August Weather and Images Summary

Well, another month is almost over. As I have done in the last couple of months, I've decided to put a copy of my Day to Day in NW Montana blog into this blog, too.

The quick summary for August is this:

o Finishing of the baling season
o Bike crash and recovery period
o Bringing in the firewood for winter
o General ranch chores and maintenance
o Season change in the air with a switch to cooler days and more clouds

Full Image and Day to Day Postings:

08/31/2008 - Mostly cloudy conditions started the day. During the mid morning, the sun broke through for awhile. However, around mid day and into the afternoon, mostly overcast returned. The forecast of rain is still listed for today, but so far showers have not appeared at the ranch.

Green Ranch Paddocks this Morning


Mid Morning Sun for the Horses Grazing Pleasure


08/30/2008 - Clouds in the east this morning and since the temperature didn't go down as low as usual, they must have been around for a bit of the night. This looks like another day when the dynamic clouds of the sky will dominate. The day was great throughout the day with a nice trail ride day (no images) and no precipitation in the area of the ranch so far (although in the forecast).

Morning Clouds to the East


Horses Grazing in Mid-Morning Sunlight


08/29/2008 - Today the clouds were picture perfect. Between them, and the animals, I had a hard time deciding on the best images for the day. As a result, I think a slide show of the best of each is warranted. The evening was spent doing a cookout. During that time, Ginger again became the featured animal of the day.

The Sky and Clouds Today


The Animals Today


Ginger (repeats as) the Animal of the Day


08/28/2008 - Cool beginning of the day today as the clouds moved away overnight. Another mix of clouds and sun is the major event for today. No additional precipitation so far, but the wind is kicking up a little stronger. So it was, a cooler day (so more wood was cut), but with a good combination of clouds and sun.

Morning Cloud Streaks


Marco (the cat that is seldom seen), the Animal of the Day (blurred, since he is very shy I needed to do a digital zoom to get a picture of him)


Afternoon Clouds and Sun


Wisps of Clouds in the Afternoon Sky


Wood Cut, Waiting for Pickup and Splitting


Horses Under Evening Clouds and Sun Mix


Ginger ... Animal of the Day Number 2 (since the Marco image was a bit blurred)


08/27/2008 - Light rain early this morning and mostly cloudy conditions hanging on for the start of the day. The weather varied from just a mix of sun and cloud to mostly sunny for a short time and then back to light rain for the evening. Rainbows and colored clouds moved through the evening sky.

Mixture of Views Around the Ranch Today


08/26/2008 - Clouds to the east, but mostly blue to the west for the start of the day. Yesterday's rainfall combined with the overnight amount resulted in a total of 3/10ths of an inch. Not a huge amount, but it did settle the dust for a day or so. The clouds drifted about through most of the day. Temperatures just made it into the 60's as the cool weather hung around all day. (That was good, it made it easier to haul all that wood around).

Morning Clouds After the Rain


Bringing in the Wood {D(animal) of the Day}


Still Clouds Hanging About in the Evening


08/25/2008 - Sun started the day again and a good part of the day continued to be mostly sunny. The early evening saw heavier clouds moving into the area. By late evening a light rain has begun to fall and the daytime temperatures have cooled considerably to the low 50's.

Sunrise and Another Mostly Clear Dry Day Begins


The Animal of the Day, Orpheus Grazing in the Long Grass


Building Clouds Over the Herd this Evening


08/24/2008 - We are continuing the string of clear dry days at the ranch. Part of today was spent splitting the wood we brought in from the woods yesterday. My wife did the splitting again as all I did was unload the trailer and stack the wood under the deck. Still another two or three splitting sessions to go before the winter's supply is in place.

Mostly Clear Sunrise Again


Harmony in the Morning Sunlight


My Wife, again Splitting Firewood


Tizzy Resting in the Hay Pile



08/23/2008 - Cool clear start to another good day at the ranch. The horses enjoyed starting the day in a new paddock, and with the cool weather, kicked it up a bit. Later, they were just outstanding in their field ;-). Vincent decided to do a bit of walking on the rail of the deck (The balance beam event is pretty easy for him).

