Labor Day Weekend Party

Lorraine and her family are here for the Labor Day weekend.  She and Bob arrived first on Thursday, and we went into the park on Friday.

 That night Austin, Hailey, Olivia and Nick came after dark.  On Saturday we planned to go canoeing on the river, however, the weather did not cooperate.  After lunch we took a field trip to Mesa Falls.  As soon as we left, the weather cleared and it was beautiful. 

When we got back Colby, Krystle, Starly, and Degan had arrived.  The bad weather returned, so our plans were scrapped again for a canoe trip.  It wasn't long before we had thunder, lightening, and hail that collected and looked like snow!  It looked like and smelled like Christmas.  All this on the 30th of August.



Later we had a yummy dinner Lorraine made, and then played games until bedtime. 

Hazy Days and Smokey Nights

From Big Springs Road.

 For the past week we have noticed an orange haze in the air.  Yesterday the haze made Sawtelle look like a shadow.  Last night while we were eating dinner the sun turned red, then disappeared completely.  It was still light out but the sky was filling with smoke clouds and we could smell smoke.  A little inquiry on Google showed a fire near Dubois, Idaho, far enough away that we are not in the way, but not far enough to escape the smoke.  That plus an inversion we were experiencing in the caldera and it seemed very close indeed.  This morning we woke up to ash on the cars and more haze in the air. It is not so bad tonight.

From the water at Island Park Reservoir tonight.

Thunder, Sunshowers, and Rainbows

Last night the weather changed.  It began with a sudden clouds and a big blow.  Then the thunder, lightening, and rain began.  Before long the power went out.  I was thrilled I had showered and was all done blow drying my hair!  Then almost as soon as it started it was over.  The sun was shining through the rain drops and there was a beautiful full double rainbow.  Sarah was disparaging over no power.  "NOW what!?!?" she exclaimed over not being able to get on the computer!  Oh my, the pain of withdrawal from Facebook!  Poor kid, she had to play a game at the kitchen table with her boring mother...