TravelingMel

If you haven't seen how ginormous my fetus is, surf on over to Henry's blog to check it out.

My dad and his wife, Karen, were out for a visit this weekend. They stayed 4 or 5 days, adored Anders, toured four museums (the Livingston Depot Center, Yellowstone Gateway Museum, Museum of the Rockies and the Pioneer Museum), ate at several of Livingston's fine restaurants, swam, checked out Chico, drove the streets of Livingston, picnicked at Sacajawea Park, took a historical bus tour of town...I think that's it. These people pack their vacation!

Hanging out poolside at the Best Western post-swim.

The historic and refurbished Yellowstone bus tours Livingston. Along the way our esteemed guide pointed out old hotels, the red light district, the Bucket of Blood saloon and other buildings important to a railway town and the original "Gateway to Yellowstone".

Sometimes you are just so overwhelmed by Anders' cuteness that you have to take a picture--even though he is just sitting there.

Sometimes you take the picture because he is standing there.

In fact, Anders is so cute that everyone wants to be just like him.

Mogie enjoys picnicking in the park. She's probably smiling at Anders' adorability.

While dad and Karen were off brushing up on Montana history, Anders did some reading and riding.

Poor Diesel pays a heavy price for his tolerance and good behavior.

Proof that Anders stops moving from time to time. At least for a few seconds.

Anders takes his grandpa on a tour of the neighborhood.

Every Wednesday evening from 4:30 to 7:30 all summer long, the Livingston Farmers' Market holds court at the bandshell. Fresh veggies, free range eggs, the peach guy from Washington, organic pork and hand squeezed lemonade all vie for the buyer's attention.

We head down most weeks to buy vegetables, see friends and let Anders go crazy on the dance floor. Last week was Kids' Day, but it started raining pretty hard, so we hopped on our bikes and fled.

Here are a couple photos pre-rain.

Vendors hocking their wares.

Henry and Anders hang out in front of the bandshell. It was newly painted last summer for the filming of "A Plumm Summer". If you haven't seen it, rush out and rent it. If you have seen it, let me know whether it was worth renting or not.

Bikes and chariots--the best way to get to the market.

As Henry, Anders and I drove from Gardiner to Mammoth a couple weeks ago on our trip to Driggs and Jackson, I noticed that the sign for the 45th parallel had moved.

The 45th parallel is an imaginary line that circles the globe at the point halfway between the equator and the North Pole. This same line passes through Minneapolis-St. Paul; Ottawa, Canada; Venice, Italy; and the northern tip of the Japanese islands. In most of Yellowstone, it is slightly north of the Montana-Wyoming border.

The sign has always (as long as I've been going to Yellowstone) been located at a bridge crossing the Gardner River and at the Montana-Wyoming border.

I guess that really isn't where the 45th parallel is, so the Park Service moved the sign to a location closer to the real 45th parallel. It's still not in the right place, but it is closer and at a better location for pulling over and taking a picture.

From the Park Service:

Using GPS technology and keeping safety in mind, the sign has been moved nearly a mile north to a small parking area that will provide not only a much safer, but, as it turns out, also a more geographically accurate location. While placement on the exact site where the 45th crosses the road was not an option, it is now within approximately 1200 feet of the correct position.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of the Montana/Wyoming state line does not follow the 45th parallel through the park. The “Entering Montana” and “Entering Wyoming” signs will stay in their current locations near the Boiling River parking area.

(Sidenote: If you are in Yellowstone, it is NOT OK to stop in the road. You wouldn't stop on a Federal Highway anywhere else. So, find a pullout, pull completely off the road and gawk at elk from there. Even if you have an R.V.)

The lazy days of summer are officially here. Here's the view from my perch at the computer.