Clear, Calm, Cool Morning View from the Deck


Horses, Outstanding in Their Field (corral, actually)


Vincent Walking the Deck Rail


08/22/2008 - Mostly clear sky but with the departing clouds from yesterday still around at sunrise. The horses had a chance to enjoy grazing in the workshop pasture this morning. Late morning clouds drifted over the ranch as warmer temperatures returned today after a day or two that reminded us of the fall and winter that will soon arrive.

Sun Appearing Above Departing Clouds


Grazing the Upper Hill



Scattered Clouds During a Mild Day


08/21/2008 - Another day of mixed rain, sun, clouds, and cool weather. Mostly cloudy conditions started the day. During the morning walk with the dogs, the colors seemed to give some hints of the coming fall. The morning was followed by periods of mixed sun and clouds throughout the day. The evening saw some more rain and a chance to catch an evening rainbow. Still later in the evening, the breaking clouds were highlighted by the final rays of the sunlight.

Cloudy Morning Sky



Hints of Fall Colors during the Morning Dog Walk


Evening Rainbow


Breaking Clouds and Final Sun Highlights


08/20/2008 - Today is the date this year of the August Singularity for the ranch. It is the annual date when there is a definite change to the feel of the seasons. Like a preview to fall. Normally, this only lasts a day or two with a return to summer conditions, but with a feel of changes taking place. Today has been that day with the morning conditions being: cloudy, cooler (about 30 degrees cooler than it was yesterday), and just a touch of rainfall. Cool conditions continued throughout the day and more light rain appeared during the early afternoon and again in the evening.

Cloudy View Northeast and the Only Sun for Today


Continued Cloudy as the Horses Grazed in the Pasture During the Late Afternoon


08/19/2008 - Smokey start to the day as fires to the west continue. A quick rain shower took place during the middle of the day and forced a stop to the hay pickup task. Later, after the rain, we picked up the last of eleven trailer loads of hay. No more cutting is planned for this year. The baler WILL be fixed / replaced before next haying season!

Smoke in the Morning Sky


08/18/2008 - More clear and dry conditions with a hazy tinge in the morning sky. The afternoon was again quite hot with record and near record high temperatures in the area.

Golden Tint Due to Haze and Smoke Today


08/17/2008 - Clear, dry, and today add hot! My PWS is still showing some random unrealistic drops in temperatures, but the high is usually pretty close to right. This morning, we released the horses into a different pasture with more grass for grazing. Later we spent some time loading the raked windrows onto the flatbed trailer and making a haystack in the old arena. I really need to get that baler fixed! The afternoon got pretty warm, but temperatures are cooling this evening with a drop back down to 70 degrees at 10:00 PM as I complete this daily entry!

Horses at Sunrise in Workshop Paddock Area






Morning Grazing in Greener Woods Paddock


Loading Hay the Man(woman)ual Way!


Hay Stacked in Old Arena


Moving the Hay for Evening Feeding


08/16/2008 - Today is again clear and dry. Did a second cutting of another pasture today. Since the baler is still down for repairs, this grass might just be raked and stacked, instead of getting baled.

Bright Morning Sunrise on a Clear Day


Morning View to the East


Dogs Checking out the Raked Windrows in the Pasture


Evening View to the East



08/15/2008 - Clear dry conditions again today. With cloudless sky and long shadows over the pasture this morning. A return to ranch work with a second cutting of the winter pasture. Later, even though it was again a dog day afternoon, (for the dogs) my wife and I did another round of wood splitting (the dogs rested in the shade). Later, I took a walk with the dogs into another pasture and they stopped to refresh themselves in the horse waterer after the romp in the field.

