Wildfire and balloons

 

A wildfire broke out just below the North Sister late last week.  Here are a few pictures of the beginnings of it that Marshall took from the Butte behind our house.  Thankfully there are not any homes or anything in danger, though the fire is somewhat close to Sisters, so that town is having to keep a close watch and there's been a healthy advisory put out about the air quality in that town.  Occassionally it'll smell like a campfire in Bend if the wind blows in our direction, but for the most part it's stayed pretty clear.  We watched planes fly over our house a bunch taking the stuff they drop on fires the first day it broke out (since we live so close to the airport), and now they say it'll take till the first fall rains for the fire to be completely out.  It's been nothing but clear skies so far, but September is when rain seems to begin to be possible again around here--we've had a lot of it on past horse pack trips we've done with the ranch in the mountains this time of year. 

Carter was also given a balloon last week.  She fell asleep with it on the way home :-)