Coyote in the Snow

Here's a frisky coyote in the snow. So cute.

Snow in August

September was the start of snow in Yellowstone - and it pretty much continued from there on. Here are some snow photos from the park.

September 30
October 9
October 20

The Fire

Here's a couple photos of the big fire Yellowstone had this summer. I say the "big" fire b/c there were a number of other small fires - which is typical. Of course, this fire was nothing like the fire of 1988. It did, however, burn thousands of acres. It's a little sad but actually really good for the environment. I drove up Dunraven to get these photos.

When We Weren't Working

Although we worked a lot at the station, we also had some fun. Here's some of the fun we had:

My New Friends

One of the best things about my summer in Yellowstone was the people I met. Here are a few of my new friends. There were a lot of other great people - but these are some of the pictures I hadn't posted yet.

Don't Speed in the Park, Seriously!

Yellowstone has 7 gas station and 4 of those stations have wrecker services. I got to see a ton of wrecked vehicles since I worked at one of the stations. Way too many of those wrecks could have been avoided had the drivers been slower and paying more attention to the road. As well, a ton of animals would still be alive if the drivers had done the same. Here are some vehicle versus animal examples:

Notice the hair in two of these photos.

I'm Back....

So - it's been forever! At the end of my summer work vacation, I stopped taking a ton of photos or blogging. I wanted to really enjoy the rest of my time there with my new friends and the park. Plus, I started knitting a lot.

I've been home almost two months now and decided it's time to start blogging again. I'll catch you up on the rest of my time in Yellowstone, my trip home and what I've been doing recently - but it will only come one blog at a time.

Skyping with Clayton (Plus Jean & Lara)

I got to Skype with Jean, Lara and Clayton this afternoon. It was seriously fun. At the beginning, Clayton was bashful and ignoring me. By the end, he was blowing me kisses - my favorite part.

Labor Day Weekend at the Sation

I've had the worst time working yesterday and today. Perhaps I've been in a mad mood but I think it is mostly the customers have been really annoying. For example...

Yesterday:
1. A customer honked for me to come outside so he could ask me a question. I ignored the first honk so he pulled up further to gesture to me. I went out and he asked if we had an air hose. Had he looked right in front of him he would have seen we do have one. Does anyone do this in real life - i.e. outside of vacation?

2. A guy came in at least 4 times asking where to see bears. I guess not everyone realizes but Yellowstone is not a zoo. Bears are wild and they travel throughout the park. However, I was nice the first few times. I told him a good place to look - over and over and over. He kept coming back. The last time I gave him direction, I was describing a pullout on Dunraven.

Me: "There is a large pullout on your right before you get to Dunraven Pass. It has a small building with a toilet."

Him: "The one past Dunraven Pass."

Me: "No, it is before Dunraven Pass and the large parking lot for the Washburn hike."

Him: "It's after the pass. There isn't one before the pass."

Me: "Yes, there is one before the pass."

Him: "I just drove it. There isn't one."

Me: Thinks - "I've driven it 70 thousand times." But says: "Okay."

He left, found the one I was talking about and returned to tell me I was right - and he saw the bear. I still hated him.

3. A guy, that has come in 40 times the last 3 days, came to tell me he saw an emu and it was calling for a mate. I asked, "Was it bugling like an elk?" He told me it was different. I just look at him. He tells me the emu was 5 foot tall and came right by the road. I don't have a response.

Today:

1. A guy asks how much our electric converter costs. I tell him, "I think it's $35." He says, "Like $3.50?" I say, "No, like $35."

2. The stupid bear guy from yesterday came in again. I was in the office getting a deposit ready and hear him talking to my co-worker. He tells the co-worker he saw a "full size grizzly" on Dunraven. Co-workers says, "yeah, that's the one we were telling you about." Guys says, "No, that girl told me it's a cub." I didn't go correct him but for the record - I have NEVER seen a cub on Dunraven - not a black bear cub nor a griz cub - and I did not tell him it's a cub. That wouldn't even make sense. There wouldn't be a cub by itself that made it all summer alive - unless it was already a year or two old - in which case I would have described it as a yearling.


There has been a ton of other annoying things but they are all small and not worth writing - but they add up and make me what to kill people.

Visit from the Rents

My parents came to visit. It was awesome. I love them. Here we are on the Beartooth Hwy between Cooke City and Red Lodge.

Dorm Pets

We have tons of little rodents behind our dorm but my favorite is our two pine martens. For the longest time, my dorm mates would mention seeing a pine marten. Then I started seeing him every once in awhile. One afternoon I was reading outside (with my camera ready) and found out we didn't have one pine marten but two. That afternoon I saw them playing together and chasing chipmunks. One is just a tad smaller but they seem to be about the same age - maybe siblings.

Pine Martens:

* The American Marten is a N. American member of the Mustelidae family, sometimes referred to as the Pine Marten.

