http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc_KQ8C4id4&feature=player_embedded[BR...YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
WAS SIGNED INTO EXISTENCE
MARCH 1,1872 BY ULYSSES S. GRANT
UNDER AN "ACT OF DEDICATION" LAW

THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK LIES IN 3 STATES
96% OF THE LAND IS IN WYOMING
WITH 3% IN MONTANA
AND 1% IS IN IDAHO

MY FAMILY AND I WENT THERE IN 1971
WE CAMPED AT THE "FISHING BRIDGE" SITE
IN A POP-UP CAMPER OF HALF CANVAS
AND HALF METAL, ALL 6 OF US RESIDED

I REMEMBER BEING SCARED HALF TO DEATH
BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR TOO EASY
FOR A GRIZZLY BEAR TO GET IN
AND HAVE A MIDNIGHT SNACK OF PEOPLE

FOR 8 NIGHTS I HARDLY SLEPT AT ALL
LISTENING INTENTLY TO EVERY SOUND
DURING THE DAY WE WENT SIGHTSEEING
AND OH..WHAT GLORIOUS SIGHTS I SEEN

WE WENT TO SEE "OLD FAITHFUL"
AND WALKED AROUND THE BOARDWALK
TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT MUD POTS
AND SMALL THERMAL GEYSERS

THE GEYSERS WERE ALL NAMED
AND HAD THE DEPTH AND TEMPS
OF EACH SMALL, BUBBLING HOT POOL
SPECTACULAR, YET NAUSEATING

IT SMELLED LIKE ROTTEN EGG FARTS
AND I WAS CONSTANTLY GAGGING
AND SO WERE A FEW OTHERS
AS IT WAS VERY OVERPOWERING

WE WENT TO LOWER YELLOWSTONE FALLS
THE WATER DROPS 308 FEET
IN AN AMAZING LOUD ROAR
COMPLETE WITH RAINBOWS

MY DAD WENT FISHING AT YELLOWSTONE LAKE
WHERE THE WATER IS 400 FEET DEEP
AND HAS 110 MILES OF SHORELINE
SUCH SPLENDOR SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS

ONE DAY WE WENT TO MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS
OH GOSH, ROTTEN EGG FARTS AGAIN
IT WAS SURROUNDED BY DEAD TREES
DUE TO THE SULPHURIC AIR

I WAS OUTSIDE THE CAMPER ONE HOT DAY
WHEN I GOT SUCH A SURPRISE
WHEN A MAMA MOOSE AND BABY
CAME STROLLING THROUGH THE CAMP

I STOOD SO STILL AS I OBSERVED THEM
WHEN THE BABY CAME RIGHT UP TO ME
AND STARTED SNIFFING MY SHIRT
IT STILL SMELLED LIKE GRILLED HOTDOGS

MY MOM CAME OUT OF THE TENT
AND STARTED TO SCREAM SO LOUD
WHEN THE RANGER DROVE UP AND TOLD HER
SHE WAS GOING TO SPOOK THE MOOSE

I WAS TOO MESMERIZED TO FEEL ANY FEAR
THE MAMA MOOSE HAD WANDERED A FEW FEET AWAY
SO I REACHED OUT TO TOUCH THE BABY MOOSE
ON IT'S ADORABLE LITTLE FACE

I FELT SAD AS IT WALKED AWAY
YET, IT WAS SUCH A RUSH
TO TOUCH A WILD ANIMAL
IN IT'S OWN BACKYARD

THERE WERE BISON AND BEARS AND ELK
AND COYOTES AND FOXES TOO
BUT THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY VACATION
WAS MY MOMENT WITH THE BABY MOOSE

COPYRIGHT 2011
DEBBY HARRIS
*  THE VIDEO IS NOT OF MY VACATION.  HOWEVER, THE PERSON WHO MADE THIS, GIVES SUCH A WONDERFUL DISPLAY OF YELLOWSTONE.*

