Living off the grid
Not even Google will find—
Modern mountain man
College football’s quest
Cinderella comes knocking—
Another upset!
Marvelous music
Keyboard’s personality—
Piano man’s hands
Waking from short overnight nap
Mind navigating through dense fog
Seeing Venus, shining above
Campfire went out, hearing bullfrogs
Experiencing nature’s gifts
From this lofty mountain retreat
Rubbing shoulders with Creator
Simple life, better than Main Street
Viewing twinkling lights down below
Village sound asleep, missing this
Flickering campfire heats coffee
Tranquility Base, full of bliss
Cooking up heartiest breakfast
There’s plenty for both me and you
Inviting Christ to take His seat
Mountain retreat, feeling brand-new
Breathing in nature’s harmony
Alone, never feeling that way
Taking in this heavenly scene
Lord, please allow this hour to stay
Mountains to valleys
Earth’s blessed contrasts invite—
Highest to lowest
Probing earth’s oceans
Endless waters reaching shore–
Never grows weary
Galaxy’s journey
Universe enriches life—
First contact with stars
Howling wind joins darkness
From mountains standing tall
Screaming into valleys
Her spirit lives to bawl
River bottom cuts through
Shudders at her loud cry
Escaping into night
Her spirit never dies
Myths and legends live on
Woman wanders away
Never noticed again
Her spirit roams to prey
Crazy Woman Mountains
Dramatic island range
Lives into eternity
Her spirit must not change
Another winter night
Shivering voice calls out
Noisy lungs never sleep
Her spirit lives throughout
Montana’s Crazy Mountains stand as a sentry above the valley near the town of Big Timber. Nicknamed the “Crazies,” the wind always seems to be blowing. If you wish to read more about them, here is a link to the mountains.
God’s creation under the Big Sky
Treasured landscape covers this vast land
Immense prairies flow into mountains
Few places on earth looking this grand
Rugged backbone of the continent
Chiseled spine of the Rocky Mountains
Stray mountain ranges dotting the plains
Cascading streams flowing as fountains
Three distinct rivers form its headwaters
Mighty, boundless Missouri River
Eastward, collecting the Yellowstone
Precious mountain rains move downriver
White-tail and mule deer camp in thickets
Pronghorns graze in the midst of grasslands
Mountain valleys gather elk and bears
Ducks and geese pilot into wetlands
Frequently titled the Treasure State
Montana shines under its Big Sky
People flocking to witness its gems
You just might meet a Buckeye nearby
I could probably write something about my native state of Montana every day. It will always be a very special place to me. Watch out, you just might run into a Buckeye returning to the Big Sky.
From Mark 11:23: “Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.”
Life facing complex, hurting world
Rugged mountain peaks, blocking us
Never be in doubt, but believe
Accepting God’s grace, ride His bus
Immovable mountains stand tall
Remaining steadfast in prayer
Requiring faith in our Father
He watches over our welfare
Lacking faith, walking in darkness
Our Father sends His lasting grace
Prepared and willing to assist
His energy, ready to embrace
God seeks men and women of faith
Follow His Word, forever speaks
For our Lord’s glory and kingdom
Trusting Him, tackling mountain peaks
Believe totally in the Lord
Walking in faithfulness each day
Our faith moves our Father to act
Thanks be to God, He shows the way!
From the words of American pastor and author, E. M. Bounds: “Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer can move God.”
Sitting home, isolated and alone
Taking virtual trips, changes life’s tone
America’s landscapes invite us in
Scenic mountain vistas, adventures grin
Alaska Range, home to our northernmost peaks
Denali “the tall one” forever speaks
Cascade Range roams the Pacific Northwest
Snow-capped volcanoes offer stunning quests
Sierra Nevada’s enchanted land
Host national parks, majestic and grand
Rocky Mountains form this nation’s backbone
Stunning beauty, more precious than gemstones
Sawtooth Mountains salute from Idaho
Endless summits bring skiers to the snow
Bighorn Mountains, sacred to native ways
Montana-Wyoming border sings praise
Adirondack Mountains, New York’s playground
Winter skiing, fall foliage—best around
Great Smoky Mountains push for Tennessee
Fog-covered peaks, spellbinding all agree
Blue Ridge Mountains welcome us back home
Free-flowing Shenandoah smiles and roams
Wherever you live or where your travels take you, you may have a favorite mountain paradise. One of my precious favorites is the Beartooth Mountains in south-central Montana, a stone’s throw away from Yellowstone National Park.
You are invited to share one of your special places in the comments.
Montana’s Lone Mountain stands above most peaks
Providing skiing challenges and thrills for all to seek
Today brings sweet, special time on this tallest mountain
Witnessing marriage joy, more beautiful than any fountain
On cloudless and frigid Friday, love will indeed arrive
Blessing God’s joining of two people, to forever thrive
This loving couple enjoys their shared passion to ski
Planning to tie marital knot, wedding party shall see
Carried to lofty summit, gondola ride quite soaring
Bride and groom cement their love at mid-morning
There’s no more beautiful moment than a wedding
Linking of two lives as one, in this majestic setting
Wedding vows exchanged in blusterous, bitter cold
Sharing their simple words of love, special and bold
Precious wedding rings left at home, safely hidden
Dropping them in deep powder, would be forbidden
Brief ceremony proceeds to its eventual conclusion
Watching husband kissing wife, seals God’s union
Newly married couple, outfitted in finest skiing attire
Skiing as husband and wife, before daylight expires
Easy to find, youthful bride finishing her downhill run
Wearing white veil on top of her helmet, just for fun
Husband and wife, skiers with remarkable skill
Sharing and enjoying further runs, sharing thrills
Holy Father sanctifying this couple’s wedding day
Smiling at faithful love, with beloved words to say
My youngest daughter and her wonderful husband were married on February 2, 2018. Yes, they were married just below the summit of Lone Mountain in southwestern Montana. I honor their union with this poem. The picture was taken by a member of the wedding party, and it captures the newlyweds completing their first ski run as husband and wife.
Big Sky Buckeye 