James went to an employee sale at Backcountry.com and scored some fun "new" things. The sale was full of return items (for whatever reason) that they couldn't resell, so they were priced anywhere from $1 - $10 and sold to the employees. He bought me a t-shirt and a 1/4 zip fleece turtle. A bunch of socks for Oma. Some long underwear for himself and a $2 headset for his helmet. Doesn't matter that it is above 85-degrees outside, he HAD to try out the helmet surround sound.
I just love the shorts & parka & helmet in the livingroom ski bum look!
Is it winter yet? - September 12, 2009
Yellowstone National Park - September 6-9, 2009
Kathleen is fantastic at squeezing in a couple extra days into her travel time so that we can go adventuring together. This time we wanted to visit Yellowstone National Park before her semester at BYU-I began.
We only had two nights, so we made the most of it:
GEOLOGICAL WONDERS
James getting a better view of Canary Springs
Jessi & James at Mammoth Springs
Splurt at one of the mud volcanos
Sign in the Yellowstone Lodge showing the predicted eruption time for Old Faithful.
Old Faithful – Kathleen’s only request for the visit was to see Old Faithful erupt.
The Anemone Geyser – my favorite little geyser is located near Old Faithful.
NATURAL BEAUTY
Tower Falls
HISTORY
We found this little gravesite where we stopped for lunch.
We only had two nights, so we made the most of it:
WILDLIFE
The first large animal we saw, and the most numerous – the bison.
Elk in Mammoth Springs
Looking for wildlife…
A crane on one of the rivers – we saw lots of birds.
The first large animal we saw, and the most numerous – the bison.
Elk in Mammoth Springs
Looking for wildlife…
A crane on one of the rivers – we saw lots of birds.
We didn't see any deer inside Yellowstone National Park - these and about a dozen others were in our campground in Montana - we camped outside the park at the Soda Butte Campground out the Northeast Entrance of the park.
GEOLOGICAL WONDERS
James getting a better view of Canary Springs
Jessi & James at Mammoth Springs
Splurt at one of the mud volcanos
Sign in the Yellowstone Lodge showing the predicted eruption time for Old Faithful.
Old Faithful – Kathleen’s only request for the visit was to see Old Faithful erupt.
Old Faithful Geyser and Old Faithful Inn.
The Anemone Geyser – my favorite little geyser is located near Old Faithful.
Canary Springs.
NATURAL BEAUTY
Tower Falls
Lower Yellowstone Falls.
Virginia Cascades.
HISTORY
We found this little gravesite where we stopped for lunch.
During the winter of 1888-1889, E. C. Culver served as winter caretaker at the Firehole Hotel, and lived there with his wife Mattie and daughter Theda. Mattie Culver was tubercular and Culver hoped the mountain air would help improve his wife’s health. Sadly, Mattie continued to worsen, and died on March 2, 1889. Heavy snows and frozen ground made proper burial impossible. Solders from the nearby Fountain soldier station helped place Mattie’s body in two barrels covered with snow. She remained there until properly laid to rest when the ground thawed in the spring. A tombstone marking her grave near the present
Nez Perce Picnic area reads, “Mattie S. wife of E. C. Culver died March 2, 1889, aged 30 years.”
THE LICENSE PLATE GAME
We saw license plates from 47 out of 50 states – I took a picture of Hawaii for proof – the only ones we didn’t see were Deleware, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
The old yellow buses for tours
Some of James’ favorite cars taking a ‘vintage’ tour through the park
SEPTEMBER CAMPING
It was cold enough that everything had frost on it in the mornings – James let the sun take care of the frost on the windshield and the tent.
Eating breakfast in the sunshine
Intermittant Springs - Afton, WY - September 6, 2009
The state of Wyoming has been doing some tourism advertising in the state of Utah. For several months we’ve seen a commercial that includes this incredible “intermittent springs”. A natural spring that will turn itself off and on at regular intervals. Like Old Faithful, except no geyser. And it isn’t hot.
It is located just outside Afton, WY and since we were only a few miles up the road in Aspen for the Greater Simpson Family Reunion, James and I were determined to go. We loaded my folks into The Outlaw and hit the road. It was fun to hear my dad mention coming to this area to visit his grandparents.
A short mile hike along a pretty creek to THE SPRINGS…
which seemed to be going full blast when we arrived. Just look at the beautiful moss!
The water springs out of this incredible ravine – not even a quarter of the way to the top.
We hiked right up by the springs for a closer look, and to wait for the springs to turn off.
The water never stopped. The water level in the pool under the concrete protection would fluctuate, but the famous “off and on” just stayed on. I guess the water level was just too high. Maybe next time!
