Good food, good company, good advice from Grandma

north rim

They’re Beefalo, Not Buffalo

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They whole herd was out in the meadow this morning when we left to go to town. They aren’t buffalo–they’re beefalo.

There are about a hundred beefalo in the herd.

And they’re not native to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Sometime in the early 1900’s two ranchers in the House Rock Valley area tried to create a hybrid herd of animals that are a cross between cows and buffalo.

They were trying for a better meat product. Their experiment failed for their purposes, but the hybrid herd has survived.

That one looks mean!

They spend the winter months down in the desert around House Rock Valley, but in the summer they migrate up the Kaibab Plateau looking for water and grasses for food.

These guys look like they're about a year old.

They occasionally spend a few days in the meadows along Hwy 67 on the way into the park.They have been hanging out there all week.They are traffic stoppers for sure, because sometimes they just stand in the road.

They spend a lot of time just laying around too.

 

A mother and baby beefalo

 

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Happy 4th of July, Y’all!

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While the 4th of July means going to a parade, going camping, spending the day at the lake, or just cooking out in the backyard with friends and family to most of you, my day will be spent in uniform, at the entrance station to one of the most beautiful national parks in this country. I love that living in the United States means that I can choose to live full time in an RV is want to, and that I can work at this gorgeous place. Even if it means I have to work on the holiday, so be it.

the canyon in all her glory!

and because I work here, of course I get to live here for 6 months out of the year. Here is my backyard:

Looking out my kitchen window!

And there were people who thought I was crazy to want to live this life!

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Announcing: Gluten Free Cookies At Jacob Lake Inn!

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Yes, you read that right. After three seasons and counting of me standing at this cookie counter while FabGrandpa bought his delicious cookies, for which Jacob Lake is F.A.M.O.U.S., and drooling over those cookies, and having to smell them in the truck for 45 miles home up the plateau, I am soooooooo happy to announce that Jacob Lake Inn now has gluten free cookies in their line-up.

The cookie counter at Jacob Lake Inn

I had heard the rumor last week, from a co-worker who is allergic to wheat, which is not the same as being gluten intolerant or Celiac. She excitedly told me “Did you know Jacob Lake has gluten free cookies?”  A couple of days later, the manager of Jacob Lake Inn came through the entrance station when I was working there, and I said to her “I heard a rumor that you have gluten free cookies now.”  And she confirmed the rumor. So, today when we left the Kaibab Plateau to head out to Prescott, we stopped in and I got two cookies of my very own. They were delicious!’

Gluten free chocolate chip cookies!

They had two flavors today: Gluten free chocolate chip and gluten free oatmeal raisin. I have to say, they were both equally delicious! They were not in the cookie case when I arrived, so I had to ask for them. The clerk went to the kitchen and brought them out when I asked, though. So, if you get there and don’t see any gluten free cookies, ask for them.

I am hoping they will be a regular feature now in the cookie case:

I hope they make a slot for the gluten free cookies in the cookie case at Jacob Lake Inn

So, if you are planning a trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and you are a gluten free diet eating cookie lover, make it a part of your plan to stop in a patronize Jacob Lake Inn. I am always willing to shop and spend my money at a place that is making an effort to accomodate my diet. They are located at the intersection of Hwy 89A and Hwy 67 in northern Arizona. And tell them Karen sent you!

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The Belt That Wouldn’t Buckle

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So, a couple of weeks ago, I got a new belt for my uniform. The old one was getting frayed along the edges, and ok, it was getting a little small.  The first day I wore it, I was working out at the entrance station.

This is where I work

The entrance station is 12 miles from the fee office, out in the middle of nowhere. This building does not have a bathroom in it. To go to the bathroom, we have to run across the road:

We call it the space capsule

Yes, see that port-a-potty over there? That is where we have to go to use the bathroom. In order to go, you have to look down the road with a pair of binoculars, and if you can’t see a car coming, you have time to go.

Look down that road for cars coming

So, the day I wore my new belt to work for the first time, I looked down the road with the binoculars, no cars were coming, so I ran across the road to the space capsule.  I did my thing, and as I was starting to pull my pants back up, the buckle of belt fell off in the floor! I was like, WTF!!!

This is a re-enactment of the belt buckle incident

I was trying to hurry because I could hear cars coming down the road, but I just couldn’t figure out how to get that buckle back on the belt. So, when I got back over to the entrance station, and opened the door, this is how I greeted the visitor:

Of course, the buckle was not on the belt then

I was laughing, and the visitor was laughing, and I explained the situation. Soon after they left, I was able to get things under control. But man!  I was embarrassed!

