UPDATE 5 JANUARY 2012

We are still waiting for La Nina to show up and shower us with her abundant snow.  So far this winter has turned out to be a little slack in that department.  We hope that changes.  If it doesn't, the blame will go directly to Connie and Brenda as they purchased new powder skis in anticipation of a another great powder year.  And it has been record breaking warm here in Montana.  It was 53 degrees this morning at 0300 according to my brother who was up at that time of day.  When I got up, it was 48 degrees which is way above normal for this time of year.  And it is melting up at the ski resort also.  Not good.

Been busy cutting down some bug killed trees for next year's firewood.  I have more trees dying from the bark beetle this year than in years past.  I found some of the larvae in one pretty good sized tree I cut down.  Some pictures of them below. 

These are the larvae between the bark and the wood on this one block.  It was the block cut just above the ground so that might be why there were so many on it.  A couple others where the bark came off only had 2 or 3.

A close ups of the eating apparatus of this larvae. (our new camera has a pretty good macro lens)

This is one laying among all the digested bark - lets see, what would that be called!

Some pictures of lichens/moss on the rocks.

Sunset over the Bitterroots from the fire pit - you don't see any snow clouds.