Wildfire Smoke at Sunrise in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana
September starts with a family reunion hosted by my sister Nancy and her husband Dick, a memorial to our Uncle Ted. Our Aunt Doris is there, as are nephews, nieces, and their families. It is really enjoyable for me to see my aunt as well as numerous cousins. My sister-in-law Sheryl kindly shared some of her photos of the family that are posted in this blog.
Nancy and Dick’s FamilyMy Aunt Doris and her daughter SherryDick, Nancy, Carol, and cousin Debbie
A few days later I head over the mountain to visit my daughter Ang for her birthday and to continue fixing up my RV to make it more homey. It’s starting to look like a sweet cozy home.
My RV Looking Homey
When Nancy and I went to Wallace at the end of August to visit my daughter Katie, the sky was a beautiful blue, but wildfire smoke moved in right after that and it is now exceedingly smoky from wildfires near Salmon, Idaho, Flathead Lake in Montana, and Oregon. Looking at photos taken on morning walks, it is hard to discern whether it’s mist or smoke, and unfortunately, it is smoke.
Wildfire smoke in the Bitterroot ValleyThe Sun Setting Red
Some mornings I don’t seem to have much energy – maybe the colder temperatures, maybe the smoke, but I have been neglecting my usual morning quiet time sitting outside with inspirational reading and journal.
Smoky Morning WalksSmoke in the Bitterroot Valley
Happily, a few days later there is a reprieve from the smoke and the sky is once again a beautiful blue. Nancy and I walk to the Bitterroot River where I enjoy taking photos of the reflections on a slow moving side channel.
Reflection on the Bitterroot River Side Channel
Since Clifford and I will be leaving Montana soon, I take a few days to visit Ang, as we still have some editing to do on the last book of her epic fantasy series, Novels of Shannon (now Saga of Sha’ha’non). While I am there, I enjoy having coffee with Ang in the mornings, harvesting herbs, and sitting by a campfire in the evening.
Echinacea in Ang’s GardensCampfires in the Evenings
Clifford and I make final trips to Missoula to get the supplies we will need for our journey south for the winter. Day by day we are watching the weather. We have modified our plans to go to Wyoming as it is already too cold there. Instead, we will take a new-for-us route through eastern Nevada. One afternoon before leaving, we take time for a brief outing to the Bitterroot River for photos.
Bitterroot River Near Florence, Montana
I am grateful for the time I’ve had with my kids and my siblings and their families this summer. They are all dear and special people in my life. It will be several months before I see them again, but I will be wishing them well-being at all times.
In mid June, Clifford and I leave Divide Bridge Campground near Divide, Montana, where we have been camped for several days. We travel north to I 90 and then west to Missoula where highway 93 takes us south through the Bitterroot Valley to my sister Nancy‘s place. Several years ago she and her husband had horses, but the back pasture is now a beautiful big lawn bordered by trees. We are grateful for the safe trip here and this is where we will park for the time being.
Once a Horse Pasture
After we get set up, Nancy and I walk along the road and I take photos of the wildflowers and the ponds left from rain a week ago. We hear news that the Yellowstone River in southern Montana has flooded and caused much damage, including the closing of Yellowstone Park. That is Flooding!
Daisies Along the RoadRoadside Beauties
I am grateful for so many things: Pieces of Perfection, as I call them. A friend of ours comes out with greens and good cheese from the farmers market and then we all go out to my daughter Ang’s place. She cooks tasty pork loin steaks over a campfire and we look at the spot she thinks would work for Mountain Cougar, the used RV that Clifford purchased last fall. The spot needs cleanup and leveling, but it will be a very nice spot when all is said and done. Ang and I stay at the campfire after the others leave, have great leftover meat sandwiches, and I go to bed in Terry, the 30-year-old Terry Resort RV that used to be our RV, so it almost feels like home.
As Ang and I have coffee on her deck in the morning, I admire the raindrop covered blossoms. Such a beautiful time of year in Montana.
Raindrops on Iris
I do dishes while she and Rama work on the wind tunnel greenhouse until it is time for Ang and me to leave for Seeley Lake where we are meeting with my daughter Becka, who is visiting from Hawaii. The landscape is lush and very green. The rivers are high, but not flooding.
