Snow falling on Aspens

Today was the FIRST snowfall in Kelly, Wyoming. I woke up to flurries and as the 5th graders, Laura Beebe and I sat and talked about our day we watched the flurries turn to showers. It was pretty awesome. So, we donned our gear and headed out into the white stuff.

So, it's here, it has finally arrived, the really amazing powder that could be here to stay until April or even May. I have to say that I'm very very very excited. I've been wandering around in it and driving in it and just have a grand 'ol time. I'm curious if I'll get sick of it by December. I'm thinking I won't. My opinion is snow makes everything pretty and bright. Most people here are excited to see it. Pretty soon I'll learn how to cross country ski and then the ski resorts will open and that will be exciting.

This early snowfall inspired my to write a list...YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN A CABIN IN THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN WYOMING WHEN... So here it goes

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN A CABIN IN THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN WYOMING WHEN...

1. It starts snowing on October 9 and continues to snow for the next three days.

2. Your excuses for being late meeting someone in town are: The blowing snow held me up; I had to wait for 20 minutes while the bison crossed the road; I had to wait for 20 minutes while the tourist, who parked his car in the middle of the road, took the perfect shot of a moose; I ran out of gas driving the 40 minutes to town; I got pulled over by the park police on my way to town (no this hasn't happened to me yet but it has happened to people I know); I was on my way but so-and-so wanted a lift to the bar and I had to wait for him/her to get ready; I spent 20 minutes looking for my car keys/wallet cuz I haven't needed them for a week

3. Your social activities include: rock climbing, chopping wood, biking, going for hikes on trails that are right outside your front door, wandering through the creek looking for beaver dams, sledding, snowboarding, doing the country swing at the Stagecoach on Sunday nights, listening to the latest singer to pass through at the Center for Performing Arts, catching the latest bluegrass band at the Wort on Tuesday nights, going to the Hootenanny at Dornans on Monday nights, driving over the pass to Driggs, Idaho to get huckleberry milkshakes or check out the Knotty Pine, playing Apples to Apples in the commons, watching 10 Things I Hate About You for the 10th time because it's one of the few videos you have for your cableless common's TV, planning Thursday night shindigs with themes like-Dress As A Biblical Character or 70s and 80s ski clothes night, going garage-saleing and coming home with sweet Patagonia gear and practically never been used skis and snowboards all at garage sale prices, and bonfires in the National Forest. Most of the time your social activity is walking 50 feet to the cabins next door to hang out.

4. Your going out during the day clothing includes jeans/Carhartts/pants which will get dirty and covered with sap and snow, rain gear, hiking boots, winter hat, baseball cap, orange vest during hunting season, a down jacket and some gloves. Your going out during the night clothing is exactly the same minus the orange vest

5. You go to a sick ski movie (Under the Influence) and the audience cheers, claps, oohs and aahs throughout the entire film.

6. You start using words like "sick" and "wicked" to describe everything (yes, there are many Vermont/New Hampshire/the rest of New England transplants here)

7. Your neighbors are mainly ranchers.

8. The students who come to your outdoor school have a lot of outdoor experience hunting.

9. Topics of conversation include the park's "Let It Burn" policy, fishing licenses, how to deal with kids and snow, the best gear to stay warm, who's playing at the Wort, when hunting season begins and ends, what deals are at the Browse and Buy, how to install a pull up bar in the Commons, backcountry skiing and which ski resort has the best powder.

10. You only know 30 people where you live but at least one owns a banjo, one owns a mandolin, 4 or 5 own guitars and one owns a fiddle. You're pretty sure a bluegrass band will form in the wintertime.

11. You go to a "Harvest Party" in a log cabin where you eat soup out of a pumpkin, walk on a slack line and sit around a bonfire.

12. You are constantly reminded you should never go anywhere without a raincoat and a headlamp.

13. Lunch with your students was interrupted because a bear showed up on the scene.

14. Your grocery list includes a snow scraper, a broom and some cheese.

15. You couldn't go running because you couldn't find your bear spray.

16. Bear spray is sold at the local knife store.

17. There is a local knife store.

I'm sure more could be added to this list but that's it for now.

On a sad note tragedy struck the Teton Science Schools grad students in various ways this week. Just wanted to say, Sara C., I hope this blog somehow keeps you smiling I'm thinking about you always and already miss you a lot, Sarah W. I hope you make it home and Laura I hope you get in touch with your friend.

To end on a happier note...Just wanted to add a quick Happy Birthday to my dad, Billy, Jonathan, Allison and my new friend Karen who all turned somewhere in their 20s, 30s, and 60s this week. I hope you had a great time!

Let me know if you want to hear about anything specific.
:) Amy