GLACIER NATIONAL PARK-FRIENDS

June 15-17 2012. Diana and Mike O'Hara planned this trip back in February. It did not require even a little bit of arm twisting for us to agree to join them. We traveled from our respective homes and met at St Mary's Lodge, one of the eastern entrances to the Park. After a lovely lunch it was time to hit the trail. Logan Pass was still closed after a foot of snow the week before undid some of the progress the crews had accomplished in clearing the road. But this is Glacier, where Nature is unequivocally in control. Not much we can say or do about it, other than park the car at the closure gate and take a walk up the road

                                                        Love birds everywhere!

                                                                     St Mary's Falls

                                                 She would be a natural in Cuba

                                       Cataract Creek and Falls empty into Grinnell Lake
                                       

                            Grinnell Lake, a picturesque bowl of rock and water, only accessible on foot

                                      Wow! How about that for a backdrop. More to come...JIR

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK-GETTING THERE

Three and a half hours from Helena, Glacier National Park must be the jewel of national parks, at least in the Northwest. Since we were heading to Many Glacier, on the eastern side of the Park, we took the eastern route from Helena. We've made this journey before, but it never gets boring. Going through Augusta and Choteau, the Rocky Mountain front and the Bob Marshall Wilderness are within eyesight. The views make one yearn for the splendor of what's ahead.

Several Hutterite colonies populate this area. Their industrious and hard-working footprint is obvious

                                         
                                                  Blackfoot Reservation, Browning, MT          

                         Reservation entrerpreneur: "Tipi Pegs and Bundles 4-Sale $55 All in Bundles"

                                               Life in the "Res", often sad to witness

Now we can see the Park, and one can feel Nature taking over, overwhelming the senses.

More to come on the next post...JIR

OF WEEVILS AND WILDFLOWERS

We are very pleased to have observed many of the weevils we "planted" last Fall, and their progeny, devouring the undesirable toad flax weeds on our property. These little critters seem to have expertly spread themselves over our 6 acres. We even unexpectedly observed a pair actively mating, to which we cheered as we walked away to give them some privacy. Look closely at the top frame to familiarize yourself with what a weevil looks like, sitting proudly on top of a dying toad flax plant  

Our patch of Rocky Mountain Iris seems healthy and has expanded since we felled our beetle-killed pine trees last year

Beautiful iris growing in the wild

I've posted pictures of wildflowers growing on our property, but I never get tired of admiring these beautiful signs of life this time of year.JIR