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Aid Station by Goldstone Mine. The ranch sits on the border of Idaho and Montana, right as Idaho is tapering into the chimney shape at the midway up the state on the east side.  The border is the continental divide, which is the top of the waterways.  Water to the West runs to the Pacific.  Water to the East runs eventually to the Atlantic.  Soooo...  This weekend a fairly new and fast-growing event took place along the continental divide.  It's an endurance race like no other.   I hope to paint these mountain flowers soon.  The red flowers are called Indian Paintbrush.

I didn't paint this spider's web, which was photographed in Idaho.  But I did use it as inspiration for the watercolor painting in this video:

The English lavender is ready to harvest!  It's the most fragrant thing in my house.  In fact, I can smell it as I list and look at the photos I am posting. But I have decided to dry this lavender.  I will rubber band it and hang it upside down.  When dry, I will shake and brush the buds off for later use.  English lavender is good for culinary purposes too. I also picked some wild daisies and cornflowers at my parent's farm in Wisconsin.  I was there to wish my father a Happy Father's Day.  Wishing all fathers a blessed day.

This is so sad.   After the heavy rains, I was in my back yard and found a dead baby bird.  I looked up and it had fallen through a hole in this nest.  The heavy rains must have been too much for the nest structure and weight of the baby bird.  I think it was a baby robin. So I got some paper towels and placed the bird in the flowers, the lily of the valley and such by the edge of the yard.      

I've been picking the weeds in the yard and putting them in little jars around the house.  They may be called weeds.  But to me, they are beautiful.  Nutritious too!  Before the flowers bloom, I literally eat the dandelions, make creeping charlie tea, and mint tea.  Yes, we have tons of mint.  It is quite aggressive and will take over if given the chance.  I'm okay with that.  I love mint.   I used to have some little containers like porcelain creamers and tiny vases.  I can't seem to find them.  But with spring here and summer not too far off, I plan to find some little vessels for holding the tiniest of flowers.  I think I may press some...