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 |   Blog Challenge And Other Tidbits |
| An opinion or two...or three or four... |
| Halfway through the month happily sleeping in a real bed *Facepalm*, enjoying the lodge's menu seletions too! It will be a quiet evening in the lodge because of the thunder storms this evening. At least, we are dry! Tomorrow, we are going to the museum of the Park Ranger, a bookstore, Norris Geyser Basin and Steamboat Geyser on horseback, those that would rather ride in the wagon can because there will be several going. I suggest your cameras and comfy clothes. We will be having a bag lunch prepared for us by the lodge, If we have time we will be checking out Artist Paint Pots, too! What did you like best? The dog days of summer got the nickname because of Sirius, the dog star which rose and fell with the sun during the hottest days. What nickname do you have for the hottest day? Is there a nickname native to where you live? What activities do you avoid during this time? OMG! I'm so embarrassed! I just love thunderstorms, especially when the lightning show is spectacular as it was two nights ago. I was so engrossed in the thunder and lightning that I completely forgot to put an entry in my journal! Oh man, I'm really embarrassed. But honestly, the lightning was really spectacular the way it crackled across the sky. When I was a kid, I was terrified of thunder and my mom used to tell me that it was only "the gods" up there in the clouds in a bowling tournament. "The gods?" I would ask. "You know, the gods..." she would say. I'm not sure I really believed her but I appreciated that she tried to make it better. All the same, I still hid under the bed. It wasn't until I met my husband that I started to appreciate a good thunder storm. He was the one who showed me how fun it could be to watch...and listen... So, enough of that. You asked what name I have for the hottest day of summer. Well, here it is...HELL! That's what. |
| It's another beautiful night in Yellowstone in the mid 40's Fahrenheit and we are going to see a cowboy show at the amphitheater by Canyon Lodge. Dinner at the lodge with real tables and chairs, woohoo. My back was so ready, what about yours. Tomorrow a guide from Yellowstone is taking us to Upper and Lower Falls, bring your camera, lots of great photo opportunities. We will be picnicking there for lunch and swimming in the pools under the falls. It is going to be in the mid 80's, perfect for water activities. We are staying at the lodge until Monday. Post office, laundry, showers and nightly entertainment. Over lunch in this amazing setting and the delicious food from the lodge I thought I would pick your brains, you know how I am about questions... what do you think are the differences in food eaten in the summer time around the world? Share with us something specific from where you live? Is it easy to make or difficult? What about family traditions, do you have certain foods that only appear in the summer months? Oh thank heavens! Another shower. I could really use one of those. I'm afraid I reek, and by now I'm even repelling the bugs! So...summer food in California? Well...it kinda depends if we're in Northern California, where I live...or in So Cal, where everyone else lives. Because of the great beach weather in So Cal and the fact that everyone wants to show off a bikini figure (by the way, my figure is definitely NOT fit for a bikini) then summer food is a lot of seafood and fruit and green salad. And avocados on everything. And lots and lots of street tacos. But here in Northern California it's a lot of BBQ. Grilled steak, grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, grilled dessert, grilled everything. We'd probably grill our own children if we could!  And lots and lots of water and iced tea. Oh! And don't forget the Starbuck's. We couldn't possibly go a day without a sugary coffee drink from that place! Looking forward to sitting at a real table in a real chair tonight. |
| Perseid Meteor Shower peaks tonight, it is going to be a spectacular night to watch the sky with no light pollution. We really are in for a great show especially at 2:00am, its going to be a short night sleeping, we'll rest tomorrow once we arrive at Canyon Village. You'll find this campground close to the breathtaking Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone near the center of the park. Offers stores, restaurants, pay showers, a coin laundry and a sanitary dump station, but no utility hookups. No camp cooking tonight, we are going to try one of the restaurants. What did you see? How did it make you feel? There are lots of videos out there to see this, I suggest you check it out. I posted two links but there are many others. If you feel inclined compose a poem to share with us at dinner tonight. Found the following article today...I'm just so upset I'm beside myself. Here we've been in Yellowstone and haven't even seen a grizzly bear! Yes, they can be dangerous, but they are what they are. They can't be anything other than grizzlies. So to see this article and know that three bears may be euthanized makes me outraged! I've always felt it's us humans that create dangerous situations and not the other way around. See for yourself below... Last week in Yellowstone National Park, a hiker was found dead, partially consumed by bears. That was tragic. But now, according to The Telegraph, a momma grizzly and her