Big Winter in Montana

Wowie zowie! We surely have had the snow!  12 - 15 inches over the past 36 hours. It's so deep I practically sink out of sight. Right under the eaves it's a little less deep so that's where I have staked my claim to the outdoors. I feel like a soldier wandering around in my trench.

Kinsey came out to play with me. The first thing she did was throw the frisbee on the roof. Fortunately, she was able to knock it down with a broom handle. There's already a perfectly good one up there from last week. We won't be getting that one until spring.

Anyway, Kinsey took some photos of our play and I thought you might like to see. I've never in all of my two years experienced anything like this. It's fun but it tires even me out trying to run in it.

Hard work loping in the deep snow

Usually I'm pretty good launching but this snow keeps me close to the ground

Doing my best to race

Giving the old frisbee a good shake.

Lurching out of the snow

So there you have it. Big winter going on in Northwest Montana and I'm loving it!

Ciao for now,
Molly Montana

 ©Kinsey Barnard

Spring fever is in the air in Montana

Is spring around the corner? Sure would be nice if it was. This has been quite a winter, although not nearly as severe as other parts of the country.

It's not that I mind the cold but Kinsey certainly isn't as keen to do stuff when it's 5 degrees. And, she's been shoveling and plowing like a mad woman.  The past few days we've had around a foot and a half of snow.  There was so much snow on the drive it was hard to push and the banks were several feet high. The car will barely fit in the slot.

Now it has suddenly turned very warm and it's raining. With all this snow to melt it's going to be a really big, sloppy, icy mess. I've already made myself popular by going out and digging in a muddy patch I found.

Kinsey has been totally consumed with her photography. I mean it's almost as if I don't exist sometimes. Not really, I do crave a lot of attention and I have had to compete. She has been working to get her website just the way she wants it in time for an ad she will have coming out in Flathead Living this month. I've pasted a copy of the ad below. Looks pretty good. I'm a little disappointed she's using a photo with Lakota in it. I must admit it's a great picture. I know I'll get my chance.

I have also heard her mumbling about going over to St. Mary's this spring. Now this I find exciting. I've never been. St. Mary's is on the Blackfeet Reservation at the East entrance to Glacier National Park. Kinsey is more interested in the reservation. The painted ponies have their foals in the spring and she loves to see and photograph them. She finds the reservation a mystical place.

So, is spring around the corner? I certainly hope so. I'm ready.

Be sure and check out Kinsey's new blog The Liberated Photographer.

©Kinsey Barnard

First Winter Dusting

We had our first winter dusting of snow here in NW Montana this week. I took this snappy out the passenger window. The view is over to the West Kootenai and Robinson Mountain. I was too lazy toto get out of the car so the lines you see intersecting the image are fence wire. I just rolled down the window and shot through the passenger side.

Robinson Mountain-Kootenai National Forest 10-14-2011

The most beautiful  thing was Wednesday I saw my first blacktail so the migration has started. I also saw what I like to imagine was my whitetail doe and her twins now foraging at the cattle ranch below. It probably wasn't them but it may me feel so happy and sad to say adios to them. Earlier I posted this tribute to the process. When Will I See You Again

©Kinsey Barnard

My Week in Pictures

This week was all about cold and snow. We had the biggest storm I've seen in the nine winters I've been here, 20 inches in around 24 hours. And, we had the lowest temperature for this winter -11. By we I mean Koty and I. But we are very fortunate to live in a micro-climate that allows us to stay 10 to 15 degrees warmer than most other places. Of course, -11 or -25, I can't tell the difference when it gets that cold.

Koty still in bed. He is not a morning person.

After the big storm the trees were just loaded with snow.

Out at Walden Pond the warm water from the spring kept the ice at bay.

Snow piled on old grass made for an interesting landscape. Kind of looked like a lunar landscape to me.

The snow was so deep Koty had to jump along to break trail. He loved every minute of it.

101 Ranch barn and fences covered in new snow.

The view from Sophie lake east to the Galtons and Mt. Baldy

Mt. Baldy. This mountain is actually in British Columbia

This shaggy, little old pony was just standing by the roadside caked in ice. It was -9 degrees. He reminded me a lot of a horse I had when I was a kid, his name was Pancho. I know animals are designed to tolerate the cold but it still makes me sad to see them out in it. The truth is even if they have access to a barn most of them prefer to be out.

Just an old snow covered truck I came across. When I took this little tour of the valley after the storm I stayed in the car and shot through the car window most of the time at -7 to -10 it's colder than I like and I can't hardly work the controls on my camera.

Along with the pot load of snow we also  has some wind. I didn't get that much at my place but other place got quite a bit. This is what the snow along the roadside looked like after the wind sculpted it. I really find these natural designs beautiful.

