Tag Archives: Travel

Welcome to My Writer’s Corner

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Writer's Notebook

Do you enjoy writing or reading poetry?  Most of the posts on Big Sky Buckeye are filled with poetry, but I also share short stories, photography, and a few surprises along the way.  You are invited to sit a spell and find something you like.  I enjoy sharing my curiosity through my writing.  You are welcome to like, comment, follow, share, or reblog a post.

Featured Post

Today’s journey invites each reader to take on the challenge of another brain teaser before learning more about the marine mammal, the manatee.  Thank you for stopping by, and you are encouraged to read more from Trivia’s Facts and More.

My writing is supplemented by maintaining an active journal, which gathers thoughts from my Bible reading as well as sampling other bloggers’ posts.  Daily entries found in  From My Journal contain reflections about faith, life, and community for February 21.

You are invited to read a quote, updated on February 21 which features inspiration from the words of American author and humorist Arnold Henry Glasow.  His reflections offer a view into effective leadership and what nurtures success.

Here’s my Baker’s Dozen, featuring 13 of my recent writings from the past couple of weeks.  Each post is linked to take you right to its location.  Other poems, short stories, and feature writings can be found in the archives (found at the top of the page), which will be updated frequently with past selections.  Enjoy!

Montana Bound

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Summertime at Holter Lake outside of Wolf Creek, Montana.

Never-ending vistas

Discovering each keepsake

Nature’s promised grace

Harmony’s singing at daybreak

 

Majestic mountain peaks

Reaching to heavens above

Fields’ ripening grain

Easy to witness Creator’s love

 

Highway’s distant crossroads

Welcoming each blessed guest

Town’s main street alive

Hospitality at its best

 

Heart searches for its peace

Dreaming . . . now Montana bound

Precious adventures

Journey complete . . . Montana found

 

Pioneer Falls in the Madison Range of southwestern Montana. (Photo shared from one of my Montana daughters)

As of July 1, Colleen and I are beginning our travels from our home in central Ohio to Montana.  The Big Sky Country is my native state, and we are eager to see family and friends.  We will return in about 15 days.

Treasure State’s Journey

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Montana’s Crazy Mountains as pictured outside of the town of Big Timber. This photo was taken in late May, yet there remained substantial snow visible on the peaks.

Waking up on cold, frigid, winter morn

Looking like snowy storms, soon to be born

 

Pulling warm covers over this bare head

Let’s fast forward to new season instead

 

Always dreaming with bigness every night

Never alone, tasting perfect delight

 

Traveling ahead to hot summer day

Feeling urge to jump up, shouting to say

 

Has one ever seen more beautiful sky?

Sensational, unblemished blue so high

 

Treasure State’s journey, mines purest pleasures

Opening saddlebag, full of treasures

 

Shining high above, fullest sun in view

Sharing smiles with heavens, always be true

 

Western hospitality, comes this way

Be sure to come back, as we always say

 

From warmest hearts, joy overflows with grace

Montana’s Big Sky, lifetime’s “Last Best Place”

 

This poem reworks the theme from a previously published poem from 2019.  The much-improved verses were inspired by the 1990 publication of The Last Best Place:  A Montana Anthology.  Through eight chapters and over 800 pages, the works of numerous Montana authors can be read.  Each illustrates the unique way of life and history found in Montana’s Big Sky Country.

From the top left and moving clockwise:  Southwestern montana’s tobacco root mountains form the western wall along the madison river valley, montana ingenuity is discovered at a rest area along interstate 90, the hospitality of the community of ennis is found up and down its main street, the former parmly library building in billings–now home to the western heritage center, from a distance the “sphinx” formation is visible along southwestern Montana’s madison range (about 10 miles east of the community of cameron).  