It was still a beautiful day for a walk.
Greater Simpson Reunion - September 4-6, 2009
James & Eunice Simpson posterity reunion. Their oldest son, James Corwin Simpson is my grandpa and his siblings & spouses (or those that are still alive) and their posterity get together over Labor Day weekend each year in Star Valley Wyoming. I can remember several of these reunions over the years, but this is James' first go-round.
The oldest generation - Aunts Glenna (blue stripes), Velma (red) & Clara (pink), Uncle Jess (cowboy hat) & my grandma, Thelma (white).
This family reunion is full of traditions, including an auction, lots of good food, and:
THE HANDMADE QUILT RAFFLE:
This year’s quilt is made and donated by Aunt Marlynn. I bought one ticket. We didn’t win. All the proceeds go toward family history research.
Every year in the past, the quilt was made by Aunt Velma. So Aunt Marlynn put together a presentation to recognize all the years and years of work and beautiful quilts that Aunt Velma has made and the family has enjoyed.
This is the very first quilt Aunt Velma made. It shows the history of her grandparents (my great-great-grands Thomas Houghton Simpson and Mary Jane Bradburn) meeting in England, meeting the missionaries, converting to the LDS faith and emigrating to the United States.
THE HORSESHOES TOURNAMENT:
I’m not very good, but I did get one ringer!
James had three different partners and played close to a half dozen games – isn’t he cute when he’s concentrating!
He and Connie won the whole tournament and the grand-prize portable hammock!
BINGO:
Bingo is super fun – especially when the prizes are 2-liter bottles of soda or huge king-size candy bars. I won a 2-liter of Mountain Dew. James won a 2-liter of caffeine-free diet pepsi, two candy bars, a Lightning McQueen story book and with this double-x BINGO he won…
...a WAFFLE IRON! We have two at home, so he donated it to Kathleen and her BYU-I apartment.
GAMES FOR THE KIDS:
The Star Valley Express
Filling the piñata.
Smashing the piñata.
The cable swing.
HOME SWEET MOTORHOME:
This was our home for the weekend (thanks Mom & Dad & Oma!)
NEW PUPPY!
And this was our adopted puppy for the weekend (thanks Doug & Caress & Uncle Gord) Her name is Kenya and we want one just like her when we grow up.
We enjoyed our weekend, meeting and re-meeting some of my extended family. James thought he was particularly awesome for scoring us some snacks, a hammock, a waffle iron and some firewood for the Yellowstone trip we have planned with his sister, Kathleen. Yep, he’s awesome.
The oldest generation - Aunts Glenna (blue stripes), Velma (red) & Clara (pink), Uncle Jess (cowboy hat) & my grandma, Thelma (white).
This family reunion is full of traditions, including an auction, lots of good food, and:
THE HANDMADE QUILT RAFFLE:
This year’s quilt is made and donated by Aunt Marlynn. I bought one ticket. We didn’t win. All the proceeds go toward family history research.
Every year in the past, the quilt was made by Aunt Velma. So Aunt Marlynn put together a presentation to recognize all the years and years of work and beautiful quilts that Aunt Velma has made and the family has enjoyed.
This is the very first quilt Aunt Velma made. It shows the history of her grandparents (my great-great-grands Thomas Houghton Simpson and Mary Jane Bradburn) meeting in England, meeting the missionaries, converting to the LDS faith and emigrating to the United States.
THE HORSESHOES TOURNAMENT:
I’m not very good, but I did get one ringer!
James had three different partners and played close to a half dozen games – isn’t he cute when he’s concentrating!
He and Connie won the whole tournament and the grand-prize portable hammock!
BINGO:
Bingo is super fun – especially when the prizes are 2-liter bottles of soda or huge king-size candy bars. I won a 2-liter of Mountain Dew. James won a 2-liter of caffeine-free diet pepsi, two candy bars, a Lightning McQueen story book and with this double-x BINGO he won…
...a WAFFLE IRON! We have two at home, so he donated it to Kathleen and her BYU-I apartment.
GAMES FOR THE KIDS:
The Star Valley Express
Filling the piñata.
Smashing the piñata.
The cable swing.
HOME SWEET MOTORHOME:
This was our home for the weekend (thanks Mom & Dad & Oma!)
NEW PUPPY!
And this was our adopted puppy for the weekend (thanks Doug & Caress & Uncle Gord) Her name is Kenya and we want one just like her when we grow up.
We enjoyed our weekend, meeting and re-meeting some of my extended family. James thought he was particularly awesome for scoring us some snacks, a hammock, a waffle iron and some firewood for the Yellowstone trip we have planned with his sister, Kathleen. Yep, he’s awesome.
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