Morning Clear Sky with Long Shadows Across the Pasture


A Second Swathing of the Winter Paddock


Splitting Wood During a Dog Day Afternoon


Titan and Taffy Resting in the Shaded Grass


The Dogs Getting a Drink of Water after a Romp in the Pasture


08/14/2008 - Clear throughout the day. Dry conditions continuing, too. I was able to do some of the ranch chores today. While out there, the birds were taking rides on the grazing horses.

The Standard Morning View from the Deck


Harmony Giving Birds a Ride Today while Grazing


08/13/2008 - Some days, you just can't get up quick enough to catch the best part of the day. Today, I dashed out in my pjs to view some of the sunrise. The colors were gone within minutes, but it was amazing! Just normal clouds existed during the morning views from the deck. Later, ranch work included some excavation work to fix a water leak. (No digging for me yet, so, we called in the heavy machinery). The weather for the day was a passing mix of clouds letting the sun shine through for most of the afternoon.

Golden Sky and Clouds at Sunrise


Excavating to Find Water Leak


08/12/2008 - Back out into the ranch today as I took a morning walk along the trail and kicked it up in the pasture in celebration of the event. Not one to totally dash into a return to all of the ranch work, I watched a couple of deer/dear ones: a buck just resting in the grass and shade, and my wife splitting firewood. It was a good day!

Along the Walking Trail


Dancing it Up in the Pasture


A Dear Splitting Firewood ...


... is Worth One Resting in the Grass


08/11/2008 - Mostly cloudy conditions in the morning gave way to broken clouds by mid-morning and just scattered clouds during the afternoon and evening. I am still limping around the ranch but able to tend the flowers and watch my wife as she does all of the chores.

View East from the Deck, Morning, Mid-day and Afternoon


Marigolds Growing Brightly in the Afternoon Sun


My Wife Doing the Chores Today


08/10/2008 - A mixed day of sun and clouds again today. Just a scattering of rain during the late afternoon. The clouds were streaming across the evening sky just before sunset.

Streaming Clouds in the Evening Sky


08/09/2008 - After a long stretch of dry days, today saw the first precipitation in quite some time. A short shower in the early morning, another in the early afternoon, and finally, a hail and rain event in early evening. I was able to get out for a short time to sight some turkeys, deer, and of course the horses in a tour around the ranch (on the 4-wheeler, not ready for long distance walking just yet).

Hidden Deer in the Woods Branches


Blue Sky Hole in the Clouds


08/08/2008 - Mixed clouds for part of the morning gave way to thin overcast at mid-day. By evening it appears the forecast rain and thunderstorms went somewhere else since the sky is totally clear. I got out for a quick view from the deck this morning to get some images. Later I zoomed in on the retired (for this season) swather and baler.

Morning Clouds and Pending Sunrise


Swather and Baler Retired for this Season


08/07/2008 - Less cooling overnight with some cloud cover hanging around for most of the morning. During the mid-day, the clouds have broken up and the temperature is rising into and through the upper 80's to and expected low 90's high.

Lingering Clouds at Sunrise


08/06/2008 - Clear and continued rain free days. But, what would I know? Still, spending some recovery time inside, resting with the dogs. I'll try for some outdoor time tomorrow.

Taffy, Resting Upside Down ... Like My Days Lately!


08/05/2008 - Clear again. Dry, too. Quick morning views from the deck was all I was able to do today. Keeping the leg elevated and will see what the docs think this morning.

Morning View to the East



08/04/2008 - Great clear sky again today. The pastures continue to stay green in-spite of the dry conditions. Today, after some regular chores and fire wood cutting, we decided to do a recreational bike ride into town. We did it, but, unfortunately for me, a lapse of attention for a moment resulted in a moving Pole VS stationary pole collision for me (at about 15 mph). This has already resulted in a nasty leg bruise and may take me out of the ranch routine for a couple of days.

