Author Archives: westerner54

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About westerner54

Hello. I'm Cindy, and I love to hike, bike and explore the outdoors - particularly the western U.S.

Eaglets Growing Up

Posted on June 26, 2013 by westerner54

I’ve been watching three eagle nests this spring, and all of them now have eaglets who are getting ready to fledge:   the first one is high in a cottonwood and not too easy to see now that the cottonwood has … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

At the Rodeo Part II: “If Jesus Had Been a Norwegian” and Yikes!

Posted on June 19, 2013 by westerner54

The Wilsall Rodeo started with a dandy performance from the slightly math-challenged Ringling 5. You’ve no doubt heard their top ten song “If Jesus Had Been a Norwegian.” There are not so scary moments during a rodeo – although I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Montana, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

At the Rodeo Part I: Youngsters, Not-So Youngsters, and One Heck of a View

Posted on June 17, 2013 by westerner54

Wilsall, Montana, June, 2013

Posted in Life, Montana, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Does This Bear Spray Make Me Look Fat? Accessorizing for Glacier.

Posted on June 13, 2013 by westerner54

I bought a new canister of bear spray this year, since my old one was one we’d found along the trail a few years ago, and I really wasn’t at all sure that it would really work when I needed it.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

A Montana Morning on the Riverbank

Posted on June 6, 2013 by westerner54

I’m sitting on the bank of the Madison River: morning sunshine warming my back, yellow warblers flitting through the willows along the shore, a lone osprey making his way up and down the river looking for breakfast in the muddy … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Life, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Lone Ranger Wannabes and Other Silly Birds

Posted on May 31, 2013 by westerner54

These dudes think they’re so clever. Like they think I won’t notice that they’ve totally ripped off their “disguise”? You know they’re up to no good – planning a heist or a bird-napping. And the hairdos that some birds come up with are … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Humor, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Prairie, Lake and Sky: Solitude at Freezout Lake

Posted on May 28, 2013 by westerner54

Solitude can be hard to come by on a holiday weekend, even in sparsely populated Montana. But we found it, in the wide open prairie at the edge of the Rocky Mountain Front: Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area. The migratory … Continue reading →

Posted in Camping, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Yellowstone: The Usual Suspects and a Surprise or Two

Posted on May 13, 2013 by westerner54

This fellow is one of the usual suspects: his name is Scarface, and I’ve seen him before in Yellowstone. He’s over twenty years old, with a mangled right ear, and..yes..a scarred face from too many run-ins with other grizzlies. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Travel, Wildlife, Yellowstone | Tagged , , , , | 36 Comments

The Osprey has Landed

Posted on May 10, 2013 by westerner54

When I’m photographing birds, my hope is that my picture will show the true spirt of the bird I’m seeing. It’s not easy. But sometimes I feel like I’m getting close.   (I’m participating in The Prairier Birder’s “Feathers on … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Solitude in Zion: Not on Angel’s Landing

Posted on May 1, 2013 by westerner54

The National Parks are certainly not lax about warning the public about the dangers that we will encounter within their borders – even cactus! – and Zion is no exception.  Warnings about falling from cliffs seem to pop up every … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Hiking, Outdoors, Southwest hikes, Travel | Tagged , , | 38 Comments