By the Old Farmer’s Almanac, using the astrological calendar, Fall officially started (with the fall solstice) at 7:54 last night (Mountain Time). Fall is a great time no matter where you happen to call home, though fall in the Northern Rockies is an amazing time of year (probably our favorite as one might easily guess).
Not only do we love the brilliant colors that blossom across the forests and along the waterways we cherish, but there’s a lot to be learned from the elk, bison, and other critters as they load up calories for winter, fish to be admired making fall migratory runs in ever-colder waters, game and birds to hunt and store for the winter, and a whole new set of chores to accomplish as we all hunker for the upcoming winter.
It’s been a few years since we sold our horse farm in the Flathead, which required time and work outside every fricken’ day of the year (one of the best things we ever did as a family) , and with that a hard-earned, hands-on familiarity with the changing seasons. This year, we’ve vowed to pay a bit more attention to the powerful impact that changing seasons have upon human circadian rhythms, and embrace all that fall and winter have to offer.
Images, top to bottom
Jake on a fall day “between the lakes”, Madison River
Chilly fall morning on the Madison, YNP
Elk down along the Madison, YNP
Upper Gibbon River, YNP
Sunny October Afternoon, Madison River, YNP
Heading into the Lamar Valley, YNP, September Morning
Firehole River Grass, September, YNP
The view from Apgar, Glacier NP
