Grand Tetons

While Yellowstone is closed, Grand Teton National Park is open. The scenery, as always, is stunning, and much to my delight, it was not very crowded. This National Park does not get the publicity that Yellowstone gets, yet they are connected. Here are some views from last week.

The view from Schwabacker's Landing

The view from Dornan's by Moose Junction

The view from Signal Mountain

Grand Teton National Park is one of my favorite parks in the US and I'm lucky to leave near it.

Yellowstone

Many of my friends have contacted me to find out if we are OK after the drastic flooding of Yellowstone. I can say, we are OK...but our beloved Yellowstone National Park is not OK. Roads and bridges are washed out. Rivers and waterfalls are at an all time high. Cabins and other structures near the raging rivers have been  washed away. All the entrances to the Park are closed and it looks like the North and Northeast Entrances (Gardiner and Cooke City) will be closed the rest of the summer. All visitors and employees have been or are being evacuated...even people in back country cabins. Gardiner and Cooke City are isolated right now with power problems and lack of food in addition to record flooding. Grand Teton National Park, a few miles from Yellowstone is OK as are the towns surrounding park such as Jackson, West Yellowstone, and Cody. As of this morning, the road damage has not been fully assessed, but it looks like the "Upper Loop" of YNP will be closed for most of the season, while the "Lower Loop" will reopen when the flooding subsides. All of us are saddened by the closure of Yellowstone and our prayers go to everyone who has been affected by his disaster. So far, we have not heard anything about the fate of the animals in the park.

Map courtesy of https://www.yellowstonetreasures.com/yellowstone-treasures-guidebook/maps/yellowstone-national-park-map/

As an aside, my good friend and I were scheduled to visit Yellowstone, today and tomorrow, staying in cabins at Roosevelt and Old Faithful (2 villages in the Park). We had planned this little vacation for several months, but it will not happen. The Park has graciously refunded all reservations. Today we plan to go to the Tetons to inspect what is happening. 

...and then there were more

In the wintertime, I crochet blankets and warm items. In the summertime, I crochet toys. To that end, I've finished 2 teddy bears and 5 piggies. I need to master some other toys. Please meet Tiny Timmy Blue, Harley Hamm, Peggy Piggy and Purple Polly Porker. Hermie Hamm, (not pictured) found a forever home.

A Pair of Piggies

A pair of piggies joined the menagerie tonight. They are named Harley Hamm and Peggy Piggy. I've not made piggies is awhile so I had to go back to the pattern...

turns out I was making them too long in the past. Go figure!

2 New Teddy Bears

Meet Katie and Jazzy, my two newest bears. They are looking for their forever home, 

so if you know of a couple of children who would like them, please let me know. Katie is about 1/2 inch taller than Jazzy, while Jazzy is bright and colorful.

 Both are polite little bears looking for a home. 

Lest We Forget

D-Day, June 6, 1944

Many gave up their freedom yesterday, so we have our freedom today.

It's White Day

It's White Day! A special day in the high country as it's the day when all the berry trees and shrubs in the forest bloom. They only bloom for one day and then it's done. Today is THAT day. Right now, there's a faint white scree over and around the forest as the "understory" and "midstory" are filled with white blossoms.

 It's quite a sight to see all the tiny pure white blossoms.

 

It's uncanny how all the trees blossom on the same day...

....and the blossoms last for a day or two at the most

... Today is June 3, which is late for white day...it's usually before Memorial Day weekend. 

If the trees don't blossom now, it will be too late to bear fruit, and if they...

...blossom too early, the temps will freeze the blossoms from ever blooming and there will not be any fruit. 

The fruit, berries. give the deer added and needed energy in the fall of the year.

 I was afraid we had missed white day, but it came a little late this year.

PS--I discovered these are Service Berries and they are edible...but I'll still let the deer eat them.

A Snowy Memorial Day Weekend

The traditional way to start the summer is to remember veterans past and present on Memorial Day. Generally the day is sunny. Not this year in the high country. This year, it's snowy. The snow is not sticking, but it's definitely put a chill in the air. I fear, lots of picnics were held indoors. 

A light coat of snow ...

... makes for a beautiful scene...

...but it's not picnic weather.

Jacob's Calf at 6 Weeks

I petted Jacob's calf yesterday. What a treat. He's a sturdy little guy and he's growing fast--he probably weighs about 150 pounds. He's full of P and V and according to Jacob not very smart. He gets his head caught in the fence and then he cannot get it out without help, so he bellows. Apparently, he has a loud bellow.

The calf is hiding between Jacob and his sister.

He was pure black when he was born, but now there's some brown in his coat. His fur is very soft.

