Looking northeast along the top of the cliff at First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park south of Great Falls, Montana, you can see how the smoke from area fires washed out the brilliant blue of Montana's sky.

Farmland Vista, Ulm, Montana

This is the northwest view from the top of the First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Ulm, Montana.

Outstanding In Its Field, Bitterroot Valley, Montana

Haymaking is still an important part of farming in Montana, and the weather is always up for consideration. The phrase, "Make hay while the sun shines." is practical in its most literal sense, as well as figuratively!

Smoky Sunset Mountains, Victor, Montana

While we hope for rain to dampen the fires, in the meantime, the sunsets are gorgeous.

Wayside Flower, Middle of Montana

One of my all-time favourite books & movie is "The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Baroness Orczy. A "scarlet pimpernel" is famously described as "...a humble English wayside flower...", and is the undercover pseudonym of the Baroness's fictional hero of the French Revolution, Sir Percy Blakeney. (The story still inspires some hard-core fans, as you'll see if you click on the text links I've included!)

These humble wayside flowers of Montana are more at a black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).While I haven't heard that they've inspired any literary superheros, they were favourite characters of my childhood walks to town, smiling with unfailing cheer from the grassy ditches lining our dusty, country road.

Sign of Sunshine, Haugan, Montana

The sun was shining brighter than, well, a silver dollar - or even 50,000 of them!- in spite of fire haze still lingering. When I was a kid, this all-encompassing travel stop on the I-90 route to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was the 10,000 Silver Dollar Store. You can buy a silver dollar for a buck & they'll add yours to the collection.

Plateau Wildflowers, Ulm, Montana

These purple wildflowers nestle sporadically amidst the sagebrush, native grasses, and prairie dog mounds covering the upper segment of First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park near Ulm, Montana.
Smoke floating in from regional wildfires still greys the famously blue Montana sky.