Highs and Lows (Haiku Series #280)

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Devoted

Daily, reserved seat

Focused on another hour—

Game show fanatic

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Lights Out

Exhausting workweek

Looking forward to weekend—

Sleeping through big plans

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.com

Not Again

Vacation’s first day

RV takes turn for the worse—

Sidelined for repairs

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Monday Memories: Coast to Coast

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worms eye view photography of statue of liberty

Photo by Jamie McInall on Pexels.com

Sightseeing from Atlantic to Pacific coasts

Experiencing America, with much to boast

 

Lady Liberty’s gleaming torch welcomes all

Blazing autumn colors define Vermont’s fall

 

Appalachians conceal valleys, nestled with small towns

Nashville plays music for biggest “Country” hoedown

 

Florida’s Everglades house gators galore

Across America’s skies, bald eagles soar

 

Commanding Mississippi River slices through the land

Florida and California beaches offer up surf and sand

 

Interstate highways transport autos everywhere

Great Lakes provide a waterway, here to there

 

New Orleans offering its French Quarter to entertain

To the South, Rio Grande River creates a watery lane

 

America’s breadbasket reaps harvests from the Great Plains

Loaded grain, freight, and more journey on mile-long trains

 

Towering Rockies sing of marvelous beauty up high

Visiting out West, appreciating a Big Montana Sky

 

Seattle’s Pike’s Market, a distinctive place to treasure

California’s redwoods, their height is one to measure

 

Arid Southwest rains bloom flowers throughout the land

Grand Canyon’s brilliant scenery plays a winning hand

 

Finally reaching the Pacific coast at long last

The Golden Gate Bridge arrives much too fast

golden gate bridge san francisco california

Photo by Ignacio Palés on Pexels.com

Originally published September, 2019.

Heading West

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Normally, Saturday’s post features “Trivia’s Facts and More.”  The highway has led me to my native home of Montana.  Enjoy this poem.

Photo by Garvin St. Villier on Pexels.com

Heading west again

Leaving Buckeye land

Passing fields of corn

Highway’s singing band

 

Heading always west

Looking for blue sky

Small towns say hello

Highway time flies by

 

Heading west each day

Indiana waits

Illinois rolls by

Highway distance great

 

Heading ever west

Iowa belongs

Minnesota treats

Highway rolls along

 

Heading west for sure

South Dakota smiles

Wyoming roams free

Highway conquers miles

 

Heading west today

Montana’s hello

Big Sky welcomes home

Highway’s final show

 

Photo by Kerry on Pexels.com

My writing will be taking a well-deserved vacation while I wander under the Big Sky.  My next post will be published on Tuesday, August 22.  Everyone take care.

Monday Memories: Riding the Train

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This poem reflects upon the journey of a young boy who has the opportunity to travel on a train back in the late 1960s.  I will always remember this trip with my father.  Originally written in December, 2018, the poem has been updated for both content and style.

Northern Pacific Railroad’s North Coast Limited (courtesy of Pinterest).

Lying awake in bed on hot, sultry summer nights

Young boy listens to moving trains, far out of sight

 

Dreaming of riding passenger trains, brings thrills

Reliable North Coast Limited quickly travels at will

 

Riding the Northern Pacific Railway’s pride and joy

Father takes son on his first-ever train trip—oh boy!

 

Sitting together in the comfy coach car, so much fun

Experiencing all that connects a father with his son

 

Shuffling down the aisle, steward offers snack foods

Restaurant in Glendive soon satisfies hungry moods

 

Making its journey to Montana’s “Gateway City” today

Hustling train passes many small towns along the way

 

Flashing quickly by—Custer, Hathaway, and Terry

Steady North Coast Limited acts as trusted ferry

 

Feeling safe with train’s constant rocking motion

Son’s eyes soon close, sleeping to its locomotion

 

Waking up, train slowing for a scheduled stop

Town of Forsyth, pausing for quick eavesdrop

 

Picking up steam, locomotive continues on its way to the East

Yellowstone River runs alongside, train powers up like a beast

 

Finishing this exciting journey and reaching their destination

Glendive will serve as today’s ending Montana train station

 

Accompanying his father as he takes care of his affairs

Enjoying dinner and staying overnight without any cares

 

