About an hour's drive from home, over the river and through the fields, we found our new favorite picnic spot.
I really love it here; the river is easy to get to and the kids can play in the sand.
Lots of rocks to search through too. Besides this great heart rock I found several pieces of agate.
There's still snow in the mountains to the north...
but the woolly bear caterpillars don't mind.
Wild lupines are making their appearance. Whenever I see lupines I'm always reminded of the book Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. A wonderful story that reminds everyone, "You must do something to make the world more beautiful."
A pronghorn antelope - all by his lonesome.
A hoary marmot says hello. My sister took this picture. She's got a beautiful new blog - go say hello won't you?
We live in sheep country so it's not uncommon to come upon these herds grazing free range. In the spring they are slowly driven north to cooler temperatures and then south again in the fall. Sometimes in the early morning you can hear them baaing from the hills.
This herd was being tended by two Great Pyrenees. The dogs protect them from wolves and women with cameras.
The road home.
On our way back we were lucky to come upon a mother fox and her three kits playing near the road. So so cute! The kits quickly hid in the brush but mama just sat and kept her eyes on us while we took some pictures. Isn't she beautiful?! She just takes my breath away.
If you're not bored silly by now you can see more over at Flickr :)