I love to fly . . . looking down at the earth's contours . . . the subtle colors . . . and patterns made by nature and by man. Here are just a very few I took while flying back home today . . .

Coming to Montana from the Santa Ynez Valley it is hard to sometimes imagine that other parts of the country have rivers that flow and waterfalls that do more than trickle this time of year.

Having had a very successful board meeting, Robin, Nick, their dog, Jane, and I head off today for a hike to Morrell Falls — just north of Seely Lake — in the Lolo National Forest and at the base of the Swan Mountain Range. It is an easy 4.5 mile roundtrip hike that passes through Lodgepole Pine forest. The falls are beautiful and the sound is thunderous as huge amounts of water cascade down the 90' double drop. It is hard, actually, to photograph as the banks are swollen and the spray is like a cold shower!

Just over a month since returning from Morocco, and I am off again . . . this time to Montana for a Cinnabar Foundation board meeting. A favorite time, as this is when we decide which organizations and projects will receive funding.

I flew into Missoula, Montana last night and spent the night with board president Robin Tawney Nichols and her husband Nick. Today, Robin and I visited the newly renovated Montana Natural History Museum and the Clark Fork Coalition — two of our grantees who share space in a rehabilitated building that once was a dairy and then a brewery. After lunch, we headed north to Big Sky Lake where the board meeting will be held this weekend at the Nichol's lake house. A gorgeous and quiet spot!

A quick trip, I will fly home on Tuesday morning. Too bad . . . since it is the best weather I've had in Montana in several years!

The Cinnabar Foundation's board meeting (Spring 2013) was held this year in Billings, Montana. Since I started going to Montana, in 1976, I'd only been there once — stopping briefly for gas. So, it was with much surprise and delight to discover what a cool area this is!

Our meeting was held in conjunction with the Montana Wilderness Association annual meeting, which provided an opportunity to meet many of the "players" who are connected with environmental and conservation organizations that we have been funding. The first night was a barbecue and bluegrass event at the Bones Brewing Pub & Eatery, which was loud and fun! The next day were hikes — the one I was on included the really exquisite Pictograph Caves State Park east of town. The spiritual energy of this sacred place is palpable and those who work here seem to have been "called" in very sweet ways! That evening the MWA held a dinner at the lovely DanWalt Gardens and featured a very enthusiastic Huckleberry Pie auction and a engaging keynote talk by wildlife photographer Michael Forsberg, who has focused much of his work on the North American Great Plains that were once one of the greatest grassland ecosystems on Earth. His goal is to capture the wild spirit that survives in these wide open spaces and put a face on the often overlooked native creatures and landscapes found there.

Our board meeting was held the following two-days at the office of the Northern Plains Resource Council and Western Organization of Resource Councils — which is way cool! They renovated a 1940s grocery store into the first LEED Platinum level building in Montana and the 44th in the United States.