May 4, 2017
Where they grow
It occurred to me that it might be of interest to see the view that the Fairy Slippers in the previous post have through their living room window. The dog is my best friend and trail companion (the best trail dog that I’ve ever seen). The Clark Fork River valley is in the distance (and a thousand feet below) and the Weeksville Creek Canyon is in the foreground.
Following are some of the early wildflowers that are also blooming in that vicinity now: Fairybells, Glacier Lilies, Bluebells and Pacific Trilliums.
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Montana Outdoors 
It is of interest. If I were a flower, I’d be happy to live there, and enjoy that view. I’m glad to see your dog, too. What breed is he? I don’t remember seeing a dog quite like that before. He’s very handsome, and I suppose it’s of some value that he’s white. He’d be easier to see in the undergrowth!
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Comment by shoreacres — May 4, 2017 @ 9:38 pm
I hike there often for exercise and the views are a big plus as are the wildlife. As I look at the peak and ridge line at the horizon it brings back pleasant memories of all the sorties up there I made while exploring that whole area.
I adopted Buster last fall from a Humane Society shelter up in Kalispell soon after my previous dog died. He is a Labrador/Great Pyrenees mix; 27 inches tall and 82 pounds with no quit in him. He loves hiking on those high trails every bit as much as I do.
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Comment by montucky — May 4, 2017 @ 9:58 pm
I have a friend up in the hill country who has a Great Pyrenees, and that dog is a wonder. After four years, it finally has decided that I’m ok, and will allow me to pet it, now. The funniest thing about that dog is how crazy about kittens he is. If a kitten gets away from the mother, or even the group, he’ll gently pick it up and carry it to where it belongs. Amazing.
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Comment by shoreacres — May 5, 2017 @ 4:56 am
Apparently protectiveness is a characteristic of Great Pyrenees. Buster is extremely protective of my house and car, but when we meet someone on a trail he is as friendly as can be. It takes awhile for him to accept people who come to the house, and when I leave him in the car to go into a store I don’t need to lock the car. He also has many characteristics of a Lab, such as hunting instinct and acute sense of smell.
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 7:21 am
Your dog is so clean and pretty. He deserves a place among these beautiful flowers.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — May 4, 2017 @ 10:44 pm
He actually is a very clean dog except when it’s really muddy out and then he gets a lot of foot-washes.
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Comment by montucky — May 4, 2017 @ 11:01 pm
Foot washes help a lot. Easier with a lab type (it is a lab, right?). Our spaniels’ feet are so shaggy, especially the cocker.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — May 5, 2017 @ 12:07 am
We have had a very wet late winter and early spring ans consequently a lot of muddy surfaces. I’ve been glad many times that Buster has short hair!
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 7:16 am
That sure helps. Thankfully, we don’t have the mud. It’s very sandy around here. But, sand in the fur of a wet spaniel tends to come off on the hardwood floor and no further sanding is needed.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — May 5, 2017 @ 9:56 am
I think sand might be much worse than mud.
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 11:34 am
Hard on the floors.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — May 6, 2017 @ 8:56 am
Awesome photos…I love the mountain view and your dog is handsome. 😀
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Comment by heartandsoul974 — May 5, 2017 @ 3:50 am
Thanks! I love the views here too and there are plenty of high trails that provide them. Problem is, those trails get higher and steeper every year! Buster has turned out to be a near-perfect dog for me. I saw his photo on a Humane Society website and drove a hundred miles just to see him and ended up bringing him home with me. I’m so glad I did!
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 7:38 am
Your mountains in Montana are much bigger than ours in New Hampshire! I know what you mean, my husband and I haven’t hiked much since having kids but now that we’re empty nesters, we have to give it a go again and it will be harder! That’s awesome that you rescued him, I wish more people would instead of buying from pet shops. 🙂
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Comment by heartandsoul974 — May 5, 2017 @ 7:23 pm
Hiking a little slower actually isn’t really bad because I end up seeing a lot more of the details along the way.
I also wish more folks would select their new friend from a shelter. There are so many very good animals there, and although it may just be my imagination, I think they are especially grateful to find themselves in a new home. You should see how Buster greets me every morning!
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 7:32 pm
Thanks for setting the scene. Looks way high up to me.
Love the flower shots (and your faithful buddy).
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Comment by Vicki — May 5, 2017 @ 7:15 am
The photo was taken from only half way up the mountain. The snow is still deep at the top so for now I can’t get much higher. I love those views and that’s one of the reasons why I hike. Buster seems to have a sense for where he should be. I spend a lot of time with the camera and the flowers and he stays fairly close without getting in my way.