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Breakfast Out

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We decided to go to the North Rim Lodge for breakfast this morning. They have a gluten free menu since last year. I ordered the gluten free pancakes with eggs and bacon. These pancakes were soooo goood!

Gluten free pancakes at the North Rim Lodge

This was the first time since April 2007 that I have been able to order pancakes at a restaurant. I know that doesn’t sound like a big thing to other people, but to me? Heaven! Those pancakes were delicious.

After breakfast, I walked out on the back porch of the lodge to take a few pictures. Yes, this is my fourth season working her, but I don’t have enough picutures yet, OK?

NOrth Rim Grand Canyon view from the back porch of the lodge

It was a bit smoky out there today from the fire over in Flagstaff, but still, it was a beautiful day!

More canyon

Lots of people come and sit in those chairs and watch the sunset on the back porch of the lodge.

Grand Canyon North Rim

and one more:

Grand Canyon view at the North Rim Lodge

I still feel like I have to pinch myself sometimes to believe I get to work here. Ah, fate!

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Spring Snow At The Grand Canyon

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The last three days have been very windy and cold up here. The weather forecast yesterday was for up to six inches of snow by Thursday morning. We woke up today to this:

Snow at the North Rim May 18, 2011

This is on Hwy 67 headed north out of the park this morning:

We had to go to Kanab to buy groceries, so we tried out the 4 wheel drive on our new truck. Although there was a lot of snow on the road, it wasn’t slick or slippery. Still, it was a scary ride down that plateau.

Hwy 67 north May 18, 2011

That’s a color picture, by the way. It looks more like Christmas than springtime! There were lots of cars going out, not so many coming in.

We bought all the groceries, filled up with fuel and headed back in record time. We wanted to get back home before it got dark and the temperature dropped. The sky looked ominous up ahead on the plateau where we live:

Storm clouds over the Kaibab Plateau

As we drove up Hwy 89A towards Jacob Lake, we went through a snow thunderstorm. It was very weird to have flashes of lightening and claps of thunder while it was snowing furiously. I don’t think I have ever encountered thunder snow before.

Hwy 89A, headed south towards Jacob Lake May 18, 2011

We passed one car that had run off the road into a ditch. I’m surprised there weren’t more. This road has a lot of traffic this time of year with visitors going to the North Rim.

Hwy 67 south towards the North Rim May 18, 2011

We finally made it home to the North Rim. This is on Hwy 67, about a mile inside the park.  The ranger at the gate said they had plowed the road twice while we were gone.  About a mile past this point, the road was clear.

I was not surprised by this snow. Last year, the last snow of the season was on June 12. I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least one more snowstorm this year.

 

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Just Another Day On The Job

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Today was my first day of work for the season. We did the usual stuff–saying hello to everyone that came back from last year, meeting the new people, telling what we did on vacation. (or in this case, over the winter). The weather up here at the North Rim has been sunny and gorgeous every day since FabGrandpa and I arrived back on April 25. But today? It snowed!

Snow at the North Rim

Can’t tell much from that photo, but it did snow, off and on, all day. It was cold out there, too. Walking back and forth from the RV to the fee office was a brisk adventure.

I got mail today, too. Lots of it.  Bills, magazines, and Mother’s Day cards from the girls and Seth. And these loverly socks that Becca knitted just for me:

My loverly new socks

Does that girl take after her mama or what? Look at that cabling–she is one smart cookie!

In the afternoon, one of my co-workers and I walked over to the emergency services building to pick up the golf carts that belong in the campground. They weren’t charged up, so we plugged them in and walked back. While it was sort of chilly out, and snowing, I really need to get out and walk more. Don’t know that I will do that again tomorrow, but for today, yeah.

Tonight, I made some home made gluten free banana muffins to take to class in the morning. There are two of us who can’t eat wheat. Today, someone brought biscotti to eat with the coffee, which we couldn’t have. So, tomorrow, we’ll have something, too.

Gluten Free Banana Muffins

You know, when something like that happens, the person who brought the goodies always feels like they need to apologize to me (and others) because I can’t eat whatever they brought. The way I see it, is that I am the one with the special diet, so it is up to ME to make sure I have something to eat at times like that.  It is MY responsibility to make something to take. I always share whatever I have, because most times it is good, even if it IS gluten free, and I can let my friends and co-workers see that I am not being deprived because I have to eat something different. Something that is not doughnuts or biscotti.  And this recipe is so easy and quick to make.

Pamela’s Muffins

1  1/4 cup Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

1 banana, mashed.

1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients well, spoon into a muffin pan, bake for 22 minutes at 350 degrees. Done, and it makes 6 muffins.

Tomorrow, we’ll have a goodie too, to go along with that B.O.R.I.N.G training.

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