Barn in Morning Light and Shadows


08/03/2008 - Mostly clear conditions overnight. There was a variable mix of clouds during the day keeping the temperatures in the mid-70's for most of the afternoon. The evening was mostly calm with just some light clouds remaining.

Light Morning Clouds Early in the Day


Clouds Over Southeast Mountains at Late Afternoon


Trees On the West Hill at Sunset


08/02/2008 - The clouds from last evening hung around through sunrise. They pretty much went on their way during the morning dog walk. The mid-day gave a chance to do some chores, including spreading of some manure. When evening came, after a trail ride, it was time for Patti's mom, age 89 (sorry for telling - but this could be a Guinness Book of Records entry for oldest age for a first horse ride ... who knows?), to have her first ever ride on a horse.

Clouds Again at the Morning Sunrise


A Bank of Clouds Fading Away During the Morning Dog Walk


Ranch Chores ... Spreading the Manure (What Fun!)


First Horse Ride for Patti's Mom




08/01/2008 - A mix of clouds and sun throughout the day today. Along with that, there was a little breeze and a few deer. It was all I could do not to break out into song.

Morning Sunrise Sky ... with Rays


Evening Sky and Clouds


Doe ... A Deer ... A Female Deer


Buck Standing Watching Me

Getting Back into the Training Mindset

Well, almost a month has gone by, and I have recovered from the bicycle crash. But, for some reason, I just didn't get the motivation to resume my running training. I went out for a few good walks early during the recovery phase (less than two weeks after the crash) but when it came time to do running, I didn't. I did do a good run walk combo over a week ago -- but that was it! I guess the thought of getting into full training mode again was rocked away in the barcalounger! As this month ends, I do still have 22 days until the marathon, so, if I really want to do a time-crunch training cycle, I could probably do it ... we'll see!

Getting A Workout from the Barcalounger.

This is an activity I am totally not trained to perform. But, recent events have forced me to try to master the Barcalounger. Normally, this fine piece of furniture has seen little use. Perhaps an hour or so some evenings after finishing ranch chores and other assorted activities (Running, horse riding, hiking, and (ha ha) biking (ha ha). The last of these activities has resulted in my new training program.



The Barcalounger is meant to be a site for relaxation. In my past use, it has been strictly limited to an upright seated position with a southing gliding motion. This location was primarily used as my spot for evening pizza, perhaps a beer or two, and watching a DVD movie or simply pecking away at the laptop. A recent injury has resulted in the Barcalounger becoming a full time location. The requirement for using the Barcalounger in a reclining position has resulted in my new training and workout routine.

During the first evening the Barcalounger was used, my wife simply pulled some kind of special lever, and magically, the glider turned into a recliner. Since I was still withering in a great deal of pain from my mishap, I just went along for the ride and slid into position without noticing anything unusual. When it came time to move to a new location (the bed for the night) my wife again performed the needed steps to seemingly make the recliner smoothly once again become the upright glider chair. Quite simple it seemed.

After an overnight of rest, I was encouraged to return to the lounger to continue the leg elevation position that would accelerate my recovery. Ranch chores, walks, runs, and alas (ha ha) even bike rides, were stricken from the list of permitted activities. Resting was now the prime directive. So it began.

My wife went about the ranch chores for the day, leaving me with instructions to stay put and she'd be back later.

Fifteen minutes later, unsettled anxiety set in as I needed to get something (like a glass of water, book or magazine). I rocked about in the reclined lounger, trying to discover the magic lever to release the reclined position and to return to a sitting position so I could get up. I struggled (in great pain) trying to figure how to swing the lever. Sweat formed over every inch of my body. I kicked at the foot rest, pushed and pulled at the lever. Nothing seemed to work. I persisted. Thumping at the foot support still more and continued wiggling the lever. I hit the magic spot! The chair sprung back into the upright position and flung me across the room and into the wall. I got up shakily. After I regained my senses, I fetched the required items. I quickly cleaned the debris field and covered the body slam marks on the wall with a tasteful tapestry. I was, after all, left with instructions to stay put.

