Watching It Snow

© 2015 Penny Hall 

© 2015 Penny Hall 

© 2015 Penny Hall 

This morning I woke to what looks like six inches of snow.  It is in the 20's.  The weather reports predict snow through Tuesday morning could reach as much as one foot.

Then, an arctic blast is expected to follow dropping temps into the single digits.

I am working from home today.  I fed the birds and cleared the side walk.  Later I will clear off the car.  I planned to take a walk but the wind kicked up so I think I will wait until it is a bit calmer.

Wonder if this means we will have a white Christmas?

Visiting the Neighbors

©2015 Ken W. Hall

Time seems to be passing faster than I can remember.  Thanksgiving was very cold.  The day before, the day of, and for a few days after it was below zero at dawn.

Today the wind is so strong I could barely open my car door at lunch.  It is cloudy now and looks like snow is falling on the mountains.  

I am glad it is warmer.  The snow that fell before and during Thanksgiving is almost gone here in town.  It is in the high thirties but the wind makes it feel colder.

Ken sent me the above image.  He took it on his walk this morning.  The deer are plentiful in town this year.  These were passing through our street making their daily rounds.

First Snow Removal Day

© 2015 Penny Hall

I woke up to a big surprise this morning.  Looking at the pots in my front yard we must have gotten five to six inches of snow.

It snowed Tuesday and Wednesday, especially in Bozeman but the temps hovered around thirty degrees.  It was in the twenties yesterday morning and twenty this morning.

This is that beautiful light, fluffy, snow.  I took the photo from my office this morning at 8:45 AM.  Now the sun is peeking out.  I am sure the icy roads will be melting quickly.

This was our first snow removal day of the year.  Things were so calm and quiet as I removed the snow from the car and sidewalks.

When I drove through downtown Ennis shop owners were out clearing the sidewalks.

Winter was slower arriving. I wonder what it will be like this year?

Rush Hour in Ennis Montana

© Ken W. Hall

© Ken W. Hall

"Yesterday, Friday September 18, 2015 a family of moose, including the bull, the cow and the baby, blessed us with their presence, and I might add 'What a presence it was.

I spent nearly an hour observing them all and the places where each fit into the family. I wonder…if I had in my past known where I fit in my family how would my life been different? What really matters now is how I fit into my own life."

                                                                                                  - Ken W. Hall

Friday afternoon a friend called to alert me that a family of moose were in town. It is rare to see a bull, cow and salt all in one location. I called Ken and off he went.  Of the 300 images he took he was kind enough to share these with me to share with you.  

After several rainy days the sunshine was a welcome sight and made his photography easier.  As you can tell the rain brought the first significant snow fall to the mountains.  Temps in the mornings have been in the high thirties and daytime temps in the fifty to sixty degree range.  I do love the fall weather and visits from your animal kingdom.

The Sky Is On Fire

© 2015 Ken W. Hall

On the morning of August 21, 2015 the sun rose as usual and at the appropriate hour. Looking east from Ennis toward the Madison Range I could do nothing but stare and wonder at the majesty of the new day, and whatever it would lay gently in our laps.  It beckoned that I should share its arrival and message.

"Upon its rise into the new day it did it did not being the fire smoke, it merely brought it to our attention.

What a reality to see and not be able to deny the reality and severity of the circumstances. It is now that we must awaken our awareness of those in Harm's way in the fire stricken communities and surrounding areas. The storms are fierce but the power and result of our prayers can alter and often eleviate the heat, no matter the circumstance."

We must pray well and with sincerity and we must pray often. Our brothers and sisters are asking for our participation.

                                                --- Ken Hall

The image above is the color of the sun when blocked by smoke. This morning dawned with a thirty-five degree temperature due to a cold front that moved in yesterday.  We still cannot see the mountains for the smoke but it is a little clearer today due to the lack of wind.  It is a brief reprieve.  

Smokey Times

© 2015 Ken W. Hall

© 2015 Ken W. Hall

"Smoke from the forest fires billowing from the west coast and nearby Montana locations shrouded the clear and sunny skies. Smoke could be tasted and smelled.

