Flatheadlake Scuttlebutt by Jos'e

"Copy #10 October 2003"

"Somers Montana"

{"Fall is here with all it's splendor"}

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"Poem  #10"

In memory of my dearest Mother
"Martha Ellsworth"
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“The Old man of the Woods”

Rugged and dark the huge old pine stood
Alone at the edge of a conifer wood.

On his wide limbs the squirrels all sat
Dropping their nutshells to a pine-needle mat.

He was just an old tree, who was out of his luck
On his side was a scar where lightning had struck.

His top was all fuzzed by a wind from the west
And on his most sheltered bough a bird had it’s nest.

A tough gnarled root, washed clear by the rain
Looked for the world like a varicose vein.

On his trunk if you peered, on a day wrapped in haze
Was the guiding white wound of a deep trail blaze.

If one climbed to his heights from the safety of ground
The land could be seen for miles around.

To the old tree life was no mystery
He had seen in his time a volume of history.

Time had done something that seemed a great shame
It weakened his roots and made him quite lame.

Then the wind came along with a powerful roar
And he reclined with a groan to the soft forest floor.

Now in winter he is covered with a blanket of white
Away from the winds that moan, howl & bite.

In spring he is bathed by the softest of showers
And perfume in his bath by the fresh woodland flowers.

Then when the spring into summer has run
He just lies and basks in the warmth of the sun.

Fall leaves drift down in their depth he is lost
Snug, safe and warm from the etchings of frost.

He’s a mound in the snow to this very day
Covered by tracks from snow rabbits at play.

O’er leaped by a stag, in a flight of wild fear
He’s still part of the forest, which I hold so dear.

By
"Martha Ellsworth"

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     Wow! October and time to be looking for that old "Harvest Moon" I wonder if time passes as fast in other parts of the world as it seems to here in Montana? Laurie and I took a drive North on Hwy. 93 from our quaint little town of "Somers" just the other day to see if we could find some fall color to get some pictures of, it seems we are a bit early for the Larch trees or as the locals call them Tamarack, as they are just barely starting to dawn their fall dress. Although some of the other trees are doing quite well in that area, such as the Quaking Aspen, the Birch, Poplars and a variety of smaller bushes and trees I don't know the name of.

      We had an evening visitor to start this month, it was a half grown Black Bear, he had been to the neighbors to raid their garbage cans etc. then to visit and try to dine at our bird feeder, it was to high and out of reach for him although he did try to climb onto our back deck, leaving claw marks on the railing in the process, Laurie saw his head when shining the flashlight out through the dining room window, she even opened our door to the back deck and stomped her feet and yelled which didn't seem to bother him much, he then wandered off down below our place to where some of our kids are building a home, they saw him right by their camper before he went his way!

     We have been gathering older bicycles of various sizes and makes, to repair and give to anyone needing or wanting one that was not able to afford one, it is fun and gives us another project to keep us from having cabin fever , winter time we tend to stay closer to home and now that we have installed a wood fired heater in the shop we can work out there in comfort.

     It is so funny that one of the best growing things is a sunflower that the squirrel's planted from a seed from the bird feeder. Our tomatoes have done pretty good this year seems the "Early Girl" strain turned out to be "Late Girls" they bloomed all summer but no tomatoes till almost time for frost however the Sweet 100's have been wonderful.

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"Another snapshot of our Pretty Pests ." "Just a colorful tree we found out on Farm to Market road." "A saucy Blue Jay making off with a Peanut."


"Birds eye view of out back Montana." "See Laurie still has Pretty Flowers." "The local shop where Bears are Carved."

"A look at some of the weather we are having."

It has been a while since we have had our last rain but according to the TV news there is a chance of rain next week, the wild fires are still making some smoke but are almost out due to the cooler weather and what rain we have had in the last few weeks. The temperature at night has been near freezing for the last few nights and we expect it won't be long till all our flowers tomatoes etc. will feel the touch of old Jack Frost .

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We have enjoyed having you come to visit us here on the net and
hope you have enjoyed your time here. We would like to hear from you
if you are so inclined! So with an old country "Thanks" it's bye till next time.
( Joe and Laurie Ellsworth )

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{"Fall is here with all it's splendor"}

In memory of my dearest Mother"Martha Ellsworth"

“The Old man of the Woods”

Another way to view this page is to go to: "zplace2b.com"and click on the text link on the left side. Owned and maintained by my niece, "Wendy Butler", who is kind enough to host this page. Or, go to the Family and Friends page and click on the "Jose's Place" button.

In memory of my dearest Mother
"Martha Ellsworth"

Another way to view this page is to go to:
"zplace2b.com"and click on the text link on the left side.

Owned and maintained by my niece, "Wendy Butler",
who is kind enough to host this page.

Or, go to the Family and Friends page
and click on the "Jose's Place" button.