The Land is Lush and Green
We find the Airbnb that Becka has rented for us on the edge of the town of Seeley Lake, not far from where my daughter Merri is staying with her husband at a job site.
Becka at the Airbnb
When we walk down the road to find Merri, a little piece of perfection that the job site is so close to the Airb&b, we discover a city park nearby and despite the rainy weather, the wood pile is dry enough for us to build a bonfire and hang out as we watch a pretty sunset.
A Pond at the City ParkCarol and AngBonfire at the Park with Becka and AngSunset ReflectionsBecka, Merri, and friend Miles Enjoy the BonfireColorful Sunset
Although the next day is cool and rainy, my son Matt arrives and we all go to Seeley Lake so Becka and her friends can go boating and those of us on the beach build a little campfire.
Matt ArrivesWarming Wet Feet at the Bonfire on the Beach
Back at the Airbnb, we visit and play cribbage, snack on all the good food that Becka and her friends brought, and enjoy having time together out of the rain.
Journaling at the Airbnb Out of the RainCribbage With Becka
The following morning is sunny for a change and we all go to the lake to enjoy sunshine, boating, and great views of the lake and the mountains.
Bridge Where the Clearwater River Flows into Seeley LakeCruising Along the Shore
After snack time, Ang and I say goodbye to Becka and her friends before we head back over the mountain.
Mountains to Cross
It sure was a fun couple of days having time to spend with several of my kids and I am very grateful for the opportunity. Although Clifford has kept himself busy while I’ve been gone, I am thinking he will be glad to have me back at Cougar.
Autumn colors in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana
After the trip to Wallace with my sister Nancy, the next few days are spent reorganizing Suburban and Cougar in preparation for leaving Montana. Clifford and I want to be on our way before the weather turns colder than it has been. The autumn colors are at their best in the nearby woods. Nancy and I walk to the side channel of the Bitterroot River one more time.
Autumn in MontanaSide channel of the Bitterroot RiverRiver Reflections
Thursday, October 21, Clifford and I finish packing and leave Florence a little after noon. The autumn colors along the Clark Fork River are quite striking as we head east from Missoula toward Butte.
Autumn colors along the Clark Fork RiverAutumn Color along the Clark Fork River
Although we usually stop at the rest area south of Butte on I-15 or at Divide Bridge Campground, this time we push on through to the rest area at Dubois, Idaho, arriving at sunset, 284 miles, a very long day for us.
Southwest Montana landscapeDubois, Idaho, rest area
The next day is windier, so not as easy driving, and we stop at the Devil’s Creek RV park in southern Idaho around 3:00. We set up on the far end of the reservoir rather than in one of the RV sites. I have time to post photos to the RV Bunch on FB, play fiddle, and make dinner before heading to bed. A good productive day despite the hours on the road.
Devil’s Creek Reservoir, Idaho.
Drizzle and rain in the night and the misty morning provide some photo opportunities for me.
Misty morning at Devil’s Creek Reservoir
We take time to repair the rear view camera and leave Devil’s Creek about 2:00 in the afternoon.
Still a grey day at Devil’s Creek
Construction as we approach Salt Lake City slows us down, but we arrive at the Perry, Utah, Walmart about 4:00 and are happy to get a spot along the median with grass and a tree.
The next morning is Sunday, October 24. We always plan our drive through SLC on Sunday so there isn’t as much traffic. We are up early enough to do a bit more shopping and leave by 10:00, but we are disappointed that the rear view camera is still not working despite our working on it. Driving through SLC is taxing enough, but doing it without a camera makes it even worse. As we drive through Salt Lake City, we feel the wind starting to pick up.
Heading southwst on I-15Utah landscape
By time we get to Beaver, 200 miles to the south on I-15, we pull off and find a place to park in a trashy dirt lot behind the Flying J. It is very windy now and we are both glad to be off the highway and parked for the night.
Monday is much too windy for travel and despite putting down the stabilizers, which we don’t usually do for an overnight stop, we are rocking and rolling in the wind all day. We bundle up against the wind and walk to nearby Denny’s for a meal. We keep busy the rest of the day with our various projects.
Working on projects on a windy day in Beaver, Utah
Our friend David calls to see if we are still in Montana. He informs us that the campground in the Virgin River Gorge where we had planned to go, which also happens to be where we met him several years ago, is closed. That is disappointing to us, but David encourages us to go to Black Rock Road and camp there near where he is set up.
