When leaves are

as pretty as the summertime flowers.  Huckleberry bushes, Mountain Ash, and Dogwood are out-competing each other for brilliant color.





 Aspens are still holding onto their green leaves for another week or two. 

Bears have come down from the high country to eat berries and other good things before hibernation.  This one caused quite a "bear jam" on a narrow road when it stopped to drink from a puddle.








Moose are fun to watch. Mama Moose had 2 little ones in early summer.  They were foraging near a creek one morning.










Smoke from the wildfires in Idaho, Montana, and Washington has finally blown out. Mid-September a series of storms came across northern Wyoming and persisted for 10 days.  Rain, snow, cloudy skies, more rain and low temperatures had us thinking winter was coming early.  Yellowstone Park is higher in elevation and received alot more snow.  3 entrances and several roads were closed, trapping some guests in Yellowstone until the roads could be cleared and opened.

noticing August flowers

In early August I walked around a small pond to the north, and re-visited a mountain top that had been covered with flowers. Wildflowers have noticed the subtle changes in soil moisture and sun intensity.  Lupines are giving up for the season, as are the Salsify, and the Scarlet Gilias.  Bluebells, Yarrow, and small Sunflowers are doing well.  Musk Thistles are in full bloom by August, and are a favorite food for Goldfinches.  Buckwheat, an early bloomer, is turning pink and setting seeds. Geranium flowers are passed, leaving their large Delphinium leaves to turn  yellow and red.  The bright yellow flowers of Arnica and Balsamroot are gone, only the leaf clusters remain drying quickly in the August heat.
     Paintbrush, Fireweed, and Asters are maintaining their bright colors along the trails.

above red leaves from the Wild Geranium.
Asters to the left.

This is a mountain meadow I had not visited before.

Smoke from wildfires in Montana and Idaho has been giving a hazy look to our mountains, not the clear summer views guests hope to photograph.  Yellowstone is also affected by the smokey skies.