UPDATE 30 APRIL 2017

It has been sometime since I updated this blog so thought I had better get it done.  Still doing spring things around here and we are still getting some rain.  Good for the grass growth, but slows a few other things we are doing.  Turned our horses out into the timber and small meadow so they could eat some of the grass down.  Connie has been doing her jumping a couple of times a week.  I went over to Great Falls to Malmstrom AFB with my powder skiing partner General Stovall to give some briefings over there about rescue missions we were on during the Vietnam War.  The helicopter unit there has been renamed the 40th Helicopter Squadron and that is the squadron we flew in back in the day.  They were putting up some displays at the base museum and the General got invited to speak at that function.  Then the squadron wanted some briefings on some Vietnam combat rescue missions so they had that at the base auditorium and invited the whole base.  After that we went over to the squadron area and had some hamburgers.  It was really nice to be around these active duty folks who have been deployed to the middle east a number of times.  Just a great bunch of folks.  I did not take very many pictures there because we were so busy but did get a few.

The valley is starting to really green up.

The first arrowleaf balsam root flowers we have seen.

The 40th's Squadron's lounge area.

General Stovall can still get in his party suit he had as a captain.

The shooting stars are also out now.

The horses heading out the gate.

Comet thinking Connie might have a few oats in her hands, but he just licked the salt off her fingers.

Zeph giving her a kiss on our walk.

The  tree house that Gary's kids played in is still alive and well. 

BUSY AROUND HERE

We have been quite busy around here trying to get some ditches burned and cleaned.  Also burning piles of willows that were taken out last year on our main ditch that supplies our irrigation water to three properties.  We have had quite a bit of rain still and everything is starting to green up. 

The first pictures will be some that I forgot to put on the blog on our south trip.  Just pictures that still have the blog tag on them, but for some reason did not get in the blog. 

This female and male cormorants are just screaming at each other.  It was very loud at the rookery.

A buzzard sunning itself in the early morning sun.

My kayak buddies.

You can see a portion of a dock that is just floating around Echo Bay on Lake Meade.

An old windmill that is still working to provide water for the desert animals.  Used to be for cattle, but not anymore.

Back in the beautiful Bitterroot. 

Burning some ditches.

The blue birds were here when we got back. A pair was sitting on this old log but as soon as I got my camera out, the female took off.

The three sisters have a lot of snow on them.

St Marys peak on the right.  It will be quite a while before we can hike up there.

Burning some of the willow piles.

BACK IN THE BITTERROOT

We stopped in Moab for the night and had a good visit with Tom W. and his daughter Jennifer.  The next morning we drove on into Salt Lake City where we had Sunday dinner at Connie's sister's place and the rest of the family.  Great time and everyone seems to be doing well down there.

Then we drove to Montana the next day and the work of cleaning, unpacking, putting things away is still underway.  But for the most part, it is pretty well done.  Connie went riding today and had a big smile on her face getting ready to go.  She really does like to jump horses!!

View from Tom's place.

Tom, Connie, and Zeph.

The La Sal Mountains from Tom's.

Their house.

Jennifer and Tom.

Snow greeted us when we got home!

Dell the cat was really glad to see us show up with her brother Zeph.

The Bitterroots are really out right now and will bloom the end of next month.

Lots and lots of Yellow Bells this year.

A happy girl - she is going jumping!!

Loading up.

MORE HIKING AROUND BLUFF 2

Some more pictures of our hikes around the Bluff area.  We are presently in Blanding where it was snowing when we got into town last night.  Been having some really unsettled weather the last few days.  We will be headed further north to Moab and points beyond.

Lizard on a rock instead of a dog on the rock.

Our jeep in front of the River House ruins.

Cactus in bloom by the ruins.

This lizard is shedding his skin on his right back leg.

This is the start of the Butler Wash panel.  It goes on and on.  One of the largest I have ever seen.

And the lizard said: Come a little closer bug and I will have you for lunch.

Driving out of the Comb Wash.  Zeph is always helping her drive, when he is not sleeping.