Sunday, August 11, 2013

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Recently I flew to Montana to visit my son and his girlfriend. Even from the plane I could see the landscape changing...


...very arid on the ground, with plenty of wildflowers.

 
Wide open spaces for sure!

 
Spotted some wicked cool thistle...

 
...as well as the western version of 'Butter and Eggs'.



I love the pines, the hills, and mountains everywhere!

 
More toadflax ('Butter and Eggs'), the foliage is different from the Wisconsin version but the flower sure looks the same.

 
Gorgeous scenery!

 
Ominous clouds as we hiked one day, along with thunder rumbling (or "rolling"-it sounds very cool echoing among the mountains).

 
Then the hail dropped! Luckily the stones weren't as big as they often get in the area, and we had cover under the trees. We could actually hear it forming in the clouds, sounded like a distant hair dryer.

 
Drifts of hail as we drove out!

 
Pretty grasses...

 
...along with lots of sage. I tried growing 'Big Sage' in Wisconsin, but our soil/climate was just too moist and it rotted out. Looks mighty happy here!


More wildflowers....


....most sporting seed heads.

 
Hey! I recognize this 'Blazing Star'...

 
...but I have no idea what this berry is. (All the more reason not to taste it! :)

 
Wild mushrooms (same "no taste" rules apply).

 
Another pretty wildflower, looks like a western version of lupine...

 
...this wildflower is obviously popular with the local pollinators.

 
Cool mossy stuff was hanging from several trees...

 
...up close it's quite feathery.

 
Low-growing plant with red berries...

 
...and a similar version with white berries! Wonder what it is?

 
Awesome water fall at Hyalite Canyon, amazing how plants and trees can grow on rocks...

 
 ....any crevice with some organic matter will do...
 

...in the path of falling water even better! Wish I could have gotten a detailed closeup of the red stuff.


Way too much to put in one post! Part two to follow...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pics! Thank you, for sharing!
V.

Garden Broad said...

Thank you! It was a blast!