{"id":15154,"date":"2014-06-05T05:27:07","date_gmt":"2014-06-05T11:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=15154"},"modified":"2026-04-16T09:53:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T14:53:28","slug":"comforting-and-changing-scenery-centennial-valley-montana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/06\/05\/comforting-and-changing-scenery-centennial-valley-montana\/","title":{"rendered":"Comforting and Changing Scenery – Centennial Valley, Montana"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Wildflowers,Wildflowers, clouds and Mt. Baldy – May 2014<\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s post isn’t about birds or wildlife it is about how scenery can comfort us and about change. When I am not in the Centennial Valley of Montana I can close my eyes and easily envision it from climbing the first hill near Monida, the views from the south road overlooking the Lima Reservoir, the first view of Mt. Baldy’s Peak, Wigeon Pond, the Lower Lake campground, views of the Upper Lake, and Red Rock Creek. Having those views in my mind’s eye and the images I have taken give me a sense of peace and of belonging to nature.<\/p>\n

\"OldOld Barn in the Centennial Valley, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n

One of my favorite views included a man made element. This old barn that was shaped by someone a long time ago with a central square section that had four rectangular sections coming off of it. I can honestly say I have never seen a barn shaped that way until my first view of it in the Centennial Valley.<\/p>\n

That old barn came to be a “friend” in a sense to me, when I would see it I felt like it was saying “Welcome Home”.\u00a0\u00a0There were other run down buildings around it but it was that old barn that fascinated me by causing me to wonder who built it and what were their lives like and it was that old barn that welcomed me back to the valley.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The old barn is gone<\/span><\/p>\n

On my recent trip to the Centennial Valley of Montana I was waiting to get my first glimpse of my favorite old barn but as I drew nearer I realized the scenery had changed and it confused me for a bit. It just didn’t look right. Then it hit me.<\/p>\n

My favorite old barn was gone, it no longer graces the valley with its aging structure and weather worn old wood. One homely newer building still stands. The dilapidated small well house still stands and the barn furthest north is in the process of being brought down. The scenery there will never be the same because it has changed.<\/p>\n

I felt a sense of loss when I didn’t see my welcome back barn.<\/p>\n

\"OldOld Barn on the way to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana<\/span><\/p>\n

I know. We never know when things in our lives will change but I had come to depend of seeing that dear old barn on each journey through the Centennial Valley of Montana. She is gone now and I will miss her.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good but life does change. Even when we don’t expect it.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my photos from Beaverhead County, Montana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I know. We never know when things in our lives will change but I had come to depend of seeing that dear old barn on each journey through the Centennial Valley of Montana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174920,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1513,223,12,608],"tags":[1782,4026,2588,11214,11215,10880,4035,4024,344,11216],"class_list":["post-15154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","category-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-barn","tag-centennial-valley","tag-change","tag-comforting","tag-favorite-views","tag-home","tag-nature-photography","tag-old-barn","tag-scenery","tag-welcome-home"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-mt-baldy-mia-mcpherson-0462.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-3Wq","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36244,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/02\/23\/barn-swallow-in-a-fog-at-red-rock-lakes-nwr-montana\/","url_meta":{"origin":15154,"position":0},"title":"Barn Swallow In A Fog At Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I had forgotten about photographing this Barn Swallow in a fog at the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge until I was going through my archives yesterday.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Barn Swallow in a fog at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley of Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fog-mia-mcpherson-0394.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fog-mia-mcpherson-0394.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fog-mia-mcpherson-0394.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fog-mia-mcpherson-0394.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2551,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/06\/19\/red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge-rockin-weather\/","url_meta":{"origin":15154,"position":1},"title":"Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge – Rockin’ Weather","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"While at the refuge it rained, it hailed, there was thunder, lighting and at times even gale force winds but the biggest weather surprise after leaving the refuge was seeing snow falling lightly near Lima, MT... in June.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stormy sky over the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14392,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/02\/19\/the-centennial-valley-of-montana-beckons-to-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":15154,"position":2},"title":"The Centennial Valley of Montana beckons to me","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The Centennial Valley says \"home\" to me with the expansive views it offers of not only the valley but the Centennial Mountains and the Lower Lake and beyond. I find peace there.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Centennial Mountain rock face, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/centennial-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7337.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/centennial-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7337.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/centennial-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7337.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The amazing birds and animals keep me going back to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge but the scenery and wildness of the area does too.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wigeon Pond, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-0532.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-0532.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/red-rock-lakes-wigeon-pond-mia-mcpherson-0532.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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