Manifest Destiny: Westward We Go!: Backtracking to Yellowstone

Day I: June 1 the girls went horseback riding across Yellowstone's meadows. Lydia did very well managing her horse. I was impressed. We spent about 3-4 hours on the horse including a brief lunch of plain ham and cheese, a peach fruit cup, lemonade --served in a cup--and EVEN a choc chip m and m cookie. The experience was okay. All of us had the myth of Western movies in our head, and think we should be able to ride like John Wayne or "Audra Cartwright" from the get-go. The scenery was typical Yellowstone, but just being on a horse added to the mystic of our adventure. All and all the boys and girls would say it was a positive experience. (Boys rode on Wed).

While we rode, the guys took care of the little kids by splashing in the mixed waters of Boiling River and Gardiner rivers. They somehow found a horse shoe "court" too, which was great fun for them. (Not so much if it had been I!)

Later on Monday, after flopping in our cabin 2 min and then climbing the hill behind our cabin in search of bear--which we never found---the girls rafted down the Yellowstone river. Annaliese and Grace were allowed to go and they were ECSTATIC, for Grace had felt quite sad and left out about not horseback riding. Safety as my primary concern, we got wet from some simple rapids, but I never felt like I was going to lose my babies! The boys rafted Wed, Day 3. They had a different experience, for sure! John and Brian, paddled madly into some swirly-twirlies and had a wilder time! All in all a great experience!

Day 2: Tues. Hot as can be! As I said before, we soaked in the Boinling River mixture for a bit...That's how I washed my shorts for the day! And, actually, the dampness of the shorts felt WONDERFUL as they cooled me down. I chronicled most of the day in my "driving the figure eight" and "Old Faithful" posts!!

After Old Faithful, and at about 8:30 PM, we arrived back at the cabin. I made us sloppy joes and Bush's baked beans. Colman Stove food never tasted so good!!

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I just took a break from blogging to make peanut butter sandwiches for the Little Ones. I feel like a "real mom" and say so out loud. Kirsten reminds me of Lydia's comment at a camp site after a had prepared a tray, of sorts, with the s'mores ingredients. "Wow Mom! You're just like a real mom!"

SAY WHAT?

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Day 3: Wed the boys paddled and saddled (see above) While they saddled, we ladies hiked up to Beaver's Pond, a location we never reached, if it even exists!! Several other weary hikers tried to stumble upon it too: Barely English speaking Spaniards sought guidance from us as we sat on a log, literally, resting by a small brook. Kirsten commented that the area looked like a "tree junk yard". Interesting! I reflected on her observation...

Perhaps, a "junk yard". Yet from this downed detritus, new life springs! Moss covered logs block the stream's flow, forming pools in which frogs spawn, the wood decomposes becoming fertile soil, light shines in otherwise darkened woods. Flowers bloom.

When humans create "junk yards", rats and flies follow. A wasteland develops....

How ironic!! As I type this, a junkyard appears alongside I-90: rusted out trucks(of all sizes), cars, blown-out mobile homes, half collapsed,weathered barns, , tractors...all rusted! Nasty!! Alongside the highway? Come on!!!

Nature: "A School of Harmony"

Peoples: "A School of Love"

I make the contrast, for even in its harmony, its natural order established by God, it can not image the Trinity! Creation provides a lens into the goodness, harmony, omnipotence of its Creator. Yet, without a soul, without a will, it cannot LOVE. However, we can still learn from the interaction of organic creatures with the inorganic matter of earth. The seemingly infinite forces that shape and reshape earth instruct as well. That is why we must make a still place within, preferable by leaving the chaos of modern life, like St Francis of Assisi, the hermits, contemplatives who receive nature as an ACTION.

This journey of ours has not progressed as a conquering mission such-as the title Manifest Destiny might suggest. I have traversed the continent as a beggar grateful for the land's gifts. Mostly, the children have also received their country as gift. The sentiments of Julius Caesar have no place in our sojourn:

"I came, I saw, I conquered."

As students of dynamic nature, people can observe rejuvenation after a forest fire, and live out resurrection experiences in their own lives: broken friendships, heart aches, personal losses...Only humans can execute an act of the will, and choose to overcome a Holocaust with God's grace. Because we can be intentional actors, we image God, and through the sacraments, become Him: Ipso Cristus!

When we act in harmony with others through acts of humility (listening, maintaining silence, repecting other's time and journey,choosing the smaller the least portion or place), forgiveness, contrition, patience, compassion, empathy, steadfastness...LOVE, we perfect nature's harmony, and become one with nature, its Creator, ourselves and each other. The Father created for a purpose: to provide a playground for His son, and all of his adopted children through the blood of Christ. The Father created the perfect world for his perfect son! Nothing less would do! We have been blessed to play in his backyard for 3 weeks!

Along the path to Beaver's Pond,

We also met a young Dutch couple with their adorable platinum haired, blue eyed daughters aged 2 & 4,perched on their shoulders, searched out the elusive pond. I said that I didn't attempt the 300 ft vertical climb though brush, with my brood. 15 minutes later, after we had surveyed the amazing "Lower Terraces", a thermal influenced haven for organism who thrive on varying degrees of scalding acidity! Some places along the boardwalk looked like buttercream frosted spread in waves across a sheet cake. Elk dared to walk upon some portions of the fragile surface! I guess their instincts discern the presence of a thin crust--with boiling water hidden beneath it! Some areas have formed a waterfall effect after thousands of years of oozing water. A 20 ft pillar of minerals stands proud as a "thumbs up". Now extinct, the oozing mineral laden water built up the formation over the eons, until younger upstarts, bubbled up over night, without permission! Time proceeded, a respecter of nobody's pride. Now an obelisk, cold, a monument to a life-span....

After the sulphur terraces, we ladies, determined to spend money on lousy food, tried to buy burgers at a cheap-er grill, at the fru-fru place, but chose not to wait, jostled for 30 minutes. We returned to our cabin, where I cooked delicious, practically FREE, quesadillas on the propane stove! In the 94 degree heat!

After a brief rest we picked up the guys from saddle-ing, we gathered up our dirty clothes and headed out to do laundry (girls) and raft (guys)... but then you know all about that!

Ben sick of his car seat!!