Tag Archives: Montana

CMMC: October Autum Colors

With Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge of “October Autumn Colors” in mind, I carried my camera on walks in Billings city parks over the last several days. There weren’t nearly as many yellows, oranges and reds as I expected! Here is an early October 2022 glimpse of the varied vegetation in Montana’s largest city (population 117,116).

Riverfront Park, Billings, Montana. October 8, 2022.

The Yellowstone River marks the southern edge of Riverfront Park – a place flooded by the river back June. Dirt trails to the river’s edge take off through the woods from the single paved path.

Phipps Park, Billings, Montana. October 10, 2022.

Phipps Park is in the Rimrocks on the northwestern edge of Billings and includes a steep hike to the top. Once at the top, there’s plenty of open space to roam.

Pioneer Park, Billings, Montana. October 11, 2022.

Closer to the center of Billings, Pioneer Park is far more developed than either Riverfront or Phipps Park. While there are many amenities (see https://www.billingsparks.org/location/pioneer/), the tall trees are the best reason to walk there.

CMMC – January Pick a Topic: Trees and Sky

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Usery Mountain Regional Park, Mesa, Arizona. December 28, 2021.

This month’s Midweek Madness Challenge Pick-a-Topic from Cee’s photo sent me searching for pictures of trees against the sky. Here are five I have taken in the last fourteen months.

East Fork Boulder River Absaroka Range, Montana. May 12, 2021.

Shiloh Conservation Area, Billings, Montana. May 7, 2021.

Bald Cypress Trees, Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. April 13, 2021.

Yellowstone River, Billings, Montana. December 19, 2020.

TreeSquare: East Boulder River

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While spending time with my parents in Montana in May 2021, we took a day trip to visit friends who retired to the family homestead south of Big Timber. Their place is not far from where the East Boulder joins the Boulder River south of McLeod, Montana. What? You’ve never heard of McLeod? I hadn’t either.

The view includes part of the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness. Looking south from the lower pasture, Boone Mountain (or Boone Peak, elevation 8944 feet) is the near mountain behind the willow trees. Morning Star Peak (elevation 9255 feet) is further away on the right. Enos Mountain is off to the left.

Since their property is on both sides of East Boulder River, a bridge is required. There is a road so you don’t have to walk across the bridge. But where’s the fun in that?

Suspension Bridge over the East Boulder River

Need a seat?

I chose pictures with trees and cropped them square just to share for Becky’s July #TreeSquare challenge.

CMMC – May Pick a Topic – Mural

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My casual query after breakfast Sunday led to a field trip to see – and photograph – the 6th Street Mural in Billings, Montana. Thinking of Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge Pick a Topic from her Photo (see it here), I asked if there were any murals in Billings. Although he thought it a strange question, the young dad in the room quickly did an internet search. We soon had plans for after the baby’s nap!

I played in traffic and dodged pigeon droppings to get the sixth shot. The last picture was taken from the passenger seat as the dad drove under the underpass.

The mural was planned and the details painted by Elyssa Leininger. She had help from volunteers who prepared the walls and added wide swaths of paint as directed by the artist. Find more information about the mural and the process as reported by a radio station here and the local newspaper here.

Photo a Week Challenge: Abandoned

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Smith Mine Abandoned Buildings. Photo: TLCLark, 11/17/2020.

I’m a week late to the challenge, but have thought about this picture since Nancy Merrill issued her photo a week challenge: Abandoned. These buildings mark the Smith Coal Mine, “the site of the worst underground coal mine disaster in Montana history.”

My parents and I had taken a drive, in part, to check out this site near Bearcreek, Montana. As much as we would have liked to get closer to look around and take pictures, we heeded the “no trespassing” signs. Besides that, the wind was cold and it was a steep walk down to the fence.

Photo Challenge: Wheel

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With wheel as the photo challenge today I wandered through memories of growing up in eastern Montana, taking black and white pictures of old farm equipment. Rather than digging through boxes of old photo albums, I pulled up digital pictures from an August 2008 visit. I knew I had taken pictures at Neumann’s Ranch and was pleased to find photos of wheels.

Wheel from an Old Plow, Neumann Ranch, Eastern Montana. Photo: TLClark, 8/26/2008.

Dad identified what I had via the screen-sharing option in a Skype call. It was fun to hear him describe how various pieces of equipment were used and to have him help pick pictures to share. He thought long and hard about the wheel in the top picture; unfortunately there is no additional context since it’s the only photo of that particular wheel.

Wheel of an Old Buck Rake, Neumann Ranch, Eastern Montana. Photo: TLClark, 8/26/2008.

The tines of the old buck rake drop down to pick up hay. A lever is used to trip the rake, leaving hay rolled into a pile.

Old Buck Rake, Neumann Ranch, Eastern Montana. Photo: TLClark, 8/26/2008.

When no longer needed on an old rake, wheels work as functional art!

Bob’s Handiwork, Neumann Ranch, Eastern Montana. Photo: TLClark, 8/26/2008.

Another LQQK

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