Doing what a calf does best...eating grass. By fair time in August, he needs to be trained to follow a lead. Right now, Jacob can put a lead on him, but he does not follow very well. He's only 6 weeks old and he has a lot to learn.

Early Spring in Late May

It's springtime in the Rockies. The trees are starting to return to life. The aspens have tiny "baby green" leaves, the conifers have a slight fringe of light green new growth. The land is waking up from winter. There will still be some snow storms, but the snow will not stick at the lower elevations. The mountains will get dustings of snow that look like someone sprinkled them with powdered sugar. In the meantime, the does are wandering in my backyard nibbling at the young shoots. It's the first time that food has been plentiful in several months.

To that end, we put together the back porch. During the winter, the deck is empty. It's too cold. But, with the hint of spring in the air, it's time to use the deck. It's quiet and lovely. We can enjoy the critters as they meander in our backyard, yet they cannot see us. It's a perfect little world back here and one that we'll enjoy everyday for the next few months.

Horrible Day in Texas

Uvalde, TX had the worst day possible. A lone gunman entered an elementary school and killed 15 people, 14 children and a teacher. My heart and soul goes to all the people involved. They are lost and scared and have every right to be. As I listened to the report, I was crying and thinking of all the good times I've had in an elementary school as a student, a teacher, and a university professor. For me, school has always been a safe place. Today, that safety was shattered one more time. Sadly, Uvalde, TX is not the only scene of a school shooting. What causes people to commit this heinous crime against children? I don't know. As the news evolved, someone said security at the school was not tight. The fence around the school was only 4 feet tall, and the gates were open. Why was the fence so short? Why were the gates open? I have no answer. 

18 years ago, I supervised student teachers in several TX schools. Security was fairly tight. Every school had a tall fence and was gated. All back gates were locked during the school day and the front gate was generally open during school hours. Once in awhile, the front gate was closed but it was not locked and all I had to do was swing open the gate to enter the school grounds. Every time I entered a school, I followed a security routine. I had to  1) wear a name badge that clearly identified me and my reason for being at the school,  2)  sign in, at the main office, stating why I was at the school and how long I was going to be there, and  3)  sign out when I was finished. The routine was followed at every school I went to without exception. This leads me to wonder if there was a security protocol for visitors at the Uvalde school. Was there a back entrance to the school that was not guarded? With locked gates, tall fences and only one entrance to the school, it is harder to sneak in without collaboration. I know that does not solve the problem, but it's a start and I know that protocol was in place in the TX schools in which I an affiliation.

I'm deeply saddened by this horrible crime. Schools should be safe places filled with joy and learning, not places wrought with fear. 

The High Country

We finished a 3 day drive to the "high country" which is very different from the desert. Instead of 102 temps, it was 37; instead of sunshine, it was snowy. We wanted to cool off, so we are.

Our first big surprise was a fallen tree in the driveway. Not to be stopped by a mere tree, the other DrC put a rope around it and towed it away.

 We could now get into the house. All seems to be well. There's a lot of do, but there always is. It's great to be here.

FYI

I read the following quote today and wanted to share it with you.

"Located in a transitional zone between the southern Sonoran Desert and the northern Great Basin Desert, the area known as Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park in the Mojave Desert has the lowest elevation in North America at 279 feet below sea level. With some of the hottest air and surface temperatures in the world, it’s no wonder that the Mojave — covering 43,750 square miles across Nevada, California, Arizona, and Utah — is the driest desert in North America. When you visit, be sure to stock up on water!"

Yep...we live in the hottest desert in North America. The temps are cranking up to the low 100s now, and in July the average temperature will be 110. 

The red rock or coral desert is pretty as well as hot!

When....

When the mountains turn golden

And the temperature reaches 100 or more

Then it's time to hook up the RV and get out of "Dodge." As an aside the temp reached 102 about an hour later. 

Definitely time to leave the desert and head for the high country.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, aunties, sisters, and nieces who have mothered children. 

It's hard work and all women should be commended for the work they have done.

Jacob's Calf is 1 Month Old

The little calf is growing fast. He's getting training now so he can be shown at the fair in August.

Blanket Has a Home

A few weeks ago I finished a crib sized teddy bear blanket for a baby shower. Sadly, I could not attend the shower, but my blanket arrived in time. 

The mommy to be really liked it

Just look at the smile on her face! 

New Cabinets

Back in December we ordered some cabinets. They arrived on Tuesday. Since then we've been trying to unpack some of the boxes that have been sitting in my office. Soon, we'll be unpacked. In the meantime, take a look.

My office has a desk and hutch that goes from wall to wall

The "mud room" has 60 inches of storage

And there's a linen closet in the bathroom. These are welcome additions. 

