Smoky, smoky day

yep, today was smoky, smoky, until the wind changed direction
and blew most of it away. then the thunderstorms came and cooled
things off and the air was fresh and clean again!





everything looked very orange... except the green, and that
looked more intensely yellow-green.



i took this a couple of days ago... i had no idea that thistles are
a composite flower. this is what i love about picture taking-- seeing
things i didn't know were there before.