Yellowstone

A small cabin on the edge of West Yellowstone.
Funny drinks.
Frosty mornings.
Nights filled with: wolf howl and elk bugle:
laughter and pranks.
Me in bed with the small one in my sleeping bag, curled about my neck or wound in a puppy circle between my knees.  
RW restless with his kinky-train-accident-back on a rustic bed frame.
The snores of our friends and family coming from the 
bunk beside us or 
the next room.
Rosie on the floor by the stove, sleeping in glorious, fire crackling shabbat shalom.
Cooking on a woodstove.
Early mornings.
Blue light.
Log cabin cozy cast iron:
Has anyone seen the oven mitt???
The potatoes are finished!
Can someone deal with the cheddar?


Dinner by candlelight.
Red wine.
The slow hunger of the fire in the stove.
That calm that comes with spaciousness.
Frost on the entire world.
Tall grass.
Golden sunrise.
Don’t-lick-the-truck-your-tongue-will-stick!
That broad back,
narrow waist,
swinging rhythm of wood cutting…boys, can I get some kindling?
Nope.
That’s not enough.

Boys in trucks and camouflage toting 30-06 rifles headed out for more elk hunting 
on the snow laced razorbacks of Idaho 
(a kiss good-bye, in the dark):
lodgepole pine,
3000ft vert (x4),
quakies turning orange and yellow under autumn sun,
wolf dens four feet deep in conglomerate rock,
grizzly bears hunkered down on narrow trails
shaking their blocky heads
and unafraid (take a wide path Jimmy, walk fast, don’t look back).

Yellowstone National Park
dressed in autumn gold
and the clear, rippling foil of running water in all directions.
The crackling of steam vents, the boiling mud, the turquoise pools of water burgeoning fresh from the earth’s crust.
 My girlfriends and I cruising through 
the space of the park.
Me, squeaking at every bison I saw,
counting the points on the bull elk.
Praying for wolves.
 The quiet murmur of Old Faithful–
the stand up column of white wet hot.
 The high places.
The closeness of God.
The thoughts I never spoke.
The speaking aloud.
 A small and eerie lake formed by earthquake.
A bag of candy.
Two strangers at a trail head with the freshly cut pelt of a yearling wolf — that coarse hair and intelligent face stone still in the afternoon light.
A little sadness in my soul.
A snowflake on my arm.
A full truck cab
and Honky Tonk Tater Tot 
snoozing sweet puppy chocolate velvet the entire way home.
________________
Yup.
That was West Yellowstone!

Comments

  1. photos and words: magic and holiness.

    xx

  2. absolutely incredible pictures, jillian! wow! looks like a spectacular time!!

  3. calamityjane(t) says

    i'm real glad you brought a little spud home with you.
    xoxo

  4. The Noisy Plume says

    Foxy: xx

    Kate: It was!

    J: We're pretty happy to have Tater too — actually, I'm happier than I can say. The moment he came home, I cried on him and felt something sad in my heart heal up. x

  5. MissKStone says

    I knew as soon as it took my ancient computer an incredibly LONG time to show the full post, it was going to be a good one. Adventures with your clan sound and look fantastic.

  6. Hot Damn Missy!

  7. heaven

    love and light

  8. Absolute beauty. Made my night.

  9. i cried too, when i read that you felt healed by tater…i love you. so happy there's a new fuzzbutt to snuggle with.

    also – THAT RAVEN PHOTO……….

    xo

  10. what beauty! if it's not a secret that you want to keep near and dear, where did you stay? the cabin looks lovely.

  11. chestnutmocha says

    So wonderful! Yellowstone i smy all time favorite because it is the first in the world national park that was established and it was the first one i've even visited! It's amazinf and your pictures are really great! I love the animals ones a lot!

  12. wonderful series!!!

  13. Such beauty! (I'm at loss for words. The photos of frost made my heart jump for joy!)

  14. SilverNikNats says

    Thanks for taking us on your wonderful adventure, your photos are beond stunning, have a great day xxx

  15. Um, WOW, Your words, your experience, the photos, your new pup…all a special treat for me this early morning. I'm still left feeling enchanted…
    thank you
    xo

  16. Your shot of the cabin window…immediately swept back in time, living in some whimsical novel. Love.

  17. Yellowstone is amazing. It takes your breath and to speak in it's vastness feels like committing a crime.

    So Tater! What a cutie!

