September in One Big Blog Entry

Okay, so the month of September flew by without so much as an update to "Life"! Such as it is sometimes during busy (and even, not so busy) times. I did not get back into running training mode, so, there was no marathon training log to maintain. As a result, all I have to offer is the pasting of the Wunderground blog along with this short introductory paragraph.

September Slide Show


Wednesday, September 30, 2009: Mostly cloudy today. Some rain finally showed up during the late afternoon. Just enough to settle the dust a bit, but not very far into the dust layer. With the clouds, cool temperatures were the order for the day with the high just making it into the middle 50's. Clouds and cool conditions are forecast for the next few days.

Clouds to the East After the Early Evening Shower


Tuesday, September 29, 2009: Almost running out of days in September that can provide some precipitation to close the gap in the monthly total. I have only recorded about 0.03" for the entire month. That is about 1.5" below the month normal by this date. As a result, all is dry and dusty.

Color in the evening sky just after sunset


Monday, September 28, 2009: This may be the last in the string of dry, mild, mostly sunny days. Today was a mix of high clouds with some of the smoke from forest fires adding to the color of the morning sky. Temperatures rose into the mid 70's with the high clouds staying throughout the day.

Clouds at Sunrise View from the West Hill


Sunday, September 27, 2009: A cool start for today. After the strong wind that blew most of yesterday, today was relatively quiet, sunny, continued dry, and not quite as warm.

It's all about Starting the Day ... Over and Over


Saturday, September 26, 2009: Windy, warm, and continued sunny and dry. Even as the days get shorter and the track of the sun moves day by day toward the south, here in NW Montana summer continues. The forecast keeps moving the cooler and possible rain producing days one day further out with each new day. The coming week should see a change (maybe?) with cooler temperatures and possibly some rain ahead.

Box Elder Tree Holds out in Dusty, Sunny, Windy Day


Friday, September 25, 2009: Sunny, warm and dry. Record maximum temperatures in some reporting locations for today. Mostly smoky, dry, and dusty around the ranch.

Sunrise from the West Hill (start of the dog walk)


Thursday, September 24, 2009: Clear and near record high temperatures. This made it a good day to take a day trip from the ranch to Glacier National Park and Hungry Horse Dam.

Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park


Hungry Horse Dam in NW Montana


Wednesday, September 23, 2009: Clear, dry, and mild conditions again today at the ranch. There is just a touch of color in the trees, and the grass and woods ground cover is beginning to make the transition as the first full day of fall gives shorter daylight.

Just a Touch of Color in the Box Elder Tree


Tuesday, September 22, 2009: The switchover day for summer to fall began with sunny and near summer-like temperatures (just a little cooler early morning low than a mid-summer day would have). The dry trend continues with a lot of dust in the air any time the horses walk or trot through the dry lots. As an extra bonus, Patti's mom joins us today, during a walk with the dogs.

Taffy, Patti, her mom, and Titan at the Family Time Rest Bench


Sun Rays Showing some Dust as Dunder Paces in his Corral


Monday, September 21, 2009: Totally clear conditions overnight resulted in low temperatures in the upper 20's. The pastures were frosty during the morning walk with the dogs. Clear conditions continued throughout the day, with dry and dusty paddocks for the horses.

Frosty Grass in Morning View toward the Sunrise


Sunday, September 20, 2009: Some clouds around both early and late today but, again, very little precipitation. The day was partly cloudy early in the morning and became mostly sunny and that continued through the middle of the day. Late in the afternoon a very light shower (trace amounts only) went through the area. By the time of the last animal check it was again mostly clear and making way for some frosty conditions likely for tomorrow.

Alfalfa Bales Delivered this Morning


Saturday, September 19, 2009: Sunny beginning but with increasing clouds throughout the day. No precipitation today and just some windy conditions to go with the clouds.

Evening Clouds over the Box Elder and East Treeline


Friday, September 18, 2009: Clear and cool this morning. The sun and clear sky conditions for the entire day gave warm temperatures and a perfect day for a grill out at the fire-ring.

Dogs at the Evening Cookout


Thursday, September 17, 2009: A quick thunder shower with just a trace of rain swooped through just at sunrise. It resulted in just water-drop marks in the dust, and actually created more dust than it settled. Heavier rainfall could be seen in the distance, and, in fact, there was evidence of a good shower having taken place when I went to town for some morning appointments. At the ranch, as I mentioned, the rainfall was very light. After the early morning clouds scooted away to the east, the rest of the day was mostly sunny, dry, and warm.