Returning back home to Billings the very next morn

Son believing train travel should be his new norm

 

Sitting in cozy dining car, both treated quite well

Elegantly set table makes pancakes taste swell

 

Moving up to the observation car, enjoying beautiful views

Autumn’s harvested farm fields, lining up straight and true

 

Hurtling by more towns—Rosebud and Fallon go past

It’s much too bad this captivating journey cannot last

 

Remembering again those images and sounds of the train

Memories of the North Coast Limited shall always remain

 

Observation car on the North Coast Limited (courtesy of Pinterest).

Coast to Coast

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worms eye view photography of statue of liberty

Photo by Jamie McInall on Pexels.com

Sightseeing from Atlantic to Pacific coasts

Experiencing America, with much to boast

 

Lady Liberty’s gleaming torch welcomes all

Blazing autumn colors define Vermont’s fall

 

Appalachians conceal valleys, nestled with small towns

Nashville plays music for biggest “Country” hoedown

 

Florida’s Everglades house gators galore

Across America’s skies, bald eagles soar

 

Commanding Mississippi River slices through the land

Florida and California beaches offer up surf and sand

 

Interstate highways transport autos everywhere

Great Lakes provide a waterway, here to there

 

New Orleans offering its French Quarter to entertain

To the South, Rio Grande River creates a watery lane

 

America’s breadbasket reaps harvests from the Great Plains

Loaded grain, freight, and more journey on mile-long trains

 

Towering Rockies sing of marvelous beauty up high

Visiting out West, appreciating a Big Montana Sky

 

Seattle’s Pike’s Market, a distinctive place to treasure

California’s redwoods, their height is one to measure

 

Arid Southwest rains bloom flowers throughout the land

Grand Canyon’s brilliant scenery plays a winning hand

 

Finally reaching the Pacific coast at long last

The Golden Gate Bridge arrives much too fast

golden gate bridge san francisco california

Photo by Ignacio Palés on Pexels.com

Riding the Train

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daylight empty farm farmland

Photo by Daniel Frese on Pexels.com

Lying awake in bed on hot, sultry summer nights

Young boy listens to moving trains, far out of sight

 

Dreaming of riding passenger trains, brings thrills

Reliable North Coast Limited quickly travels at will

 

Riding the Northern Pacific Railway’s pride and joy

Father takes son on his first-ever train trip—oh boy!

 

Sitting together in the comfy coach car, so much fun

Experiencing all that connects a father with his son

 

Shuffling down the aisle, steward offers snack foods

Restaurant in Glendive soon satisfies hungry moods

 

Making its journey to Montana’s “Gateway City” today

Hustling train passes many small towns along the way

 

Flashing quickly by—Custer, Hathaway, and Terry

Steady North Coast Limited acts as trusted ferry

 

Feeling safe with train’s constant rocking motion

Son’s eyes soon close, sleeping to its locomotion

 

Waking up, train slowing for a scheduled stop

Town of Forsyth, pausing for quick eavesdrop

 

Picking up steam, locomotive continues on its way to the East

Yellowstone River runs alongside, train powers up like a beast

 

Finishing this exciting journey and reaching their destination

Glendive will serve as today’s ending Montana train station

 

Accompanying his father as he takes care of his affairs

Enjoying dinner and staying overnight without any cares

 

Returning back home to Billings the very next morn

Son believing train travel should be his new norm

 

Sitting in cozy dining car, both treated quite well

Elegantly set table makes pancakes taste swell

 

Moving up to the observation car, enjoying beautiful views

Autumn’s harvested farm fields, lining up straight and true

 

Hurtling by more towns—Rosebud and Fallon go past

It’s much too bad this captivating journey cannot last

 

Remembering again those images and sounds of the train

Memories of the North Coast Limited shall always remain

 

I actually made this trip with my father back in the late 1960s.  Read more about the Northern Pacific Railway’s amazing passenger service from North Coast Limited.