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 7:42 am
You know. GREAT. Congrats.
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Comment by nvsubbaraman — May 5, 2017 @ 7:19 am
Thanks nvsubbaraman!
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 7:43 am
Hi Montucky. I enjoyed your beautiful view too. It’s nice to have a goal like rediscovering flowers so high on trails that grow higher and higher for each year. We will have to complain about trails that changes without warning 🙂 🙂
I’m happy for you that you found such a lovely dog.
All the best,
Hanna
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Comment by Hanna — May 5, 2017 @ 8:10 am
Thanks Hanna! The good news is that we have plenty of high trails but the bad news is that the snow doesn’t clear enough to access many of them until at least June. A few years ago on June 27 I hiked to the top of the mountain from which these photos were taken and for the last two miles I was walking on top of 4 feet of snow.
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 8:39 am
That sounds quite dramatic with that much snow. Did you bring snowshoes with you? Though the snow was probably hard on surface?
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Comment by Hanna — May 5, 2017 @ 8:54 am
That time of year I don’t use snowshoes. The snow that remains is usually packed pretty hard. On that particular hike we had wind, snow, rain, hail, and when we reached the top the sky cleared for a few minutes to enable a couple of great photos of the lookout.
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 8:59 am
That is a walk to remember. One feels tremendous happy when you reach the top, the clouds spread and the view is revealed 🙂
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Comment by Hanna — May 5, 2017 @ 12:05 pm
Sadly those who have never personally experienced it can only guess what it is like. My wife was never able to hike with me but she loved to see the photos that I brought back. She wished so much that she could have been there.
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 12:35 pm
I’m sad to hear that, Montucky. But it’s great that you share the beautiful moments with your wife!!
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Comment by Hanna — May 5, 2017 @ 1:08 pm
Well, naturally such lovely wildflowers would grow in this most beautiful setting! Thanks for taking us along with your best friend (he’s looks like a very affable companion) to show us this amazing sight, Montucky. Your posts add such beauty to our blogging world.
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — May 5, 2017 @ 9:19 am
Thank you for your kind words! There is an incredible amount of beauty in nature and in the wilderness and wild country it can still be seen as it has always been. I love to photograph it and make the photos available to others who may enjoy them.
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 11:50 am
That’s quite a view that the fairy slippers have! I’m surprised that they grow at such elevations. I always think of orchids as residents of boggy ground. That’s where a lot of them grow here though a few grow in sand.
That’s a nice looking dog. Reminds me of Koko, a black lab I used to have. She was a great dog too!
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — May 5, 2017 @ 3:15 pm
These usually grow in a more heavily forested location, but they don’t need a bog, just a little shade and cover provided by other shrubs.
Buster is part Lab and part Great Pyrenees. He is a wonderful dog!
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Comment by montucky — May 5, 2017 @ 5:37 pm
A beautiful view those little flowers have, and you have a wonderful companion. He looks so happy.
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Comment by Teresa Evangeline — May 6, 2017 @ 6:12 am
I love to walk that section of road for exercise and the view makes that very pleasant.
Yes, Buster is at his happiest when on a hike on a forest trail. Actually, we both are!🤠
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Comment by montucky — May 6, 2017 @ 7:36 am
Nice to have that puppy along for the walk.
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Comment by Malcolm R. Campbell — May 7, 2017 @ 11:19 am
He is an excellent trail companion. He loves the trails so much and makes it so evident that it makes me feel good just watching him.
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Comment by montucky — May 7, 2017 @ 6:01 pm
Buster is a handsome boy. I didn’t know your previous dog died. I remember seeing a photo of her once. How old is Buster? So great that he turned out to be a trail dog, he must be loving his life.
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Comment by Candace — May 7, 2017 @ 4:41 pm
I lost my dog Molly last August and adopted Buster about a week later. He is indeed a very happy dog and he is always right by my side.
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Comment by montucky — May 7, 2017 @ 6:04 pm
What a view! And that is a very happy dog ..
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — May 9, 2017 @ 1:38 am
Yes, and both make me happy too!
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Comment by montucky — May 9, 2017 @ 6:46 am
Although I love Your flower photos, Your dog was lovely surprise. Beautiful, friendly and wise looking.
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Comment by Sartenada — May 10, 2017 @ 12:26 am
He has turned out to be a wonderful dog for me. He has excellent instincts and absolutely loves to hike, no matter how far. We hike at least 5 miles every day and more when we can get on a back country trail.
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Comment by montucky — May 10, 2017 @ 7:09 am