Sunrise after the Light Morning Rain


Wednesday, September 16, 2009: Clear and dry again. Not much of a change in weather from day to day, but, you know, in the background, the days are changing.

Morning View across the Pastures


Tuesday, September 15, 2009: Sunny and dry again. Today, I raked the grass areas that were cut yesterday. Since conditions continue to be quite dry, I decided to also switch tractor implements and pull the baler through the windrows to make bales one last time for the season.

Loading the Last Bale of 2009!


Monday, September 14, 2009: Today again kept up the dry trend that September has brought. Since this is the last week of summer, I decided it was time to climb the north hill and take some pictures of the ranch in mostly summer conditions. Later, I decided to use the continuing string of dry days to cut the creek grass and some of the longer grass along it. This is the second cutting for some of the area, but the creek grass was long, but still green. Some high clouds drifted through later in the day but no precipitation accompanied the cloud cover.

View from the North Hill


Sunday, September 13, 2009: A perfectly clear, sunny, and dry day today. Some chore activities were done early in the day (putting up 4-tons of hay, splitting and stacking wood). The horses enjoyed cleaning up the area where the hay (alfalfa/grass mix) was dropped before we moved it to the hay barn.

Horses Graze Hay Leftovers


Saturday, September 12, 2009: The long string of sunny, dry and warm days continued today at the ranch.

Sunrise from the West Hill


Friday, September 11, 2009: Another sun filled and rainless day at the ranch.

9-11, Remembered


Thursday, September 10, 2009: A day of sun and nice late summer weather in NW Montana. Dry conditions continue.

Morning Sunlight and the Old Barn


Wednesday, September 9, 2009: Another cool start to the day, but sunny conditions began to warm things up during the morning. Some high clouds, but a great day in NW Montana.

Sunrise and Clouds began the Day


Tuesday, September 8, 2009: An early sign of the winter to follow with a light frost this morning. A clear overnight sky allowed temperatures to drop into the low 30's. The day was mostly sunny with temperatures rebounding nicely supported by a mix of clouds and sun throughout day and evening.

Tracks in the Morning Frost


Monday, September 7, 2009: Mostly cloudy again this morning. Much like yesterday with periods of clouds and sun for most of the day. Even though the clouds looked like they could contain some precipitation, it all stayed up there, in those clouds. The automatic gauges have not clicked off any amount for the entire month. There was some that accumulated in the plastic gauge, but not much there either.

Clouds over the Ranch this Morning


Sunday, September 6, 2009: Mostly cloudy to start the day followed by periods of sun and clouds. The late afternoon became mostly sunny. The clearing sky should put us on the list for quite a cool down tonight.

Streams of Clouds in the Late Afternoon Sky


Saturday, September 5, 2009: The forecast stated mostly cloudy. The sky did have some early morning clouds, but they were mostly gone for a period during the early morning. At about 10:30 AM the clouds rolled in again. They just gave a trace of rain (drops, actually) and it was a sun and cloud mix until early evening when mostly cloudy conditions returned. The real excitement of the day took place during the final animal check. At that time, two of the dogs (Taffy and Titan) decided to find a skunk. It was not the best way to end a day!

Colored Sky before the Sun Rise


Friday, September 4, 2009: There were some clouds around the edges this morning and into the middle of the day. There was less wind than yesterday and the temperatures continued to be cool in the morning and warm without being hot during the afternoon. We could use some precipitation though to settle the dust around the area.

Clear Blue Sky during the Early Afternoon ... and the Box Elder, once again


Thursday, September 3, 2009: Today was a breezy day with a mix of clouds. The dry conditions of the last couple of weeks resulted in a lot of dust blowing in the wind. Warm afternoon temperatures gave way to another cool down soon after sunset.

Sunrise between the Yard Pines


Wednesday, September 2, 2009: Another in a string of days that remain sunny, dry and warm. The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, continue.

View across the Pastures


Tuesday, September 1, 2009: A clear start to another month.

Sunrise

August Summary around NW Montana

This is almost a duplication of the post I do in Day by Day in NW Montana. Sometimes, I modify the posting slightly when I insert it here with just some extra odds and ends. This month, the most noteworthy event was the fact that the high rainfall during the early part of the month resulted in the reservoir filling and the creek running for a number of days. The flow lasted about four or five days. Then, the creek flow was just what was draining from the reservoir. No additional inflow took place through the end of the month. One drawback of the reservoir still having water in it is that the apples dropping of the tree near the reservoir are difficult to fetch. As August ends, all is well at the ranch here in NW Montana.