When I open the door the next morning, I am surprised and delighted to see a landscape covered with snow. Trash has disappeared under white fluffiness.
Surprised by snow at Beaver, UtahTrash has disappearedA grey sky morning
As the sky clears, snow on the nearby mountains is quite scenic.
By afternoon, blue sky has returned
We are not traveling today, waiting for the roads over mountain passes to clear. Cell service is good here, so both Clifford and I work on our projects, mostly editing for me, and for Clifford, whatever he has going on.
By Wednesday, the 27th, the snow is mostly gone and the highways are clear, so we leave Beaver and head south through St. George, and cross the border into Arizona.
Southern Utah landscape
With David’s directions, we find our way to the spot he has suggested for us on Black Rock Road. There are desert views in every direction and gently rising hills in this valley basin, sloping down to a wash and upward to nearby mesas, but not a single tree. The acres and acres of creosote are green and alive, but without trees, it feels kind of exposed and barren to me.
Cougar at Black Rock
I appreciate the views, and how peaceful and private it is here, but coming from the mountains, trees, and rivers of Montana, Black Rock will take some getting used to for this Mountain Girl.
Late afternoon sunlight on creosote with mesas on the horizon, peaceful and private
Clifford and I have enjoyed the past couple of months camped in western Montana and we will soon be making preparations for the journey to Arizona for the winter. But first, I have a couple more get togethers with family on my horizon.
An autumn sunrise in the Bitterroot ValleyAutumn colors starting to show
The first visit is with my lovely daughter-in-law Tammy and two of her and my son Tye’s kids, Luke and Mariah. They have traveled from their home in Belgrade, Montana (near Bozeman) to see us. After breakfast together at a cafe near their motel, we go to Bass Creek, a short drive from where Clifford and I are parked at my sister Nancy’s place. A pleasant hike up the Bass Creek Trail is followed by a picnic.
Tammy, Luke, Mariah, and Carol on the trailBass CreekTammy, Luke, and Mariah on Bass Creek Trail
It is quite interesting talking to these grandkids whom I have not seen for several years. They are smart and interesting and we have a good visit while enjoying the yummy food that Tammy brought. The next day, they make the return trip to Belgrade. It was great seeing them and I appreciate the time and effort they made to come.
A couple days later, after getting new tires on my Forester, I take the Graves Creek route over the mountain to visit Ang. It is the first time I’ve driven in a year, so it feels like quite an accomplishment!
That evening, daughters Becka, who is visiting from Hawaii, and Katie, who lives in Wallace, Idaho, arrive. Steaks are cooked on the grill over a campfire. It is great fun to see three of my four daughters all gathered around the campfire.
In the morning, the girls all come for coffee in Terry (the old RV where I stay when visiting Ang) before we head over the Swan Range and Roger’s Pass to Great Falls, as Becka needs to retrieve her “truck,” which was left there when she moved to Hawaii.
Coffee in Terry
On the way, an interesting sight-seeing stop near Lincoln is a place called Sculpture in the Wild. Large somewhat odd sculptures made out of natural wood products, logs, willows, bound newspapers and so on are found scattered through the forest along a walking trail. This 26-acre sculpture garden is a vision of Rick Dunkerly, a knifemaker/ logger from Lincoln, Montana and Irish silversmith Kevin O’Dwyer. This sculpture garden features sculptors from many countries and reflects the nature of the Montana landscape and economy near Lincoln.
Teepee burnerReading the history of Sculptures in the WildHouse of WillowA scary being guards the willow houseSisters walk the trailTree trunks become giant legs inscribed with a language I cannot readA forest guardian….On to the next sculpture… and there it is.A peaceful place in the forestEnd of the trail
After admiring the sculptures and reading the kiosks along the trail, we head on to Sun River to see my son Matt and his two kids, Orion and Aurora. These grandkids are so grownup now!
Granddaughter AuroraGrandson OrionCampfire at Matt’s place
Becka has rented an air B&B for us in Great Falls, a cute little house in the old residential section of Great Falls. After we settle in a bit, we all go to dinner in Black Eagle, a part of Great Falls that considers itself separate from Great Falls proper. At dinner, as I look at this gathering, I realize that they are all blood-related to me except for Matt’s ex who is still very much part of the family.
