I love that your name animals. I do too, and I love that you thought about having a crow for a friend. And you’re right about that video— great with eyes wide open, eyes blurred, and only sound. Great post, my friend!
Yes indeed. I love Island Park in general and have been all up and down it! Remember Sawtelle Peak? In 1966 my high school friend and I drove all the way to the top where all those comm gear was! Also been to upper Mesa falls. And the nature conservancy spread! But all those 45 mph speed zones! I know that region almost as well as my own city. The Greater Yellowstone Bioregion- accept no substitutes!
Too late I'm afraid. But go east to Clark's Fork and the Eastern Beartooth Plateau northeast of Cody and you can escape the crowds. See all the way to the Bighorns!
The air is sweeter, the skies are blue-er, the clouds are whiter, pine resin smell and pink and white granite... But the crowds are there and the 2.5 million dollar houses. Gentrification everywhere.. Sunlight Basin is still affordable, although it's a Life flight if you have a medical emergency. I may yet wind up living out there..or so I fantasize.
Yes to all those things until "crowds and million dollar houses." That said, I hiked last week into the 3 Sisters wilderness. Literally heard the proverbial ginormous tree falling in the woods, saw a waterfall not expecting to see, and yet no one else, until hiking out and passed a lovely family hiking in with a baby, a 4 and 5 year-old! It reminded me how open it is, and not too far from home. I loved every minute hobbling over those hot, dry, lava beds.
I name birds too! I remember 'Baby Fluff," a little Junco fledgling who would hide in an overturned terra cotta pot while its parents foraged. It chased (on the ground) every Junco on the grass fluttering its stubby little wings, mouth gaping. Once it fluttered up to my shoulder when I and my wife were sitting on a bench beneath the spreading camelia. " It's on my shoulder!" I whispered to her. I could feel it's little feet grasping! Felt like a blessing! This year the house finches built a nest on our rear roof cross beam 20 feet above our back yard. We watched the parents shuttling back and forth feeding their two infants. We were fortunate enough to see one of the two fledglings very first flight when the parents coaxed it off the beam!! We missed the second fledgling's flight two days later. Neither parents not babies returned and the nest is still up there empty.
Baby Fluff got its name from a weird little mohawk of baby feathers on its head. Also it had a lopsided gait! It grew fast and became " Dashing Young Fluff" because it's head feathers never lay sleek and flat like they should...we hoped maybe that would give it a special allure to the ladies!
We love to name things..birds, cars, clouds.. we name it. Most recently is a little sparrow-like bird that's oddly whitish! We named it "Bleachy.". Also there are the four mysterious little "Butterball Birds":who hang out in the old cherry tree.
I love that your name animals. I do too, and I love that you thought about having a crow for a friend. And you’re right about that video— great with eyes wide open, eyes blurred, and only sound. Great post, my friend!
thanks Holly! here’s to friends in as many forms as we can embrace.
“the part of Idaho where it rubs up against Wyoming” is home for me too 🥲
For me too. idaho Falls to Rexburg to Ashton to Island Park to Targhee pass..I'm out there every year.
Delightful! Exactly my family's home turf. Have you been to Harriman State Park? One of my favorite places on earth.
Yes indeed. I love Island Park in general and have been all up and down it! Remember Sawtelle Peak? In 1966 my high school friend and I drove all the way to the top where all those comm gear was! Also been to upper Mesa falls. And the nature conservancy spread! But all those 45 mph speed zones! I know that region almost as well as my own city. The Greater Yellowstone Bioregion- accept no substitutes!
My parents were on Sawtelle peak this very week! And we always take visitors to Mesa Falls.
I'll be there in ten weeks!
Enjoy!!
Targhee!! just reading that gave me a jolt of happiness!
It’s truly an amazing place.Don’t want to say that too loudly, though probably too late for that.
Too late I'm afraid. But go east to Clark's Fork and the Eastern Beartooth Plateau northeast of Cody and you can escape the crowds. See all the way to the Bighorns!
MacKenzie, what are we doing in this swampy, thick-aired Willamette valley? It's clear where our hearts are!
I think this every day Michael. I walk around exclaiming No more ferns! No more moss!
The air is sweeter, the skies are blue-er, the clouds are whiter, pine resin smell and pink and white granite... But the crowds are there and the 2.5 million dollar houses. Gentrification everywhere.. Sunlight Basin is still affordable, although it's a Life flight if you have a medical emergency. I may yet wind up living out there..or so I fantasize.
Yes to all those things until "crowds and million dollar houses." That said, I hiked last week into the 3 Sisters wilderness. Literally heard the proverbial ginormous tree falling in the woods, saw a waterfall not expecting to see, and yet no one else, until hiking out and passed a lovely family hiking in with a baby, a 4 and 5 year-old! It reminded me how open it is, and not too far from home. I loved every minute hobbling over those hot, dry, lava beds.
I name birds too! I remember 'Baby Fluff," a little Junco fledgling who would hide in an overturned terra cotta pot while its parents foraged. It chased (on the ground) every Junco on the grass fluttering its stubby little wings, mouth gaping. Once it fluttered up to my shoulder when I and my wife were sitting on a bench beneath the spreading camelia. " It's on my shoulder!" I whispered to her. I could feel it's little feet grasping! Felt like a blessing! This year the house finches built a nest on our rear roof cross beam 20 feet above our back yard. We watched the parents shuttling back and forth feeding their two infants. We were fortunate enough to see one of the two fledglings very first flight when the parents coaxed it off the beam!! We missed the second fledgling's flight two days later. Neither parents not babies returned and the nest is still up there empty.
Michael your entire comment is a beautiful story. “I could feel its little feet grasping” and I was there, feeling that too. Definitely a blessing.
Baby Fluff got its name from a weird little mohawk of baby feathers on its head. Also it had a lopsided gait! It grew fast and became " Dashing Young Fluff" because it's head feathers never lay sleek and flat like they should...we hoped maybe that would give it a special allure to the ladies!
We love to name things..birds, cars, clouds.. we name it. Most recently is a little sparrow-like bird that's oddly whitish! We named it "Bleachy.". Also there are the four mysterious little "Butterball Birds":who hang out in the old cherry tree.
Have you had the chance to read William Finley's book, American Birds (published 1919)? It's really about his relationships, kindship, with birds.
No, but it sounds like I should!