We passed over the Gallatin Mountains and have entered a plateau, although I am not precisely sure of it's scientific name. The altitude seems high, but the meadows roll with soft hills. Perhaps we're entering the transitional foothills that flatten, becoming the prairie.
About an hour into our drive we stopped at the Town and Country grocery store
in Livingstone, Montana. Our waitress last night at the Lighthouse Restaurant recommended it over the Albertson's, "Better produce. Organic food." Indeed, I ran out, after John had checked out, to grab the Visa!
"Organic, Montana grown and milled whole wheat flour!"
"It'll sit at my feet", I tell John jubilantly!
"You're darn right!" , he declares.
And so,now I have two 10lb bags stuffed next to me. A couple jars of local Montana honey, wrapped in plastic bags with a Ben sleeper as a cushion, nestle close to the flour. It bides its time until warm bread welcomes its sweetness, complementing nutty texture.
Kirsten makes the lunches. I've rebelled and told them to make their own! At that command, the boys, excluding Brian, suddenly lose their appetite. "They'll be no more food until snack time in 3 hours." ----What is this an international flight? Continuous food?---- Kirsten gives the little kids red bell peppers and lettuce she spotted on the rotten produce cart: 3 peppers for 99 cents! I munch on a torn-off strip too. Sweet! Sweeter than candy!
We're making good time driving down-and-over to Keyhole State Park, WY. Because of the circuitous, traffic-laden route through Yellowstone, we chose to exit north out of the park, and drove up in order to go south and east! But, MAN!! 75 mph sure feels good! Patriotic songs boom inside the arena of our van, "I'm proud to be an American...where I won't forget the men who died to give that right to me...there aint' no doubt I love this land...God bless the USA...from the lakes of Minn...from sea to shining sea..." God! I love America! I cry as I type this. I don't know if its the young men and women who have sacrificed their lives and families for me and my children: strangers. I don't know if I weep over the hope that is America! And Hope never fails, it wells up within me as tears watering the seeds of future glory. How does this work? My children see my deep abiding love, of my America. Their country. The one I'm giving them this summer. I cry because of the duty incumbent upon me as Citizen! I feel the weight of nurturing the gift, of this nation--America-- by God, and actuated by our Founding Fathers, with courage and vision and sacrifice. Happy Independence Day fellow American! Live the promise!
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We just passed the Yellowstone River--again! It's like the Snake River, always carrying you forward.
Also, just saw my first "soddy" house ever. Very cool! I read a child's book "Dandelions" to the kids about settlers who move into a "soddy", bugs and dirt falling onto their sleeping faces, and all! In the story, the little girl plants dandelions, the only available flowers, on the roof of her "soddy" making it a home for her homesick, pregnant Momma! I love that story. Chokes me up every time.
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This morning I left the sleeping cabin, showered fresh, and ready to pick out souvenirs. Many in Yellowstone begin the day EARLY! Since we've been on the road for 3 weeks, the early has been hiked, driven, camped out of us!! I know the gift shop opens at 7:30 and I AM THERE! greeting the clerks with a cheery "Happy Fourth of July"!!!! Red, white, and blue balloons decorate the shop. It's empty, for now. I have the attention of a young clerk whose grandma has worked at Yellowstone for decades. She tells her story, the pottery's story, its legacy: her grandparents commissioned urns for themselves in advance. Grandma enters the store, confirming. "I just wanna make sure Bob goes in his, and me in mine! Our names're fired into the urn!" Well okay......I continue admiring, and placing piece after piece upon the counter. Decisions! After deep pondering, I choose many Carl Sheehan earthenware art. It becomes the bulk of my store tab!!!
Carl Sheehan, The Potter in Residence at Yellowstone captures the soul of his world better than the many other artist's work that I've seen around the country...and I've been looking!! His motto and now mine, "Out of my hands into yours".
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Back to the drive. On John's rotation to pick a patriotic song he picks Battle Hymn of the Republic. Chills prick my skin. Tiny cactus spines of life and love of country!!! We all belt, "Glory, Glory Halleluia!" Someone mentions that Rush Limbaugh loves this song. He played the entire song: the version used at Ronald Reagan's funeral and at the dedication of the George H Bush library, on his radio show. Four-plus minutes of air-time. Now that's love!!
Stars and Stripes Forever, Marine Corps Band playing, of course:John directs us to clap! Now I say, "Direct"!!! My mouth belts out the trumpet parts! Proud to be a Marine!! Corn fields, train junctions, silos, families in cars vacationing...I'm an American in America!
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After leaving the gift shop I return to the "just-bustling" cabin. Annaliese has left to shower! We all skirt around bins, sleeping bags, trash bags, the Kuereg cord....I tell the kids to bail out one room. "At least we can close IT off!" Gradually the chaos becomes the order of 5 bins atop the van, stuffed sleeping bags stashed under benches. (Where and how, I don't know??), tied black Hefty bags of consolidated wrappers, cups, nasty underwear (?) land in the "clean" room. I finish making three cups of "joe"--perfect, for our half-and-half just ran out too!-- At last, after last minute bathroom runs and Camelbak fills, we pose in front of our cabin. A kind "neighbor" offers to take our picture!
We drive out of Yellowstone about to enter another "flyover state": the colorful threads of the blanket which warms me. Not an elk in the herd lifts his head saluting us, "Good-bye"! An appropriate send-off: Make memories, take only pictures, leave only footprints--It's as if we were never there, but the bison, and bear, and beaver--the osprey, and elk, and eagle---they remain...along with the wolf, the grizzely, the mountains and meadows, rivers and lakes , and creeks and lava rocks, and sulphur pits. Yellowstone transcends me and the international students working summer jobs. Yellowstone IS.
Thank you Father for the natural wonder that became the land of my NATION. For without your world, creation, and man's genius of the Experiment of the United States of America, there would be no
First National Park: Yellowstone. My country, America, has given the world's people a refuge in which to ponder the glory of God and their place in His creation. It takes a NATION to create a national park! God Bless the USA!
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