STRAWBERRY LAKE....UP, OF COURSE!

 Darrell coaxes Luna across the first bridge on our hike.  This will be a 6 mile round trip.  The first 3 miles had a 1500 ft elevation gain.  Got our hearts pumping, for sure!

 We stop for a view of the Flathead Valley, with the northern tip of Flathead lake on the left.  The yellow patches are canola fields.

 We made it!  The lake is beyond, and a waterfall roars on the left.

 Luna was more than ready for a swim after our hot hike.  We stopped for lunch, threw the stick, and headed back.

 Beargrass is growing all over the place.  It's kind of a lily, but bears do not eat it.  Investigation in my flower book tells me that the Blackfeet boiled the roots for stopping bleeding, ankle sprains and hair loss.

Back from the hike, Luna was asleep in 5 minutes.  We had a tired dog, and our DOGS were tired!

CLOUDS IN THE PARK

 We read about a lecture being given in the park, and it sounded interesting, plus we are up for anything new and different.  This was a brown bag lecture by Steven Running, an author and professor at University of Montana in Missoula, who is an expert on climate change, and shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.  His talk was interesting and down to earth, and made us want to do things to fix the earth, which is in trouble.  First on the list....shut down the coal fueled power plants, and find alternative energy sources!  No small task.

 After the lecture, we drove up to the Loop, and had lunch.  We always love seeing the park with its different weather.  Never a dull moment, and it's beautiful no matter what the weather.

 You can see Going to the Sun Road, which just opened about a week ago.

Bird Woman Falls sits in the mists.

WHITEFISH TRAIL

 This is a lovely trail system that the city and donors have been working on for quite a while.  It started on Lion Mountain, and now another segment exists north of Whitefish Lake, and eventually the two will be connected to provide hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails for anyone.

 Luna wore her pack on this trip, but her girth kind of makes it ill-fitting.  We can carry her water for her.

 Spring is bringing lots of rocky mountain wildflowers.  I have a special book to identify them, but sometimes I can't quite be sure...this looks like a Lupine, below is Indian Paintbrush, and the white flower at the bottom is a trillium.....I think!

AMUSING SIGHTS

This guy goes to the Wave...we see his truck frequently.  Apparently he runs a pheasant farm where you can "flatten 'em" and take them home. 
We haven't been doing much lately due to the weather.  June in Northwest Montana is known for its rain.  But, it's a good thing, cause come August, there will be less chance of fire.  Let's hope!

It's a dog's life......

Above you see our new welcome sign that we found at a nearby nursery while shopping for flowers to dress up the campsite.  Darrell retrieved this log to finish the look.


Luna can't resist a tennis ball....here she has 2 in her mouth.  I think she could do 3 if she tried. ;)

LAKE MARY RONAN AND BABY GREAT HORNED OWLS

 Took another field trip on a rainy day down to another state park on Lake Mary Ronan.  We visited with the host, who pointed out this nest to us.  The parents weren't there, but the chicks, who are almost ready to fledge, were waiting for mom and dad to bring lunch. They look like stuffed animals to me, all fuzzy.

This is the fishing dock at the lake near the boat launch.  Everett, the host, said the state brought in 3 truckloads of fish to stock the lake.  No wonder it's a fishermen's lake!