HOT SUMMER

We are having a very hot summer with very little rain.  We did have a pretty good thunderstorm last night that dropped .3 of an inch of rain which we really needed, but that has been it since the middle of last month.  We are seeing more hummingbirds this summer though.  They have been a real treat in the morning while having my tea sitting outside.  We will be headed over to the ranch next week to move cows up to the upper cow camp where they will stay until October.  So we are getting ready for that.  Not much else been going on except irrigating and spraying weeds.

The turkeys are starting to show up with their babies around the house now.

The lilies are in bloom.

Click to enlarge to see the hummingbirds coming into the feeders.

HUFF COUSINS REUNION

My mother's maiden name was Huff and she came from a large family - 11 children.  For the past 12 years or so we have been having a cousins reunion every 2 years.  This year was the Mason cousins time to host it.  We rented the group site at Como Lake for three days.  Had a great time catching up on all that has happened since we last met.  Some of the cousins came a little early and spent some quality time exploring what our little Bitterroot Valley has to offer.  These cousins had been on a trip up to Alaska for more than a month.  They had lots of tales to tell.  It was a great reunion and all are looking forward to the next one in 2014.

All were impressed with how the turkeys and horses get along here on our place.

Paul on Jack doing a little riding.

The fire pit got used also.

A deer and a turkey below the cabin.

Ben and Cheryl at the "church".

Diane getting a little riding in also.

Cheryl.

Ben.

Connie took Diane and Cheryl for a nice ride up by the powerlines.

I think Diane enjoyed riding a horse again.

Some of the peaks by Lake Como.

Paul and Ben taking a break for lunch.

Paul trying to capture the perfect picture.

An Osprey in her nest along the trail.

Paul out on a kayak.

I took this group on a hike to the falls at the head of Como Lake.

Bushes in bloom.

Como Lake from the Dam.

Sister Mary Ann, Ben, and Cheryl on the bridge above the falls.

Ben cooking hamburgers while Bob makes sure the guy from Missouri does it right!

The cousins with Uncle Don.