Back to Earth

I've been gone for awhile. Drh and I took a ten-day trip to deliver our daughter L to Montana where she is attending a photography school for the summer. On the way, we stopped at Yellowstone National Park for three days, stayed in Missoula, MT, for a day where we left her, and took in Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument and Museum, and Badlands National Park on the way home through South Dakota.

My main impression was that the West is HUGE. I can't imagine the thoughts of the pioneers and explorers as they first encountered those amazing and majestic spaces.

I took several pictures (hundreds, actually), but those taken by L were so much better that I will just direct you to her blog - enjoy!

Yellowstone - Day One, Yellowstone - Day Two, Yellowstone - Day Three

The most interesting part was the other-worldly scene created by the hundreds of hot springs and geysers in the thermal fields and basins. Just like being on another planet (I think, as I've never really gone to one).

Because it's early in the season for most park visitors, we avoided lots of crowds, and were blessed with chilly but mostly dry and sunny weather, the sight of lots of moms and babies - bison, elk, grizzly and black bears, great horned owls, nesting eagles, pronghorns, and regular calves on the ranches along the way.

I didn't forget about the activities and plans waiting for us at home - in fact, I probably added to the list as I was fortunate to find a great, cute quilt/fabric shop in Missoula (and bought a little fabric). They were even open early on Sunday morning and right next to the little breakfast deli where we ate a great meal. The shop is Selvedge, and if you ever get that far away from home, I urge you to visit. They have a wonderful corner full of vintage fabrics, home decorating and drapery bolts, a big selection of printed oilcloth, some fascinating books (I wish I had bought them all!), and beautifully selected designer quilting cottons arranged in the most delicious and inspiring displays. Here is their blog. I didn't take any pictures, but I wish I had.

The travel schedule was demanding enough that I only got to run once - about 3 miles in Missoula on a great trail next to the Clark Fork River. But the walking, stair climbing on boardwalks and trails, a short hike at Yellowstone, plus the adrenlin of driving so far pulling a trailer must have worked against the constant eating, since I managed to lose a couple of pounds on the trip.

I would say my Friday Fave Five are:

1. Beautiful open spaces and skies of the West.

2. Reminder of the great timelessness of the universe as we saw all the baby animals and the care given them by their mothers.

3. Appreciating the natural wonders of our country and how they are being preserved.

4. Spending time with my husband and daughter on a unique adventure.

5. Getting home again to my comfortable and welcoming place of my heart.

(See more Friday Fave Fives here at Susanne's Living to Tell the Story.)

Now it's back to work and routine - oh, we'll be attending a wedding and the surrounding festivities this weekend, so maybe not! Have a great week!