School's out!

For the summer!

(Everybody now!!)

School's out for the summer!

Thank you, Alice Cooper, for providing schoolchildren and teachers everywhere with the anthem of summer.
Lots of projects on the books for this summer, and lots of trips, too, so stay posted for some pics!

Come rain or come shine

It seems that everyone is having crazy weather this year.  For Missoulians, the big catch phrase has been "Flood Watch."  Between rain and snowpack melting and then more rain (which leads to more snow in the mountains) and then 80 degree days which leads to more run off....the Clark Fork is at just about the highest I've ever seen it.  We've been driving down to a local bridge to keep up on the situation.  Here are some pictures:

Notice the line of wire cages and rocks here.  It's important for later.

Notice the distance between the water and the bridge.  Again, important.

These pictures were taken on 5/17/11.  The river was very high and running fast.  The next pictures are from today.  It is crazy.

Distance between water and bridge.

Note where the wire cages are now.

Crazy stuff.  We have a couple of streets that have flooded in town, and people are pitching in to help sandbag.  I'll leave you tonight with a pic of how someone is making the best of an interesting situation...and something I never thought I'd see in Missoula, Montana!

Surf Missoula!!