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL
I LOVED TO PLAY DRESS UP
MY GRANDMA LET ME BORROW
SOME OF HER COLORFUL NECKLACES
SHE HAD A SPECIAL JEWELRY BOX
JUST FOR ME ALONE

I LOVED TO LOOK AT THEM
AND MATCH THEM WITH
MY OUTFIT FOR THE DAY
IT TOOK AWHILE TO DECIDE UPON
WHICH COLOR I WOULD WEAR
I LOVED THEM ALL

SOMETIMES I WOULD WEAR
MORE THAN ONE COLOR
AND MATCH THEM WITH
CLIP ON EARRINGS THAT MATCHED
OH HOW THOSE THINGS PINCHED
THEY LASTED MAYBE 10 MINUTES

I'D SIT IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR
AND CHOOSE A SHADE OF LIPSTICK
THEN I'D SMEAR IT ON MY LIPS
WITH LITTLE CLUMSY HANDS
I'D PRESS MY LIPS ON KLEENEX
JUST LIKE MY GRANDMA DID

THEN I'D USE HER OLD COMPACT
AND PLASTER POWDER ON MY FACE
I ENDED UP LOOKING LIKE A GEISHA
BEFORE I WAS DONE
GRANDPA SAID I LOOKED LIKE
A SILLY CIRCUS CLOWN

THEN I'D PUT ON HER OLD HIGH HEELS
AND WALK ACROSS THE LINOLEUM
I LOVED THE WAY THEY SOUNDED
AS I WALKED ACROSS THE FLOOR
MY TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE
I WAS NOW A MOVIE STAR

I LOVED THOSE OLD NECKLACES
SO COLORFUL AND SHINY
I'D PICK THEM UP AND LOOK AT THEM
LIKE THEY WERE SPARKLING DIAMONDS
I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE WONDERMENT
OF GRANDMA'S COLORFUL NECKLACES

COPYRIGHT 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

WHEN YOU'VE SPENT A LIFETIME
HEARING WHAT A FAILURE YOU ARE...
YOU SEE YOURSELF AS SUCH

WHEN NARROW MINDED PEOPLE
FOCUS THEIR TELESCOPE ON YOU...
YOU SEE YOURSELF AS LIMITED

WHEN YOU'RE CONSTANTLY JUDGED
SO HARSHLY AND UNFAIR...
YOU PASS JUDGMENT ON YOURSELF

WHEN YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A SCAPEGOAT
BLAMED FOR WHAT OTHER'S DID...
YOU AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPT THE BLAME

WHEN YOU'RE CONSTANTLY CONDEMNED
FOR THINGS YOU DIDN'T DO...
YOU CONDEMN YOURSELF TO HELL

WHEN YOU'VE BEEN CONDITIONED
TO BE AFRAID OF SUCCESS...
YOU DON'T CHASE YOUR DREAMS

THEN...

ONE DAY YOU REALIZE
YOU'RE NOT A FAILURE AFTER ALL...
YOU'RE A SURVIVOR

AND YOU'RE ONLY AS LIMITED
AS YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE...
SO YOU KNOCK DOWN THOSE WALLS

AND YOU STOP JUDGING YOURSELF
AND LEARN TO BE GENTLER...
YOU CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK

AND YOU STOP DEBATING YOUR TRUTH
WITH PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO HEAR...
YOU TAKE YOURSELF OFF THE WITNESS STAND

AND YOU REFUSE TO LISTEN TO
THEIR LIES AND INSULTS ANYMORE...
YOU HANG UP OR WALK AWAY

AND YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU LOVE
AND HOPE TO BE SUCCESSFUL...
YOU BEGIN TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

AND YOU MAKE PEACE WITH YOURSELF
EMBRACING YOUR TRIUMPHS AND TRAGEDIES...
ACCEPTING YOURSELF JUST AS YOU ARE

COPYRIGHT 2011
DEBBY HARRIS