two cubs may face a similar fate if a DNA test proves they were responsible for the hiker’s death. The news that the bears will be put down has nature lovers everywhere outraged. “Nature should not pay the price for humans venturing out into the wild,” posted one angry commenter on Facebook to park authorities. The park has also been fielding a deluge of calls from people lobbying for the bears’ lives. Many of the protesters believe it’s a case of a mother grizzly protecting her cubs. But was it? Decisions to euthanize bears are based on individual circumstances, according to a Slate article about two Yellowstone bear maulings that took place in 2011: “[Guidelines] are quite elaborate but essentially they state: If a grizzly hurts someone while acting in a naturally aggressive way, then the bear goes free. If a grizzly acts unnaturally aggressive, though, and injures a person, it must be euthanized.” In the 2011 scenario, the bear survived her first mistake, but then was involved in another attack and was euthanized. (There is some evidence that sometimes after wild animals have attacked or killed humans, they are more likely to do it again.) Like I said, I'm just so upset I can't even think straight. I need to go spend a little time alone to get over this. I'll catch up with all of you later tonight for the meteor shower. |
| Woohoo, Mother Nature must have been a card player at one point... it's 55 degrees Fahrenheit 13 degrees Celsius. The fire feels good... and the spade game between and against and is close. Everyone is placing bets... Conversation around the fire…what is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen happen during the summer? Why was it so weird? What might other people have thought about what you saw? In the morning, we are off to see Mud Volcanoes at Lake Village and Bridge Bay. We'll be setting up camp there, need volunteers to fish for trout in the river there. If anyone is interested there is a fishing contest going on, prizes are 1000.00 for the largest catch of the day. I'll certainly volunteer to fish for trout! I'm pretty good at fishing. As long as I can stand on the bank, or fish off a small boat on calm waters then I'm good to go! But please don't ask me to fish off a ship on the ocean. I'll just get seasick and spend my time heaving over the side. Case in point: A trip my family took to visit one of my family members. One of my older brothers lived in San Diego for a time. In case you've never been to San Diego it's probably got the most perfect weather on the planet. Foggy in the morning, but not like San Francisco. No, this fog just swirls around you and teases you, enticing you to get to the beach. And beautiful blue sky in the afternoon dotted with those big fluffy clouds that look like giant wads of cotton in the sky. Blue, blue waters with fine sand. Most of the year the weather is gorgeous. Always in the 70's and 80's. It's practically perfect. No wonder people flock there. Anyway, my brother invited us to come and visit him in San Diego. And just like every other trip we've ever taken we all piled in the car and drove from San Jose to San Diego. And when we got there my Dad decided that he'd like to do some ocean fishing. Because the fishing is great in San Diego. And just like every other activity we've always done as a family we all piled in the car and drove to the dock. Now fishing in San Diego doesn't come cheap. Oh no siree. It comes at a premium. The better the boat and the more experienced and successful the guide then the more it all costs. So Dad paid a boat load, and I mean a boat load of money for us to go fishing that day. It was all very exciting. Rods, reels, buckets, nasty chum, blue skies, and the wind in our hair. And then we got out on the ocean where our boat was met with waves...and more waves...and even more waves. It rocked back and forth, from one side to the other. And just kept rocking. Well, what did we expect? We were out on the ocean...But the constant rocking got the best of my brother and me and we had no choice but to head below deck. And there we stayed. Both of us sick as dogs. We didn't come up for air until we were safely docked again! All that money and no fishing! Dad never said anything but we sure felt bad. So yeah, I'm great at fishing as long as it's not on the ocean. LOL. Count on me to fish for dinner. And then I'd like to join the fishing contest. Let's see if I can earn us some money for junk food! Cheddah ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| We are supposed to pull up camp and move onto Lake Village and Bridge Bay today but we have an several injured campers and we have a missing teenager . Instead of moving on we are going to work with the authorities to find Miss Dragon in the morning. This evening to keep our mind off all that is happening around us we are going to have a card playing night around a roaring fire. (There was a camper killed by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone, the bear was captured so we are safe so long as we use camp safety) Those of you that would like time to write home, there is a postal pickup service, plus I was told Xanterra Parks & Resorts has an internet hub and phone center if you want to use it for a fee. Please take a buddy, no wandering alone. Share with us your card game experiences, what games do you play? Enlighten us on your thoughts about our missing Miss Dragon. And finally since we are here