If I Could Snuggle the Woods, I Would

So as you know, I was in Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, WY this past week. Mr. W and I flew into Jackson on Wednesday afternoon, picked up our rental car and then drove about 3 hours to West Yellowstone to stay for the night.
As soon as we entered the south gate of the park, I could feel myself rejuvenating. Being in nature—especially somewhere as spectacular as Yellowstone—has a profound effect on my psyche. It’s like having God Himself tap me on the shoulder and go, “Check this out, I made this for you.” I feel so at peace. At one. Fortunate.

The first place Mr. W and I stopped was Lewis Falls. As we crunched up the trail to look over the tumble of water, I could literally feel my spirits rising. I would love to know if exposure to fresh air and the smell of soil and pine can actually release Serotonin in the brain. (Note: I may have been equally excited when I discovered the Jacuzzi bathtub in our hotel room.)
We were also privileged to witness fields and fields of wildflowers. Rabbitbrush, lupine, fireweed, paintbrush and yellow monkeyflower polka dotted the hillsides and the riverbanks. Everything we saw seemed extra vibrant—pastel petals, cobalt sky, flickering sage-colored Aspen leaves.
My favorite sights, however, were the fuzzy wuzzies. We saw a bald eagle, a buffalo, some antelope or elk (they all kind of look alike when they don’t have antlers…), a durkle of baby ducks (What’s the proper word for that kind of group? Gaggle? School? Hoard?), a marmit and several hawks and magpies.We also saw these guys and many of there brethren in various stores throughout Jackson Hole. I was margarita tipsy when I took this shot through a store window, finding it funnier than I probably would’ve sober. Poor little coonie-pie and squirrelypants…
You’re probably wondering where all the geyser shots are. Be patient, my children. The geyser post will erupt in time.