I fell in love with Montana driving on Highway 2 from Sandpoint, Idaho … February, 1994.
Descending into the Flathead Valley and seeing the Continental Divide rising on the valley’s East Boundary…I fell in love.
I gasped, literally gasped and knew…
Almost 19 years later, I remain in love with Montana.
Yesterday (Tuesday) morning started out a balmy 62 – a warm morning even during summer and completely unexpected for early October, especially with the long advertised cold front seemingly on its way.
Bob took advantage of both the sun and the warm air from the dryer.
Blue sky, white clouds and the larch just starting to lighten up as they go from green to chartreuse to gold.
I took advantage of the warm morning to keep to my shorts routine. I might get some afternoons in shorts, but a full day ??? – this was probably the last for awhile.
The herbs also enjoyed the sun and warm air.
That pretty much tells the story…it did get above 68 and stayed there until nearly 6 p.m.
I had the house open to the sun and the breeze. Although the wind kicked up in the afternoon, it stayed warm** until early evening. Much as I love Winter, I enjoyed this day of warm sun and breeze, even with the dust that the wind brought in.
By early evening, the wind shifted to the north and the air had that bite of a night that would get cold.
And today… morning started at 37F…AND….
Snow on the ski trails of Blacktail Mountain…
And Big Mountain…
And the mountains beyond the road home.
**I realize that for some, 62-68 might not seem like shorts weather! All is relative, though, and the humidity was very low at less than 20% AND my internal furnace runs hot, i.e. anything above 50…unless it is very damp…is shorts weather.
Weather changes are forecast and even started.
The first week of September was cool, but the last three felt more like late Summer than early Fall.
Today, the transition is to continue and by Tuesday our mid-70’s temperatures are forcast to be 15-20 degrees cooler with hopefully a bit of rain.
Last night, the wind started.
Sunrise hit morning clouds.
I wandered through the woods with Bear on our morning outing.
The just past full moon was still high to the west.
A colorful morning.
Down the road home on the way to the garden last Thursday: the light was perfect Fall light.
The farm garden is at its peak. Out of the photo to the left is a stand of sunflowers. None had bloomed when I was there to pick up my box, but over the weekend, the first had blossomed!
You can just see Bear through the glare of the Jeep window. It is very exciting going to the farm. There are two cows, two goats and three horses that graze in the field around the garden area. They are curious and almost always are near the stand where the produce is left for pickup.
In the beautiful light of early Fall… The road home: to and from the garden.
Early Sunday Evening on the last leg of the loop walk…mid 70’sF this afternoon after a cool 42F start. And blustery – it feels like Fall.
Although a lot of chores were done, a bit of relaxing was done: walks taken, stomachs rubbed and general lying around outside. A beautiful weekend.
This morning, as Bear and I walked, in Kalispell. Smoky, hazy, headed towards hot…but cool as we walked about 9:00 a.m. I like this a bit larger…dbl click to see it big.