  To be deterred by nothing Mother Doe and her twins visited quietly and with intent of breakfast. They, in unison, browsed by the creek, along its very banks. It was early morning and the light was perfect. Colors were soft and saturated. This made it easy to see the 'wardrobe' change being facilitated by the Great Designer. The summer red coats, holding on for their very existence while revealing the tattered spots of the twins. The life for the twins seemed to have come at a very late date. I think it was in June or July which when compared to other fawns we observed was later than what I would call normal.

Shortly after the dining table image the twins felt a very synchronous burst of energy…a game of tag was in order. I can attest that when fawns play tag it is at an extremely accelerated rate of speed, a speed in fact when coupled with the soft morning light said, "No stop action images for these two, at least not now." The images painted to my memory are indelible, vivid and real. The only way I know to share is for you to tap into my dreamtime and summons the recall of bullet fast twins literally running circles around our property at what was at my best guess twenty plus miles an hour. The two laps they completed were in some circles epic. Within me, they were divine and sacred. Mother Doe blessed us with memories very selectively and with great sanctity and purity. Church today was a blessing."

-Ken W. Hall

© Ken W. Hall

All Rights Reserved 2015

The smoke is unhealthy today due to so many fires not only in Montana but surrounding states.  The wind shifted today and blew in way more smoke.  It has been smokey for almost a week now but today was the worst.

The sun this morning was blood red through the smoke.  Temperatures are in the forties in the mornings and range from highs in the 60's to low 80's.

Neighbors and Their Babies

 © 2015, Ken W. Hall   "Elder Training…the only way to really teach is to share what you know from your heart and trust that the student will receive what they require for their life to come."

  © 2015, Ken W. Hall  "New Life is a dance with silent music, music heard only by the Soul. "I am ready for my close up Mr. Demile!"

      © 2015, Ken W. Hall    "I want my dinner and I want it now, none of that instant stuff!"

Ken has been busy lately capturing parenting behaviors among our animal neighbors and friends.  They are so much fun to watch.

Our 4th of July parade and pot luck at our house afterward was great fun.  It is sort of the official kick off of summer.  Hundreds of visitors defend on Ennis for that weekend.

We had several days of temperatures reaching into the 90s.  Now it has been in the 80s again.  Yesterday and today we experienced afternoon showers that were short lived but brought wind and cooled things down.

Summer is in full swing.  I love the energy of summer.  New life, new growth, flowers and growth.

Easter Morning in Ennis

Easter Sunday was my first morning home after being gone several days for the passing of my mother from this world.  I was greeted with a gentle and beautiful snow fall.

It fell softly off and on all day and only a few rem ants remained this morning.  It has was in the low thirties yesterday and today and inched up into the forties.

Our bird feeder is constantly full this time of year as the birds migrate to their summer destinations.  I saw my first gold fence of the season.  The doves were plentiful along with chickadees, starlings, fences, crows, magpies and more.

I am grateful for the moisture that is needed for us this spring since we had a rather dry winter.  I thinkI will go visit the river today even if it is cloudy and wet outside.

Is It Really February?

© 2015 Ken W. Hall

© 2015 Ken W. Hall

When I returned to Ennis I was surprised to find things so different for this time of year.  I wanted to connect with the Madison River and figured I would have to go to Lions Park since my favorite campground is usually closed due to gorging and ice.

To my surprise the campground was open and access to the river was easy.  There were a few puddles of melted snow on the road in and out but that was about it.  The river was flowing free of ice.

The local news reported that the Bozeman Golf Course opened two months early because the conditions are more like spring than winter.

Ken wanted to take a drive around Ennis Lake yesterday.  Ice fishing appears to be over since the only ice on the lake is slush.  Large portions of the water are completely clear.

We drove into Bear Trap Canyon and on the way out Ken stopped to admire this magnificent eagle.  He put on quite a show for us.

The temperatures have been in the thirties and forties at night and in the forties and fifties during the day.  Yesterday it was fifty-seven degrees, sunny and breezy.

Is it reality February in Ennis?

January Sunrise in Ennis

I sat reverently, my mind submerged into the aroma and taste of my coffee. The blinds were still drawn and the cat was not  melded into my lap and there was no voice around me, only the silence. In that moment I was silently summonsed to the window to raise the blinds. Then it was there…God's painting for the morning. I offered thanks for the call and preserved it as best I could with camera and pixels.

