I spent the night at Craters of the Moon National Monument. When I left the Park and headed West there were many lava flows that I took the opportunity to climb in and around...when I came out of this one...I looked away from the rising sun and Voila...
there was a complete rainbow! It was sprinkling and the camera lens got a few water spots...I couldn't believe how close the ends were...I could have run across the road, jumped the snow fence and touched it!!
The Majestic Tetons are just incredible....not like any other mountains I see....there are no foothills as they were created by a Block Fault. 
Reflection of the Tetons in Taggert Lake on a 4 hour hike...it hailed on me last year on this hike....this time I was packing a raincoat! 
This black bear is the only bear I saw...and it was from the road as I was driving through the Park.
There is just enough people action to make it interesting..there are 4 campsites here and I have met the coolest people.....this family I met here last year!! They have been coming here 32 years and it was just by chance (or not) that they were here at the same time. They are avid fishermen and of course I got invited to a fresh trout dinner!! It was like coming home to my Yellowstone family!!
I missed, by 1 day Gary and Terry who I was hoping to meet up with. I did meet some more very interesting folks....a Glassblower from Seattle and a Wolf Photographer from Idaho. As I ready to leave the Ristras are hanging in the van....we will see how far they make it as they continue to turn red and hopefully will dry out...not sure as I head to cooler and wetter Pacific Northwest!
Another Geyser not far away...notice the rainbow!!
Microbes are responsible for the colors!
The first scene as I drove in this morning!
Lake Yellowstone and West Thumb Geyser Basin in the distance.
I found a beach!! on Lake Yellowstone...AND there were seagulls!!! I swear!!
I am now at Old Faithful Inn writing to yall and listening to a great piano player and warm in a beautiful Lodge!
then sat and ate the Tunas (cactus fruit) from El Cerrito, New Mexico...yummy!!
Saw this cow moose across the river munching on the willows...she probably stayed there a good hour. 
Started out in Alpine, Chinati Hot Springs, Big Bend, Texas....
New Mexico... Colorado.....just too many pics to go through so will start with where I am now.......
One of my jobs was to design and put in the greywater system for the schoolhouse. I had lots of help..we put in 2 pipes (ABS) that ended in a rock enclave, then goes into a mulch basin of hay and planted a fruit tree at the end of each one. One of the 11 residents in this village has vowed to keep them watered as noone lives in the schoolhouse.
Then we took a side trip to Las Vegas, New Mexico and about 6 miles from town there are the Montezuma Hot Springs..Robin and I have a soak.
The bees arrived via U.S.Postal Service all the way from Kentucky...I received a call at 5:50 AM saying they were in and I could come pick them up....this is 2 hives that came crated together. About 2 pounds of bees per box. They have been in here for 3 days and there is sugar water inside in a can to keep them alive. The Queen Bee is in her separate box. I had their home all ready for them. 
I checked them today and they are drawing out the comb and have even put honey in some...others are capped off with brood inside where the Queen has laid eggs and waiting for new babies to be born!
Visiting the Humpback Whales in the Bay of Banderas, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.....saw a LOT of whales......great boat trips.....mostly cloudy....and hardly any wind so did not get a chance to do the kite aerial photography.
About 20 miles south of Puerto Vallarta is a most magical Botanical Garden! Lovely setting on a river and a very fine restaurant! We were treated like royalty really as the owners are personal friends with Keith and Oscar.
I met Oscar a couple years ago in Holbox, Mexico when we were there filming the International Whale Shark Conference. He introduced us to this technology of Kite Aerial Photography (KAP). Since then I have visited him at his home in Puerto Vallarta and accompanied him on several boat trips out in the Bay of Banderas to see the Humpback Whales. They are having their babies now and there is a lot of activity. He sent me these photos yesterday!!!
Oscar is a marine biologist and has been researching the Whales for almost 20 years now. I will be helping him put all his data into a Geographic Information System (GIS). He now has a GPS on the camera so we will be incorporating that as well. I am so looking forward to being in Mexico again and I hear the Pacific Ocean is shaking around now so who knows what we will see or feel??!! MOre later....love, cynthai
to do this 12th Annual event. My daugther Bonnie, (left) and her friend Rachael participated as 
well. The air temperature was about 50 so the water actually feels warm...its weird...and the excitement makes you forget you are about to JUMP IN! There is no turning back as the current is strong and we had to be careful not to step on the endangered Wild Rice.
After the plunge we used a large blanket for our "dressing room".
The River Foundation serves Black Eyed Peas and Hot Chocolate to the Plungers. There were Hot dogs as well. This was a great way to break into 2010 as I will be spending a LOT of time on this river in the upcoming months. I have registered for Graduate classes and it just so happens the River snakes through campus.....Weeeedoggieeeeeee!! 
