

Prairie Dogs in South Dakota near the Badlands National Park~

Another juvenile Bald Eagle soaring, this too was taken from car, through glass~

We have finally reached Montana ;)  Big Sky Country~

We checked into our lodging and then drove over to the park for a few hours.

For the first couple of days we could not go over the Going to the Sun Highway, and Logan Pass due to the area receiving 2' of snow at higher altitudes.

You will have to wait and see if we get in later, but next week, I will share Canada images.

I hope that you have enjoyed this second set in our vacation journey shares and there will be more in coming weeks.

Have a wonderful weekend and week~