The colours of fall are amazing. As we drove through Montana on our way back to the coast, the brown hills near Missoula impressed us with their brilliant deciduous growth in the valley bottoms.
Even before learning the name of the huge trees with almost black bark, I have loved the look of the black cottonwoods. In Montana’s ever-present breeze the leaves whisper soothingly. It does the soul good just to stand quietly under one of these trees, close your eyes and listen.
I don’t know what the red shrubs are that don’t mind getting their feet wet in the creeks and rivers, but I saw the same shrubs growing in the small waterways of southern British Columbia as we drove home. 
If I were a painter, I wouldn’t hesitate to set up my easel here.
Or here! I love the white bark on the trees below. Are they birch? Poplar? I don’t know, but they’re beautiful.
Notice how yellow and brown the grass is. It’s usually fairly dry here.
Now see how green the grass is in the photo below. We are on the coast and the wet weather reminds us that we’re nearly home. That tree floating in the bay is a Douglas fir that was washed away from the banks of the river and has floated all the way into the estuary. It was a very tall tree, although it may be hard to tell from the photo. I later saw this same tree in a video clip someone posted to the weather network.
Just a couple more miles to home. We’ve driven past flooded fields and a cresting river. So glad we live on high ground.
We’re so dry, the leaves are dropping before they have a change to turn. Beautiful shots, Anneli!
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That’s how it is supposed to be here until the end of October, but this year it was like November in October already.
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Your pictures are so beautiful, they could be paintings.
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Montana has so many beautiful landscapes. Unfortunately I’m limited to drive-by shootings for the most part.
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Such lovely muted colours. Wonderful photos!
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It’s a good thing that home is sweet or the last picture would be quite depressing. But we were glad to get home and didn’t care about the weather just then.
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Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos!
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And thank YOU for stopping by to look at them. Isn’t Montana just gorgeous, especially at this time of year?
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The photos are beautiful! Thanks for sharing them.
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Montana is so beautiful. I can’t say it often enough. A painter’s paradise.
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Beautiful!
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Yes, we love our trips to Montana.
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How very uplifting 🙂
Thank You Anneli .
Hans
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http://www.ChefsOpinion.org
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Thanks, Hans. This state is gorgeous. One of my favourite rivers in Montana is the Clark Fork. The Missouri is nice too, but the Clark Fork is really picturesque and the highway crosses it many times as it winds through the state.
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I love the pictures with the birches! During the mushroom season we can find the “Birkenroehrlinge” underneath them and they have the same stems like the tree does.
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I’ve missed the mushroom picking this year. It rained so much that they ground (and the mushrooms) are probably soggy, and in the early “pickable” days we were away in Montana. But you can’t have it all, I suppose. I’m glad you like the birches (or whatever they are). I love their white bark.
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we visited Montana several times years ago. so beautiful. thank you for sharing these photos.
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It’s a great state to visit if you like natural landscapes.
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On my twitter page I put up a photo I took of those colorful red and gold shrubs. I don’t know what they are, but you’re right, that would make a great painting. Sometimes I wish I knew how to paint, that’s why I take my camera along. 🙂 Really nice pics. Have a great weekend and stay dry.
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I take my camera with me almost every time I go out. You never know when you might see something snapworthy.
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You got some very nice shots of the fall colors. A lot of the reds are Red Osier Dogwood or wild roses.
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I was hoping you would have some ideas. Thank you!
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I really liked your journey across a vast area of land, Anneli.
The one lovely photo of scenery you mentioned would make a beautiful painting, really would. Maybe I will try with watercolors and show it on my own blog, giving your photo as inspiration! 🙂
I am not sure if I can capture this natural breathtaking scene, though.
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Please feel free to try a painting. I’d love to see it.
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Pingback: Watercolor inspired by Anneli’s photograph | witlessdatingafterfifty
Lovely! I’m so glad I discovered your blog, thanks to Robin.
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Great! So glad to see you here, Jennie.
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😀
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Gorgeous autumn colours: thanks for sharing!
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Montana in October is gorgeous.
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Maybe we’ll make it there some time! It certainly is on our bucket list.
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Looks like an interesting drive, Anneli! After moving to Europe, autumn is growing to become a favourite season for me too.. Sharing my autumn views through my blog 🙂
https://penandparadise.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/first-blog-post/
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