Life On The Planet

Weather Whine

(Yellowstone National Park, September 2010.)

Why is it that 50 degrees is so pleasant in the Fall and so annoying in the Spring?

I want sunshine!!!!

Please. Please. Please!

Gotcha!

There are prairie dogs all over the Ingalls Homestead in De Smet, SD. There are also Garter snakes all over the Ingalls Homestead, but we'll save those for another time.

Butterfly tried and tried (a la Mary and Laura) to sneak up on one.

She cornered this fellow behind the school house.

She gloated all the way home!

Wordless Wednesday

(Tiger and Butterfly walking on a rocky shore in the Grand Tetons.)

Then and Now

(In a one room school house on the Ingalls Homestead in DeSmet, SD.)

Then: Children sat silently row by row, and did their work.

Now: Tiger reclines on the sofa to do his math.

Then: Teachers taught using their brains and a text book.

Now: "Does this come with a CD-ROM?" I ask.

Then: The young 'uns milked 3 cows and plowed the back forty before school every morning.

Now: Ba ha ha ha ha...!!! I'd pay good money to see that!

Then: Boys ran outside hootin' and hollerin' like wild animals when school was over.

Now: Some things never change.

My Moses

(Stained glass at U. S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel.)

Today was 6th Sunday at our church. What is 6th Sunday, you ask? It is the day when the children run the service.

(Scary, no?)

Here is the low down.

Tiger was the Crucifer. He carried the Cross. No one was injured or impaled. Good news!

Butterfly read the First Reading. When she came to the word Rephibim she substituted, "Uh, I don't know," then continued on.

Our priest turned purple. A delightful color.

Sal played Bach's Cello Suite #1 on accoustic guitar. It was beautiful. When he got up to return to the pew, I realized he was IN HIS SOCKS. He had kicked off his shoes and F.O.R.G.O.T.T.E.N.

 

Cringing in the front pew,

The mother.

Thanksgiving

Having enjoyed way too much food at Aussie Kim's house, I am feeling particularly grateful.

Hope you are warm and dry.

Hope your stomach is as full as mine.

Random Wyoming

(All photos taken with Butterfly's digital from the van on I-25.)

Wyoming defies description, so I won't attempt to describe it. The photos will speak for themselves. I will, however, tell you three things I know.

1. I really want to come back some day.

2. You could drive for hours in Wyoming and never see another living being.

3. They have one REALLY LOONEY road construction flag person. (Nothing a couple years in therapy couldn't hammer out, I'm sure.)

Now, I give you, WYOMING via the van...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, YELLOWSTONE!!!!!

"Explosive Laden Vehicles Exit Right"

Today was Air Force Academy day. Anyone who knows the military knows about the interesting signs that decorate military facilities. "Explosive Laden Vehicles..."

Those cadets know how to party.

Salamander spent the day with a "Firstie," or a senior cadet. He attended class with him, toured the campus and enjoyed a quality meal of chili dogs in the dining hall. Meanwhile, Tiger, Butterfly and I went on a tour. Here are the highlights.

 
(Self explanatory, I think.)

This is what I call a driveway!

 
(The drive in from the gate.)

 
(Memorial fountain. Firstie's jump in it after final exams.)

 
(I hear the cadets like to steal "steal." But that could be a lie.)

Dinner for 4,500? That's a lot of dishes!

 
(The dining hall.)

And finally...

 
The Cadet Chapel. 

(More on that later. It's worthy of its own post!)

The most exciting part of our tour included a trip to the emergency room for our own fallen warrior. Dad tripped on an uneven sidewalk, and took three years off of my life. He's got quite a shiner, but is otherwise fine.

If you are ever in Colorado Springs, visit the Academy. It's a wonderful experience.

Just watch your step!

The Obligatory "We're Not in Kansas Anymore" Post

 When we left Wakeeney, Kansas is was 48 degrees. Heavens to Besty! (Not sure what that actually means, but I think it works.) As we climbed in altitude, the mist burned off and the temperature went up.

 
(Tiger and Butterfly are looking forward to mountains!)

Finally! Colorado! Mountains!

 
On the to-do list, check in at the hotel and on to the Garden of the Gods...

 

which...

 
was...

 
wonderful!

Kansas, We Love Ya

52 degrees? Are you kidding me?!? Welcome to Kansas!!!

 
 
(Wind farms on I-70. Taken from the van. We are one with the van.) 

 

(The view from the front seat. Prairie. More prairie. Then hills. And more hills.)

In case you think our scholars are slacking...

 
We have photographic evidence.

Tiger did his math. And some other stuff.

Butterfly, on the other hand...

 
Well. It was a long trip.

Colorado, here we come.