MERRY CHRISTMAS from US in ID

We've had a wonderful holiday.  

But I think I've overdosed on chocolate.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES

Silver Lake looks like this right now.

It looks like this in July.

In July it's a home for many waterfowl and a favorite fishing place for pelicans.

It is surrounded by lush meadows...

...full of wild flowers.

Large animals such as moose, deer and bear live there in spite of many human visitors.

In the winter the animals leave their tracks in the billowing snow.

Ducks, geese and swans feed along the Henry's Fork of the Snake River.

Visitors can cross-country ski in the winter; or hike or ride horses in the summer along the trails.

The Railroad Ranch, part of Harriman State park--once a cattle ranch and retreat for the wealthy.

 The property was gifted to the state of Idaho by the Harriman family in 1977. 

YES, DEAR

I took my camera and my cross-country skis

 to visit the big trumpeter swans.

  Sometimes you see animals act a lot like people.

 Here we see Mr. and Mrs. Trumpeter going for a walk.

 Mrs. T. thinks they need to go for a swim and maybe 

find some yummy organic moss on the bottom of the river to eat.

Mr. T. is not too keen on the idea.  That is ICE water after all.

 Mrs. T. is getting a drink of that cold water while her

guy is just shaking his head.

 She is telling him how it's not so bad and, anyway, he needs the exercise.

He walks up and down along the edge of the ice.

 You can almost hear him say, "FINE!" or something even stronger.

 He dips in one big foot after the other.

 (Grumble, grumble, grumble)

"My feet are cold!"  "Oh, you're fine.  Keep swimming."

GLOBAL WEATHER

In a vacant lot near where I work is a world globe made from a large iron mooring buoy.

  It is mounted on a trailer and was used at some time as part of a parade float. 

 Now it tells the weather.

  When there is a glare on it--the weather is sunny.

  When it's wet--the weather is rainy.  

When it's tipped over--the day is a bit breezy. 

 Right now it looks like this.

I think it's pretty accurate, don't you?

The gas gauge on my car was reading empty, but I’d made it to the end of the week and payday.  I decided to take a few minutes on my lunch break to fuel up my car at the station across the street from work.

The station has three islands with two pumps on each.  Usually there are only three or four cars being filled at any one time. 

This time ALL the pumps were busy with more drivers waiting for a turn.  

FINE.  I’d just get in line behind the nearest car.  But wait…

 All the cars in line had tank doors on the left side.

My tank door is on the right.  This meant I’d have to approach the pump from the opposite direction.  If I pulled forward too close I’d be in the way of the car at the pump.

 When the car I was waiting for pulled away; another car behind it took its place.

 How was I going to fill my car?  And why was there such a crowd at the gas station?  Oh, yeah.  Thousands of students at the university were finishing up final exams and leaving for the Christmas break.

Sure enough, every car was stuffed to the windows with suitcases, small appliances, weasels, badgers, bicycles, guitars, snow boards, computers and pillows. Okay, I’m not absolutely positive about the weasels and badgers. 

 Gum chewing co-eds wearing painted-on pants were casually pumping gas with one hand and talking on their cell phones with the other.  I was pretty sure every service station in town would have the same crowd.

 Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I pulled in behind the nearest car, even though my tank door would be on the wrong side.

Knowing the hose might not fit across my car, I drove in as close to the pump as possible, but still forward enough that I could open my door and get out.  Fortunately, my car was small enough to make it work. 

Now I’m thinking about sending off a note to Subaru to ask them WHY??  Why would they put the gas tank door on the wrong side?