Last night we had what we used to call on the farm a "soaking rain". The rain fell steadily for several hours without ever becoming a downpour, allowing, in theory, for the water to soak into the ground rather than merely becoming "run-off". Everyone who lives around here was thankful for the gentle rain as the winter snows were sparser (and, yes, dear bro, "sparser" is correct. Go here.) than usual.
Unfortunately for us tourist types, the rain continued off and on into the morning and the temperatures stayed in the uncomfortable high 40s and low 50s complete with a steady northeast wind....Brrrr!
So, after spending most of the morning in the nice warm laundry facility we had a leisurely lunch in the Moho (no picnic today!), then ventured forth into the Park. The view through the windshield shows a measure of our desperation to get out!
We kept thinking that the rain would let up and things would get better, but here's the windshield view on the way home this afternoon.......
The truth is that as we made our way around the northern half of the Park circle, things did improve and we were able to get out of the car to see a few things and take some pictures. This, for example, is a hot spring up in the Mammoth Hot Springs area that must have been going for eons to have built up this display. No special history here, I just like the colors....
As you can see from the steam, it is still flowing hot water.Directly across the little road from the hot spring was this display of blue and yellow wildflowers spreading up the hill..
Our next sighting was more exciting. We spotted a mother Black Bear and her cub traversing a small meadow just above the tree line on the hill above the road.
Suddenly, Drama! Mom senses intruders. They are downwind and with Mom's poor eyesight, she can only make out large brown shapes. Grizzlies? Monsters? Lets pay attention and watch....
"No worries, Mom, I can handle them!"
"No way, son! What you can do is get yourself up that tree! Now mind!"
"Now you stay put while Mom stays right here and guards the tree!"
Which is just what she did for the next half hour while the half dozen Elks (the plural of Elk is either Elk or Elks) quietly grazed in the meadow........and we stood there with camera ready in the damp 45 degree temp with that pesky breeze just blowing and blowing.......finally gave it up and went on down the road.We had only gone a little way when this Pronghorn buck crossed the road in front of us, then paused to pose...
Then MMG insisted that we go back to the area where she spotted the Big Horn Ram a couple of days ago. My pleas that it was getting late and that seeing another Ram in the same area would be like lightning striking twice in the same place, where we had never seen a Big Horn before, that further delay would make it too late for ice cream, etc., fell on deaf ears.
Well, no doubt you've already guessed who was right.....
At least I was right about it making us too late for ice cream....... Love to all.
MMG and DDG
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