Wild, Wonderful, Welcoming Wyoming

We are getting settled in our cowboy cabin. A summer tradition for us that was interrupted when himself flunked retirement. This is an amazing little piece of heaven that can be wild and peaceful at the same time. The Grand Tetons jut straight up out of the land, always surprising because they have no foothills. The clouds roll down the Grand, heading for Yellowstone, and spreading the ever-changing dancing lights and shadows. They never look the same and one never gets bored with the looking.

The first morning we were here, I had coffee with a large herd of elk, as they enjoyed their breakfast across the street on the Bar-B-Bar. The beautiful mountain blue birds fly in and out of their home on our fence rail. The magpies squawk their welcome that reminds us to get out the bird feeders. Maggies must be perpetual two year olds because they spend most of their time throwing temper tantrums over one thing or another. They, also, are just about the only birds that hang around the Hole all winter, a sure sign of their toughness and ability to survive. They are beautiful as well as brutal. I saw one grab a shrieking bird right out of the air and gobble it up. When I screamed, "shame on you, maggie," she wasn't the least bit ashamed. It is interesting to note that Lewis and Clark were so amazed by the magpie that they built a cage and took one back to President Thomas Jefferson. I can just imagine what that bird probably had to say to that President.

Ron has always said that this little place, dubbed "The Director's Cabin" by our girls, gives you a hug when you come through the door. How nice!

The Nixon connection for this blog is that we enjoyed a delightful visit with David and Suzy Young. I always thought that David was responsible for naming the White House Plumbers, but Suzy told me the originator of the name was actually David's grandmother. When she found out that David had been asked to head the effort to stop the leaks in the Nixon White House, a very important goal in light of the damaging Pentagon Papers release, she wrote to David. "Your grandfather would be so proud today to know you have followed in his footsteps. He was the plumber that worked on the Waldorf-Astoria, and now you are a plumber,too."

Isn't it too bad that the term has been forced to take on a sinister meaning, rather than the very vital and important National Security role that it had in the beginning?

The Youngs live in England. They did before and after his White House years. All of their children were born in the UK. On this trip, they toured many National Parks with their friends, Keith and Carol Leaman. It was fun to show them around the fabulous Grand Teton National Park Vistor Center and then enjoy a delicious buffalo burger at Dornan's in Moose. Buffalo is probably not found on too many pub menus in the UK.

As I have said many times, one of the biggest benefits of Ron's flunking retirement and serving as President of the Richard Nixon Foundation, was the opportunity to reconnect with so many wonderful former colleagues and friends. Ron encouraged David and Suzy to join us in November when Geoff Shepard's Domestic Council joins the February Group, under the new name of "White House Reunion". We are looking forward to it!