Springtime at Goose Meadows is a season of awakening and renewal, when the land comes alive with color and sound after the quiet of winter. The air is crisp and filled with the earthy scent of new growth, mingling with the sweet aroma of blossoms from nearby wildflowers. The snowmelt begins to make the river rise, glistening under the growing hours of sunlight each day. As new wildlife are born and birdsong once again returns to the air, the energy of Montana is abundant.
Spring at Goose Meadows is also a time of activity and preparation. The land calls for gentle tending, whether it's planting a garden, repairing a well-loved trail, getting to work on the annual crop yields, or simply savoring the joy of nature's renewal. It's a season of promise, where the beauty of the moment is matched only by the anticipation of what lies ahead in the coming months. For our family, springtime is a reminder of the enduring rhythm of the earth and the fresh beginnings that each year brings.
The summers in western Montana are absolutely picturesque, with gorgeous views all across the state. The entire countryside clothed in green with doe raising their fawns bouncing across the land or the variety of fish swimming in the strong currents of our rivers are enough to let you know that nature is everywhere here.
Given that our family has horses, our hay fields are used to grow feed for them to last thoughout the rest of the year, and we occasionally sell any surplus we generate in good years. And because our own animals are eating this hay, we make sure to grow it and treat it right. That's part of why we love Goose Meadows: the work ethic we develop as a result of caring for our land ensures we get out and move irrigation pipe regularly. Plus, we get to celebrate with fireworks if the hay has been put up by Independence Day! And, summer gives us the chance to play as hard as we work, whether that be golfing, gardening, hosting events, going to Livingston's famous Forth of July Rodeo, or floating down the Yellowstone River.
Autumn at Goose Meadows is a breathtaking transformation, a season where nature wears its most brilliant colors and the land is filled with a quiet magic. The meadows, once lush and green, turn to warm shades of gold and amber, shimmering in the soft light of shorter days. The trees take on wild hues of yellow and red, as if to wear the glory of the sunlight that fed them all summer in their leaves. Especially, the cottonwoods! Crisp mornings greet the land with a light frost that sparkles in the early sunlight, while the air carries a refreshing chill, tinged with the earthy aroma of fallen leaves and the faint smokiness of distant woodstoves.
Wildlife is particularly active during this time, with deer entering the mating season as the males grow their pronounced antlers. The hunting season begins, bringing out the iconic orange clothing and pictures of friends and family with their successful catches. Flocks of Canadian geese, Goose Meadows' namesake, arrive, their calls echoing across the landscape as they fortell the coming winter. Autumn in Montana, although somewhat short, is one of the best in our vast nation. We are certainly glad to experience such seasons at our home.
Montana's winters are the picture-perfect winter wonderlands that people often long for during the holidays. A few inches of snow regularly coat the ground, and the sun comes out just as brilliantly as in summer. Trees stand cloaked in frost, their branches delicately etched with ice crystals, while the surrounding mountains wear a majestic coat of snow, their rugged peaks softened by the season's quiet embrace. The air becomes still, and the quiet that fills what was once the sound of wildlife is calm, as if nature is simply asleep for the moment. In this setting, it's easy to feel like you've stepped into a picture, unchanging around you in the moment. Only the babbling of the Yellowstone continuing to flow breaks the illusion of being in a snowglobe scene.
Wildlife leaves its mark in the form of tracks – deer, rabbits, and foxes weaving their paths across the powdery expanse. At Goose Meadows, winter is not a season of death or a struggle for survival. It is a season of coziness and comfort. The shorter days invite a slower pace, perfect for warming up by the fire with a cup of warm cider or hot coco in hand. For those who venture outdoors, the opportunities are endless – cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding through the open fields bring a deeper connection to the season and to our land (when you're not building snow forts or having snowball fights, that is). As night falls, the dark skies of the Montana countryside come alive with stars, their brilliance amplified by the clean, cold air of nature. Winters here are truly magical.