* The Mustelidae family is also referred to as the weasel family, a family of carnivorous mammals.

* The marten has a long slender body w/ glossy brownish fur, a lighter colored throat, long bushy tail and pointed snout.

* Like cats, its claws are semi-retractable and aid in climbing trees.

* The animal is omnivorous, preferring to catch and eat small mammals.

* Also consuming fish, frogs, insects, carrion, fruit and other vegetation.

* It is most active at night, early morning, and late afternoon.

* Mating occurs during the summer and 1 to 5 "kits" are born the following spring.

* At the turn of the 20th century, the marten population was depleted due to the fur trade.

Here is our martens:

Introduction to Chubbs

I think I've mentioned Chubbs before. He is our station pet - although some of my co-workers consider him a pest. I, on the other hand, love him and think he is super smart.

Chubbs started raiding out station food by coming in the back door. We would often leave that door open while stocking, etc. He would quietly come in while we were busy and open a bag of gummies or nuts. We would normally hear the bag opening and go running to see him running off with his cheeks stuffed. We were losing so much food that we had to make an effort to always close that door.

With the back door closed, what did Chubbs do? He started coming through the garage and into the store. He was much more visible this way and always caught before actually getting to the food.

Like I said, I love Chubbs and think he is super smart. We don't have any other rodents sneaking in the store for food. My co-workers just find him a pest. They often chase him or throw rocks at him.

Here's Chubbs:

Random Stories (not related to Yellowstone)

A couple weeks ago, I got a Facebook message from one of my cousins asking if I was gay. I'm not sure why she asked. Maybe because I'm liberal or I have friends that are gay or I'm 31 and not married w/ 2.5 kids. No matter the reason, it left me wondering how many others wonder the same thing - and if the answer really matters to any of them.

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The other night, I had a dream that I was going to work for my dad. I was getting this awesome office job with a good salary and a sweet, gigantic office (although his office actually has cubicles.) In the dream, getting the job was also the worst day of my life. It seems my conscious and subconscious are in agreement - I don't want to end up behind a desk.

Yellowstone Stories

I went on a hike today. Well, I wouldn't call it a hike - more of a walk b/c it wasn't hard or fast or long. I started at Cascade Lake Picnic area and walked back to the meadow. I didn't walk the Cascade Lake trail - just random walking along animals trails, etc. Part of the walk was in the woods and part in a wet meadow. It was a great time. On the hike I:

* Got eaten by a million mosquitos.
* Ate wild strawberries.
* Saw bear scat - but old.
* Took tons of wildflower photos.
* Forded a stream - i.e. stepped over it.
* Saw a pair a little girl panties on the side in the trail.
* Found a downed tree at toilet height and peed

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I also went to the Yellowstone River and sat along the shore for about an hour. I was hoping to see the beaver I saw weeks ago - when I didn't take my camera. No such luck. When I did see him, I was reading along the shore and when I looked up from my book he was about 10 feet away staring at me. Today I only saw a raven, ants and a salmon fly. It was nice - even though I didn't see the beaver.

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Two people came into the station this morning asking if there is a car wash in the park. Seriously? You can't be on vacation with a dirty car? And why would a national park ever have a car wash?

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At least two bison got hit last night. A Fishing Bridge wrecker went to one of the hits and the other was taken care of by Canyon. The van that came to Canyon was torn up. The hood was through the windshield and the steering wheel was jacked up. There was bison fur all over. I hear the bison from the Fishing Bridge hit walked away but the bison from the Canyon hit was already dead when the wrecker arrived.

Today, I meet the couple from the Canyon wreck. While the woman was here she noticed how close the hood was to her face - through the windshield. She was a little teary and happy they weren't hurt. It really is amazing they weren't hurt at all. I just wish the bison had been okay too.

I have pics of the van I can put up later.

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A little boy (maybe 5) came in earlier this week with $1. He wanted gum and I made him cry b/c he didn't have enough money. I was really trying to be nice and tell him everything he could get - 4 suckers, Lifesavers. He went running out of the station without buying anything. A few minutes later he came back with $5 and his older sister (maybe 8). The little boy was crying and the older sister bought his gum.

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Yesterday I went to the old Dunraven Road with Caleb to see wildflowers. I had mentioned how many flowers I saw in Glacier and Caleb said he would take me to see some here. There were a ton on the old road - several I hadn't seen in the park yet. While we were out we saw old bear scat, a grouse and her 3 cheeps (babies) as well as a Stellar's Jay.

Thanks K.P. (and Ashley!)

When I got back from Glacier, I had the best mail waiting for me. K.P. (and Ashley) sent me a shirt imprinted with my favorite photo of K.P. (Although every photo of K.P. is cute!) Right now, I'm wearing it for the 2nd time. Ashley said in the photo K.P. is saying, "Where's Aunt Jennifer?"

I love you K.P. and can't wait to see you in October. (And I love the newest baby Slania - can't wait to meet you!)