July 21

The early morning sky is sunny with temperatures in the upper 60’s as Caroline and Riley join me for a hike in the 2.2 million-acre Yellowstone National Park. Soon we come upon a small pond where several dragonflies flutter above the surface. Exploring the bank, I spot some of these, including a Western Pond Hawk, a White-faced Meadow Hawk, and a Paddle-tailed Darner. Also, I see a lovely Spread-wing Damselfly. Circling the pond, I spot a patch of Golden Paintbrush blossoms as well as a lovely blue blossom of Fringed Gentian. Driving a short distance, we find a vacant campground with a sign on one of the picnic tables that reminds us we are in Yellowstone Park, not Conservation Park in Alma. Exploring this area, I come upon a patch of Harebells. The Haida Indians of the Pacific Northwest called them "blue rain flowers" and it was thought that picking them would cause it to rain. Nearby, I see white blossoms of Richardson's Geranium, named after Sir John Richardson, a 19^th century Scottish naturalist, explorer, and surgeon. Next, I come upon a Twinberry Honeysuckle shrub. While its berries are a valuable food source for wildlife, they are not recommended for human consumption. Scattered on the ground are frisbee-size mounds of dried Buffalo dung. Bison feces is an important natural fertilizer for microbes, plants and other animals. This natural biologic function is a fundamental means of nutrient flow on the grasslands and woodlands in the park. Up ahead, I pause to observe the reddish stalks of Woodland Pine-drops. Lacking chlorophyll, this saprophyte derives its food from dead and decaying plant material, especially the deep humus found under Lodge-Pole and Ponderosa pines. Hiking near our cabin rental, I pause, along with other tourists, to watch the Old Faithful geyser erupt, an event happening nearly every 90 minutes. Yellowstone Park boasts a high concentration of geysers due to a shallow magma chamber that provides the intense heat needed to superheat groundwater, while rainwater and snowmelt seep into the ground, forming underground reservoirs. Fractures and faults in the rock act as a plumbing system, allowing the heated water to rise rapidly and erupt as geysers. After the eruption, I notice some of this heated water carrying high amounts of calcium carbonate, cool and form a chalky white landscape while some of the water spills into the passing river. Down river, I spot a few Common Mare’s Tails poking out of the flowing water. This perennial herb can be a troublesome weed, obstructing the flow of water in rivers and streams.

 

One early morning

One human finds

Steamy geysers

Lodge pole pines

One life grateful

We saved this place

For nature’s wonders

To have their space

Bison and bears

Make their mark

One of a kind

Yellowstone Park

D. DeGraaf