It's a Wild Life in Missoula Montana

Some of you may remember this.  It was taken September 14, 2010.  This photo, by Missoulian photographer Kurt Wilson, made the national news and won first prize in a regional journalism contest.  That's our house.  That bear is falling out of our tree.  That's my flower garden being trampled by the Fish, Wildlife and Parks people.  But what a photo!

This shot, also by Kurt Wilson, appeared this week in the Missoulian.  It looks like it was created in Photoshop but it is the real deal.

I walked by this same mountain ash tree a few days later and saw about 50 little birds stuffing themselves on the ripe fruit.  Between the birds and the berries it was prettier than a Christmas tree, and much noisier.

We see wildlife so frequently here in Montana.  I tend to forget that an osprey flying overhead, a heron standing in the river, a mama deer with  twin fawns using the crosswalk on a busy street, and a bear rummaging for fallen apples are not common sights for most of our friends and family.  So I wanted to share this with you.

--Candi