In the mid-seventies the Sanford-Townsend Band came out with a hit song whose title works perfectly for our first week in Wyoming’s Bighorns: “Smoke from a distant fire.” Normally we have clear views of the mountains farther back but this year smoke from distant fires made them either disappear or turned them hazy. It’s impossible to know which fires caused this, and there were lots of them burning, but considering smoke has been reaching the east coast, it’s no wonder it was worse here.
A shot of the ducks I inadvertently flushed when walking towards the lake would normally look like the photo on the left. This year, however, it looked like the one on the right. There was no smell of smoke except for one day, but it made itself seen throughout week one.
Didn’t seem to bother the horses’ making the morning trip to the corral from the night pasture.
This, that and the other thing 
The smoke makes for an interesting first shot – better for the camera than the lungs! Glad to hear the horses were undeterred and I enjoyed the video clip
Fog can have much the same effect as smoke and is preferable but the smoke did make for a good shot. 🙂
Many times smoke can be smelled both before and after it could be seen. Fascinating video clip. 🙂
I could watch the horses come in and go out every day…and we usually do. 🙂
Oh, I liked the video. 🙂 Yes, we had about a week where the entire state was hazy and the air quality was negatively impacted. That’s the first time I remember that happening.
It amazes me how far the smoke can drift and still make itself felt. Arizona has gotten quite a bit of rain in the last month which will hopefully keep away more fires, but the West in generally has been burning rather badly this year.
The haziness of the first shot makes it more interesting!
It does but I still yearned for the clear view. 🙂
Despite the smoke it’s a wonderful view!
I agree, Sarah. I love it every year.
I’d take that level of smoke. Yesterday our aqi was over 300. It’s so much better this morning at 94.
Yesterday we were flying in from visiting Big Baby Boy and his fiancé and couldn’t see a thing through our window.
On the way out I saw the pilot and navigator and said, “I’m sure glad you were able to see where to land because I couldn’t see a thing. One of the pilots replied.” We had one open and hoped for the best!” 😂🤪
We had the scene from the movie airplane in our heads where the passengers were glad they were flying on instruments. 😂😂
Ha, pilot humor. Glad your aqi level is down so much and that you’re safely back. It’s not even so much that you can’t see as well but it’s bad for the body. I walked this morning and was amazed at how green it was by the canal and how gigantic that plants had gotten! I’m glad we got all that rain and especially as most of it came while we were in Wyoming. 🙂
I am glad it’s green and growing there! I walked a lot and hiked up a lot of hills while at Big Baby Boy’s because I knew we would not be able to walk or be outdoors here much with the smoke and bad air. Yesterday my left hamstring felt a bit sore while walking up a good hill, I’ll take it easy today, and rest it and hope I can get out for a walk tomorrow.
I walked this morning even though it saw fairly warm already at 6 am. Felt good to be out, though.
amazing how the rain cleared the sky, for a bit of time at least
Thank goodness!
The smoke here in CT was very bad on a few isolated days. I can’t imagine what it must have been like out there. I’m glad you took advantage of the effect to get some, hopefully, once in a lifetime pics.
Ha, true about the “once in a lifetime shots”, Dan. I was just glad it didn’t smell smoky except for one day.
the haziness adds drama to the picture but i think a clear view is best. enjoyed the clip!
I agree that I prefer the clear view. Everyone loves the horses. 🙂 Of course, I do too.
It’s so heartbreaking. I was just reading on the news that in some places, the air quality was so bad that it was completely off the scale.
I know and so many acres and buildings destroyed. It’s terrible.
The horses seem to be taking the smoky air in their stride… 😉
😁😉 Literally.
The smoke is so heartbreaking, but the photos are still beautiful.
It’s beautiful there even with the smoke but much better without it.
We are planning a westward trip, but afraid that those smoky skies will keep us from going as far west as we’d like. We’re planning alternates, hoping that in the next couple of weeks the fires settled down a bit.
When we left a week and a half ago, the skies there were clear and much better in Colorado. Hope you can get your trip in.
That’s good to hear. Last year we cut our Oregon/Washington stops short because of wildfires in the areas we wanted to visit.
Beautiful area, and those horses… aah. Does your blog have a new look or have I gone senile?
I hate to say you’ve gone senile…but it’s the same theme. 🙂 I toy with the idea of a new theme periodically but am always afraid things won’t transfer well so after all these years, it’s still the same one.
That’s me😜
Love your posts about your trip! Should have known you would already have written about it. Love the hazy mountain view. But especially the video of the wild horses! Your plate from Billings looks delicious. A world of difference with Arizona!!
Yes, Wyoming is different from Arizona, at least the part where we live. If you go up highway 87 past Pine and Strawberry, you get to areas much like Wyoming. As for the food, it was delicious!
Glad to hear you had only 1 day of smelling smoke. The horse clip is a delight! 🌞
I’m thankful for that too. Just seeing the smoke was better than seeing and smelling it. 😬
That’s an amazing photograph. Lovely capture of the reflection.
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
janet