August 2009: A Mix of Scenes (Slide Show)




Monday, August 31, 2009: The week is beginning and the month is ending on a continuing warm, dry, and mostly sunny streak. There were some clouds along the east edges late in the day, but they were well over the mountains and not a factor for us here at the ranch.

Evening Clouds to the East ... after a Sunny Day


Sunday, August 30, 2009: It was a sunny, warm, dry day in NW Montana. I guess the cloudiness of yesterday was the rain event forecast for today and it just happened a day early and didn't have any rain in it, either.

The Box Elder in the Evening Sunlight


Saturday, August 29, 2009: The sun made an appearance just before a cloud bank slid over the area today. The cloud and filtered sun conditions continued for most of the day.

Morning Sky through Amber Filter


Neighboring Farm in Merged Images through Amber Filter


Friday, August 28, 2009: None of that partly cloudy sky today. Totally clear from beginning to end giving a sunny, warm, and dry day at the ranch.

Barn Complex in the Morning Light


Thursday, August 27, 2009: Sunny with some variable cloudiness moving through the sky. Still the day was warm, with scattered clouds, and dry. These are the three key weather phrases that defined another day at the ranch.

Repeating Morning View of Horses near the Box Elder Tree


Wednesday, August 26, 2009: Some clouds around the east horizon early today. The sky contained scattered high clouds throughout the morning. Even as the summer days continue to be dry and warm, it is time to get ready for the coming winter. This afternoon, splitting of wood was done as part of that winter preparation.

View Across Pasture to Ranch Buildings


Splitting Wood and Filling the Trailer


Tuesday, August 25, 2009: The string of dry and clear days continues in NW Montana. Not overly warm, so it was basically a nice pleasant day (with a cool start, too).

The Box Elder Tree Casts a Large Morning Shadow


Monday, August 24, 2009: Bright morning sunshine and cool overnight temperatures.

Morning View of the Box Elder Tree, and Horses


Sunday, August 23, 2009: Mostly sunny, cool overnight and slowly rising temperatures begin the day in NW Montana.

Evening View of the Box Elder Tree


Saturday, August 22, 2009: Clear sky conditions through last night and into today. The forecast had been for near record temperatures and although warm, no records were broken.

Morning Sunrise


Friday, August 21, 2009: A rouge 'near-clear-air' thunderstorm dropped a trace of rain just after 8:00 A.M. The day was sunny and warm, except for that short event. The grass cut for hay yesterday was raked one more time for drying, and later, the baling of pasture four was done.

Baling Hay in Pasture Four


Thursday, August 20, 2009: A clear sky repeated for today. It was a good morning for the daily walk with the dogs. Later, the swathed windrows were raked and made ready for baling of the hay that will take place tomorrow.

Morning Walk with the Dogs


Windrow Rake Poised above Pasture Four


Wednesday, August 19, 2009: Clear and warm around NW Montana today. This allowed the remaining uncut pasture to dry enough (after last week's rain) so that yet another round of swathing, raking, and baling could begin.

The Morning Sun over the Trees


Another Round of Swathing, Raking, and Baling begins: Swathing Pasture 4


Tuesday, August 18, 2009: A sunny start to the day. Less humidity in the air meant little if any overnight fog in the low areas. A mild day resulted with conditions drying out enough that the creek, which had refilled last Saturday as a result of the rainy week last week, stopped flowing again today.

Morning View East and South



Monday, August 17, 2009: Mostly cloudy, cool, and some fog in the valley to start the day. There were good sized breaks in the clouds during the morning resulting in mostly sunny conditions. From around noon until mid-afternoon, the cloud mix thickened again with mostly cloudy conditions. The assorted mix continued with some breaks which allowed the late afternoon to be partly sunny, with the temperatures able to rise into the low 70's.

Orpheus Rests while Corrie Drinks and Winnie Watches


Sunday, August 16, 2009: Today was one of those days with a mixture of sun and clouds again. Partly cloudy sky around sunrise turned into showers around noon-time. The afternoon continued with the showers disappearing and some sun breaking through from time to time. There were some impressive clouds in the late evening sky that gave just a few drops of rain here at the ranch, but likely had more rain dropping as they headed over the hills to the east. The creek reservoir filled overnight and the creek was flowing this morning.

Big Sky Cloud Mix Today (Slide Show)


Saturday, August 15, 2009: Today began with the sun shining and partly cloudy sky conditions. A quick change took place shortly after 8:00 AM when clouds returned to cover the entire sky. The clouds stayed around most of the day and produced some thunder and rain during the evening. A mixture of parting clouds and late day sunlight ended the day.

