Backyard Bison

So, today is NOT a summer vacation day. It's just another Saturday (06/15/2013)like we have all throughout the school year. However, today was a day when I learned my lesson! I went to K's "Experiencing Wildlife Safely" program and then returned home and went around the corner out back only to see a bison grazing in the yard! I did have my bear spray handy, but what if it had been standing a little closer? What if it had been a grizzly? Stupid, stupid!

So of course I spent a good share of the morning watching this one bison. It decided to have a rest and chew its cud which I learned this afternoon at Tennessee Tom's program is what they do: nomadically graze, rest and chew cud, repeat forever. My favorite part was watching it scratch at the stump and roots end of that fallen tree. You should have seen that creature happily beating it's head against the end which caused dust to fly everywhere. Bang, Bang, BANG! It was just enjoying the heck out of banging its head against the tree.

When K came home for lunch, the bison was in the side yard, so I opened the front door before he had a chance to come down the steps and asked, "Do you see a bison?" K sort of startled and decided he could come down the steps anyway.

K took me to Lake Lodge Cafeteria for dinner. I had the petite turkey plate and loved it!

YELL Day 4

Friday 14 June 2013...

This morning I went over to the office to speak with K's supervisor about volunteering. We had a nice chat and she told me I am easy to talk to. I explained that I've been happy reading books ("Do you know about the Bookmobile?" she asked. And, "There's a library in the mess hall!") and taking naps, but that I'm willing to help out if needed. She gave me some paperwork to complete.

Afterward, I walked along Fishing Bridge because Ranger Harlan said there was "a moose in the marshy marsh!" It was long gone by the time I arrived and all of the humans had left as well, so I took full advantage! Those are white caps out on the lake. With the naked eye, they looked like sailing ships. I kept telling myself, "There are no sailing ships. Those are white caps!" The WIND! I was bundled up with jacket, wind breaker over that, hood, and gloves!

K cannot believe how many people come to the park with no plan. Well, he's always been a planner. Part of the joy for him is ordering maps, studying maps, researching online, etc. Preparation is half the trip! But now he's seeing just how many folks choose to wing it! Multiple times daily people ask, "Ranger, what should I do?" He is such a patient, tolerant, and kind soul...perfect for the job if you ask me. I helped him open the VC one morning (got to call for the Geyser Report!) and one of the duties is to post all the times that each campground filled the day before (to the minute!). Some guy came in and complained there were no campsites available. No, he did not try to reserve one. The visitor said they "got screwed over in Yosemite as well." It's a popular place, so plan ahead! Some of those campgrounds have 400 sites and they fill right up!

YELL Day 3

Thursday 13 June 2013...another stormy day, but the electricty held up a little better, so I was able to shower and do a load of laundry. Sometimes we listen to the park radio for entertainment, especially if K has already heard of something going on. They had to close Elephant Back Trailhead because a family from Italy was bluff charged by a grizzly. Our bear management neighbor tried to get information from them, but the language barrier proved difficult to overcome. He asked, "How big was the bear?" He was hoping for a weight. Instead, the Italians began gesticulating wildly while playing their own little game of charades.

Another ranger neighbor knocked on our door to let K know there was a moose at Fishing Bridge. K has chosen the moose as his Featured Creature! So off we went, on a little moose hunt. That last picture just proves that it began to snow just as we were finishing up our photography. We have the heater set at 65 degrees and it came on several times today!

YELL Day 2

Today is Wednesday 12 June 2013. Totally slept in! It's been rainy and gloomy. They weren't kidding when they suggested we get our cooking and baking (and anything else requiring electricity) done in the mornings. We had no power for most of the afternoon. Which is fine. We're just not used to it. No lives are in danger. There are several rangers who enjoy kayaking. I enjoy the color on the back porch. We also have various animals in the back yard--nice little elk herd hanging out.

K says the Bookmobile is coming tomorrow! Sounds like the rangers order books they need for research (prepare for programs) and the Bookmobile comes around every two weeks. After dinner, we walked over to the mess hall and looked at the little library in there.

K also told me there are about ten bears that hang out in this area. If you'll remember a previous post, we never, Never, NEVER name the wildlife, but I guess there's one bear that a ranger calls "Special Needs Bear." This bear has super long legs and looks a little out of sorts. Please don't criticize me about this...just sharing some comments I've heard. Another ranger refers to one of the bears as "Meadow Bear." One of the bear management folks said, "A bear is basically a nose with four legs." All they really care about is food.