Sandstone Carvings

My next article for the SCNewsletter will be on the sandstone carvings on Lower Flat Top Mesa. If you haven't seen them, take a little drive and enjoy

This year, our carver has added an American Flag

The Statue of Liberty Torch

...and Sand Castles. There are now about 40 carvings along the road. 

I'll post my article when it's finished.

Flat Top Mesas

The mesas dominate the scenery.

The sandstone forms table tops

Some look like palisades

Others look like castles.

Bunnies

There are tiny rabbits living near the golf courses. They are about 

5 to 6 inches long, have shortish ears, and white cottontails.

While they might be pesty, they are fun to see bouncing along the greens.

Springtime in the Desert

The desert is in bloom. So much bloom that there is pollen lining the curbs and the allergies are evident. No matter the allergies, the flowers are pretty and ephemeral. They last for about 3 or 4 days and then they are gone as everything has to be done quickly in the hot dry desert.

. \

Yucca

Lavender

Paddle Cactus

We enjoy them while we can.

Flowers for my Birthday

Yesterday was a milestone day! It was my birthday AND it was the first day in a very long time that I felt great! I had energy. I had stamina. I was happy. What a birthday. I heard from a lot of friends and family. I had some wonderful wishes sent to me. And, to top it off someone sent me flowers. WHAT A DAY. I hope it means I'm on the mend.

Jacob's Calf

Back in July, I posted a photo of Jacob using AI on his angus heifer as part of his 4 H project.

Here, Jacob has just finished the second of two rounds of AI. He was both scared and excited. About a month after the process, we knew that the heifer was pregnant and it was his responsibility to make sure she gave birth to a healthy calf. It's a big job.

Yesterday, we got the result

A bull calf was born. 

Jacob is so excited. I don't know all the details, but mama and baby are doing very well.

The Naming of Mesquite

As you drive the streets of Mesquite, the names of the early settlers and pioneers are evident. Who were these people? 

The Pulsiphers came to Mesquite in the 1890s, and the street by the Oasis carries their name. Then it was a dirt track leading to their adobe home. The Pulsiphers grew cotton, sugar cane, and wheat. To supplement their income, they would lure wild horses into a side-canyon (or pocket) in the narrows. One time, they captured 18 horses and a baby mule.

Leavitt Lane, intersecting Pulsipher Street in back of the Casablanca Casino, was named after the large Leavitt family who were dairymen. Hafen Street, an extension of Sandhill, honors a mining family. The Hardys were known for their musical ability. 

Dudley Leavitt

Bunkerville was coined by Brigham Young. Young commissioned  Edward Bunker, Sr. to start a settlement south of Mesquit Flats. 

Edward Bunker, Sr. 

Bertha Howe, the first nurse in the area, was on call 24/7 for 30 years caring and curing the ailments of the people in town. She helped stock the first hospital. She and her husband lived in the back of the old hospital (now the museum).

Bertha Howe, RN

The only source of water, the Virgin River, probably was not named by the Spaniards to honor the Virgin Mary. Instead, Jedediah Smith, the explorer and trader, dubbed it the Adams River after the President in the 1820s. In the 1840s, when John Fremont was mapping the area, he renamed it the Rio Virgenes, after a member of the Smith Party who was injured on the river. Whatever the case, the river and the mountains are now called The Virgins. By the way, the Virgin RIver should have been called the "Muddy River" as all the water had to be filtered in cisterns in order to drink it.

Mesquit Flats, the original moniker of our town, was derived from the tree found here. When the post office came, they decided that Mesquite was better. It was a common practice to rename a town, if "they" considered the name was too long, not euphonious, or was spelled strangely. 

When you see these street and place names, you have an idea of who came before us and how they lived at the turn of the last century.

Ben Franklin on PBS (Yawn)

Tonight a four part series about Benjamin Franklin, compiled by director Ken Burns, aired on PBS. We are both admirers of Ben Franklin and we thought it might be interesting. We are not admirers of Ken Burns. His one great work was "The Civil War," but subsequent programs have been variations of a theme with  slow-paced photographs/movies and a narrative.

Tonight I remember watching the first 20 or so minutes of the program thinking it was most interesting. There were pictures and modern day "cartoonesque" wood cuts along with a narrative, describing the early life of Ben. Then, I fell asleep. I woke up at some point to hear a droning voice in the background and saw the other DrC was asleep too. That's my commentary about the program. There are 4 episodes, which I will not view. Episode 1 was a great sleeping pill. Given the fact that Ken Burns does not change his format, (which I find boring) I'm guessing the next 3 episodes will be great sleep aides too. I rate it "1 star" as it's impossible to rate a program with zero stars.