We Followed a Bear

Photo by Penny Hall

Photo by Penny Hall

Photo by Penny Hall

 

 

Artist friends of ours arrived on Monday and we have been busy all week mixing work with play.  Wednesday we delivered our new art works to Creighton Block Gallery in Big Sky.

We took the long road back to Ennis through magnificent countryside.  After enjoying a nice picnic on the ground by the river we headed toward West Yellowstone.

That is when we spotted two young bears feeding along the roadside.  Neither of them seemed to mind that so many people stopped to admire them and take pictures.  We followed them along the road for quite a distance until they moved out of site.  It was quite an exciting event.

Ken and our friends burned up many camera batteries and pixels capturing sites too awesome to describe or record.  The weather was perfect.

The week has been part windy, part calm.  The past two days temperatures have not risen much above eighty. 

With most of their work out of the way our friends opted to stay another day to relax, fish and play.  I see new adventures ahead.

Break Is Over

Photo By Penny Hall

Photo By Penny Hall

 

 

This morning I visited the Madison River at Burnt Tree fishing access for the first time since returning home.  A gathering of geese on the island in front of me caught my eye. 

After wandering around for a brief time three leaders seemed to signal the break was over.  They all lined up in a row and entered the water one at a time as the current swept them away at a rapid clip.

It was sixty-five degrees then.  Now it is pouring down rain and the temperature outside is sixty degrees.  I am amazed at the amount of rain these past three days.

A Special Forth of July

 Photo by Penny Hall

 Photo by Penny Hall

 Photo by Penny Hall

 Photo by Penny Hall

 

 

I returned home from Arkansas late Sunday evening just in time to celebrate the 4th of July.  I woke to the sound of silence pierced only by the occasional singing bird and a cow welcoming the dawn.

My luggage failed to arrive so I located a pair of sweats and a jacket and savored my morning cup of tea outdoors on my newly decorated deck.  Admiring Ken's handy work I was overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude for all the gifts I have been given. 

After three months apart Ken and I had much to share as we chatted and prepared to attend the annual parade downtown.  Neighbors came out to greet me and welcome me home as we walked downtown for the parade.

While I was gone Ken found outlets in Ennis where friends and collectors will be able to purchase our art work this summer.  So we left early enough for Ken to show me the canvases and prints on display at the newly opened Banditios Restaurant and Gravel Bar Grill. 

Our second stop was Maydak Gallery to see yet a different collection of Ken's images as well as well as my blessing bowls.  We arrived just in time to meet a customer who was purchasing one of my leather bowls.  It is such a joy for me to get acquainted with collectors of my work. 

As usual there was an enormous crowd for the parade.  Old friends welcomed me home with heart felt hugs and new friends shared in the celebration of life and freedom. 

This year I felt a deeper sense of love and appreciation for the lives of the friends and neighbors that work tirelessly to make Ennis such a great place to live.  There is a unique quality of life shared by those who make the Madison Valley their home.  Perhaps that intangible essence that can only be felt is one of the reasons so many visitors return year after year.

It feels so good to be home.

The Swan Family

Photo by Ken W. Hall     The Swan Family

 

 

 

Phtoto by Ken W. Hall    Storm From The North - Jeffers, Montana

Ken just sent me these photos from his trip around the lake yesterday.  What a rare sight to see a pair of trumpeter swans and their offspring in the same location.  They were swimming in the river just below the bridge.

Yesterday is the first day in several that the wind was down to a slight breeze.  Just as Ken was arriving home from his trip around the lake a snow shower feel leaving less than an inch of fresh pellets.

Temperatures remain lower than normal for this time of year.  We are excited when they get into the mid thirties and reach up to forty.  Today the sun is shining and it is a little windier than yesterday.

Madison River Gorges Again

Photo by Penny Hall

Officials placed signs on the highway between Ennis and Jeffers to watch for water on the road.  The below zero temperatures caused the Madison river to gorge again.  The once open channel is solid ice. 

So far the highway is dry and temperatures are beginning to warm up slightly.  Right now it is seventeen degrees but it was twelve below zero when we first woke this morning.

The sunshine and lack of wind were a true blessing today.  Interesting how sunshine makes you feel warmer even if the temperatures are below freezing.

