Slow down summer season!

I was only gone 6 days, but lots of happenings went on at Star Mt. First, the elk mommies had their last party with their babies cavorting in the wildflowers before all leaving for other grazing ground. Boo - missed it. They'll be back in the fall to meet up with their future mates - lots of bugling during the rutting season. They'll all leave for their winter grazing areas and the males stay with the females through December. Off they separate and then females come back again in June to have their babies. I love mother nature's process. Our woods apparently are the place to be when it comes to fertility...

The flowers are quite spectacular now, but I noticed the larkspur had virtually disappeared. Ooh, the cows are coming, the cows are coming...

As a matter of fact, at some point while I was gone, the cowboys put this summer's group in the fenced field across the road (it's still Star Mt. property so I know that's them ther cows waiting to come in.) Whoops, our fence is still in need of repair, although it's minor stuff and the gates will all close. Pretty darn important, that.

My hanging baskets weathered the trip inside quite well. My mother suggested putting them in the bathtub and cover with plastic. Sort of a mini greenhouse -  worked like a charm. I put them back outside on the front porch to "harden", and a little while later heard a big thump out there. Surprise, surprise a new visitor was checking the plants out. Marmot! We checked each other out before he ran away.

Another weekly farm visit. They've moved the chicken houses closer in. Quite the crazy building. And that is the largest college letter (W) in the U.S. (320ft X 420ft). A football field is 360ft X 160ft My knowledge impressing you?  Of course I looked it up...
River report: - still muddy and high, but coming down. It's needs to get on with it, we have people coming soon who like to fish!
I take my paintings up to the gallery in CB tomorrow morning to hang for my July show. Wish me luck!