Wildflower Tour

I've been watching for news of the annual wildflower tour and finally I saw it:

Wildflower Tour – Gravelly Range

July 6,  2016  A riot of color explodes in the Tobacco Root Mountains when the wildflowers bloom!

Join  the US Forest Service on July 6th for the annual wildflower tour.  Your guide will identify species and guide you to flower-filled meadows and aspen stands in the Gravelly Range.  The flowers are plentiful when we have good spring moisture and cool temperatures.

Dozens of species can be identified, so bring your notebooks to create your own list of favorites. Meet at US Forest Service District Office 9:00 am.  Pack a hearty lunch and bring your beverage of choice.

This always happens during the week,  so this year, I asked if we could get off to go on it. Refuge Manager, Bill, said all the volunteers could go.  We ended up with just all the women going. And we had a wonderful time.  I even met some flowers for the first time. 

Think this is a fly- not sure of the flower either

Foothill death camas

Visits and consults were going on all over

Forget-me-nots were in full flower

My most special flower - a pygmy bitterroot - seen for the first time

Another fly on a mountain dandelion

Please comment if you know this 

Sky pilot - another first

I was captivated by the pistols and stamins

I think this is spring beauty

The big views were outstanding alsoMi

I didn't figure this out - Please comment if you know it

Beautiful fleabane

I just wanted to sit in the flowers 

A field of thickly growing wildflowers overlooked  a canyon and distant hills. 

Blue alpine phacelia

A closer look

A hillside full of white mule's ears

On the personal front, my bee talk went over well.  The head of the college program attended, as did the school benefactor, along wth his grown family that was visiting. I think I'll be giving it one more time to a different class.

I spent a few days in Bozeman visiting a friend and getting my computer fixed.  I also left my bike to be repaired.

Then I rushed back to get to enjoy the cattle drive that comes through town and to clean up the house the deputy manager applicant will be using.  And I'll be busy this week with bees and bluebird surveys before going to Crater of the Moon National Park to visit my friend, Natalie.

Postcript:  Oh yes, I LOVE the Montana Wildflower App.  You can get it from Goggle Play or iTunes. Click here for the iphone/ipad version.  I loved being able to save my flowers I learned and then see the name with the picture later.