for another day how about some good old baked beans in a hole and hot dogs. See the video so you know what I mean about in the hole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAbzuN6kbdw . Has anyone done this before with their families? Volunteers? Share with us what you chose to do while we stayed another night in Grant Village. Hot dogs! I just knew it! If it's okay, I'll pass on the dogs and just eat some beans. But I do have to admit that hot dogs cooking over a camp fire really is a great smell. But darn! I just can't be sure what's in the dogs! So even though they'll smell wonderful, I'll stick to the beans. By the way, what is Beans in a Hole? I haven't heard of that before. Can someone enlighten me? Poor Miss Dragon.! I fear for her! And even though I've just met her I feel I should spend my time looking and searching for her. The whole idea that she's missing is just killing me! And that's because seven years ago my own daughter was missing. It was only a day, and we did find her safe and sound (that's another story that will have to wait until I can tell it without crying). But for the time she was missing I was in complete Mom Panic Mode. It was the most horrible fear on the face of the planet. It consumed me entirely and the adrenaline from the fear made me go into search mode. My mind was working so fast I couldn't keep up with my own thoughts. And when the police officer asked us for dental records I thought my legs would crumple underneath me. That day was by far the most horrible day of my existence. So when we say Miss Dragon is missing that same adrenaline flares up and I'm in panic mode. We just have to find her! I am going to trust that she will appear today and we'll all be relieved. And she'll be happy and well. Only then can we move on to a friendly game of cards. And by the way, my favorite is Casino. And my second favorite is Slap. Does anyone remember these games from the past...like...the sixites and seventies...??? Oh, now I've gone and revealed my age!  |
| 20 more days... we are heading to Grant Village today on a very outdated school bus since it is over 24 miles. We will be setting up our campsite again, getting our gear unloaded because the bus is leaving us here. We will be here until Tuesday morning when we hike to Lake Village and Bridge Bay campsite and then we will hike to Canyon Village on Wednesday. So all my junk foodies you will be burning those calories. We will be exploring West Thumb Geyser Basin, photo opportunities during our short hike. We will need volunteers for cooking and clean up. There are flush facilities here but that is it. Since we haven't been around a campfire for a few days let's talk about food... what is your favorite food cooked on a barbecues or on a camping trips? And see where our conversations go from there. Let's have another chain campfire story, you each rocked it last week. For those of you that were not here, the first person that blogs after 12:00am WDC time begins the story and each person either summarizes the blogger before them or cuts and pastes it into their blog and then adds their part. The story can go anyway you want. Ten days of this fantastic trip already gone. Seems we just started this excursion yesterday. Let's see, we've been hiking, camping, and tubing. Horseback riding and swimming. We told ghost stories and scared ourselves silly. It's been junk food and more junk food. Did I say we ate junk food? Ha! And it's been lots of good meals in between. Cold weather, hot weather. Wet weather, dry weather. It's been the gamut of all things camping. What more could I ask for? Yellowstone is a great place to visit. But you know what? After ten days I'm starting to feel a little homesick. I miss my cat, Fitzroy Gigglebottom, and I miss my dog, Maximillian Von Snausage. And I especially miss my husband, Spouse. For some reason they've really been on my mind a lot. Honestly, if we weren't out here in the high country, with not a cell tower in sight, I'd probably grab someone's cell phone right out of their hands! Oh, heavy sigh. Maybe I'll just take some time tonight and write a few postcards home. Maybe that will get me out of my funk. For our next meal together, I will volunteer to cook. As I mentioned before, my specialty is chili, but I'm open to cooking whatever the group wants. Let's see...we can do burgers with chips. Um...by chips I mean American potato chips. The kind out of the bag. Barbecue if we can get them. Or we can do steaks. With buttered corn. Please don't ask me to cook hot dogs, though. I can never really tell what's in them exactly. Somehow I think they can turn you fluorescent green.  