yellowstone on fire (postcard no. 9)
We drove through these trees and it smelled like somewhere in the distance, a forest was burning. This was after a long day of visiting geysers, you and me and our friends, driving back to our campsite to cook fancy camp food on an open fire - with bacon wrapped beef burgers and canned beans, before we spent the evening roasting marshmallows with cheap chocolate, before I laid on your lap and we shivered together while looking at stars. Here, the sun was just beginning to set, and the smoke made it more haunting. You were quiet and concerned. I looked out the window, wondering about what happens to the animals during forest fires, the elk and bison and wolves. But unlike us, they are used to this.
This was a postcard for Suzanne, my designer friend who's never been to Yellowstone, but I hope will visit soon.