My ‘vacation’ at Longmire Days is over… and it was back to ranch work today.

Last night, coming over the Big Horn Mountains, I was caught in a rainstorm.  Not unusual, but the rain was so cold and the pavement so warm, it created a surf-like look of fog waves billowing for miles and miles.  At times, I couldn’t see the painted lines on the highway.  The delineator posts kept me on the road, reflecting back to me with their yellow eyes. The waves pounded the pavement, brushing over the hood of the Jeep, and if I had let my imagination run away with me, I could have spooked myself.  It could have been the opening scene of a horror movie, but I cranked up the ’60’s tunes on Sirius and sang along… Singing wards off evil, right?

The rain continued off and on, but I left the car-high fog waves to the heights of the Big Horns.  Over on Bear Tooth Pass in western Wyoming, their rain turned to snow and closed the highway!

Today dawned with a September-like breeze.   My sweatshirt was NEEDED in my house, and NOT ENOUGH when Vernon and I took salt up to the yearling heifers. Thankfully, I’d added an insulated windbreaker.  BRRRRRR. It was COLD today!

I just cannot take enough great photos of that pasture!  Every direction, every corner, every turn, looks like a calendar shot.  Or a puzzle!

Clear up on top, I framed a dead tree, put it in the side of my scenic shot and snapped off a pic while Vernon threw out two large salt blocks.

I had put my camera down when, “Did you see those?” came at me…

“Huh?”

I looked again.

Can you see them?

Moving out of the trees…

Look again.

How about some zoom?

Uh huh.

Four bull elk were peacefully grazing, unconcerned with our presence. We took out our snack crackers and watched them amble along.  We probably would have watched longer, but that wind had a BITE to it… so down we headed, back to the *slightly* warmer bottomlands.

It was a peaceful and much quieter day than Longmire Days has been.  And I didn’t mind being back at work, at least as long as I had my warm coat and gloves on!