Here for the Birds: "I had some terrific experiences in the wilderness since I wrote you last- overpowering, overwhelming. But then I am always being overwhelmed."

The last two days, it has snowed in Seattle. People (real employees at real jobs) have taken snow days as a result. There isn't enough snow on the ground though to consider sledding. Regardless, I honestly didn't think it snowed here but once or twice every other year. My lack of correspondence needs no explaining, mostly because I only have ten minutes left on this computer and I have to go to work soon. Tonight, I might get to dabble in waiting tables. I'm pretty sure it won't compare to the greatest of cooking the food (I throw the pie into the air to prepare the pizza dough now. I know you love that.) But enough of employment. Aside from getting significant burns on a couple fingers, leaving huge blisters, from boiling grease, and learning more and more sign everyday (if I picked it up, would I tell people, "I am fluent in sign" or "I know sign language well."?).
The main reason I'm typing is mostly to share some pictures from some places where I've been. Here you go.

This is a picture I took at the Grand Canyon while deciding whether or not I should hike out to the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado river. I decided against it after friendly advice from a few rangers and I regret the decision every time I think about it. I think this picture should be used as next years photo for National Parks pass. The grand canyon made me dizzy.

This is Bryce Canyon in Utah. It was pretty magical. I took a couple days off from hiking and sleeping in obscure places and spent them here imagining water erode the rocks so much forming what Utah-an's and Jack Mormons call Hoo Doos. This picture really doesn't show those formations well (bottom right of phot) but they will have to do for now.

The Grand Tetons. They blew my mind.

These next two pictures are a couple I took hiking in the back country at Yellowstone. I wish I were there right now even though Yellowstone is apparantly one huge caldera due to blow. Away from the tourists, yellowstone is nothing short of amazing. Here are some bull elk I ran into and there is a geyser (sulfur spring?) that was randomly displaced off the trail.