BEAR CREEK OVERLOOK HIKE

We took Mark on a hike to the Bear Creek overlook today.  We were going to do St Mary's Peak but the weather would not have been good and the mountain was in the clouds.  We did get some rain, frozen pellet snow, and even a flake of snow or two even on this hike.  In fact we left earlier than we had planned on because right after lunch the weather really changed.  Glad we did not do St Mary's!   Had a good time but it was not the warmest hike we have been on and were glad we brought rain gear.

Lots of chipmunks at the overlook today.

And even a snake.  We were very surprised when Connie found this.  Click to enlarge.

It was so cold, he moved pretty slow.

MOUNTAIN LION

Connie and I had quite an experience on our walk yesterday morning.  We usually leave the barn and she heads east into the foothills and I head west to walk around our place before following her up into the foothills (I tend to walk faster than she does).  We meet on the main trail/road just after she turns around to head back home.  As I was going just past the power lines, I looked up and noticed something tan in color walking up the same two track road I was on.  For an instant I thought it was one of the neighbors dogs that are that color - but I noticed it had a long tail that nearly dragged the ground even when it was curled on the end.  I could not believe I was following a mountain lion up the road.  I was only 30 or 40 yards behind it.  I took my gun out of it's holster and put a shell in the chamber just in case and continued walking fast in the soft sandy dirt, closing in on it.  I estimate that I was about 75 feet behind it when it finally heard me and turned it's head around to see what was behind it.  We just stood there looking at each other for a number seconds, but it seemed longer.  I don't know if it was just surprised and couldn't move or what but it did not act that scared.  I knew Connie was ahead of me and walking towards me so I wanted to get it out of the area before they ran into each other.  I shot the pistol in the air and it took off running up the road.  I did not know Connie was just around the corner so she hears the gun shot then sees this mountain lion running towards her.  She yelled my name and the lion veered of the road into the brush at a lope.  What excitement!  That was only the second mountain lion I have seen in the wild and Connie's first. 

Later we took Mark (who missed going walking with us and the excitement) for a horseback ride.  It was his first since the age of 7.  We had a few laughs let me tell you.  Jack did good for him though. 

A running mountain lion track by my glove.

Mark getting ready to go for a ride.

Mark and Connie with the fire on Downey Mountain in the background.

SWISS FRIEND VISITS

Markus Jenny from Switzerland has come to visit us for a while.  We first met Markus in 1981 when we lived in Anchorage, AK.  We did some exploring around Alaska and some fishing together.  He has now come to Montana for the first time.  Although he was still suffering from jet lag, we took him kayaking on the river.  It was a bit windy and cool, but we had a good time.  We also got to watch a lightning caused fire burning just west of the town of Hamilton where they have evacuated a number of homes.   A number of fires are burning in our area now.  Oh the joys of living in the Bitterroot in late summer - the smell of smoke!

Mark 

Connie took this picture of an osprey with a fish headed for a lunch date!

BAER VISIT

The Baers came for a visit and to pick up Andrew who has been here for a week.  We had a great time riding horses, kayaking at Painted Rocks lake, did some roping, did some fishing, some played hop scotch, went on a few hikes, and many other endeavors to keep smiles on our faces.  Connie and I got to meet Avery who is just a doll.  But with three older brothers, she will face many challenges in the future.

Walker really enjoyed riding "his" horse.

Aiden also had a few grins.  And check out his hat.

Andrew spent many hours in his 2 weeks with us on a horse.

Walker, who got the nickname "trotter" while he was here, is just photogenic.

Bill in the kayak.

And living the dream as he said.

Walker and Bill doing a little fishing.

We just about completely filled the woodshed for the winter also.

Connie spending some quality time with Avery.

Little Avery slept a lot in the fresh Montana air snuggled up to her mom.

Lesley the cowgirl.

RIDING AND KAYAKING

We have been doing quite a bit of riding horses around here.  Niece Kristi from Massachusetts was here with her kids and husband Eric.  Although it rained, we did manage to get in an hour or so of riding.  Also took Andrew down the Bitterroot in the Kayak.

Andrew's family came and are spending a few days with us also.  More on that in a later post.

Josh, Natalie, and Courtney riding in a little rain.

Andrew and Connie looking at a log jam they are approaching.  We made it around it, but had to get out of the kayaks to do it.

Got to see a lot of birds on the river: eagles, osprey, kingfishers, these mergansers, and quite a few more.

BUSY WEEK

I am trying to catch up on my posting as it has been pretty busy around here.  Carl, Deb, and their kids came over on the 30th of July for a week vacation and for Ashton's wedding on the 31st.  The wedding was really nice and the thunder storms managed to give way to sunshine for the ceremony.

Connie's sister and her husband brought their oldest grandson Andrew up here from Utah to spend a week week with us on the 5th of August.  We had a good time showing them around the valley for a couple of days.  We managed to take in the Farmers Market, Stevensville's Creamery Picnic, and the cowboy poet Baxter Black.  They left today and Andrew will spend this week with us and his parents will pick him up next week.

A few pictures of the week.

Ashton and Kyle.

Andrew M., Connie, and Andrew B. riding around in the arena.

Andrew M. on Smokey.  A great horse for kids.

Elaina taking old Smokey for a spin around the arena.

Andrew B. on old Jack getting ready to do some barrels.

Smoke and Elaina having a little bonding session.

A chipmunk has made a home out of the bird house by the bird feeder.

The Salt Lake crew doing a little roping and providing us some good laughs.

Van working on his technique.

Waiting for the band that played before Baxter Black.  Both were very good.

Andrew getting a lesson in the art of welding horse shoes.

On a horseback ride this morning.  We are really hazy from over 300 fires in British Columbia and a few local ones.

Andrew riding the 3 wheeler.

FIRE IS ABOUT CONTAINED

This post was for 3 August but I had some trouble with the pictures and posting so it is a little late.

The fire to the east of us is all but contained and out.  We had a couple of good rains that really helped them get a handle on it.  They set up a fire camp on Willow Creek Road just to the east of our turn towards our place.  They dismantled that yesterday so there is less traffic and a lot less noise in the area now.

We had our friends Tom and Nancy from Moab visit us for a day.  They had not seen our cabin and thought it was pretty cute.

Tom and Nancy at the old cabin.

The Fire Camp