Sheep, a Balloon, and a Hazy Morning near Truckee

Smoke haze again, thick enough that the sky went white and the far ridges turned to gray cutouts. Walked out into the pines and sagebrush and ran straight into sheep — hundreds of them, an entire band strung through the trees as far back as I could see. Targeted grazing for fire risk, which given the color of the sky felt almost too on the nose. Most of them kept eating. A handful near the front lifted their heads and stared at me for a long moment, then went back to the bitterbrush.

On the way back a hot air balloon came down low over the open flat — blue with a checkerboard of red, green, and orange — hanging just above the sagebrush with the mountains gone pale behind it. Couldn't tell whether it was landing or just riding the ground effect. Sheep behind me, balloon ahead, smoke over everything.