Just another moonset. I took this through my living room window. Too cold for me out there!

No telling what Mother Nature has in store for us next week. But, it will be interesting no doubt. Spring breakup could really be a very messy business this year. I read in the local paper,  published once a week, all the watersheds are above normal for snow and some close to 150% above normal. If we get a sudden period of high temperatures this spring there will be flooding and ice jams galore, no doubt about it.


©Kinsey Barnard

2-17-2011

Snowed another 3-4 inches overnight. We now are back to looking like the dead of winter. Had to plow again. Afternoon sun. High 35.

Neighbors stopped to chat as I was down at the gate plowing. Sadly, they reported that more people we know have been forced to leave the valley because there is no work here. Other sad news. A mountain lion was treed and shot because she was on the Kootenai Trail where people like to walk. Neither man nor beast is making out too well around these parts. Hard times all around it seems.

Koty and I hiked in the forest for a couple of hours. It was so beautiful with all the fresh snow. Saw some wolf and wildcat tracks. We followed the wildcat for quite a way. It's silly I know but it always pulls at my heart strings when I see small cat tracks in the snow. They seem so small compared to their world. I guess it's the same with us. We just leave much bigger tracks.



Looks like winter is fixing to stick around awhile longer.

©Kinsey Barnard

2-16-2011

Mother Nature finally made up her mind and decided to go with snow. We got about and inch and a half over night, enough to shovel and plow. The temperature is mild at 38 so I don't reckon this will stay with us for long.

The pre-dawn landscape was just gorgeous. I guess it was the snow that gave it the blue glow. Whatever it was so pretty. This was taken at a very slow speed, 1/2 of a second.

Plowing was a bit of a challenge. The ground is a little bit soft and I managed to gouge a huge divit out of my driveway. I think there's something not right with that plow. It flops around like a landed fish. Need to get someone to take a look at it before I take it off. Hope to heck I remember. I get so anxious to get the damned thing off I'll probably forget ..... again!

My pal Mona came to call and we had a great time catching up and brainstorming. I need to decide what pieces I am going to show at the Bigfork Museum in May. I have just an awful time choosing.

Koty is really bent out of shape now. Whilst Mona and I were visiting he drug out his toys, tore open some tummies and scattered stuffing all around the house in a valiant effort to get some attention, all to no avail. I WILL take him for a good long hike tomorrow come hell or high water!

©Kinsey Barnard

Mule Deer, Koty Bear & Doe Eyes

Well, goody goody gum drops! We are finally starting to have a respite from the snow and a bit of a thaw. This will be my ninth winter up on this mountain and this is the harshest fall since I moved here. My father used to say that when winter started early the overall winter kinda petered out. We'll see how well that works.

Koty Bear loves winter the more snow and cold the better. He literally whines to be let out when we go subzero. Below is a photo of him dashing through the snow.

Koty Bear Loping Through The Snow

For winter sports Koty and the mule deer like to play a bluff-charge game. Koty, being true to his nature is unreliable off lead so he must always be either on a leash or in an enclosure. He has a tether that allows him to go in and out of the house, go out on the lawn to take care of business and lounge on the deck. When the mule deer return for the winter they soon take up where they left off. The deer know just how close they can get to Koty without him being able to reach them. The deer will approach to just within Koty's reach and dare him to come after them. Koty will try and fake them out by hanging back hoping to draw them into his range. It's really quite the cat and mouse game and a lot of fun to watch.

Koty Bear And Mule Deer Playmates

I have been spending a lot of time with my deer. They are a wonderful diversion. I can sit out in the snow and watch them by the hour. And, of course, I cannot resist taking a few photos. I just love the mule deer. They are so gentle and serene, not at all like the whitetail. They are a life lesson for me. They also have very cute butts.

Mule Deer Behind

You will notice the black tip on her tail. Although, everyone around here calls them mule deer or mulies they are also referred to as blacktail deer.

There is one old doe that has been coming to keep me company for several years now. I call her "Doe Eyes". This doe has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen on a mulie or any dear. For the most part mulie eyes are solid brown and although big and beautiful there is not a lot of texture to them. But, Doe Eyes is in a league of her own.

Doe Eyes

Her eyes are very large and instead of being a solid brown they are more like a horse's eyes that have variation and texture. They are just stunning.

Doe Eyes

There is something elses very unusual about her eyes. They are set quite a bit more forward than is common. I don't know if you know or not but you can tell if an animal is a predator or a prey animal by the set of the eyes. Predators like mountain lions, and wolves have eyes set up front whilst prey animals like deer and elk have eyes set on the sides given them greater peripheral vision. Also note where your own eyes are located.

I'm hoping before this winter is done that I can get a closeup up just of her eye so that you can see how truly beautiful they are.

©Kinsey Barnard Photography