Skywatch Friday: Rocky Mountain Spring Skies

Spring is a distinct phase in our annual weather. It begins with the on-again (warm sunny days), off-again (blizzards) days of March and April. Come mid-May, most nights do not drop below freezing, the hills green up, and flowers bloom. And the skies, yes, the skies too show the transition (sunset view from my home in Walkerville, Montana):

On a little fishing trip on the other side of the Continental Divide (a half-hour away), the setting sun lit the sky over the Pintler Mountain Range:

By the time I got to the Opportunity/Wisdom turn-offs (my friend Chad Okrusch wrote this song about that strange place: Opportunity Blues ), the sky blazed behind the old Anaconda Copper Company smelter stack:

It's a busy time for wildlife. The pronghorn antelope herds move from winter to summer range (yes, they do occasionally leap fences!):

"Hey guys, wait for me!":

A busy beaver swam around a small dam just above where I fished, slapping his tail a few times and generally showing his impatience with my intrusion:

And the ants swarmed out for housecleaning party:

I have no idea what they were doing, but they were VERY active:

On the Butte Hill, Cutleaf Daisies (Erigeron compositus) are blooming:

Look closely to see the tiny, finger-like leaves:

But it's the skies that keep calling out for our attention:

Spring skies? You bet: