Hot and Dry...Sunflowers are Blooming

I don't remember exactly when our last measurable rain was, but it was long ago!  We had a cold, wet spring , a late snow, and then it ended.  Area rivers are historically low, most likely caused by spring rains that melted mountain snows early.  And now it's dry...hot and dry.  Like much of Oregon, we're having days of temperatures in the 90's and even 100 degrees.  Photography is a challenge, but I keep trying to find something to capture.  To keep this blog active, I'm featuring what I saw on a recent evening in the Grande Ronde Valley next door.  (Notice:  I'm obsessed with sunflowers this time of year; the flower is grown for its seed, and this year there are huge fields on the east side of the valley.)

    Sunflower field under smoke-filled skies....fortunately, the fires aren't in our area this year, yet!

    Gray's Corner Road runs north-south on the east side of the Grande Ronde Valley.

    Basalt formations near Mt. Harris