The dogs and I topped out at nearly 9000ft the other evening, just in time to have our sweat cooled by a strong wind and our hearts devoured by a righteous sunset. It was a perfect night to get out and fall even more deeply in love with the land here.
I stayed up high for a little too long and made my way back down the steep face of Scout Mountain in the stumbling dusky hours, tripping through sagebrush and talus fields on wobbly knees and ankles, spooked witless by grouse bursting out of the brush beneath my feet. It was worth it though, it always is. By the way, have you heard the ruffies drumming in your neck of the woods. A drumming ruffed grouse is one of my very favorite sounds in nature — it transports me directly back to the wide and wild arms of my childhood. There’s no sound like it and it turns the key in the lock of my feral little heart. I hear the drumming and something inside of me howls and shakes its mane.
——————————————
I haven’t officially told you yet, but due to some housing technicalities (namely, the LCITW is no longer available for rent), I am not moving to the Methow this summer with Robert! Thankfully, no, gloriously, Robert cannot begin work until June 16th due to some other technicalities. Since it feels like summer here already, I will inform you of the fact that we are enjoying, so very much, our first partial summer together in seven years! We are rafting, hiking, camping and gardening galore as well as sipping gin and tonics, taking evening bike rides, and doing lots of dreaming about what we want to do with our lives.
I love to dream with him.
We feel lucky, time feels precious, no one beats at the big bass drum of my heart like he does.
These are magical photographs of an achingly beautiful place- and you look gorgeous in every photo too!! Your photography of this amazing place makes me want to move out to the interior West. Enjoy your golden summertime fully together!! <3
Well that deserves a YEE-HAW!! All of it.
I think the third to the last photo of this series is my favorite. You look so in love. With the mountain, Idaho, summer, Life.
xx
Oh Jillian. How good to see you so radiantly, gloriously happy – and I thought this even before reading your text. Some of us hold the grace of life in a particularly meaningful, obvious way, so that our own heart beats stronger and faster with theirs. You are one of them. Thank you for enhancing every good and true vibe out there :o)
That photo of you in jeans with the flower on one side and the last of the sunlight bursting through the other side is magnificent!
Enjoy the next few weeks of summer with your love!
Gorgeous Sis! beautiful pics and sunsets! Your Montana spirit sister . ; )
Those last two photos of you in the sunset are glorious!! You took them alone? How on earth did you get that far off shot of you jumping (love it, btw)?? – set the timer for 20 minutes? lol! Your photography keeps getting better, and its just beautiful.
I had a feeling you were staying in Idaho this summer – no mention of moving/packing, I guess. Happy to see Farley here, and that he is still strong enough for these jaunts.
I’m glad you will get to enjoy your garden this summer, but hope your time apart from your love is made bearable, and joy is found despite it.
🙂
Yes. These are all self portraits. Robert wasn’t with me on this hike, but he rarely EVER takes photos with my camera, least of all with me as his subject. And the dogs don’t know how to work my camera! 🙂
XX
well that just sounds and looks idyllic :). love you, gorgeous wild thing of the woods. xoxo
Oh Jillian! The fullness of gratitude you carry never ceases to amaze me. I want to steal a bit from your tea pot and pour myself a little cup of it and take careful sips of it. You remind me that life is great and the little things are to be made precious and held in our hands, if only for a moment.
xx
Idahoan about to come home for the summer from Ontario, Canada. I`m so excited. Thanks for sharing your Idaho with me all year round.
My pleasure and (almost) welcome home. X
Beautiful photos, as always. It looks so gorgeous there… Off topic question, but I’ve noticed in your photos of the dogs when you’re out hiking or hunting, the dogs have an extra orange collar on, that sits a bit higher up their necks. We have a mutt that has a crazy high prey drive, loves to hunt and chase, and is super lean like your dogs, and we’re finding her super hard to train to always listen to us. Are those collars by chance some sort of magical collar that works to get dogs with high prey drives to obey? And if so, what are they, exactly?
