my-montana-moments: July 2012

Monday, July 23, 2012

Heat, Rain, Art and Friends

I tried twice yesterday to get this posted. I am not sure what is going on but it has disappeared twice while typing and now it is not working again. So if it looks funny chalk it up to little unseen guys trying to play tricks on me.

Last week was incredibly busy. It began with an art show at the 320 Guest Ranch just outside of Big Sky, Montana. We drove through heavy rain all afternoon. It cleared just in time for the four hundred plus guests to enjoy the outdoor pig roast dinner and our indoor art show.

The weather cleared and temperatures reached into the mid nineties. We relished our cool quiet mornings outside on our deck sharing breakfast with the birds and our cat. Starting the day with mid-fifty to sixty degree temperatures is very nice.

Friday evening we attended the Ennis Art Walk where our good friend and artist Todd Connor was the featured artist at the Maydak Gallery that evening.

Ken made the Farmer's Market on Saturday sharing his amazing photos with the visitors. We are proud supporters of our Madison Farm to Fork program.

In between all these events we entertained out of town guests and enjoyed wonderful times of sharing food, fun and laughter.

This week is off to another busy start. I am off to Idaho and back through Wyoming. Then we will be at Farmer's Market Saturday and back to the 320 Guest Ranch on Monday. Summer is definitely here.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Surprise Thunderstorm

Last night we woke to a loud thunderstorm that brought a brief but heavy rain and lots of lightening. The hot dry land soaked it up immediately. Things cooled down slightly after temperatures rose yesterday into the nineties.

It was sixty degrees when we got up at 5:00 AM. This afternoon I noticed the haze that lingers over the mountains. Smoke from the fires in the states to the south of us is beginning to show up here.

It has been a busy time since the fourth. We are enjoying out of town visitors. In addition to the Saturday Farmers Markets we have several art shows for which we are preparing. Monday night is the first of three we will do in the Big Sky area.

i love the hustle and bustle of summer, but I may have overloaded my schedule. Oh, well, deep breath and concentrate on what I am doing now. The rest will take care of itself.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Fourth of July in Ennis, Montana


©2012 Ken W. Hall Ennis, Montana

The weather was spectacular yesterday morning for the annual fourth of July parade in Ennis, Montana. As you can tell cars are parked for blocks and blocks. People line both sides of main street to celebrate our independence and enjoy the fun and colorful parade. Some travel from as far away as Florida for the festivities that normally include a rodeo in Ennis and evening fireworks in nearby Virginia City, Montana.

Dry conditions along with multiple fires in the state caused a ban or fireworks. So, no show in VC. But, that did not seem to stop folks from keeping up their annual tradition of celebrating their holiday here.

By the time the afternoon rolled around it was in the high eighties and low nineties. This morning we woke to a solid cloud cover, scattered showers and temperatures in the forties with highs in the sixties. The cooler weather was a welcome relief to those of us without air conditioning.