GoT reference? No.

Winter in Montana reference. We’ve changed the furnace filter, pulled the hoses off the outside faucets, and today, we burned slash.

The Amazing Sleeping Man calls it “Praying to the Snow Gods” and I prefer a more practical approach.

No matter what, winter is coming. The mornings are below 32 degrees F, frost is heavy, and all the leaves are turning. In Montana, that means not only the aspens and birch but the larch too. Larch (aka tamarack) is a deciduous conifer–a fir-like tree that turns gold and loses it needles every fall. The hiking trails become yellow-needle paths and the I-90 corridor between Missoula and Spokane is a gorgeous mix of dark green and gold.

This group of aspens, with a single larch, is in our backyard. Enjoy!