a glacier park autumn ~

ah… yes… it was beautiful, merciful rain!

it wasn’t exactly what i was hoping for. but it was  ~ what i was expecting!  these are pics from our most recent “rocky mountain” road trip~adventure.  by the time we reached the western side of the rockies, it began to cloud up, and rain steadily. still. it was absolutely gorgeous, and the rain does provide several advantages:
~ a sweet luminosity of light for photographs {yum}
~ we practically have the park to ourselves {yay}
~ a chance to look at things more slowly, and closely! {love!}
~ we could park anywhere ~ anytime ~ we wanted! {whoop-whoop}

our first stop:  lake mcndonald lodge.

it’s a gift. to take slow down, saunter, and let the soft mist give us a natural facial!  and … smile pretty!!!  brian and i had had a great time laughing at ourselves, as we took pictures of us together; that is, in focus, and getting us both to actually be IN the picture!  {come a little bit closer brian!}

ah… perfect!

the trees were just starting to show off … a foretaste of the brilliance to come…

we lavished in the soft quiet.  the gentle taps of raindrops.  the stililness of the rocky beach…

below: we’re near the northernmost end of lake mcdonald, looking north, upward into the park, where the going to the sun road begins.

taking a closer look!  amazingly, bright red stems, and leaves showing off their jewels of raindrops…

we climbed the going to sun road until we reached the place where it was closed off due to fog, so we paused for our lunch here, near an avalanche area below.  wowzers… it was a big one, but it began to pour rain up higher, so i decided against risking my camera getting wet, to get better pics…  maybe next time. ~ with the government shut-down, guess it will have to wait til next year.

i think someday i would like to swim here… but somehow… i don’t think i really would. it definitely looks invitingly attractive… but  first, it’s super-super cold!! {green=cold—brrr}… and it’s appropriate that it be kept pristine, too.  but i wonder what it would be like to dive in, open my eyes, and soak in that sterling, crystal and pristine water…

and i loved the color combos; those dark red mountain rocks, bright lime green in the soft-looking, mossy-covered rocks, to the feathery larch pine trees, to that grand, sparkling turquoise pool. i’ll never tire of them.

fresh.  luminous.  amazing.  gifts.

one can never soak it in. think it in. enough.  and all the glory goes to the One to whom all this incandescently beautiful, and sweet creation points to.  

we love the natural goodness, and we worship  the One to whom it all points to ~ the One who created all. 

thank you for the gifts Lord.  

thank you.