Driving a Car from Portland: Day 6

Just passed 2,000 miles on our trip today from Portland, Oregon to East Tennessee.

Followed the Yellowstone River from Gardiner, Montana, through Billings, Montana, then back down into northeast Wyoming.

Stopped by the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Memorial… wow! Reading through the history of this place while walking the actual landscape was seriously emotional. I’ll be honest; I wasn’t really rooting for General Custer.

Then we visited Devil’s Tower National Monument. This was the United States’ first National Monument. 

It is incredible… it means something!

Saw a Black-Tailed Prairie Dog town.

No new bird species, but did see a beautiful Golden Eagle.

Oh… and crazy wind… my arms are sore from gripping the steering wheel… from the National Weather Service: “HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT WEDNESDAY NIGHT... Northwest winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 75 mph.”

This means something!

Devil’s Tower National Monument

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Memorial

The red sandstone and siltstone cliffs above the Belle Fourche River just below Devil’s Tower

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Abigail)

Gardiner, Montana

Bozeman Pass that separates the Bridger and Gallatin mountain ranges

Friday Funnies

Kids are watching Scared Stiff with Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. Abigail has already seen it so she tells Hannah: “Come on. Don’t worry. It’s worth how black and white it is.”

Friday Funnies

Abigail: Is that beer?

Me: yes

Abigail: a certain kind?

Me: yes

Abigail: what kind?

Me: an IPA

Abigail: are there different types of IPA’s?

Me: yes, lots

Abigail: so… they are kind of like subspecies of beer

Me: … well, yes. 

William

The Singing Tree

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8 (Part 1)

Chapter 8 (Part 2)

Chapter 9 (Part 1)

Chapter 9 (Part 2)

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chu Ju’s House

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3 (Part 1)

Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Silk Worms (Read before reading Chapter 4)

Chapter 4

Rice Paddies (watch before reading Chapter 5)

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Puppy 2 is home

I am a little late on this post -- but here are some pictures of little "Clara" (aka "April") with her new family in Texas. This family was stationed with us in Turkey. It's so amazing how life reconnects you and technology actually can be a GOOD thing. Clara is joining her big brother Finn, whose getting a little up in years. Brings me SUCHhhhhh joy!

 

Moving a Car from Portland: Day 5

An unworthy and brief visit to both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park today… in a snowstorm and high winds with gusts to 60 miles per hour!

Both parks were only partially open due to the time of year. Visibility was limited most of the time due to weather.

But we still got to see…

Moose

Bison

Mule Deer

Elk

Bighorn Sheep

Two new species of birds for us…

Ring-Necked Pheasant 

Trumpeter Swan

And my 47th state… Montana!

Moving a Car from Portland: Day 4

Just passed 1,000 miles on our trip so far.

Followed the Snake River from Boise, Idaho, through Twin Falls, and through Idaho Falls to Camas National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Idaho.

Picked up two new bird species:

California Quail 

Greater Sage-Grouse

Then crossed the Teton Pass through the Teton Mountain Range into Wyoming.

Amazing landscapes!

Moving a Car from Portland: Day 3

Drove across northern Oregon today with a tiny side trip into Washington.

From the Coastal Temperate Rain Forests of the western part the state, through the Willamette Lowland, over the Cascade Mountains, through the Deschutes-Columbia Plateau, and into the Blue Mountains of the northeast. Oregon is incredibly diverse!

Crossed the Snake River into Idaho for my first time! State #46 for me!

Also got a couple of new birds today…

510. Townsend’s Solitaire 

511.  Vesper Sparrow 

Wendi Huisman Kitsteiner

Vesper Sparrow by Abigail 

Eggs.everywhere

Moving a Car from Portland: Day 2

In some ways, I wish I was with them on this trip. But in other ways, I know that us not being there means more freedom for these three birders to bird unencumbered. I'm also having SUCH an amazing time spoiling just two of my kiddos -- and now, with Isaac on a youth retreat, enjoying JUST my little Hannah. (Yes, I introduced her to both Ben and Jerry!)

Here are some pictures JB sent me during the day:

And here is some stuff JB shared on Facebook. They will leave in the morning to begin the long drive from Portland back to TN.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

We were incredibly fortunate to arrive at Haystack Rock on the first day that the Tufted Puffins returned to land for nesting after spending the whole Winter out at sea in the North Pacific!

Lots of new birds for us today…

Tufted Puffin

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Black Oystercatcher

Pelagic Cormorant

Western Gull

Pacific Wren

Varied Thrush

American Dipper

As well as some great looks at other uncommon birds for us in East Tennessee.

Here is a link to JB's Facebook post sharing the details from the day:

Birding explained

 

I thought it might help, while I am posting about all these birding adventures half of our family is having, to share this past post I wrote about birding. 

Also, a fun video: