September 13, 2013
Vermilion night
In the last rays of evening light, far below at the base of a distant peak, elk began to bugle… soothed by the soft siren sounds of cool winds tumbling through the hemlocks… spellbound for hours by stars so bright and dense that a needle-wand of light could not fit between them, sleep came slowly to a soft bed of fir needles, on a high ridge, in a place called “Vermilion”.
Then morning came, gentle and easy, through a saddle to the east,
and within the hour, wolves sang.
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Nice!
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Comment by carolannie1949 — September 13, 2013 @ 8:51 am
Thanks!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 8:56 pm
Gives me the shivers in a positive way.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — September 13, 2013 @ 9:03 am
That’s a good thing, Anneli!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 8:57 pm
There’s something special about the high country that naturally draws one’s attention to sunsets and dawns. The trees and mountains direct our eyes to the sky, I think.
Malcolm
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Comment by Malcolm R. Campbell — September 13, 2013 @ 9:05 am
True, and my camps there are very primitive affairs. Sunsets and daybreaks are the main attractions.
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:07 pm
Terry, these beautiful images so perfectly complemented by your prose.
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Comment by twoscamps — September 13, 2013 @ 9:17 am
Thank you Maureen!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:07 pm
Thanks for the pictures and words. Great story.
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Comment by badwalker — September 13, 2013 @ 9:34 am
I’m glad that you liked it, Lynn! That was a wonderful night.
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:10 pm
Such splendorous majesty, truly leaves an anointing on the soul, doesn’t it? 🙂
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Comment by Homestead Ramblings — September 13, 2013 @ 10:03 am
It sure does. The wild country lets one focus on the world as it should be, with no outside distractions, and the world is an amazing place.
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:13 pm
Stunning beauty! Words and photo’s.
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Comment by Debby — September 13, 2013 @ 10:24 am
Thank you Debby!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:13 pm
I’ve finally started a photo blog too. Mostly of pictures of our area in S. Florida. Just feeding my growing enjoyment of photography. I do enjoy seeing places that are so different – like yours!
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Comment by Debby — September 14, 2013 @ 1:05 pm
Please send me the address of your photo blog!
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Comment by montucky — September 14, 2013 @ 10:34 pm
http://floridagirl74.wordpress.com
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Comment by Debby — September 15, 2013 @ 7:37 am
Thanks!
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Comment by montucky — September 15, 2013 @ 8:36 am
Absolutely beautiful, Terry…and I love your words, too…. Were you camping?
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Comment by seekraz — September 13, 2013 @ 11:09 am
I camped that night near the trail head that I hiked the next day. I do that often because it gives me an early start and a full day. And I greatly enjoy those nights! My camping is a rather Spartan activity.
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:16 pm
If I had to travel greater distances to get to the trails that I usually hike, I would enjoy doing the same thing…and I would do it in a very spartan fashion, as well…minimalist is often best, I think.
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Comment by seekraz — September 14, 2013 @ 3:39 pm
How magical. Thank you for sharing this, and for the photos. I can almost imagine being there – I could do with a ‘wilderness’ experience right now.
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Comment by Jo Woolf — September 13, 2013 @ 11:57 am
I wish you could experience a bit of our wilderness here, Jo. I know you would enjoy it.
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:16 pm
Your beautiful writing compliments your stunning shots. Vermilion…so descriptive.
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Comment by Candace — September 13, 2013 @ 12:51 pm
Thank you, Candace! Perhaps the one who named that place felt the same things!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:21 pm
This post … so beautiful, and your text … just love it . // Maria 🙂
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Comment by mariayarri — September 13, 2013 @ 2:29 pm
Thanks you Maria! I’m glad that you liked it!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:21 pm
This is gorgeous, photos and words. I was wondering if you would consider letting me reproduce it on my regular blog with attribution and a link to your site. Please send an email to me teresaevangeline@yahoo.com if you would agree to this and let me know how you want the attribution to read, name-wise…
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Comment by Teresa Evangeline — September 13, 2013 @ 2:53 pm
Certainly, Teresa. I just sent you an email. I’m pleased that you enjoyed the post.
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:22 pm
From the sounds of your comments you must have spent the night. It doesn’t get much better than sleeping in the great outdoors! I’m sure it was great, just wish I could have been there. One day…..
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Comment by Ron Mangels — September 13, 2013 @ 4:36 pm
Yes Ron, I often spend the night before a hike near the trail head so I can get an early start on the hike. And I do like spending nights in the high country. Ypi would have enjoyed this one! I will post photos of the hike a little later.
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:24 pm
Oh my goodness, you had to know how much I would love this one. The photos alone are breath-taking but your prose to accompany them is just as beautiful. You need to write more often, my friend.
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — September 13, 2013 @ 5:04 pm
Thank you! Yes, I thought you would enjoy the scene. Sometimes photos alone cannot describe the whole experience. All of the elements that night were very special!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:28 pm
And you captured that quite well with words too! 🙂
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — September 14, 2013 @ 9:07 am
Thank you!
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Comment by montucky — September 14, 2013 @ 10:25 pm
Your words are beautiful – a perfect accompaniment to the photos. Sometimes such experiences leave me wordless, but sometimes the perfect words seem to come, as they surely did for you here. I see you captured one of the visible planets, too – I’d guess Venus .
Just lovely.
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Comment by shoreacres — September 13, 2013 @ 5:53 pm
Thanks! Experiences like that, for those who love the wild country, demand an effort to describe them, inadequate as that might be. I always wish that others could have the same experiences.
I think that was Venus. It was bright and I hoped it would show up in the photo. Nearly all of the smoke from the fires has now disappeared and the night sky, seen from a high vantage point, is incredible. It is very difficult to sleep, looking out into the universe!
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Comment by montucky — September 13, 2013 @ 9:38 pm
Hi Terry,
Lovely pictures lovely verse. We are lucky to have you out there in nature to bring us the great MT outdoors!
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Comment by Laura Townsend — September 13, 2013 @ 11:32 pm
Thanks Laura! I just sent you an email.
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Comment by montucky — September 14, 2013 @ 10:14 pm
Beautiful. I’ve been wanting to do some night/sunrise photography myself, which is why I’m awake at 5 am on a Saturday. I hope I see some good light!
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Comment by New Hampshire Gardener — September 14, 2013 @ 3:06 am
It’s fun to do, sometimes frustrating to miss just the right light (I’ve done this three times in the past week).
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Comment by montucky — September 14, 2013 @ 10:18 pm
Your poetry matches your photography.
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Comment by jomegat — September 14, 2013 @ 4:22 pm
Thanks! I keep trying to include more of the experience.
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Comment by montucky — September 14, 2013 @ 10:19 pm
Your words, they are beautiful… And the photos, superb !
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Comment by Inspired and pretty — September 14, 2013 @ 5:05 pm
Thank you, Jocelyne!
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Comment by montucky — September 14, 2013 @ 10:20 pm
Hi Montucky, Magnificent! Have a fantastic day!
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — September 16, 2013 @ 9:48 am
Thank you!
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Comment by montucky — September 16, 2013 @ 9:35 pm
What a magnificent post both in it’s visual appeal but also in it’s literary content. I would love to have a little poster of this to hang above my desk so I could see it every day. Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece.
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Comment by anniespickns — September 17, 2013 @ 8:28 am
Thank you Annie. I’m glad that you liked it. That was a beautiful night. I will remember it for a long time!
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Comment by montucky — September 17, 2013 @ 8:21 pm
Those are literally breathtaking. I have a stone bench on the side of one of the Squaw Peak trails where I usually watch the sun come up. It is so refreshing and charges my day.
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Comment by Tammy — September 17, 2013 @ 9:11 am
Sunset and dawn are wonderful times when you can manage to be in them!
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Comment by montucky — September 17, 2013 @ 8:22 pm
perfect, life in Montana
you have inspired me to step outside now and take in the night sky
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Comment by Tammie — September 17, 2013 @ 8:53 pm
I just did that; walked down toward the river to perhaps get an evening photo and encountered a veritable cloud burst along with some strong winds. Luckily I had a poncho with me. By the time I got back home, an inch of rain had fallen. Not photogenic, but a wonderful evening all the same!
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Comment by montucky — September 17, 2013 @ 9:04 pm
Oh now these are awesome photos, Montucky…beautiful.
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Comment by Watching Seasons — September 18, 2013 @ 6:51 am
Thanks! Nights are beautiful in the high country. The photos were taken a week ago. Tonight there is a chance of snow there.
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Comment by montucky — September 18, 2013 @ 9:12 pm
Beautifully photographed, beautifully described!
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Comment by Bo Mackison — September 18, 2013 @ 8:20 pm
Thanks Bo!
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Comment by montucky — September 18, 2013 @ 9:13 pm
Poetic photos!
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Comment by Sartenada — September 19, 2013 @ 11:21 pm
Thanks Matti!
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Comment by montucky — September 20, 2013 @ 9:48 pm
I have no words for this except Wow!
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Comment by Roberta — September 20, 2013 @ 9:36 pm
Thank you Roberta!
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Comment by montucky — September 20, 2013 @ 10:16 pm
Wonderful wilderness words … made me feel like I was there.
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Comment by bearyweather — September 21, 2013 @ 7:05 pm
That is what I was hoping for, bearweather!
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2013 @ 10:12 pm
not only a photographer but a poet too! very nice
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Comment by skouba — September 21, 2013 @ 8:02 pm
Thanks Stacey!
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2013 @ 10:13 pm
Exquisite! Nothing more, nothing less!
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Comment by WildBill — September 22, 2013 @ 5:46 am
Thanks Bill!
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Comment by montucky — September 22, 2013 @ 10:31 pm