Those are hunting colors, also known as shock collars. I suppose they are magical collars, if you consider electricity magical! We use them to reinforce field commands with our dogs who, once they catch scent, have a tendency of getting out up to 3/4s of a mile away from us, completely obsessed with whatever they are trailing. There’s danger of them getting lost when I am out in the woods. Their collars guarantee they won’t ignore my commands and choose to continue following scent instead of coming back to me — we use these collars only when our dogs fail to respond to our voice commands, whistle commands and hand commands.
German Shorthairs are notoriously big runners and ours are a little crazier than normal because we have encouraged their prey drive by developing their natural skills and instincts and partnering with them on the hunt.
I would add that running them on collars has saved their lives, numerous times. GSPs are also notorious for being killed by vehicles while absentmindedly running across roads — which is, in point of fact, what happened to our 11 month old GSP puppy two years ago.
I thought they might be shock collars. We’ve been thinking about getting one for our dog for the same reason–crazy fast and far runner, hyper prey drive, and a strong tendency to ignore commands when she’s on a chase. I can totally relate to the life saving aspect–I’ve thought many times when our dog is chasing something that she might run across a road and get hit by a car. In fact I’m almost positive she has absentmindedly run across roads when giving chase–we’re just very, very lucky to live on a big farm surrounded by very quiet roads. Still, I’m sure that luck won’t hold out forever. I think perhaps it’s time for us to try a shock collar. Thanks so much for getting back to me!
Might be the thing for you!
Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility.
Use it with love, care and great self-control.
Good luck!
Absolutely! Still not sure if we’ll even try it or not, but it’s good to know that they do and can work if used with restraint. One more thing to think about.
A,
One last thing that I meant to mention the other day but failed to…that is, don’t give up on your yard training (general obedience training). I still work Farley and Tater out as often as I can when it comes to general obedience — mainly recall work and heeling. If you can control your dog in the confines of your yard, you will be able to control him/her even more when you are out in the wilds.
Keep up with recall training! If you can get your dog to come to you with a recall command 100% of the time in the confines of your yard, the chances are much greater you will be able to recall your dog when he is afield.
Good dogs are good dogs because their owners have invested time and energy into their development.
🙂
I hope that didn’t sound bossy…
Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!
The depth of the mountains, the COLORS, the wild look in your eyes and hair.
This post, it’s my all time favorite, now. Just heavenly.
These glorious photos fill up my heart. The West really is its own world. Happy news about your extra time with Robert!
Fabulous pictures one more time, they do get better and better.
I am so glad you are spending more time with your darling!!
By the way, further to an older post of yours, isn’t it the beginning of change? You are not moving this summer….staying there….it is a form of change!!!!!
Thank you for every picture, landscapes, the writing, yourself, you look gorgeous and happy!
We made a fire in the stove last night here (Canada)….but the summer is coming too!
PS: yes, as Erin was saying: do you put a timer on 20 minutes or more or did HE do the pictures when you are really far away? What is the mystery ?
Top secret!!! 🙂 Just kidding.
For SEVEN years I used the 10 second timer on my camera for self portraits. I have now had a remote trigger for my shutter for ONE full month. 🙂 It’s great. I do a lot less panicked galloping.
Love the belt buckle shot and glad to hear you will have a bit of summer with your love.
Beautiful collection of photos. I have a love for the ripples, folds and layers of that Idaho land. <3
Your photos are so inspiring and your prose so beautiful! I am so glad I stumbled upon your blog.
Welcome here!
What epic scenery! It’s like you’re on the roof of the world. Beautiful pictures, beautiful words. Thank you for bringing the magical mountains of America into my life 🙂
Togetherness time is so special…Enjoy enjoy! I hope to hear those birds some day…sounds so grand xx
you beautiful, glorious, burning force of nature
Thank you Jillian, for sharing such beauty with us.
It’s wonderful to see even a tiny bit of the country you tread so freely.
xx
I absolutely love these pictures. Summer time is my favourite season. I love sitting and waiting for perfect pictures of the sun setting.
Thank you all for being here and taking a moment to write down some thoughts! Appreciate you so much and wish I could take the time this weekend to respond to every note here! XXX