Evening Showers Over East Hills


Some Late Day Sunshine Lightened up the Paddocks


Friday, August 14, 2009: The day began with a repeat of clouds in the sky and fog in the hills. A mid-morning through noon rainfall dampened the area and kept temperatures cool. The day continued with passing showers from time to time. A thunderstorm passed through during the early evening. This rain activity kept temperatures struggling to stay above 50 degrees. I heard a forecast for snow in the higher elevations over the next day or two. Can this be the middle of August?

Fog and Clouds over the Neighboring Farm


Fog and Clouds over the East and Southeast Hills (much like yesterday...just more rain!)


August Singularity


Thursday, August 13, 2009: Some light rain overnight lingered into the mid-morning. Mostly cloudy conditions gave just passing opportunities for sunlight today. There was some clearing of the sky during the mid afternoon. While attending a riding clinic, it was quite breezy this afternoon in the valley. Additional showers returned late in the day with rain beginning as darkness arrived. Today is one of the days of August Singularity.

Lingering Clouds and Fog in Mid-Day View Southeast


Riding Clinic in the Valley this Afternoon


Some Blue Sky later in the Afternoon


Wednesday, August 12, 2009: A mostly cloudy day around the ranch today. Showers drifted through a couple of times during the day, first during the morning, and next, with more intensity during the early afternoon. As a result of the showers, the temperature was only able to top out in the high 60's. Just a light ray or two of sunlight late in the day provided a weak rainbow in some parting evening showers over the southeast treeline.

Morning Clouds to the East and Northeast


Weak Evening Rainbow to the Southeast



Tuesday, August 11, 2009: It was a sunny and mild day around the ranch today. The evening was again just right for a little softball playoff watching. Since the season is winding down, it was time to scout the upcoming opponents for the championship game we play next Monday evening.

Sunny Morning at the Ranch


Evening Softball Scouting Action at the Ball-yard



Monday, August 10, 2009: The sun made an appearance with a gathering of clouds today. Most of the day continued this mix of sun and clouds with a pleasant temperature result. It was just a perfect evening for another softball game.

Morning Sun Appears through the Clouds


Warm-up before the Softball Game


Sunday, August 9, 2009: It was a mixed day of sun and clouds today. The sunny periods provided an opportunity for a trail ride and viewing some wildlife around the ranch. Clouds filled the east sky late in the evening.

Trail Ride during the Mid Day Sunshine


Deer along the Riding Trail


Evening Clouds to the East


Saturday, August 8, 2009: The sun fought for an appearance through some clouds this morning. Eventually, the day became partly cloudy and allowed for a nice photo shoot for Wanita R. and a new bride.

Morning Sun through the Clouds


Wanita R. and Bride at Photo Shoot


Friday, August 7, 2009: A mix of clouds and sun around NW Montana today. Late day sunshine provided evening shadows across the pastures.

Sun and Shadows across the Pastures


Thursday, August 6, 2009: After some morning clouds, plenty of sunshine appeared to allow still more of the ranch flowers to bloom!

Ranch Flower: Canadian Thistle (I hope it showed a passport to get here!)


Wednesday, August 5, 2009: A touch of clouds and trees began and ended the day today. In between, the sun provided a nice day for the horses and people at the ranch. A quick evening shower left some clouds that seemed to reach down to the trees in the late evening sky.

Morning Sun with a Touch of Clouds


Evening Clouds Try to Touch the Trees


Tuesday, August 4, 2009: It was a sunny and warm day around the area today. The evening provided continuing softball action as the 'senior men of summer' continue game playoffs as the season winds down. So, today saw the horses gather around their water cooler as the men gathered around the beer cooler after the game!

Horses around the Water Cooler


Men around the Beer Cooler (Pretty soon after this, anyway!)


Monday, August 3, 2009: A warm sunny day at the ranch was started with a great sunrise through some morning clouds. And, although spring is thought to be the time of flowers, some still linger here in NW Montana.

Sunrise through the Morning Clouds


Some of the Last Flowers of Summer (Mullein Flowering)


Sunday, August 2, 2009: A clear pleasant day around the valley. It made for a great day to take a Sunday bike ride into Kalispell on the "Rails-to-Trails" route.

Morning Sun and Shadows from the Box Elder Tree


Riding the Rails-to-Trails Route into Kalispell


Saturday, August 1, 2009: A sunny start to the August month in NW Montana.

Silo and old Farm along the Bike Trail to Kalispell