Summer slinks away on buffalo hooves
I’m writing away on these beautiful sunny days— like a dope, I guess. I should be outside enjoying the fine weather, even though it is pretty hot even up at 6000+ feet. My husband and I did get away for a few days in Yellowstone National Park. I’m pleased to report it wasn’t overwhelmingly busy and most of the roads are open. We got a day pass ($2) to drive from Tower Junction to the Slough Creek turn-off where you can drive on a dirt road along the creek. This has been a favorite fishing spot for us over the years. The creek was scoured a bit from the floods, with huge piles of deadfall at the curves. Not much fishing action— or would I tell you if there was? Mwahaha. Plenty of wolf watchers but no wolves seen. Most of the Lamar Valley, where wolf-watching is best, is on the closed stretch of road where there is said to be at least two wash-outs and two bridges out. If they don’t get them fixed by winter, Cooke City’s winter season is peril!
We urban-camped in our new van, behind Old Faithful Inn, but please don’t report us! No one bothered us at all, so maybe they don’t care. One can hope. We made up for all that by eating our meals in many of the park restaurants. We spent one day at Yellowstone Lake, just hanging at the water’s edge. Also too warm (or something) for fishing but super relaxing. That evening we went out at dusk and watched Old Faithful spouting steam (not the big show but plenty) against the dying light. A do-not-miss with very few fellow watchers.
I’ve done some hiking with my ladies group in and around the Madison Valley. We are called the WOWs— the Women of the Wild. It is so pleasant hiking with other women. I never enjoyed it much with my husband or teenage sons, struggling to keep up the pace they set. But we have lots of rules about hiking in groups of four or more, bear spray at the ready, leaving no one behind, with the WOWs. May you find your hiking tribe! Or your fishing tribe— as these lady fisher people (what is the proper term??) did in the early 1900s. Photo at the elegant old Lake Hotel.
My friend Chris recommends lounging at the cocktail bar with a French 75 when at the hotel.🍸Why not? Beats a string of dead fish. 😂 What is a French 75?
The book I’m working on is called Here There and Everywhere, another Beatles title. This one revolves around Stasia, second oldest sister, who goes off to France when she’s laid off from her job on a fashion magazine. It will be, muse willing, number 18 in the Bennett Sisters Mystery series and arrive around Christmas. If you’d like to preorder now you absolutely can! No one will stop you! 🙌🏼
Preorder on Amazon here: Here There and Everywhere
By the by, the first book in the series, Blackbird Fly, is free for a few days, until Tuesday, August 23. Here’s that link: Blackbird Fly
More info coming soon about some anthologies I’m in, with collections of mystery short stories by different writers. Watch this space! 🌻
Happy final lazy days of summer, if you’re so lucky. 🌞