Newspaper Article by me: Progressing in Earth’s Preparatory School

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Polly Castor, christian progress

I am a columnist for the Danbury News-Times Forum on Faith column. Here is my most recent article: Progressing in Earth’s Preparatory School The founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, asserted in her bestselling book Science and Health with Keys to the Scriptures, that “Earth’s preparatory school must be improved to the utmost.” She … Read more

Inspiration Point

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The hike to Inspiration Point overlooking Jenny Lake in Grand Tetons National Park is a classic one and we had a gorgeous day to do it. We also enjoyed painting the scene, complete with a moth that hung out on my finger for hours… Ah, bliss, mountains at last.

American Indian Beadwork

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We entered Grand Tetons National Park in the rain so chose to explore the Indian Museum at Colter Bay. My daughter was very interested in the beadwork, and I took some photos to share with you here. It is amusing to note the thimbles used for decoration on a hatchet, and don’t miss the grizzly … Read more

Yellowstone Caldera

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Yellowstone is in the mountains, but is not particularly mountainous, because it comprises mostly a caldera. If I had once known that term, I had forgotten it, but my thirteen year old knew it from last year’s Runkle Geography course (see here). In the map below, you can see the ring where the caldera is … Read more

Geysers and Thermal Pools

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Above is the famous geyser, Old Faithful. Also you see here “mud holes,” the Opal Pool and the Grand Prismatic Spring. Near the bottom, there are a couple photos of how the landscape in general is percolating due to magma very close to the surface. Sometimes the steam makes visibility difficult! The yellow, orange and … Read more

Bison

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Bison are everywhere in Yellowstone. A herd of millions, now down to a few thousand, they are taking over this landscape with a right of way, walking in the roads, hanging out in the campsites, lumbering and chomping, taking their time…

Snow in August / Old Faithful Inn

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We woke up in our tent to snow in August. The temperature was in the 20’s. Where were the 106 degree temperatures of only a few days ago? While cold, it was still beautiful. We drove to the Old Faithful Inn for their delicious hot breakfast buffet, and then luxuriated in their 7 story, authentic … Read more

Canyon of the Yellowstone

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We did all the little hikes at the Canyon of the Yellowstone, including the 656 slippery steps to the base of the falls and back. (My daughter loved that; she scampered it 4.5 times = 3052 steps! See two photos of the steps below, one close up and the other from across the canyon.) The … Read more

Mammoth Hot Springs & the Boiling River

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We woke up in the Mammoth Hot Springs Campground and went to the National Park Lodge for an affordable hot breakfast; I had trout Benedict and my daughter had chocolate chip pancakes. We then visited the travertine terraces, which were built up over several thousand years of 170 degree flowing solution carrying two tons of … Read more

Beartooth Pass

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We came into Yellowstone through the Beartooth Pass from the north into the northeast entrance to the park. The Beartooth Pass has nine scenic switchbacks which quickly gain in elevation. At an overlook, chipmunks begged peanuts and we saw storm clouds gathering at the top of the pass. Once we got up there, we had … Read more

Northeastern Wyoming & the Lovell Pass

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We continue driving west to Yellowstone, taking a scenic detour through western Wyoming over the Lovell Pass… We romped on a meadow at an overlook (can you find my daughter in the two photos under the dandelion?) and enjoyed a rainbow while picnicking under a roofed table in the rain at a rest area…