And of course there's always fish. Salmon anyone?I'm excited, though, for another chain campfire story. My camp mates are very talented people and I'm anxious to see what we can all come up with next! Well, it's off to my tent to write some postcards and to get some rest. We have a full and furious day of hiking in the morning! Cheddah ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| Since your guide indulged last night with the boys *Facepalm* and danced till dawn... Today, we are going to go float tubing on the Lewis River. Have you ever done this activity before? What should you do before you get on the tube to protect the river and its inhabitants from the chemicals normally we wear? Do you think there are any risks involved? Man, the water sure feels refreshing... I hope you learned a lot, we'll be fishing for our lunch today on the river. We'll be checking out of Cody Lodge in the morning, if you haven't re-stocked I suggest you do so we don't hit a lodge again for nine days. It was so much fun dancing late into the night...wasn't the sunrise beautiful? But after a few hours sleep I am feeling a little tired and well, hung over. But I know the best remedy for that is some Tubing! Woohoo! I haven't been tubing since I was at University. Our short summer breaks in between the spring and fall semesters were the perfect time for tubing. We'd party well into the night, then hit one of our favorite breakfast houses for some high count carbs. Then it was off to the river for some tubing. We even brought a tube for the drinks and the snacks. It normally took us about three hours to complete the run, and I'll have to say it was usually the best three hours of the day. There are some dangers to tubing, though, of which we were sometimes blissfully unaware. Sometimes the snags were hidden and sometimes the water would run just a little too fast at the snags. And even though the sun was warm and the water cold, it was a perfect recipe for falling asleep. And sleeping is an absolute no-no! Much too dangerous! I'm looking forward to some tubing today. But not before I get back to the store and stock up on post cards and junk food! Yep, my camp mates have me hooked. I fully embrace the junk food route. Who needs fruit and vegetables? Hmmm? |
| Woohoo, it is time to play group games at the lodge. We are having good old fashion pig roast on a spit, there are chickens roasting and vension steaks grilling, lots of salads and vegetables cooked in good old western style over a roaring fire. No worries, we aren't preparing any of the food the lodge is. It is going to be 55 degrees Fahrenheit/ 12 degrees Celsius today, almost a heat wave! Horse Shoe Competition This is serious business in the west, the pits are ready. There is an non-alcoholic competition and one that requires you drink a shot for each missed shot. This is a non-traditional game especially for us. Have you played horseshoes before? Competed? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoes The link explains how it is done. Did you know that there is a camping version that does not require lugging the back yard equipment? What do you think was used? Do you enjoy playing group games? What is your favorite? We are having a square dance this evening, bring your dancing shoes.... and dozy do, spin your partner ... can I get you to call the steps for the youngsters... so they can learn square dancing? Oh gosh, I was hoping to bow out gracefully from a game of horseshoes...you see, I have a little secret. Technically, I'm banned from playing horseshoes in the any of the United States. Yes, that is certainly true. Very unfortunate incident that happened back in high school. Well, I wasn't actually in school at the time, rather I was off on a school-sponsored camping trip. We were in a lovely park here in California call Big Basin. Biggest redwoods California has to offer. Lots of hiking, lots of exploring, lots of learning. Absolutely beautiful. My favorite thing about Big Basin is looking up to the sky through the tops of the redwoods. Now that's a spectacular view. But I digress...anyway, a group from school was camping for an extended stay in Big Basin. All of us girls...and being teenagers, well, you can imagine the hormones that were flying around that camp site! One afternoon we teamed up for a "friendly" game of horseshoes. I was glad not to be the team captain. But on the other team was a little spitfire of a girl with an obnoxious, feisty attitude who didn't like me one bit. Not sure why because...well...most people like me. And I like them. My philosophy is that if you don't like me, well, you're missing out. Anyway, back to the drama. Ms. Spitfire and I were on opposite teams and several times we locked eyes. Oh heavens, it was pretty obvious she was just gunning for me. Now that I think about it, my hormones were also raging, so I was pretty much gunning for her as well. So I wasn't so innocent in what eventually took place. So like a lot of teenage girls on a team, any team really, we started whooping and hollering and parading around like cocky little roosters...er...chickens...roosters after all, are male. As we tossed horseshoes and scored points we let the taunts fly. And they got more aggressive as we went. Somehow we all thought we were having fun... And then...it happened...Ms. Spitfire and I were up against each other. Both of us puffed up and gave our best death stares to each other. We inhaled and blew it out like we were crusaders. Honestly, we looked dumb. But there was a ton of tension in the air. And then we went to battle. Really? Battle in horseshoes? Well, we were teenagers with lots of hormones so it was a battle of honor. It was no longer a friendly game. So we tossed. And tossed. And tossed some more, each time with more aggression as we pranced around like peacocks. Now I'm not sure exactly what happened, and I think we were both to blame, but as we got more aggressive we started throwing air punches at each other. And then we threw horseshoes at each other. And then we just plain came at each other in a snarl of fisticuffs! We practically beat the crap out of each other! No one stepped in to stop the fight! And we didn't fight like girls. Oh no siree. We