Nine of our ten collared elk are well out into the sage lands now, with only our gal who summers in the southern state still up in the forest. So on yesterday's flight, I had limited opportunity for pictures of the pines and spruces with their brand new coats of snow.

As we left the woodlands, I concentrated on trees on ridgelines, that were catching the last rays of the afternoon sun. Only as we left the last valley of trees did I realize what I was missing in the shadowy valleys.

Whole forests of blue Christmas trees, like the tree lots of 15, 20 years ago.