A Close Second

On Sunday we had another great day - not as wonderful as Saturday, but definitely a close second. :)

We started slow, having breakfast in Jackson and then talking with my parents on the phone for a little while. Got lunch to go and packed it with us into the park, taking advantage of a brief lull in the weather to get out on the only "open" trail in Teton.

Open... HA!

The trail was 1.6 miles each way to Taggart Lake. The first part was the easy part, and it was uphill. The second half of the hike was in 4 foot deep snow, walking on the snow pack. Poor Jason kept sinking all the way! That's almost a mile in the snow each way!

I realized a very large victory on our hike - I did not once have trouble with the circulation in my hands and feet. I've written briefly about this before, but due to my celiac disease, I developed a circulatory disorder called Raynaud's Syndrome when I was 23, where I lose circulation in my hands and feet whenever I get chilled. Prior to our time in Wyoming, I would lose circulation in my hands when the weather dropped under 70 degrees (if I was not appropriately dressed - long sleeves and a jacket.) Now, I can take a two hour hike in the snow if I'm dressed properly. That's a BIG DEAL! It was pretty exciting. :)

We ate lunch at Taggart Lake and hiked back out just in time. Right after we got back to the car, the skies opened up and the rain started coming down. I don't think my circulation would have done as well in the rain if I had gotten wet.

On the drive back into Yellowstone, we finally saw another Moose. This was actually a pair of Moose (the male is just starting to grow his antlers back after dropping them last season), and the first we'd seen in a month since one ran across the road in front of our car.

I Love Moose. They're so amazing!

We also encountered this little lady eating an apple core someone must have tossed from their car. Isn't she sweet?

We stopped for dinner at the Yellowstone Lake Lodge at Lake Village in the park. The food was SOOOOOOOOO much better than what we'd had at the Old Faithful Lodge, and the view was spectacular. Add to that the Pianist they have on staff who plays music nightly in the Lodge, and the setting is complete. The Pianist was playing all the old standards, especially Gershwin, and I was charmed. There's no other way to put it. Charmed. I couldn't stop singing along and think I was making Jason a little crazy.

We finally got home to find out that one of the mares had her foal on Saturday morning as we were driving out. (I KNEW I saw something!) She's all gangly legs. I can't get enough of watching her play and nurse and sleep. :) It's my new favorite pastime on the ranch. We have another foal due in early July - I can't wait!