I carefully returned to the Barcalounger, manipulated the lever before getting in, and clumsily slid over the chair arm into the lounger. My panting slowly subsided and I stayed calmly trying not to touch anything on the chair.

This was the most intense workout I'd gotten during the last couple of years. And, although I don't want to repeat the need to use this activity with another injury, I at least have another cross training tool to add to my arsenal.

A Bruising Day at the Ranch

Well, you can now add me to the "what were you thinking?" injury list.

While on a bike ride into Kalispell yesterday afternoon, I managed to do a Pole vs pole crash. A car had honked at an intersection we were crossing, and I glanced over to see what the problem was. Unfortunately, for me, a pole used to keep motor vehicles off of the bike trail, appeared out of no-where and I clobbered it at 15+ mph with my right leg, just above the knee. I must have done a quick flip, because the only other impact injury is a badly bruised and sore left shoulder blade, collar bone area. No marks on the helmet, so I guess I managed not to knock myself out.


The bike suffered only from a broken mirror on the left side, and for some reason the bicycle computer went wild and gave me credit for speeds of 30+ mph and about twice the distance I actually travelled. We completed the trek into Kalispell and the return to the ranch before I iced things up. So, 15 miles later, my leg was pretty swollen, colorful already, and my shoulder / collar bone area pain makes it difficult to pull a tee-shirt off!

July Summary All At Once

This is an insert using most of what was posted at Wunderground in my Day By Day in NW Montana blog. From time to time, I'll modify this summary to add or correct information.

07/31/2008 - Clear sky again today as I am almost ready to log out another month of Daily Notes and Ramblings. The temperature this morning was indeed as indicated (with some slight editing) by my PWS. Almost touching the freezing mark to end out this month.

Logs Ready to Make the Trip to the Splitter


07/30/2008 - Clouds stayed overnight and the temperatures did not drop as low as usual. Wind and clouds moved through during the morning. The breezes continued until early evening with partly cloudy afternoon sky losing the clouds entirely by sunset.

Sunburst Through Clouds Soon After Sunrise



Clouds Over the Horses in a Morning View Southeast



07/29/2008 - Clear and dry repeating again today, with cool overnight temperatures. (Not as cool as my PWS indicates. Something is amiss in the temperature sensor lately). It was a good afternoon for a trail ride around the ranch.

Morning Sun Across the Pastures in a View to the East From the Deck


Trail Riding Around the Ranch


View From Upper Trail During Ride


07/28/2008 - Clear and once again drying conditions all day in NW Montana.

Socks and Stuff Drying during a Mostly Clear Day


07/27/2008 - Clear and dry again this morning. Some clouds with a warm front moved through late yesterday evening and kept temperatures a little warmer overnight. By morning, the clouds had moved through and sunny sky conditions allowed for another warm day. As part of the daily chores, Patti and her mom drove around on the ATV to pickup after the horses.

Daily Chores Around the Ranch


Daily Chores ... Fun For Children of All Ages


07/26/2008 - Sunny and dry days continue. Just a little mix of clouds this afternoon. But no precipitation is likely. Today, we took a little trip to see the Event at Rebecca Farm, a World Class Horse Eventing weekend that takes place each year near Kalispell.

Morning View Across Outer Pasture


Views Around the Grounds at Rebecca Farm Horse Event


Patti, her mom, and Titan at the Event At Rebecca Farm


07/25/2008 - Mostly sunny and dry. The deer have been sometimes seen at the automatic watering bowls. This fellow was just walking through one of the green areas near the arena.

Buck Moving Through the Shadows


07/24/2008 - There were some morning clouds much like those of yesterday evening. The sky cleared for an hour or so but was followed with additional morning clouds. More sun than clouds arrived during the early afternoon and by evening clear conditions became the rule.

