Category Archives: Life

Thanks

Posted on November 18, 2012 by westerner54

Thank you, Ramona, for nominating me last week for the “Unusual Excellence” award.  Musings by Ramona is an unusually excellent blog itself, and well worth a visit – so head on over there! A while ago I decided not to … Continue reading →

Posted in Life | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Small Town Montana: Stops in Anaconda and Deer Lodge

Posted on October 29, 2012 by westerner54

There’s a stark – and wonderful –  contrast between Montana’s open, expansive, wild landscape and the small towns that dot the countryside.  The towns, founded to support hardworking miners, ranchers, farmers, loggers and railroaders, are gritty and rundown; they were … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Life, Montana, Photography, Travel | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

The Sanctuary of Open Spaces

Posted on September 18, 2012 by westerner54

During a bad fire year a few summers ago, the Forest Service closed all of the Forest Service lands in western Montana.  Totally.  No access, even for hiking.  I was dumbfounded.  It had never occurred to me that they would … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Nature, Outdoors | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Which is Scarier: A Rattlesnake or a Grizzly Bear?

Posted on August 23, 2012 by westerner54

Imagine this:  You’re hiking on the third day of a six day backpacking trip, deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, when you “run into”* a) a rattlesnake… or….. b) a grizzly bear. *what exactly does “run into” mean?  that’s up … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Hiking, Life, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 23 Comments

The Panic in Beautiful Places

Posted on August 20, 2012 by westerner54

“How much I missed, simply because I was afraid I was missing it.”  Paulo Coelha There’s a scene in Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Eat, Pray, Love where Gilbert and a friend arrive together at a particularly beautiful place.   The friend’s immediate … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Montana, Nature, Outdoors | Tagged , , | 25 Comments

Montana Folk Festival

Posted on July 15, 2012 by westerner54

Butte, Montana July 14, 2012

Posted in Life, Montana, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

I’ve Never Known Where I’m Going…But I Know I’m There. Go Figure.

Posted on May 15, 2012 by westerner54

One of the things I absolutely do not miss about working are the yearly “goal-setting” meetings.  Ugh.  Year after year, an enthusiastic consultant would give us some variation of the “if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Montana, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

“U R Brave”

Posted on May 2, 2012 by westerner54

Last year I posted on YouTube a video of some Yellowstone wolves crossing the road in front of me.   One of the first comments was just one line:  “U R brave.”    I didn’t think it was brave, but it looked … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Hiking, Life, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Travel, Yellowstone | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments