Fences?

What do you think about fences? Are they meant to keep people out? Maybe in? Do you grab onto, good fences make good neighbors, as a mantra for living?

Honestly… as I take time to think back on the wide open spaces from our life in Yellowstone National Park, don’t fence me in is what comes to mind. But whatever your opinion, I think fences are meant to guide us, to show us the way, even in Yellowstone.

Do you know most of the roadways in Yellowstone were built from decades of bison trails? You do now. Engineers recognized the bison had more knowledge than they did about the easiest ways to get through the park. The path was drawn and the rest is history. I have shared numerous stories of bison in the past, but for today, I would like to note how I loved watching them traipse through the park, their park.

I also love the spring wildflowers that line those same roads.

The hiking trails of Yellowstone are purposeful. They guide us through delicate landscapes with promises and elements of surprise.

And the surprises are worth the wait. Breathtaking, I know. Be reminded, the fences, like at West Thumb, are paramount for both the landscape and the visitors.

There are times we can safely overlook broken fences and still see the way forward. Those moments bring character to the fence, and character building to us.

And then there are the invitations, like when the wildflowers take full advantage of a protected space. On this particular day it was the light that guided my thoughts. Don’t you love being at the right place at the right time?

Fences? Nature seems to know the way without our help.

And yes… I guess…

Good fences make good neighbors – Frost

Wind Kisses, Donna

How about you? Are your fences to keep people out, in, or are they simply a work of art or a beautiful piece of the landscape? Thank you, for the chance to revisit my days in Yellowstone and realizing that the fences can and do guide us.