All the previous sunrise melodies that I had heard from previous scores from the Master were instantly echoing in my minds eye and the path to my heart was illuminated ever brighter, emblazoned with molten light.

                                                                                                                        --    Ken W. Hall

It is expected to reach record highs this week with temps in the fifties.  

15 Below Zero

©2014 Penny Hall

An arctic front moved in yesterday bringing lots of wind and cold temperatures.  The high was about 6 above zero yesterday.  This morning it was 15 degrees below zero and calm.

Yesterday the deer were roaming about grazing on anything they could find.  Today they are noticeably absent.  I am sure they are bedded down somewhere keeping warm.  Tomorrow it is expected to reach a high of about 18 degrees. 

The sun is shining and the high is expected to reach zero.  I am huddled in the house working from home with a warm cup of tea near the warmth of the pellet stove.  

I love how technology allows me to work anywhere using my laptop and phone.  Life is so good and I am so blessed.  

Christmas Blizzard

©2014 Ken W. Hall

Christmas eve the wind blew with such force it knocked the bulb off the outside light fixture on the back porch.  Snow fell most of the night and we woke to falling snow and about six inches on the ground.

Our lunch guests from the Cameron area were surprised to find such deep snow as they approached Ennis.  They had less than an inch at their home.

Our friend from the McAllister area woke to snow drifts in excess of three feet.  He resorted to hiking across the pasture to meet a ride at the highway.

The above photo is the little shed out back.  The wind blew the snow so fiercely the building looked as if it had been flocked.

Today we experienced a few little snow flurries with temperatures only in the teens.  Another storm arrives tomorrow with an expected three to four additional inches of  snow and temperatures dropping to fifteen below zero by Monday.

This mild December appears to be going out with a bang.  Happy New Year everyone.  I think I will huddle in with a warm cup of tea and make some turkey soup.

12 Degrees This Morning

©2014 Penny Hall

It was 12 degrees this morning when we woke.  There were deer bedded down under our neighbor's trampoline and our resident bunny rabbit was out looking for food.

It began to snow Saturday evening and continued some during the day on Sunday.  A little more fell last night.  In all it might have been two inches.  

We welcomed the sunshine today.  The days are getting shorter but soon we will pass the shortest day of the year mark.  I love the sunshine and will enjoy the ever increasing hours of daylight.

Too Cold Too Soon

© 2014 Ken W. Hall

Winter arrived early bringing below zero nights for days now.  It has been as low as 18 degrees below zero at night and no higher than 12 degrees during the day.  We received what appeared to be five inches of snow and with these temps it is still on the ground.

According to the weather forecast things may begin to warm this week to the twenties and possibly thirties.  We will all be grateful for a little more warmth.

I am thankful for my warm house and good friends.

The above photo was taken by Ken near Norris Hill before the recent cold blast. I love watching the moon rise over the mountains.

A Warm Halloween

©2014 Ken W. Hall

©2014 Ken W. Hall

©2014 Ken W. Hall

©2014 Ken W. Hall

Living in downtown Ennis this year for Halloween we received an abundance of trick or treaters.  The weather was warmer than it has been in many years causing everyone to  stroll at a leisurely pace rather than hurrying to stay warm.

It was such a joy to watch families walking together.  Parents participated with their children many in their own costumes.  All the children were extremely polite and thanked us for the gifts they received.  Ken managed to capture a few interesting images some of which are posted above.

Temperatures yesterday reached into the sixties.  However, tonight a storm is expected to bring up to four inches of snow and the lows will reach into the twenties with highs in the thirties and forties for a few days.  

I am glad the snow did not spoil the children's fun.

Twenty Degrees in September?

@2014 Ken W. Hall

@2014 Ken W. Hall

@2014 Ken W. Hall

Recently Ken captured these images of a family of deer grazing at the end of our block.  We commented on how late in the year it was to have little ones with spots.  

This week, the morning of the 11th, I drove through snow to hang an art show in Virginia City, Montana at the Elling House Arts and Humanities Center.   The next morning we woke to twenty degree temperatures here in Ennis.