Repeating Deck View to the East During Mostly Clear Morning


The Boys Go to Pasture One ... Now that all Grass is Cut and Baled



07/23/2008 - Some lingering fog this morning with the clouds hanging around until mid-day. The afternoon is giving decreasing clouds and warming temperatures again. (Weather station note: It looks like my station temperature sensor needs a check-up since the automatic readings are showing unrealistic fluctuations.) The evening sky was alive with clouds and light changes that make a person sing.

Evening Clouds


Lingering Morning Fog Over North Hills


07/22/2008 - Overnight clouds kept the temperature from falling too low overnight. Mostly cloudy conditions are continuing through the mid-day period. The forecast calls for an increasing chance of precipitation later today. ... Later ... The forecast was correct, during the late evening a good rainfall took place dropping just over a quarter of an inch. Nice to have the dust settled for a day or so.

Clouds Around Sunrise


07/21/2008 - Clear and continued dry. With apologies to the original author: 'make that bale, lift that bale, store that bale, eat that bale'.

Tree Frames Bales and Bale Eating Horses in the Far Distance (almost not visible in the image, in fact)


07/20/2008 - The sun shined. I baled hay.

Baling Hay ... Again (thanks to a neighbor for the use of his baler for the day)




07/19/2008 - This was another of those regular days at the ranch today. Where, mostly you just relax. I did a few things as needed and it was a good day with sunny conditions, just a bit of a breeze and temperatures that were comfortable.

Orpheus, Just Relaxing (like me) This Evening


07/18/2008 - Some lines of high alto-stratus and alto-cu moved through this morning. The forecast continues to call for dry conditions so I decided to swath the remaining pastures. Now I just need to get the baler to work over the next couple of days so I can bale on Sunday or Monday.

Swathed Rows Back Behind the Swather


Swathed Rows in Completed Pasture One


07/17/2008 - Clear and cool again overnight. A traditional set of images of the morning view from the deck was taken. Today saw me doing various and assorted ranch chores as my wife and a couple of horses head to a dressage show in Spokane. After the day of tasks, it seemed like the dog days of summer may be upon us already. Later in the evening, the deck view changed as the near full moon was rising.

Slide Show of Views From the Deck Morning and Evening


Dog Day Evening Around the Fire Ring


07/16/2008 - Partly cloudy start to the day after mostly clear conditions overnight. Temperatures dropped to the mid-40's again as a result of the cleared sky that allowed the heat from yesterday to escape. My station history has a missing section due to a loss of the Internet DSL connection from about 6 PM yesterday evening through 11 AM today. After a little work on the baler, it was time for a bit of fun with a late afternoon trail ride. Life is good at the ranch!

Filtered Sun Lights Up the Outer Pasture



Heading Back to the Ranch After the Trail Ride



07/15/2008 - Cloudy morning conditions for the first time in almost three weeks. It is beginning to get a little dry and some dust was blowing around in the dry lot paddocks this afternoon. I spent a good bit of the day cutting down some of the dead trees in the woods area. Since the days are beginning to get shorter, it is time again to think about creating the firewood pile!

Clouds in Daily Morning View from the Deck


Dust Blowing Through the Paddocks this Afternoon


07/14/2008 - More clear and dry conditions again today. Break day between the swath, rake, bale cycle as yesterday's work gets stored into the barn and shelters. Today I'll probably pull apart the baler to get ready for the replacement parts. In the mean-time, I'll just do some regular ranch chores.

Daily Morning View from the Deck


07/13/2008 - Clear, cool again with mid 30's overnight (hmmm, might be a low sensor error, that seems a bit low). Somewhat warmer than yesterday is forecast for today with continued clear and dry conditions. A neighbor let me use his baler and about three hours and 130 bales later, the task is done. Now we just need to load the bales and move them to a storage area.

Daniel Posing with Bales in the Pasture


07/12/2008 - Cool overnight with upper 30's. Nice day for baling hay -- but -- the baler broke down after just 3 bales and was out of service for the rest of the day. The horses didn't seem to care about that and just continued eating grass faster than I can bale it.

