Canyon

This is the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with its spectacular "Lower Falls". The name of the falls refers to its position on the river, not its height.
Fortune Cookie: Take that chance you've been considering.

Old Faithful

We got in to see Old Faithful on the day the park opened, April 17th.
The parking lot was nicely plowed out. This is Mike next to the snow berm.

We watched Old Faithful from the truck while we had a picnic lunch.

This is the plume from Grand Geyser, way, way off in the distance.

Fortune Cookie: You will take a chance in the near future, and win.

Picky Eater

This solitary buffalo was nibbling at this bush last month in Yellowstone Park.

I guess it wasn't very tasty. What he really wants is grass.

Fortune Cookie: You will soon be crossing desert sands for a fun vacation.

A Walk in the Park

These buffalo were taking a walk in the park last month.

Sandhill Cranes

See those two black dots between the fence posts? Those are sandhill cranes. They arrive long before the snow melts. While I can see them during the day, I mostly hear them at night.

Fortune cookie: You will soon receive a letter from a loved one.

Parked In The Yard

My last post may have given you a hint, but here is a perspective from the house that will leave you with no doubt. I am now parking in the yard! A strip along the driveway has melted down to bare ground, so I can now drive straight on in.

True, I am not able to park right in front of the house yet. That spot is still inhabited by deep snow and a partially buried dogtruck. Nonetheless, I am excited! When I can park in the yard, then summer is very near.

Fortune Cookie: Do something unusual tomorrow.

Please leave a suggestion in the comments as to what I might do tomorrow that would be unusual. I am coming up blank, and I don't want to mess up my very first fortune!

Jackpot

Today I scored about 800 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken from a wrecked truck. My neighbor runs a towing business, so I only had to go across the street to pick it up. The truck was carrying chinese food. I also scored a couple boxes of broccoli and a box of fortune cookies. I can hardly wait to see what my 350 fortunes are. The dogs already know that their fortunes have improved! Mary, the skinny old dog who has become a picky eater, was happy to eat as much chicken as I would give her.

Coyote

I saw a couple coyotes during opening weekend in Yellowstone Park. They appeared to be in fabulous condition and did not linger on the road but went briskly about their business.

Hawk

The ground squirrels are emerging from their long hibernation, so their predators, the red-tailed hawks, have also returned to the area.

Winter Is Leaving

Some people think that it is winter whenever there is snow on the ground, or if snow is falling from the sky. But I have always said that spring begins when the snow is consistently melting. By either definition, winter is definitely on the way out. Look, there is a bit of green (well, brown, actually) showing in front of the shed door. I no longer have to shovel it out every day to get to the dog food. Because the wind always blows here, the snow tends to funnel around the sides, which is why you see a steep bank in this picture.
In past years, we had a raven or two show up in the spring, but this year they were seen around the house all winter long.

Making Socks

One of the things I have been doing this winter is making dog hair socks. These are so soft and warm, they feel absolutely decadent. I love to wear them while lounging around in the house

They are also amazingly warm for tromping around in the snow, but alas, the pure dog hair is not very durable. I have been experimenting with reinforcing the worst wear spots with a strand of wool, and so far I am pleased with the results.

If anyone would like to buy a pair of these luxurious socks, you can contact me at chugach at peoplepc dot com.