  18. Lorelei Eurto says

    EEEEK! yay!! I picked up on the the "small one in your sleeping bag" right away! I'm so happy!!!
    Tater Tot, is stinkin adorable. what is the breed again? my husband is asking…

  19. Kate Carpenter says

    I dearly love Yellowstone. Beautiful photos!

  20. WolvesAtTheDoor says

    There seems to be some sort of mistake in the cosmos, I think you have my life (at least the one I've dreamt up in my head!) May I have it back now?! Just kidding, I'm very grateful for all I have….and can't wait to travel America! Also – that raven rocks and all your other photos are stunning, thank you so much for sharing!

  21. Lynsey Phelps - VerreEncore says

    i feel lost for the words to describe how this beauty made me feel this morning. we enjoyed Yellowstone, but can't wait to return in a less "touristy" time (we become somewhat hermit-like when our in nature… not wanting to see hundreds of others).

    the frost, glow, and hush. the wildness. soul soaring!

    and TATER! oh heavens 🙂 i squealed and teared up when i saw that sweet little pup. maybe Mr. Tater and Ms. Ayer will have a playdate someday. woof woof!

    x

  22. Welcome back home. Such lovely photos, and a new pup to snuggle, love and heal with and drive you mildly crazy! Did your hubby get his elk?

  23. Love the first photo, reminds me of a book I'm reading about homesteaders. You'd probably like it.

  24. LOVE. Worth the load time. Blessings…

  25. Absolutely beautiful…wow how my hearts aches to be out west!

  26. I love these pictures from Yellowstone. It has been my dream to go to there since I was 6 or 7 years old. Hopefully one day I land to your continent and see it myself 🙂

  27. Andes Cruz says

    yellowstone: such a magical and amazing place.

    beautiful images.

    and…. *WHO* is this chocholaty sweetness?!?!?!

  28. sylvestris says

    Ode to joy.

    x

  29. Ahhhh, congratulations Jillian! That is one lucky little puppy. May you have many joyous years together.

    Also, WONDERFUL photos.

    xoxo
    em

  30. Wonderfulness. Gorgeousness. Joyfulness. Snugglyness. I'm happy for you.

    I think my daughter and I are going to West Yellowstone late next summer. Not too far from you…

  31. The Noisy Plume says

    anna gast: The US Forest Service rents out the backcountry cabins that rangers used to use when the department patrolled wilderness areas by horseback. Most of those cabins (and yurts) can be rented, short term. When he comes home, I'll ask RW to give me the website address that lists all the cabins that are available! We stayed in another cabin like this last February. You can see what it looked like here: http://thenoisyplume.blogspot.com/2011/02/birthday-ing.html

    It's a pretty well kept secret. 🙂

    Lorelei: Tater is a German Shorthaired Pointer — I'll be giving an official arrival announcement for him next week. He's going to melt your heart (right after he finishes eating my shoes).

    Lynsey: This is a GREAT time of year to be in Yellowstone. It was rather quiet. The summer rush is over and the winter rush hasn't yet started!

    Brandi: I don't know if he got his elk! He's still out there. I think he slept in a tent in a blizzard on a crazy little ridge line last night. Since he's thousands of feet up in the air, he has cell reception…but I haven't heard from him yet today. I hope he and Rosie survived the night!

    M: We might be reading the same book…

    Andes: THAT'S TATER TOT!

    Doro: Exactly. Exactly!

  32. The Noisy Plume says

    Thank you all so much for these sweet comments! It's been my pleasure to share Yellowstone with you! xx

  33. The Noisy Plume says

    Emily: Thank you!

    Ketra: !!! You let me know exactly when and I'll come over and meet you. Now I know some great secret spots out in greater Yellowstone area that I would be THRILLED to share with you.

