Yellow is a nice stone*

Last weekend was a long one, so we took advantage by flying to Wyoming and visiting some of Emily's friends (Greg and Kara and their 2 small childs, Ben* (confusion ahoy!) and Teo). Ben is very talkative and interested in tractors, whilst Teo is around a month younger than Bluet. Both are very sweet.

The trip out was uneventful, and Bluet was able to catch up on her reading.

It was pretty cool to be in the Wyoming-Montana area for the first time - apparently (unbelievably) Wyoming is bigger than the Old Country.

But with many fewer people, and more bears.

What were the skies like when you were young? They ran on forever

It was wonderfully not humid compared to New York, and full of enormous mountains. Our first excursion was to Red Lodge, a mountain town with a restaurant selling vegetarian sausages for breakfast, and a small brewery selling delicious local beer and food. I approve of this behaviour.

NB Bluet had to borrow clothes because it was colder than we expected! Loaned shirt features Bucky the Badger of the University of Wisconsin American Football team

This is the only photo I have of Ben facing the right way

Then on Sunday we visited Yellowstone.

This was my first National Park in 31 years, and Bluet's first ever. You will probably have heard of Yellowstone either because it is the home of Yogi bear or because it is the home of Old Faithful, a giant geyser (which is, I am reliably informed, pronounced geezer - old faithful - old man, makes sense to me). I was expecting to see Lions and Tigers and Bears (Oh my) but sadly there were none. I suspect it was because it was the labour day weekend and they were staying out of the way of all the people (there were a lot of people). We did see some buffalo, elk and birds. And some cool natural features - e.g. stinky bubbling mud pits and an enormous waterfall, as well as some spectacular mountains on the way in.

O give me a home where the Buffalo roam

Waterfall (and the yellow stone of Yellowstone)

be thankful this isn't smelly vision

We had a tedious flight back with a 5 hour layover in Minneapolis airport (although this allows me to check another state off the list), and an hour wait for a taxi home. Throughout this all, Bluet behaved herself.