Fall in the Grand Tetons...

The Grand Tetons National Park is just south of Yellowstone. And so, I drove south on Sunday afternoon to see.... the Grand Tetons.

As I drove south, following Yellowstone Lake, cars were stopped along the sides of the road. I have learned what that means: wildlife. Sure enough, there was a bison trying to graze on grass, bulking up for the harsh winter, with tourists snapping his picture. Some of them were too close, merely 10 feet away.

Deer, elk, longhorn sheep, bison, moose....all live and graze within the park, wandering freely. So do grizzly bears, I'm told. I did see the bison, a few deer, and one moose, but no grizzlies.

You leave Yellowstone and travel on the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Parkway for several miles before entering Grand Tetons. Fall has arrived in Wyoming: the leaves on the aspen trees were golden. Absolutely, brilliantly golden. In another week, according to weather reports, the leaves may be gone.

And there's another lake. The Jackson Lake runs along the base of the Grand Tetons, for miles. Green fir trees, golden aspens, quaking in the breeze, brilliant blue water, and the mountains reflected in the lake: what an amazing sight.

There are beach areas, and picnic tables, along the lake and ample opportunity to stop and marvel at nature's beauty. I took dozens of photos but my favorite is one with a fir tree framing a shot of the mountains and their reflection in the water.

I believe that I am able to take such a vacation. True, I spent many vacations at home, over the years, not having the money to spend on travel (or so I reasoned). Well, now's the time, my time, to see America the Beautiful.

And boy, is it beautiful!!

The UP Side....

There has to be an UP side to getting up at 1:00 am.....

Driving in the rain, through the towns south of Podunk, traveling in convoy with the truckers, is not exactly my favorite thing to do. Took a left turn in Buck Owens' Country (Bakersfield) and headed out east to the desert.

After what seemed like hours and hours, the UP side appeared. After seeing a few stars through the clouds, some lightening in the distance, and not much else, I got my reward.

Old Faithful....

I wrote this on Saturday. There was no TV or internet in the hotel, and minimal cell phone reception. I enjoyed an old-fashioned vacation for a couple of days! Right now, I'm in Mickey D's in Cody, WY and they have wi-fi.....

To me, Yellowstone has always been about Old Faithful. I had never been here before, nor was I aware of all that the park is about. I guess I was too busy getting ready for my trip to google Yellowstone and find out more about it....

I didn't know it was the first national park...in the world. I could have guessed that Teddy Roosevelt spent time here, that's a given. I was surprised as I entered the park yesterday: the trees are small. Well, small by my standards, but I live in California where we have the world's tallest trees (the coast redwoods) and the world's largest trees (the Sequoias, in the Sierra Nevada mountain range). These fir trees are mostly lodgepole pines, and they are only about three or four stories high.

I also learned that there are two lakes here, Yellowstone Lake and Lewis Lake. There is also a Yellowstone River, with rapids and falls, that I didn't know about.

And yes, Old Faithful is here. And faithful, too. I don't look at the posted signs telling visitors when it will erupt again; I just look at the geyser. If the benches are starting to fill up, it's show time. I actually sat and watched it this morning: it was awesome.

In the visitors' center, I learned that it is the pressure of the steam, and the water collected in the underground fissure that causes the eruption. And it is quite interesting to watch. Another thing I didn't know: it smells like sulfur.

I am staying at the Old Faithful Inn, which was built 106 years ago. The inn has survived an earthquake which wrecked three of its stone fireplaces in 1959, and a fire that came within yards, literally, of destroying the landmark.

The inside is rustic and fabulous. Comfortable old rocking chairs surround the fireplace, and there is almost always a roaring fire. The lobby is cavernous, ascending four stories to the famous cupola on top, with its flags.

This morning, after watching Old Faithful, I walked along the boardwalks in the geyser fields. There are many active geysers in an area that encompasses maybe sixty acres. In fact, the inn is in the caldera, on top of the volcano. That makes sleeping at night easy....not.

The geyser fields are very colorful. There are interestingly shaped geysers, “beehive” geysers, and brightly-colored algae, too. The whole area is a history lesson, geology lesson, and volcanic activity lesson....all in one.

I bought a book at the Learning Center: the story of Yellowstone, written for children. Of course, it's for Noelle. I hope that she is able to share the stories of my adventures and then see the park for herself, someday.

And I want her to know more than I did when I got here.....

Great Adventure

I make a list and write
Everything I want to take.
Of course, it's more than enough
I'll change my mind, when I awake.

Some clothes to wear, food to eat,
A coat, if it's chilly, something warm for my feet.

Personal products, and underwear,
Shirts and jeans and socks and shoes.
Whatever should I take?

And how will I choose?

Trying to get ready to leave in two days
Somehow I'll get through this packing maze.

And off I'll go, on a Great Adventure.
Off to see sights I have not seen before.
Traveling by car, on the highways and byways,
One thing, dear me, I must implore:

Don't let me get so caught up in packing.
That I lose sight of the things that I see.
The places, the history, the natural beauty...
The goodness of the world that's surrounding me.

In The Blink Of An Eye

As time goes by
I wonder why...
I spent so much time
Wondering why.

Why not just live?
Why not just enjoy?
The time I have
On this little blue ball?

Why spend so much time
In pain and sorrow?
Why live my life
Worried about tomorrow?

Why watch time fly
As days grow to years
Why watch time fly
And give in to fears?

Live for today
And plan for the morrow.
Be open to life's joys
Instead of its sorrows.

Life is fleeting,
And quickly passes...
But life's joys
Its sorrows, surpasses.

Another Day...

The day is ending
Night is falling
Life comes
To its sweet repose.

So many plans
So much to do
Now must wait
For another dawn.

Life is like that
A daily series
Of things to do
And experiences.

No need to audit
Or count the goals
Both met and left
For another day.

The joy is in
The experiences
Just to be
And see and feel.

When the day is over
And night has come
Sweet sleep prepares us
For another chance.

Another day
Another cycle
Adding to the joys
Of a simple life.

Mile After Mile...

Where are you going, Dearest Friend of Mine?
What are you looking for, as you walk along?
Do you know I'm by your side, walking with you?
And do you see that I will never leave you?

What are you thinking, Dearest Friend of Mine?
What thoughts are driving your steps as you walk
Ever farther, ever longer, towards the end
Of time, as we know it, and the End of Life?



What joys have you found, as you walk beside me?
What happiness is yours, Dearest Friend of Mine?
Is it holding my hand, as we walk? Or talking to me?
Or seeing life as we share it, every day?

Do you see the joy in being? The beauty that surrounds us?
Ah yes, you see it, Dearest Friend of Mine....it's there in your smile.
As life goes on, and love endures, greeting changes every day...
We are together, always together.....walking hand in hand,

Mile after mile.