didn't pull hair or anything like that. We flat out let punches fly! Aiming for any and parts of the body! One of the park guides finally broke us up. Ms. Spitfire and I were dragged to the hospital. Me with a broken foot and her with broken cheekbones. She didn't know that I grew up with four brothers who taught me how to fight like a man. No it wasn't pretty. And so not lady-like. But there you have it. Broken bones and I was in the middle of it. Not the best place to be. In the end, Ms. Spitfire was transferred to a hospital near home, and I was released with a cast and a set of crutches. Our group was asked to pack immediately and never return. And the attorneys for each family only rolled their eyes. Oh yes, money flew back and forth, that was a fact. But their final solution? Ban Ms. Spitfire and Yours Truly from ever engaging in horseshoes again. Anywhere. In the United States. Forever. So...I think I'll just relax as I watch a friendly game of horseshoes... |
| It's 43 degrees...6 degrees Celsius this morning...brrrr! The fire went out over night. so breaking up camp this morning won't be hard. We are going to Cody Lodging for the weekend. Yes, hot showers and real beds for two nights. Don't try to talk me into more, it won't work. We are re-stocking supplies, so if you need something now is the time to grab it. Today, we are going on a horseback adventure... hope you are up to a good ride, we are going exploring in the area. Let us know what you discover and what appeals to you here besides the luxury of a comfy bed and a shower. http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/codylodging.htm Check out the link, it will give you lots of ideas about what to do while there. Don't get to tired... we have a horse shoe competition on Saturday. You're right, it's extra chilly this morning. And all that bragging I did about loving the cooler weather and rain has now come back to bite me in the butt. Well, not exactly in the butt, but all over actually. Because I was silly caused and myself a leaky tent everything was damp and cold and uncomfortable. And today, sniff, sniff, my nose is running and I have a giant headache. I've been sneezing most of the morning and I feel a little crabby. It must be a cold coming on. So my plan is to savor a wonderfully hot shower and dress in some warm clothing. And then just relax at Cody Lodging with a hot cup, or cups, of tea, cream, no sugar, and read one of the books they have shelved. Maybe even a nice long nap is in order. But I'm hoping we'll be here long enough for me to get over this cold because I absolutely LOVE rafting! I just can't wait to raft those currents! Does anyone know what class they are? 2? 3? 4? Spouse and I have done quite a bit of white water rafting, all in Oregon. When we were a little younger, *cough, cough*, we made a yearly trip to Hell's Canyon in Southern Oregon. Best water out there for rafting. And thrilling! Sometimes we were able to ride class 5 currents. They're dangerous, but with an experienced guide and some focused work on our part to steer the raft and lean in the right direction they can be great fun! Boy, just thinking about rafting gets me excited to get out there on the water. I'd better get that shower and drink that tea. I've got to get rid of this cold! Hey, does anyone have any Excedrine? Could I have some, please? |
| Oh, no it is raining and only 46 degrees Fahrenheit, it is only 7.77778 Celsius. Try not to touch your tent celling or walls with your hands, it will leak wherever you touch. Laying in your sleeping bag in the rain tell me what other sounds do you hear in the woods around us? Did you notice the skyline before you settled in for the night? What did you notice around us today? Someone cooked today, what did we have? What takes place when it is raining and you are cooking outside? Do you know what we need to do to adapt? Enlighten us all with your thoughts. Friday, we are going to have an interesting day, bring your game face... Oh my goodness, I really messed up! I was in my tent, and all of a sudden I heard a quiet little tap, tap, tap on the top. I furrowed my eyebrows because the sound was familiar. Then the sound started tap, tap, tapping a little faster and with a little more force. Now I was very intrigued. Could it be? I listened intently. Sure enough, the tapping became quite steady. And then in the background I heard a familiar rumble. I realized at that moment I knew these sounds! And they were great sounds! It was actually rain! With bonafide thunder! I was so excited because in California we have completely forgotten what rain is like! And before I could control myself I placed my hands all over the inside of the tent. I was laughing with joy! It was fantastic! And then I decided to run outside my tent and out from under the canopy of the trees to let that cold, cold water drench my face and body. Boy, was that refreshing. Not to mention cold. To be honest I would have danced naked, except I am with some lovely new campers I just met. Propriety is everything. So when I was fully drenched I made my way back into my tent only to find it was leaking! Everywhere! Everywhere I placed my hand. Now it's like Niagra Falls in here! Everything is wet. And cold. Can anyone share with me? Please? I promise I won't run naked through the camp... Cheddah ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
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