Roger - Perhaps Ruskin wrote those lines. He was certainly was one England's most prolific writers. But I don't believe he ever experienced anything like a Montana blizzard with below zero temperatures, snow, and wind. Anyway, I look at rain like Robbi, particularly the rain that falls without wind.
The rain in Yellowstone seemed to come in waves of different intensity these past few days, but straight down. Edna doesn't like to boat in cold weather, so I stayed by myself, she in White Sulphur Springs 185 miles away watching the different birds come to our feeders.
The temperatures hovered around 40F throughout the day. But the small ceramic heater kept the cabin cozy - shore power is wonderful. The Far West II was by itself on B dock so various kinds of ducks went swimming by doing their thing as I read from several different books. One, called "Death in Yellowstone." is a chronology of human deaths caused in every sort of manner since the park was created.
Perhaps this is a somewhat macabre topic for many people, but the chapter dealing with death by drownings caught my attention, and I discovered, among other things, that Yellowstone Lake numerically leads in the number who have died in park waters.
By my count, many of those deaths were due to hypothermia, since the bodies were found floating in the water in their jackets, suggesting that drownings itself was only part of the cause of death. According to the book at least 30 bodies were never recovered from the lake, similar to Lake Superior which "never gives up its dead."
Yesterday, while still on the lake, I went out to the arms for a look see, and measuring the surface temperatures found it close to 32F, Only in a specialized survival suit could anyone last more than 15 minutes or more under those conditions.
Back at the dock and getting ready to head back to White Sulphur, I thought of the steady rain which had been the norm since last Sunday.
It was in fact pleasant to sit there reading listening to the rain hit the roof.
Bridge Bay Marina puts one within several miles of the Lake Hotel. A quick drive to the hotel gives anyone access to the large sitting room with soft chairs surrounding a grand piano. An accomplished player was playing from 6-10 P.M. that evening. No cover charge. Just come in and plunk down and act like a hotel guest. Soon a waiter comes with a drink order.
After a while it is back to the boat and some of nature's finest music, rain.
I especially enjoy listening as the rain falls, warm and secure. Sleep comes easy for me during those times. John