Another thing I hear the rangers talk about is "getting off the island." This means that folks need to leave the park sometimes on their weekends to get back to various things a town might have to offer, such as reliable electricity. In Hawai'i we called it "going off island" and in Alaska they talk about "going outside."

K seems worried that I'm bored. Not yet I'm not. I'm enjoying the down time, the reading time, the nap time, and the do-what-I-want-time. Bored? In a place like this? I'll let you know if and when that happens.

YELL Day 1

My summer vacation posts this year are going to be called "YELL." My friend, Alan, says I should whisper because it would have more impact, but no matter, I'm going to YELL!

Let me quickly explain the acronym system used by the National Park Service. If a park is mostly known by one name, then they use the first four letters of that word to refer to the park. If it's known by two names, then they use the first two letters of the first name and the first two letters of the second name. Here are a couple of examples: Timpanogos Cave National Monument is called TICA. Get it? TImpanogos CAve? Golden Spike National Historic Site is known as GOSP. Hence, Yellowstone National Park is known by rangers as YELL. Have fun with that. Unfortunately, I'm unable to spend one hundred percent of my summer in the park, but my actual vacation days will still be called YELL Days (and they'll be numbered), no matter where I'm spending them.

So, YELL Day 1 happened on Tuesday 11 June 2013. I woke up very early to do laundry, water plants, and pack. Let's just say I forgot a few things. I headed out to get my oil changed and Carl, my service advisor, is just as great as ever, FYI. I stopped at a Costco along the way mostly because it's really dumb to enter the park without food under any circumstance, but when your husband lives and works there, trust me, he appreciates nice fresh food! I don't know why, but the Costco employees in Pocatello, Idaho are so nice and so helpful--outstanding! I found the manager and mentioned it to her. Turns out they sell this really cool "freezer bag" for less than $7. Picture a pizza delivery insulated bag and you'll get the idea. In fact, this bag can be used for hot or cold things, just not hot and cold together, you know? Anyway, it was PERFECT. As in...magical. As in...the Kirkland Frozen Meat Lasagna was still perfectly frozen when I arrived at Lake. K is impressed! By the way, we saw some cheap "insulated" blue bags about the same size at Wal-Mart for $2 and they are not even holding a candle to the Costco bag--flimsy, lightweight...go for the quality.

In the photos above, please note how "safe" everyone is being at this elk jam. That female was posing right next to the cow elk for a picture. Yeah, she was backing up traffic and all that. Lucky for her, the elk chose food over a human invading her personal space. My favorite are the bison jams within three miles of the park entrance. "We're HERE! And oh, look! There's a bison! Stop the car!" I know, if you've never been and have never seen, it's super exciting, but just keep driving folks and you'll see a LOT of bison. It's a huge park, people, and you're stuck in a jam three miles in.

It takes a big chunk of the day to get to Lake. K whipped up some Hamburger Helper for dinner and I had mine over fresh spinach.

Ropes Course Training

Yesterday was my last day of the school year. My students finished 30 May, but every week day since them I've been paid and/or mandated to attend all day meetings and trainings. Today, finally, I'm "free" so to speak. So yesterday was Ropes Course Training at Clear Creek. Just to put this right out on the table, I'm a chicken about all things "ropes course" for myself. But I'm a huge proponent of my students participating. I did step onto the Whale Watch and I did step onto the Amazon Log, but that was it...chicken, chicken, chicken. I mostly participated by spotting others. Still, I learned a lot, was impressed with the teaching style of the trainer, and enjoyed being with fifth grade teacher buddies. Clear Creek is such a beautiful property and I'm excited to take students there again in the fall!!!

I wonder what summer vacation will bring this year...I'll have to think up a name or title for my vacation posts. I believe last year was BYGTWSO (But You Get the Whole Summer Off!) or some such thing. I'll think on it and get back to you. June 11-August 14...technically free of career obligations (though we all know teachers still do stuff for their careers/classrooms/new batch of students)! TWO months! Let's not waste it!

Peas on the Porch

Just documenting that although we don't have a garden this year, we do have peas on the porch. I also threw in some violets received during teacher appreciation week. I love how the pea vines climb, flower, hold hands, twist, and spin. I tried to make good pictures, but I have no training and my camera is a very "general" all-purpose camera. The peas are food for the body and the violets are food for the soul. It is all so lovely. The robins have hatched all three blue eggs and are making hundreds of trips daily to feed their little ones. The swallows were engaged in some sort of civil war this morning--quite stirring. They could have been voting on a new leader for all I know. Two of my neighbors witnessed the commotion and commented as well. June is busting out all over. And it's my dad's birthday. He really loves the picture of my grizzly. I wonder if he loves Applebee's.