Morning sky awakens
Peace fills nature’s outlook
Landscape’s fresh, white blanket
Winter’s cozy look
Horizon full of gray
Light tries to brighten
Sun waits for tomorrow
Winter’s grip tightens
Hope’s disappearing breath
Tranquility’s free-fall
Each snowflake multiplies
Winter’s sudden squall
Wind churns with whitest sky
Brief storm now taking rest
Clouds open with sunlight
Winter’s steady quest
About a month ago, photos taken around my home in the state of Ohio were posted in the Buckeye Photo Gallery. Today’s gallery brings an invitation to visit Montana’s Big Sky Country, which is my native state.
This past summer (August, 2024), my camera enjoyed a journey filled with capturing the landscape around Madison County in southwestern Montana. On the left, the Madison River flows downstream from the river’s canyon exit. Its destination will be the headwaters of the Missouri River, located near the community of Three Forks. The photo on the right looks downstream on the river, as one moves away from the canyon. The weather conditions were very windy, and fortunately, the camera remained steady.
An hour’s drive from my hometown of Billings, takes one to Carbon County and the town of Red Lodge. Both photos capture scenes found on main street. The photo on the left features the Carbon County Courthouse. On the right, the corner building has been repurposed into a retail shop on the ground floor.
My wife and I always enjoy visiting the city of Bozeman, which is home to Montana State University. This community was home to me during my college years (1974-1978). While Main Street has changed a great deal from my time, the atmosphere remains welcoming with a vibrant commercial district. The Rockford Coffee Roasters welcomed us for mid-morning refreshments with our youngest Montana daughter and her two-year old son. Across the street sits the venerable Ellen Theater, which opened in 1919.
Enjoy the contrast of these two photos. Taken during the summer of 2023, the photo on the left captures a smoky sunrise above the Billings neighborhood where I grew up. The final photo was taken during the summer of 2021. A rest area outside of Billings, along Interstate 90, shares a bit of humor as well as functionality for its canine visitors.
Winter’s fading breath
Discovering light
One final snowflake
Springtime taking flight
Winter pushed aside
Taking rest once more
Moved from nature’s shelf
Change coming ashore
Time bursting forward
Sharpening each thought
Landscape’s fresh colors
Lessons being taught
Young and old smiling
Finding spring abloom
Nature turns its page
Song fills every room
Daylight grows longer
Feeling warmth each day
April showers come
May flowers will stay
Life’s faithful rhythm
Rising overnight
Harmony fills hearts
Love found at first sight
Horizon brightens
Greeting day with gentleness—
Morning’s quiet voice
Light’s clouded journey
Sunrise waiting with patience—
Soon sharing glory
Dawn’s early face glows
Shadows camouflage landscape—
Snowflakes dancing free
Season to season
From love’s treasured heart
Every breath of life
Landscape’s fresh restart
Nature’s life cycles
Reborn every spring
Yet, autumn mourns loss
Winter’s darkness stings
Throughout life’s phases
Hope’s fateful ascent
Never to wither
Love always present
Always on schedule
Life’s permanent breath
Winter fades away
Spring overcomes death
Eternal love lasts
Cold ground warms again
Life breathes as He planned
Creator’s “amen”
Wind’s inviting voices
Welcoming from shadow’s past
Harmonizing spirits
Bright skies trying to hold fast
Darkness taking shortcut
Wakening to rising sun
Searching for tomorrow
Ahead of each setting sun
Wind chimes at every hour
Reminding of yesterday
Wishing for better times
Memories’ daily ballet
Today never backtracks
Writing journey’s blessed song
Soaring ahead, true joy
Nature’s essence comes along
Wind gathers final breath
Inviting darkness back in
Following every star
Round of dreams, ready to spin
Even the upper end of the river believes in the ocean.
The greatest ownership of all is to glance around and understand.
William Stafford (1914-1993) was an American poet.
It has been quite some time since some of my photography has been posted. Here are some camera captures from the past few months. Enjoy a Buckeye journey with filled with images from spring, autumn, and winter.
Sometime in April, 2024, these photos were taken at Walnut Woods Metro Park, which is a short drive from my home. On the left, Walnut Creek peacefully flows along a boundary of the park. On the right, an unidentified bird enjoys a quiet moment surveying the landscape below.
My camera accompanied me on a neighborhood walk in October, 2024. The tree-lined boulevard welcomes visitors with brilliant autumn colors. A pair of ravens perched rooftop captured my attention. They pretty much ignored my presence.
Recently, my wife and I were dog sitting for our oldest daughter and her family while they were traveling. The date was December 29, and we experienced very unusual weather for this time of the year. A thunderstorm arrived, followed by warming inspiration from the sun, and we captured this nearly full rainbow from the backyard patio.
New Year’s winter comeback as photographed from our home’s deck (January 3, 2025).
While putting this gallery together, it seemed appropriate to allow God’s Word to have the final thought. From Psalm 96:11-12:
“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all that fills it; let the field exult and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.”
Deserted, severed tree trunk
Shattered by storms long ago
Splitting this giant in two
Forsaken now in its woes
Nature’s hand calling the shots
Drawing dark cards from the deck
Standing alone, slowest death
Trying to salvage this wreck
Deformed snag appears lifeless
Yet, God calls this wildlife tree
Standing proudly, still on watch
Nature’s snack bar waits for free
Living nearby, log still lives
Covered with lichens and moss
Home for God’s smallest creatures
Termites, beetles . . . march across
Jagged stump remains on guard
Below the ground, roots still thrive
Life holds on, another year
Perseverance to survive
Around the dark, scuttled tree
Racing to reach sunlight first
Young saplings growing skyward
Cycle of life, marked to burst
All of the photographs were taken at Chestnut Ridge Metro Park, which is located just outside of Canal Winchester, Ohio. I frequently walk this park during the fall, spring, and summer months with an occasional hike in the wintertime.
Originally published September, 2020.
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.
The spring is a lively emblem of the Resurrection.
Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) was an English-born poet who lived in the American colonies where her poetry was the first to published in the New World.
Big Sky Buckeye 