Wanita and Corrie Grazing in the Morning Sun


07/11/2008 - After the morning walk it was time to rake the windrows that had been cut yesterday together. Flipping the rows also allows the grass that had been in contact with the ground a chance to dry before the baling takes place. Since it is quite dry, I'll probably be able to bale tomorrow.

Taking a Morning Walk Through the Windrows


The Windrow Rake Ready to Spin Through the Grass


07/10/2008 - Another clear day at the ranch with more of a breeze blowing through the area. Most of today (at least 4 hours anyway) was spent swathing another pasture. Some smoke or dust is in the air again tonight as a string of dry days continues.

Swathing Session Number Two Happened Today




Daniel in Pasture Four After the Swathing was Completed


07/09/2008 - A day much like yesterday. I took another view from the deck photo this morning and I expect it will look very similar to the one taken yesterday. I'll wait as the day continues to see what other image might find its way into the camera get transferred through the computer to be displayed here.

Morning Sunlight on Fence ... Horses Grazing Further Out in the Pasture


07/08/2008 - Sunny day with a little more wind than yesterday. Dry conditions and just a bit of haze in the sky this afternoon and evening.

Morning View to the East ... Sunshine ... and Horses Waiting to go Out


07/07/2008 - Clear, cool, and calm this morning. The start of the week looks good for bringing in the next pastures of hay. I'll probably let the moisture of last week give the grass a final boost and cut later in the week. The area we finished last week was pretty wet on Saturday, after the flood boards were removed upstream, so, I won't be able to drive into it until the water goes down and things dry out a bit more.

Clear Morning View Across the Outer Pastures


07/06/2008 - There was a quick morning shower just after returning from a walk with the dogs. Clearing conditions moved in during the morning. Partly cloudy sky continued throughout the day. It was a good day for the second day of the dressage testing for Patti and Wanita.

Morning Shower and Sun Rays


Wanita and Patti after the Second Dressage Test


07/05/2008 - Mostly sunny with a bit of a breeze to start out the day. The day continued with a mix of cumulus clouds and a continuing breeze. Today was the first dressage riding show for Patti. It was a good event!

Horses Out in the Morning Sunlight


Wanita, Getting Ready for a Horse Show




First Dressage Riding Test at Rebecca Farm - Patti and Wanita


07/04/2008 - Hazy high cloud sky. Light winds. 4th of July at the ranch. A quick thunder shower went through during the mid afternoon. Mostly clear sky conditions finished the day.

(Link to Red Skelton's YouTube "Pledge of Allegiance" Video)
Ranch View and Flying the Flag ... Always



07/03/2008 - Sunny conditions with calm wind today at the ranch. There is some hazyness in the air again that is possibly from the fires in northern California. The grass and pastures have a renewed greeness after the rain.

Sunny Morning View from the Deck


07/02/2008 - Low cloud remnants of the overnight rain hung around throughout most of the morning today. Partly cloudy conditions dominated the mid-day and early afternoon. More sun than clouds appeared in the evening. It was a good day for horsing around in the pond and for stopping to look at the flowers.

Morning Clouds Hanging on After Yesterday's Rain


Horsing Around in the Pond


Flowers Growing in the Green Grass


07/01/2008 - Clouds started the day. A sun and cloud mix was around for the middle of it. During the evening, the dew point met up with the temperature and a bit of thunder along with showers finished the rest of the day.

Evening Clouds Before the Rain Began


The First Cutting Stacked Safely into the Old Barn


Left Over from June ... the NW Montana to NE Minnesota Trip in a Slideshow (Note: The show sometimes begins to repeat before going through all of the images. The entire show should recap the round-trip with Leaving Kalispell at the beginning, and Leaving the Twin Cities at the end. I'm not sure why the early repeat happens.)