my montana ~ limestone canyon

…after driving through kibbey canyon, we turned off into limestone canyon.  it’s a narrow canyon gorge, that opens up on the top to sweeping vistas of the mountains.  the place below {in the timber area} is teh spot where i would pick wild raspberries {and watch for bears} many, many… moons ago!  this piece of land is what vaskey’s called “the orham place.”  it was a cool, grand old house in many ways {in it’s day}. i would have loved to get in for some close photos of it’s structure… i recall it has a trough in the basement, in which a fresh water spring would pass through – pretty ingenius, actually. we would trail cattle up here every summer for the pasture. 

i’ve always liked these trees at this particular spot in the road.   it just feels … well, almost like they are welcoming you and ~ beckoning… into the great beyond!?

and a charming little surprise at that spot in the road.  a mini library!  it’s called the “Little Free Library.”  it was darling.

notice it has christmas lights wrapped around the roof!  and the book selection… sweeeet and very intriguing!  i could have spent an hour just thumbing through the selections… what a great idea. sponsored by one of the local area and long-time ranchers {as you can tell from the sign}. 

and … this title caught my eye.  hmm… how very true for me, and appropoe that this title pretty much sums up this portion of our road trip…

and in going back to this area of the country ~ the vista has changed with the times.  Still beautiful, but now with the addition of modernity to see the large wind power towers… {in the far-far northern distance on the slopes of the highwood mountains}

and at the top of the canyon, onto mccarty road… the malmberg ranch sign.  love it.  i’ve always enjoyed seeing the original expression of farmers and ranchers in their cool ranch signs on the montana countryside, the lives they represent, the vistas, landscapes and way of life they encompass ~ and define.

this last pic below is one of my top favorites of this gorgeous day… although i love this enduring symbol of montana ~ the wild west, ranch life and more… it impacted me more than i expected, as i looked back on the snapshots i took that day.  these are some of my thoughts about it:  

you may be one who has known the pain the pain of bad decisions, and like barbed wire, they wrapped tightly around your heart in self-inflicted wounds. {i have}  but instead of fencing out the hardness of life, {as i have} you may have found those same barbs caused more damage to the heart within.  {i did} ~ bitterness.  strife.  disappointment.  lost hope. {yeah, me too}.

but thank god the story doesn’t end there.  

for when you choose it ~ you will find ~ these thorns also frame the crown of life  from the one who truly gives everlasting hope, endless love, and a gentle forgiveness, along with a genuine and overcoming life. but you get to say yes {first}.  God won’t make this choice for you. but he gives generously to all who ask, and for those of us who believe, follow and profess faith in Jesus Christ, His son.  from the one true God who loves us, and so much so, that he  wore a crown of thorns for us  {so we wouldn’t have to} so very similar to this barbed wire …

thank you Lord for this sacrifice of love.  may our stories and lives reflect your glory. thank you.  thank you.  thank you.