After two great weeks camping at Bass Creek Recreation Area in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana, Clifford and I move to my sister Nancy’s back yard, once a horse pasture, now a great lawn surrounded by trees. Not only is it a pleasant place to stay, we have electricity not dependent upon solar panels, a rarity for us.
Camping in Nancy’s Big Back Yard
Sitting in the morning sunshine with our hot coffee, Nancy and I begin looking through the photos albums that were once Mom’s. These albums go back many years, including photos from our childhood. It is fun and interesting to see these photos before passing the albums onto our sister Lillian.
Looking through Mom’s albumsMy Siblings: Left to right: Rollie, Eddie Nancy, Lillian, Diana
The morning light is delightful as I walkabout for photos, and sometimes Nancy and I walk through the woods down to a side channel of the Bitterroot River.
Cattails along the road showing autumn colorsWalking to the side channel of the Bitterroot RiverReflections on the side channel of the Bitterroot River
For my daughter’s Ang’s birthday, we have a small family get-together at the Lumberjack for lunch and then we play music on the deck. It is really quite a fun afternoon for all of us.
Music at the Lumberjack: Bebose, Ang, and CarolClifford plays his dulcimer at the Lumberjack
Our days are filled with projects. Clifford is reviewing some of his research papers, while I work on edits for a couple of authors, do Qigong, especially appreciating the benefits of the Healthy Heart Routine, and write in my journals.
Writing in the journals
In mid-September there are a few smoky days, but not nearly as bad as what Montana was experiencing earlier in the summer.
Full moon on a smoky night
When the weather cools, misty mornings provide photo opportunities.
Misty morning in the Bitterroot ValleyMist at dawnMist at sunrise
One Sunday, Nancy and I go visit Ang and grandson Oden.
Ang and OdenAng, Oden, and Carol
It is delightful to have dinner cooked over a campfire with the ambiance of the mountains and trees all around us.
Dinner cooked over a campfireCarol and Nancy surrounded by mountains and trees
Nancy and I also admire oil paintings that Ang has completed in recent months.
Original oil paintings
Near the end of September, I spend several days with Ang, staying in Terry, the old RV that Clifford and I bought after we got caught in a blizzard in our pop-up a couple of years ago. While I am here, Ang and I enjoy the warmth of the wood stove as we work steadily on the edits for her epic fantasy series, The Novels of Shannon.
Warmed by the wood stove
Soon it is time for me to head back down the mountain.
Autumn coming to the mountain
October is just around the corner and other family get-togethers are in the works before Clifford and I head to Arizona for the winter.
Two weeks of camping at the Charles Waters Campground, tucked into the foot of the Bitterroot Range, south of Missoula, Montana, is a delight to me. We are surrounded by mountains and trees, and Bass Creek is nearby. My idea of a great camping place, for sure, and Clifford likes it here, also.
Surrounded by treesBass Creek nearby
Walks at sunrise are a favorite activity for me, especially on the morning when mist hangs low in the nearby drainage. I also find delight in taking my journal and a cup of delicious organic French Press coffee out to the edge of the meadow to sit with the beauty and the silence before other campers begin their noisy day.
Morning walksMist in the mountain drainageCoffee and journal in the morning
One of our first days here, my daughter Ang, quite the handyman, comes with supplies and tools to fix the damage to the underside of the RV caused by the tire blow-out when we were still back in Idaho on our way here. The steel belts of a blown tire cut deeply into the underside of an RV, as anyone who has experienced such an unfortunate event knows. We are glad for her skill and promptness in repairing this for us! Another day, Ang and another daughter, Merri, come for a picnic lunch. It is great to see them after such a long time, since covid prevented travel to Montana in 2020.
Ang repairing our RVDaughters Ang and Merri come for a picnic
My sister Nancy comes several times and we hike Bass Creek Trail, a great hiking trail that somewhat parallels the creek tumbling down the drainage.
There are subtle signs of autumn as August and our two-week camping limit come to a close.
Sunrise walk showing signs of autumn
Fortunately, Nancy has a big back yard, once a horse pasture, but now a great big lawn area surrounded by trees, where we will be setting up for awhile. I will miss the creek, but Nancy’s place will be pleasant for us.
