FIRE UP LOST HORSE

The fire up Lost Horse canyon is still burning although progress is being made according to the news.  It is 5% contained, 117 personnel assigned to it, and it is 322 acres in size as of 28 June.  This is from the Forest Service inciweb site:  At approximately 4:30 p.m. this afternoon there was unexpected fire behavior on the eastern edge of the perimeter. The fire jumped the eastern ridge and burned laterally appox. 100 yards downslope to the east. All crews were pulled off of the line due to the extreme fire behavior. As of 6:00 p.m. an air tanker was dropping retardant on the fire with a load and return out of Missoula. 3 more air tankers have been ordered. 

Sounds like they are increasing the air support as there is already 4 helicopters assigned to it and they have dumped over 100,000 gallons of water.  They are getting this out of Como Lake.

day 1

day2

day 3

day 4 (28 June 2016)

 

HIKING WITH ZEPH

Connie went riding today so Zeph and I hiked the Bear Creek Overlook trail. Still lots of flowers and with the wet spring we had, it was really green.  Some snow in the high country - not a lot though.

Zeph always likes his picture taken.

Lots of flowers along the way.

Looking west into the Bitterroot-Selway Wilderness Area.

Lots of moss on the trees.

Zeph says there is a squirrel down there boss which I should run up a tree.

He thinks he is cute.

That is the main Bear Creek canyon on the left.  You could hear the water rushing over the rocks down there.

FIRST FIRE OF THE SEASON

We had some strong thunder storms go through the valley this afternoon and we now have the first fire of the season that looks like it might burn for a few days.  I am not sure, but it looks like it is in the Roaring Lion or Lost Horse drainage on the west side of the valley.  Forecast is for warmer temperatures so hopefully they can get a handle on it soon. 

KAYAKING WEST FORK LAKE

Connie and I took our "Blue Canoe" (our tandem kayak) up to West Fork Lake and kayaked up to where Blue Joint Creek comes into  the lake.  We have done this at least once a year for quite a few years.  Get there early and the water is so nice.  This year was no exception.  Hardly any wind and got to see some birds and deer.  Not as many deer as we usually see, but at least watched one come down to the lake to drink.  Could not believe how many Canada geese we saw though.  At least 70 near where we put in.  I refuse to take pictures of these birds.  They are getting to be nuisance around here.  When I was young growing up around here, they were maybe not "rare" but we did not see that many of them.

We had a fire just up Willow Creek the other evening but I don't know what started it.  Picture taken from our cabin porch.

Lot of Mergansers this year with little ones.  

Connie having a sip of coffee while paddling on a very calm lake.

I love it when the water is so calm that the reflection is like a kaleidoscope. Where does the shore and the reflection part!

Very, very calm water.

Mergansers every where.  This female only had on baby but was always close.

An active osprey nest next to Blue Joint Creek provided some entertainment while we had lunch.

A cabin on the lake that the only way to get there is by boat.

More mergansers.

This bald eagle let us paddle pretty close.

Both of our yucca plants are blooming this year.

This rose was given to us years ago by my sister but did not do well until we transplanted it over by the cabin and now is really going to town.

REPATRIATION OF CORPORAL GEORGE SIMMONS US ARMY

Our Corvallis American Legion Post along with the Montana National Guard conducted military honors for Corporal George Simmons who grew up in Corvallis, MT.   He enlisted in the US Army and was sent to the Philippines during WW II.  He was captured when the Japanese took the Philippines.  He survived the "Cabanatuan Death March" but died in a POW camp on 19 November 1942.  His remains were recently identified through DNA and those remains were brought back to the United States and were buried on Saturday 18 June 2016 here at the Corvallis Cemetery along side his parents.  It was a very moving and inspiring service.  I led the Caparisoned Horse (riderless horse) from the cemetery gate to the grave site.  What an honor for me.  We have used this horse "Dandy" before in a tribute to veterans last year at our rodeo during the Ravalli County Fair.  He is owned by Connie's riding buddy Jennifer.

The Army calls this riderless horse the Caparisoned Horse who follows the caissons (6 horses pulling the cart which carries the casket of the fallen soldier).  The caparisoned horse represents the soldier who will no longer ride in the brigade.  The caparisoned horse saddled with a cavalry saddle, a sword, and backwards boots in the stirrups, symbolizing the end of his tenure.  We have a cavalry saddle and boots, but we do not have a sword nor do we use a caisson.

Here is a link to our local paper's coverage of this funeral.  http://ravallirepublic.com/news/local/article_1c0fedc8-35a6-11e6-a4ae-df7eac03eba4.html

Me leading Dandy.

Notice the boots in the stirrup are backwards.

The crowd at the grave site.

The Montana National Guard pallbearers.

Members of the Corvallis American Legion Post getting their rifles ready for the 21 gun salute.

The Army pallbearers practicing the "6 man fold".

UPDATE 17 JUNE 2016

Been a little busy around here so my updates have been on hold.  Will try and catch up.

The Bitterroots on our horse path to the arena were just exceptional this year.

And Connie's father's poppies were early but colorful.

The clematis that we have had for years is still going strong.

Ran into this cow on our walk one morning.  She would not give an inch and even charged the dog.  A calf had to be close.

Lots of mergansers at Como Lake this year.

Had to take a picture of my Elie on my break rock.  I kayak around Como on Mondays alternating a clockwise and a counterclockwise rotation.  The lake is actually going down already.

The osprey feeding their young.

At the headwaters.

I was really surprised at the number of people at Lake Como getting out and enjoying the water.  Last week there were just a few but this week it was crowded.

Pam's pentstemmons are really going to town.

Color every where.