Last Full Day in Montana~

In this post we will be leaving the Glacier National Park area, heading back to Missoula, Montana by way of some of the many state parks and forest systems, and then begin the journey back home.

We drove the scenic loop like we did last year, passing through the areas of Salmon Lake, Swan River National Forest, Seeley Lake, Lolo State Park, and Flathead National Forest.

Going in the Spring would be a wonderful colours showing, but we always enjoy travel during the early Autumn months and the colour changes are stunning.

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

We had driven past what I thought to be a very large bird and the husby stopped so that I could take a look-see.  I was thrilled when I walked back and saw this gorgeous possibly female, due to the size, Red-tailed Hawk~

So many wonderful colours and textures in nature's paint box~

From everything that we could see, this little Pine Squirrel and more like it, were going to have plenty to eat for the Winter.  With deep snow, freezer cold temperatures, and non hibernating creatures... you have to wonder, how they survive~

When we travel, we stop often to walk the dogs.  It gives us a chance to move about, take in fresh air and they enjoy all of the travel perks too.  Soon to be 7 year old Meaka on left and Silveit turns 2 in January.

Magpie below~

Now this below caused me to lose sleep, wondering if the man made it to his loved one at hospital, as well as to who would care for his dog, once they arrived.  I wondered how much further he had to travel this way...I still wonder about it~

The morning that we were leaving Grouse Mountain Lodge, the soccer fields were covered in Gulls enjoying the morning light.  I had made my way toward them, very quietly and was taking a few images, when a woman approached and up went her hands.  She smile and said "Glad that I could be of some help"  What?  Oh well, the flight images do look much more beautiful then they did basking in the morning sun on the ground~

More Autumn colours~

A Mallard Duck had been safely hiding when the husby and our dogs showed up and accidentally startled it, but I was ready~

Meaka on left and Silveit with my husby~

Farewell to Montana, hoping to see you again one day, not too many moons from now~

Heading Home Through Wyoming and South Dakota~

This will be my final entry from our vacation journey last month, and I must admit, I am very thankful that we went, that we stayed with the plan, even with government Shutdown...
We had a wonderful time, even with all of the many obstacles and saw great beauty everywhere that we went. 
Thank you each and everyone, who has stuck this out with me, for I know these have been long shares, but I just had so much I wanted to show you.
I am just guessing that the birds flying above are possibly more of the White-winged Scoters, but I am fine with being corrected~

Remember to double click on the image, to view a larger slide show of the images shared

 

I am linking up with Mary for:
"Mosaic Monday"

at: 

 

 http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.

 

and

 

I am linking up with Stewart at:

 

   Wild Bird Wednesday

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

I will also be linking up with Sylvia at:

SkyWatch Friday

 

I invite you to check out more 'Skywatch Friday' posts from around the world at:

 

http://skyley.blogspot.com/

 

 

We drove from Southeastern Montana down into Wyoming and then South Dakota, on our last big leg, before returning home.

There were large Raptor nests like this everywhere out West...some are manmade, some are natural and some are built on platforms that man has placed in certain places~

 

 

Me with my puppy, oh my not such a puppy any longer. 
Silveit already weighs more than Meaka~
 

 

 

 

 

The land, the scenes everywhere you looked, were just stunning~
 

 

This was really sudden, taken through the closed car window and very far away, and yet...there it was a Golden Eagle. 
I had not seen any the entire journey, but when I saw this one, I knew what it was right away~
 

Blackbirds raiding plowed fields~
 

 

 

The land is so wide open, so pure in many ways...so much untouched by man's hand and I loved the sky touching earth feel that we got.
Some of the old homesteads and barns were relics and we also saw signs of other kinds of relics too, like this old caboose~
 

The sky in Wyoming just minutes before sunset and a small herd of Mule Deer, bidding us farewell, before we turned in for the evening~
 

 

Back in South Dakota again...and it was not as cold as when we had come through only 3 weeks before~

More Western Red-tailed Hawks along our route home...soon we would cross over into Eastern Red-tailed Hawk country~

I found the fields of spent Sunflowers absolutely glorious...the textures that I was able to capture, reminded me of beautiful Herringbone/Harris tweed~

 

 

We have now crossed over into Eastern Red-tailed Hawk country and that means we are closer to being home~

 

 

 

 

Fields of Indian Corn, reminded me of my beloved mother who always received a fresh bouquet from her cousin once a year~

 

Eastern Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk~

 

 

I have edited this Classic Diner with a touch of HDRish and it just seemed to shout out to me~

 

 

 

Loved this old church building and also edited a touch of HDR to it as well...

just for the fun of it~

 

 

This single image below...I have no idea why...but I just really liked it~

 

 

 

This barn was actually photographed in Iowa and that meant we had only 3 more states to cross through before being home again.

Thank you again for coming along~