Attending Ranger Programs

Saturday 06/22/2013

I have the opportunity to attend a lot of ranger programs. K has the opportunity to present a lot of ranger programs. He hates it when I take pictures of him in action, but you know, I decided to post some of those pictures anyway. I attended his 10:00 a.m. ranger led hike to Storm Point and I also attended his 2:00 p.m. Featured Creature program about moose.

The hike begins at Indian Pond and then goes through the meadow, into the trees, along the lake shore, to the beach, and back through the forest and meadow. There's a contingency of marmots living in their fortress of rock palaces near the lake and they are characters. Always a big hit with the visitors (rodents, seriously, are the most photographed wildlife in the history of the universe!)! I had to chuckle to myself at one of our stops. As K was interpreting (speaking), a marmot popped up and seemed to be hanging on the ranger's every word, listening intently. And some of them whistle pretty loudly. The hike is a 2.3 mile loop. It spit on us at times, but the real rain held off until we got back to our cars.

YELL Day 9

If you'll look at the picture carefully, especially at the bottom center, you might see evidence that we did indeed burn a bison chip at our Summer Solstice party out back. Ranger Lydia, from Maryland, just picked it up and said something like, "They say these things burn...let's try it!" It was a chilly rainy day and the kick off to summer almost didn't happen, but going with the idea that "if you build it (the fire), they will come" we got a grand total of seven people out there with a variety of foods to share: chips and salsa, cookies, pineapple upside down cake, hot dogs, smores, and homemade pizza. It was fun to chat with people and get to know them better and hear their amazing stories. Rangers are interesting creatures. Wes told about working in Alaska and how a tourist got off her cruise ship and started petting his beard. He was also attacked by a goshawk once. Shaun piped up with, "I made a really awesome fire poker in the blacksmith shop once!" He used to work at another park where he was able to such "crafts" as blacksmithing and basketry (in fact, he's working on a basket in his apartment now!).

Earlier in the day I drove. I drove from Idaho back into the park. I unpacked the car. I cleaned. I made food for the party. I was very tired. That's how Day 9 of Summer Vacation went down on Friday 06/21/2013!

YELL Day 8

Thursday 06/20/2013

No, there are no pictures for this particular day of summer vacation. I woke up in Utah this morning having "run home" for some important things we left behind. I did laundry, checked the mail, went to the eye doctor, baked cookies...and left.

Somewhere in the middle of that I managed to take lunch to a friend who has been battling illness. It was about a two hour visit and I loved it! It's so nice having a moment to give a teeny bit of service. Truly, the greater blessing came to me.

Ran to Idaho and slept at Suzette's. She is so good about saying, "Anytime!" Surely she must be tired of washing the sheets for me. I love seeing her and visiting with her. And she feeds me breakfast. I don't know if I can ever grow up to be like her one day, but that would certainly be a worthy goal to have. She is wonderful!

YELL Day 7

I left the park today to retrieve some very much needed items we both forgot to grab from home. Am finally seeing some "red dogs" which are the baby bison. So far it's been a lot of bulls, but it looks like some cows and babies are headed to Hayden Valley at last. There must be some secret bison message system that lets all of them know when and where to show up for their gatherings. I have learned that the female horns don't curve so much--more straight. The male horns are curvier, little devils that they are!

YELL Day 6

Tuesday 18 June 1013...

Here's my friend, Sacagawea (or some still say Sacajawea, but I've been taught). We visited...don't quite know the proper name of it...perhaps Buffalo Bill Historic Center...but anyway, it's the big huge five-in-one musuem in Cody, Wyoming. It's very nice! The five parts of the museum are: Firearms, Western Art, Plains Indians, Buffalo Bill, and Natural History. Both the Smithsonian and National Geographic have special exhibits there. The firearms museum alone has over 2700 firearms on display. I noticed that part of the musuem had the most "I need a break" seating and I did spy some wives dozing and/or yawning while their husbands knocked themselves out.

K got to eat lunch at his beloved Taco John's. I survived. Somehow. Then I ended up beating him at miniature golf. This was our very first time ever playing mini golf with each other! K couldn't believe it asking, "Didn't we go to Trafalga once?" I said, "Nope, you must be thinking of some other girl..."

We did some photo developing and some shopping and then we ate at Bubba's Bar-B-Q (nice salad bar!). Then we headed back to the park to attend a program at Bridge Bay about the park service and its history.

YELL Day 5

Monday 17 June 2013...

K had to be interviewed (yes, on his day off) by a federal agent as part of his major background check. After that, we took off on a little weekend trip! We stopped at the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone as well as the Brink of the Upper Falls. We drove through Lamar Valley which was rich with green and bison and antelope and other things unseen. We had a great picnic lunch with homemade potato salad and cold cherries. We hiked to and around Trout Lake and witnessed the cutthroat trout spawning. So MUCH energy in the water! We drove the whole Chief Joseph Highway--spectacular! We cooked Manwich/sloppy joes on our campstove for dinner.

It was a beautiful day with a wonderful man and I am grateful for all these experiences!

Cell Service at Mary Bay

Sunday (06/16/2013)

K had to work today. It's 5.5 miles to Mary Bay where we can get some cell service. So that's 11 miles round trip. You never know what you'll see out that way so I always have my camera handy. A common visitor questions is, "When are you guys gonna clean up all them dead trees?" The answer is, "Never." I think they make beautiful lines in the photograph. There was another storm coming in over Yellowstone Lake. And then back at the ranch, more bison. This time they were in the front--one to the left of my car and another to the right!

We went to Church at 7:00 p.m. over at Lake Lodge. We learned that we are part of the Old Faithful Branch which is part of the Ashton Idaho Stake. The stake sends speakers every single week. It's kind of like "church in a suitcase." Everything they need packs up and gets stored in a closet. Still, it was great to worship and partake of the Sacrament.