3rd Time is the charm in West Yellowstone

It's like deshavue (spelling?), or maybe a dream repeating itself--I'm back for the third time in a month at our West Yellowstone Resort. The only differences are the snow has melted a lot and it's much warmer. It's surprising what two weeks of sun can do to change the appearance of the land.

Jeff, Shaun and his family and I are having a wonderful time here. Yesterday, we went into the North part of Yellowstone. Much of the snow has melted causing the grasslands to be flooded. Animals abound at almost every turn indicating that they are rejoicing that a long, hard winter has passed. Baby bison tag behind their mothers, anxiously waiting for a chance to nurse. Wolves are helping the animal populace with their killings--especially golden eagles, ravens, ospray, coyotes, and smaller preditors. Wolves take their prey down (elk) along riverbanks. Three wolves had done this yesterday and we were able to watch the small preditors feast. Also, at a different location we were told that a bear and a wolf had a squirmish over the recent elk kill by another pack of wolves.

The wildlife we have seen are (I hope I can remember all of them): a black bear, 3 grizzles, antelope, herds and herds of buffalo, elk, wolf, coyote, bald eagles, golden eagle, ospray. I'm still looking for a moose and Shaun wants to see a beaver. We think we saw a beaver in the lake but it was so far away we could not confirm it.

Jeffrey and Macee are regular little travelers. They have the routine down. We stop, get out and enjoy the site and then back to the car, buckle up and "watch for animals!" We sing, I tell stories. They beg me over and over to repeat "One day when I came home from school my mother met me at the gate..." They giggle and giggle and squeal, "Again!" My throat gets so sore. But I'll do anything I can for little children or is it for me so that I can hear their joyous laughter? When I am in the presence of children I feel "true joy."

The 3rd time here is really the charm. We are having a wonderful time and I wish everyone could experience the wonder of it all.