Forecast today and tomorrow is thunderstorms and a chance of rain. The forest fire northwest of us blew up overnight and is now being called “out of control.” This is not what we wanted to hear!
This morning while I was working I saw multiple bolts of lightning striking the ground due west of us, and it was exceedingly distracting! We heard thunder on a few of the bolts but the majority were out of our hearing range.
Amazing how a change in season can change my perspective on the sky. In the spring or fall, this sky looks welcoming, promising rains.
In mid summer, this sky looks threatening and very frightening. The mountains to the far west are totally obscured by smoke laying heavily in the valley,
Trying not to freak out and just get mentally prepared to have to leave on fairly short notice. We have traveling bird cages and the kitty’s carrying case all accessible and ready to go, and we’ll just stick close to home until we know if this storm has sparked any fires.
The changing season is still bringing us new wildflowers to admire off the front deck.
A Sagebrush Mariposa, this is a member of the Lily family and used to be widespread but cattle munch the flowers which kills the bulbs and these are now fairly rare throughout their range.
We have several of these blooming. We think about extending the area we mow but decided not to risk accidentally losing these plants.
This flower inspired a knitting pattern for a lace scarf.
It’s very stylized, but it was fun to design.
A lace scarf using some handspun yarn.
This is a cinquefoil, but which one is somewhat of a mystery. This is a member of the Rose family.
This a Sulpher Buckwheat; they become edged with pink as they age. The scientific name is Eriogonum umbellatum for anybody who cares.
Tonight we will watch the fourth episode of “Torchwood: Children of Earth” on BBC-America. This is an excellent science fiction show and we’re very much enjoying it. It gave me spooky dreams last night. I was awakened in the middle of the night by a entire hunting family of coyotes right next to the house, all talking to each other at full voice. Then I heard deer complaining about the chorus a bit higher up the mountain and the coyotes must have heard it as well as they left our immediate vicinity. It was too hot to sleep last night as well. I think I may have to take a nap.