I'm not sure I've ever seen skies as *weird* as we did at Birch Creek. These were all within a few minutes of each other – orange skies one way, deep blues another. And later, lightning rolled through that we listened to on the radio.

Orange skies over scrubby brushland. [Fuji X-T5 / Sigma 17-40 1.8]

Book Rated: Children of Memory, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Cover for Children of Memory
> SCANNING: Children of Memory> AUTHOR_SIG: Adrian Tchaikovsky> SENTIMENT_Q: 80.0% POSITIVE> THEMATIC_VECTORS: NON-HUMAN_POV, WORLD-BUILDING, ENTOMOLOGY> LEXICAL_DENSITY: 42.30> MEMETIC_HAZARD: HIGH

A remotely-operated telescope run by the University of Montana Western, as weather rolls in.

A telescope dome sits in front of a mountain, with dramatic clouds. [Fuji X-T5 / Sigma 17-40 1.8]

Some wild skies rolled through while we were in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, and the light on the paintbrush was really cool.

Red flowers sit amidst grass under orangey light. [Fuji X-T5 / Sigma 17-40 1.8]

Farlin, MT at once point had 500 people working in mining and smelting operations. The current population is "not so much".

An abandoned log house in front of tall mountains. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]

Beargrass, endless beargrass. Apparently a good "tell" for huckleberries...

Vertical white flowers amidst lots of greenery. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]

The Birch Creek CCC Camp was built in 1935 – apparently one of the best-preserved CCC camps in the country. It's on USFS land, but since 1984 used by University of Montana Western for some kind of field classes.

The sun sets behind a mountain and cabins. [Fuji X-T5 / Sigma 17-40 1.8]

Book Rated: London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth, by Patrick Radden Keefe

Cover for London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth
> SCANNING: London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth> AUTHOR_SIG: Patrick Radden Keefe> SENTIMENT_Q: 80.0% POSITIVE> THEMATIC_VECTORS: CHARACTER_ARC, FUNKY_ROBOTS, CHEESE_DISTRIBUTION> LEXICAL_DENSITY: 44.48> MEMETIC_HAZARD: MEDIUM

Sawtooth Lake was a very pleasant surprise. The trail up wasn't amazing (largely bopping through new-growth forest without much shade or many views), but then one pops out into... this! I'll take it.

A panorama showing a large lake with a talus slope on one side, trees on the other, and mountains behind. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]