  34. Catherine Chandler says

    Oh, goodness, what an adventure! I can feel the chill of the mornings and rewarding heat of the stove. Smell of the pine needles and crackling grass, the earthiness of animals and breathtaking beauty of their forms. And puppy breath. Sweet, beautiful, stinky puppy breath!

    I love YOUR soul.

  35. Good Girls Studio says

    What a wonderful fall adventure, your photos are magical…I can almost feel the chill in the air… XoXo

  36. wildfennel says

    and here's to new beginnings and to the beautiful, velvet chocolate tater boy! this trip looks so inspiring, hope u came back with some yellowstone tales to go into your creations.

  37. Totally beautiful images. One of my must go to before i die places, one day i hope.

  38. Simone Marie says

    Love!

  39. Your words and photos are just so…nourishing. I hadn't checked in for quite a while and after catching up feel positively engorged! And so very glad to see the new tater.

  40. I hate the cold but your photos always make things beautiful regardless of their real features. And most importantly – I am already in love with the chocolaty beauty. 🙂

  41. sylvestris says

    Sweet smooth milk chocolate softness!
    x

  42. Caren via Tea and Chickadees says

    it is impossible not to find poetry & god in such a place as this. thank you for sharing your photography & words – the bison! the raven! the clear water! the heaven on earth! the sweet puppy face. xo

  43. kathryncole says

    Amazing pictures! You are an inspiration. I hope you know that.

    I have always wanted to visit Yellowstone. I hope to take my daughter someday soon. It's so wonderful to see it through your eyes.

    I am happy to read that your heart healed up with the new addition.

    I love your soul too. You are amazing. XOXO, Kathryn

  44. Sooooooo nice! Love it when you travel.
    Incredible, beautiful photos! wow.
    Welcome home everybody. xo

  45. Nancy*McKay says

    Oh BABYbabyBABY…
    i love this.
    i love it ALL.
    &
    i've been thinking about YOU today…
    i've just gotta say,
    i love you!
    Oh Honky Tonk…what joy!
    XO

  46. So happy for you and the healing touch of little Tater. He's a handsome fellow!

  47. Woman of Promise says

    Oh what a lovely pictorial, it is so wonderful to have this experience of America from so far away, THANKYOU for taking us on your adventures this way.

    And…nawww precious Tater, oh he looks so snuggly, how very very special, I am so happy for you! Vx

  48. Desiree Fawn says

    My whole body is tingling after cruising through this post. Wow.

  49. My father was in Yellowstone in his youth in the 60ies and has spoken so highly of it on several occasions. Now I see why! Just amazingly beautiful photos. Wish I could go there some time!

  50. your photographs are absolutely amazing.

  51. mme. bookling says

    Hot damn, your camera is on fire. And a NEW POOCH. Amen. Oh, and I've never been to Yellowstone.

    p.s I will not be commenting on the BoonesFarm and whatever beer abomination that was.

  52. The Noisy Plume says

    THANK ALL, again, for these wonderful comments! I wish I could put you all in my truck and drive you over to Yellowstone so you'd be able to see the park for yourselves!

    CRM: HA HA HA!!!!! I knew you would comment on the Boone's and the beer abomination. They came in a care package from some firefighter friends who couldn't be with us. There was also a can of Axe in the box and a nerf gun. HEE HEE!

    I did try a sip of the Boon's. As soon as I tasted it, I said to myself, "THAT'S why it's $1.00 a bottle…."

  53. amazingly beautiful!

  54. MrsLittleJeans says

    you brought back great memories….thx

  55. indigorhino says

    I lived in Yellowstone for two glorious summers. This post brought it all back in a single rush. Thanks from my rather fragile heart. That little Tater is the most rambunctious bundle of joy I've seen in some time!

  56. Elizabeth Ann Wright-Clark says

    Your photos, especially these that remind me of home, …break . my . heart! So beautiful, soulful, how do you do that??? I want to be able to capture the beauty half as well as you do. Lovely, lovely.

  57. your apperature & musings are a true link between dimensions, beyond time & a true blessing for those of us caught in concrete jungles…..bless bless bless.

  58. Was Farley jailed again? If you don't love him send him to San Diego, uncle Sean will take him in.