![](https://marty-essen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Deb-and-Nellie-APR-1000x667.jpg)
Marty’s photo of the day #4809: The American Prairie (formerly called the American Prairie Reserve) never disappoints. For the third time in the past four years, Deb and I have rented a yurt there. A few days ago, we were discussing how the yurt has become our cabin—but without all the maintenance. We spent our days hiking, our evenings searching for wildlife, and our nights drinking adult beverages under the stars.
And our dog, Nellie, thinks the American Prairie is the best. This year we even had a rabbit living next to the yurt, so when we were inside, Nellie could sit at the window and watch “Bunny TV,” narrating the action with a wider variety of sounds than any dog should be able to make.
Today’s photo shows Deb and Nellie sitting atop a hill, overlooking a valley. For reference, our yurt is located out of the picture, a half-mile away, in a grove of huge cottonwood trees. We had the valley to ourselves, seeing only two other people during the five days we were there.