The Madison River Today

The Madison River has settled back into its banks.  An ever widening channel has opened and the water is flowing freely.

I took this short video off the bridge near Lions Park this morning.  Lots of ice is floating in the water. And as you can tell the highway is dry and remains free of flooding for now.

Temperatures remain in the thirties with strong winds that make it feel much colder.  We had a little sunshine this morning.  Tomorrow is expected to bring more sunshine with temperatures in the high thirties. 

The weather man reports these are above normal.  He also predicts snow for Sunday.

Just Some Local News

Photo by Penny Hall

Ken and I love Mexican food.  We were delighted when the new Taqueria Las Palmitas arrived this winter.  It is authentic Mexican cooking at affordable prices.  We are encouraging all our friends to support them this winter.  We would love to see them thriving this summer.

Speaking of summer there are plenty of residents dreaming of summer.  The ice jams on the Madison River caused police to notify residents near the river to be prepared to evacuate.

Highway 287 south flooded again yesterday as deep as eighteen inches in some places but was clear today.  Heavy winds are bringing warm temperatures and moisture that will begin as snow then turn to rain.  This could cause more flooding.

Returning from the grocery store today I was stopped by the highway patrol at the highway intersection.  They were cautioning people not to travel 287 south of town due to high winds and blowing snow making visibility zero.

Friends of ours live in that area.  They reported being snowed in due to major snow drifts.  A snow plow made way for them to get out and in a short time later the drifts were four feet deep and they were once again unable to leave home.

The high today was twenty-eight.  Tomorrow it is expected to reach as high as thirty-eight.  What strange weather patterns this winter.

New Experiences

Photo by Penny Hall

Photo by Penny Hall

Photo by Penny Hall

The skies displayed a beautiful range of colors as the sun went down New Years day.  Temperatures began to climb above zero again with highs mostly in the teens.

By Tuesday morning the wind was blowing strong making the eighteen degree temperature feel closer to zero.  By the time we reached Bozeman to take a friend to the doctor it was twenty-two degrees and partly cloudy.  The office was located next to a popular cross country ski area where local skiers took advantage of the near perfect conditions.

When we arrived back home late afternoon we decided to check out the report we received early morning from a friend that the highway between the bridge over the Madison River and the turn off to Jeffers was flooded.  The river gorged due to an ice jam at the bridge and was flowing over the highway.

Just as I attempted to take a photo Ken drove through the one foot deep water causing it to freeze immediately as it hit the windshield.  It has been several years since the water has crossed over the highway.

Ken hurried back to document the situation yesterday morning.  I will have more photos for you in a day or two as seen through his unique perspective.

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Photo by Penny Hall,  my work table

Photo by Penny Hall, ice on the window

It was about ten below zero when we woke this morning.  Ice formed around the metal windows and sliding glass door.  The door froze shut and the lock on the front door froze as well.

Needless to say I am happy to be indoors working in my studio.  It is warm and cozy inside.  Outside the birds are busy dining at the feeders and the deer are cleaning up any seeds that fall to the ground.

The mother deer has been tilting one of the feeders and emptying it.  I think I managed to place it high enough to prevent that from happening again.  So far it seems to be working.

It is hard to tell exactly how much snow we got from the storm.  The wind blew constantly.  I would guess it was somewhere between two and three inches.

Today skies are clear and the wind is silent.  The cat however is complaining loudly.  The cold weather interrupted his normal routine and he is not happy.

Morning Snow

Photo by photographer Ken W. Hall

Yesterday it was snowing when we got up.  Ken took this just before sunrise.  The storm left a couple of inches of snow and passed through.  By noon temperatures were in the high thirties.  The higher temperatures and lots of sunshine helped melt some of the accumulated snow.

The lack of wind was welcome as we prepared for the annual Christmas stroll.  A small group of artists gathered in the old First Madison Valley Bank building downtown to offer our hand made gifts for holiday shoppers.

The event was well attended as children of all ages enjoyed hay rides, Santa, refreshments, shopping and fun in downtown Ennis, Montana.

Temperatures dropped overnight into the single digits and soared to a  whopping nineteen degrees this afternoon.