Out and About

Greetings!

The Days of Grey have begun on the Palouse. Yesterday and today there was a break in the clouds for a few hours. It was very lovely!

On the last week of October, I traveled with Mom through southern Idaho as she went on her conference tour. We bounced through Boise, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Twin Falls and decided to round off the trip by swooping through Jackson, Wyoming. From there it was a quick hop on up through Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and a night in Bozeman with family before jumping in the car and zooming off again!



While we were exploring the southern reaches of the state, we came across this place called City of Rocks. A very fascinating little valley full of natural and whimsical rock formations. Looked sort of like the Idahoian version of Capadocia in Turkey. (Not sure if I spelled that right...) I'd never heard of the City of Rocks before, but it features in several novels, was a stopping point on the California Trail and is now a National Reserve. Mom and I found it very interesting and took lots of pictures. Alas, I didn't take any on my phone, so all of my pictures are on my ancient non digital camera and I have none to share here. -__-; Oops.

We made it into Jackson Hole on Halloween evening. It was around 4:30 and all the little kids and their parents were trick or treating at the businesses downtown. So fun to watch! I saw a two little Batmans (What's the plural form of Batman? Batmens?) waiting to cross the street, neither one the traditional Caucasian but instead one mocha skin and curly black hair and the other pale with dark slanted eyes. Adorable! They looked at each other, realized they were both wearing Batman costumes, and even though I couldn't hear them from where I was, I KNEW they were singing 'da-na-nana-nana-nana-Batman!' Then, when the light changed, they both flared out their capes and swooped across the street in perfect little boy fashion. :D

Mom and I were glad we had taken time to look at the Teton Range that night and enjoy the view a little while before we went back to our hotel, because the next morning, the mountains had wrapped themselves securely in clouds and were invisible. Had I not looked upon them the night before, I might not have believed there were mountains there. Beautiful ones, in fact. ;)

The drive up to Bozeman was lovely, even though it was cloudy and rainy. It was a different kind of beauty that both of us appreciated just as much as stunning sunlight. Yellowstone was nice and practically empty. Even the animals were gone. We saw one chipmunk and ONE coyote. Usually, the park is chocked full of buffalo and elk and whatever else. In fact, last year, Mom and I stopped counting bison after we reached one hundred. It was just a pain to try and keep track. ;P

Take care everyone!

E.

Songs Playing In My Head Today

Dangerous Mind by Within Temptation
Monsoon by Tokio Hotel
It's Not Fair by Kate Havnevik
Another Place To Fall by KT Tunstall
Somewhere by Within Temptation
Never To Know by Lene Marlin