The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, celebrating its 60th anniversary, has showcased a diverse array of animal behaviors and conservation issues through its highly commended images, including a leaping stoat, a ball of bees, and a David Bowie spider. Other notable photographs depict the plight of requiem sharks caught as bycatch and serene scenes of crabeater seals lounging on ice. Meanwhile, monumental art and natural landscapes converge uniquely at Tippet Rise Art Center in Montana, where sculptures stand amidst the grandeur of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Reflections on local history reveal significant events, such as the 1994 fire at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Orchards and population growth predictions in Ridgefield from 2004.