Trees are for me a visual anchor to the earth, a tie to the world of nature that spans the generations. In last summer’s 105° temperature, these tall pines shaded the earth beneath them as they have since the time of the Civil War, and in the sub-zero cold of winter they draw one’s eyes up toward the sky and provide a visual link to tie earth and sky together.
Earlier I had planned to decorate this young Ponderosa for the season, but soon found it had decorations far better than anything I could provide.
Montana Outdoors 
Letting natured decorate. Sounds like a wise move to me.
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Comment by Pinhole — December 24, 2008 @ 11:53 am
Merry Christmas Terry, hope you and your family have a wonderful season.
I will be back up and around shortly I had a bad computer crash, thank goodness I backed everything up !!!
I am just now getting my new system up and going, see you more in the New Year !!
Best wishes
Bernie
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Comment by bernie kasper — December 24, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Pinhole,
Yep. Nature also changes the decorations quite often too!
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
Bernie,
Good thing you had back-ups! It will be good to see you out and about again! Merry Christmas!
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
That’s one thing I miss here in Alaska – pine trees. Firs just aren’t quite the same.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Terry!
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Comment by wolf — December 24, 2008 @ 12:18 pm
Wolf,
I’m glad you’re with your family for Christmas! Have a very Merry Christmas and a great holiday season!
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
Nature did do a very lovely job with that little pine tree in your yard! Just beautiful! I don’t think you could match that, no.
I’ve always loved trees–as you say the connection from earth to sky means so much. One of the hardest things about moving to Florida (from Virginia) as a teen was leaving the trees. And the conifers out here are just so beautiful and majestic–the pines and the firs.
(And *wow* that sky!! It’s a little bit blue here today, but nothing like *that*!)
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Comment by gradschoolsara — December 24, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
Beautiful! Merry Christmas!
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Comment by Sue — December 24, 2008 @ 1:03 pm
Sara,
These were taken a few days ago when the sky was really clear. Today we have a little blue, but it’s lighter. Also quite warm for a change!
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
Thanks, Sue! Merry Christmas to you too!
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
I’ve just been browsing in your archives and you have such wonderful pictures and stories. I was just enjoying the one of the moose and the fisherman, what a great campfire or anytime story to cherish. I look forward to visiting your site often, it’s a great repose to the canyons of NYC – Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Ellen
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Comment by Ellen — December 24, 2008 @ 1:39 pm
Loving all these White Christmases! Merry, merry to you…
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Comment by Bo — December 24, 2008 @ 2:25 pm
Me too, Bo! Merry Christmas!
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
Ellen,
Thanks for visiting and leaving such a nice comment! You’re certainly welcome to visit any time!
Happy Holidays to you too!
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
It’s amazing how long trees can live. Simply beautiful! I think I’d get quite bored, however, standing in the same spot since the Civil War, living my life in one location with nowhere to go.
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Comment by Tabbie — December 24, 2008 @ 10:02 pm
I’ve thought about that too, Tabbie. They do tend to solidify things though.
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Comment by montucky — December 24, 2008 @ 10:20 pm
Oh, those decorations are transcendental. I wish you a very happy holiday season!
Trees are very highly evolved manifestations of the very energy that drives life.
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Comment by Sumedh Prasad — December 25, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
Definitely trees worth hugging,… Merry Christmas to you and yours from a true “tree hugger” (in the truest and best sense of the term) back here in the northeast!
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Comment by Cedar — December 25, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
Sumedh,
Happy Holidays to you too!
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Comment by montucky — December 25, 2008 @ 5:15 pm
Cedar,
Trees are certainly worth hugging! I;m always in awe of them.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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Comment by montucky — December 25, 2008 @ 5:16 pm
montucky
Merry Christmas; Still enjoying your pictures. Any time you want tolook at the old FS map let me know
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Comment by Rich — December 25, 2008 @ 7:39 pm
Thanks, Rich!
Merry Christmas!
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Comment by montucky — December 26, 2008 @ 11:38 am
Beautiful pines. A perfect christmas tree.
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Comment by scienceguy288 — December 27, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
We have a pretty Fir inside, but I really like the outside one much better!
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Comment by montucky — December 27, 2008 @ 7:33 pm
Yes, the decorations are just fine as they are. Thanks for providing us with so many wonderful photographs of Montana this past year. I’m sorry events conspired to keep my wife and I from meeting you and your wife at Glacier Park in August. Have a happy new year. I’ll look forward to more of your blog in 2009 and perhaps, also, finding another time to get together.
Malcolm
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Comment by knightofswords — December 28, 2008 @ 2:11 pm
Malcolm,
I certainly hope we will be able to get together some time. I’m still sad about the events of the summer.
Happy new year!
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Comment by montucky — December 28, 2008 @ 6:41 pm