This was a major record low for this time of year.  I heard some people say it had not happened since the 1800's.  I have not checked the facts but it has not happened since we moved here fourteen years ago.

The low this morning was 30 degrees and it is in the sixties with a breeze right now.  It is reminding me to get outdoors and enjoy the warmth while it is here.  Winter is not far off.

So, I am writing this post sipping tea on my front porch watching the birds while expressing gratitude for this beautiful place I call home.

El Western's "Tippet"

© 2014 Ken W. Hall    "Tippet"

Spring weather is unpredictable here in the Madison Valley.  Temperatures range from the 20s to high 60's, sunshine to cloudy, calm to windy.  

As nature wakes from her long winter's nap those of us who live here year round are busy preparing for the return or our summer residents and tourists.  

Recently Ken taught a photography class at the El Western here in Ennis, Montana.  This is Ken's description of the above photo.

"Here is an image from the last day of the workshop I taught at the El Western. This is "Tippet" the resident caretaker of the stream. The lawn was covered with limbs that she removes from the creek and deposits on the lawn. This behavior goes on constantly throughout the season. Seems she has given herself the job of Stream Maintenance Supervisor. Just in the hour we were by the stream shooting she must have brought twenty large branches and small limbs out of the creek."

                                                                                          -Ken W. Hall

FUNNY STORY (side note: a tippet is the smallest part of the leader on a fly rod. The fly is tied onto the tippet.)

Osprey, Trout and Moose

©2014 Ken W. Hall

©2014 Ken W. Hall

It is a beautiful Easter Sunday.  We took a walk along the Madison River near Eight Mile Fishing Access earlier this morning. 

As we were approaching the access Ken noticed this Bull Moose sun bathing on a small island in the middle of the river.  Camera in hand he headed out down the river to see if he could get a few shots.

Just as we began to make our way to the river's edge this magnificent osprey flew overhead and put o quite a show.  Ken immediately noticed the trout he held in his talons.

By the time we reached the moose he was not in the mood for a photo shoot.  Ken managed this one quick shot before he rose and headed across the river diapering into the safety of the willows.

It was forty degrees at six this morning and now it is fifty-nine.  The wind makes it feel colder but the sunshine is a welcome sight.

I wish you a blessed day.

Total White Out! Blizzard In The BearTrap

© 2014 Ken W. Hall

As the blizzard subsided I was lying on my belly on a rock in the river shooting water level images when I glanced not ten feet from my right side and beheld noses…not one or two but schools. I put away the pixel machine and scrambled up the bank back to my rig and loaded myself with tackle and down I went to the water. I fished for less than two hours, got eleven fish, all on dry flies.  One was 11 inches and the rest, a mix of browns and rainbows, were from 14 - 18. There was still some occasional rising fish but since I could not feel my feet and I had to drive out of the canyon on a slippery road I called it a day and what a day it was!

                                                                                   -- Ken W. Hall

Ken took this photo several days ago on a fishing trip.  Sounds like it was an amazing experience he will not soon forget.

This has been a different sort of week.  We lost water for several hours then discovered mid day the following day that the water we were drinking and using was contaminated.  Those of us who live in town and are on city water are picking up water from Ennis city hall until they get test results back on Tuesday.

Three Rivers Communications laying fiber optic cables drilled through the water main.

We take many things for granted in life.  Not having something we rely on daily give us the opportunity to appreciate it even more.

It is wonderful to have the temperatures warming a little.  The sights and sounds of spring are everywhere.  I love waking to the sound of the birds.  It is daylight earlier and later as our days get longer.  The town is waking up as businesses prepare for our summer visitors.  

Deep Freeze Again

©2014 Ken W. Hall

©2014 Ken W. Hall

What a difference a day makes.  One day the deer are sunbathing the next they are riding out the storm.

March is marching in like a lion with what our local forecaster is calling the winter storm of 2014. Last week temperatures dipped well below zero after a heavy snowfall and a repeat is scheduled to begin this evening.  Temperatures are well below normal for this time of year.

The sound of birds chirping is a welcome song.  It is time for many of them to return.  I am sure they are just as surprised by the winter weather.

Perhaps the old saying will ring true and March will go out like a lamb.  In the meantime we must brace for another storm and frigid temperatures expected to reach 14 below zero.