Geyser Watch

The thermal features in Yellowstone are named for some physical characteristic – how an eruption looks or acts, or the shape, or just the words people say when watching it like Grand or Splendid. Depression Geyser is named because it lies in a depressed area in the rock surrounding it (aka sinter). Ear Spring is named for its shape – looking very much like a human ear. But then there are others that make people wonder. Artemisia is one of those that I’ve wondered about for some time. Walter Weed named it in 1883 – Artemisia is the scientific name for sage – and he named it for the sage color of its deposits (see Lee Whittlesey’s book, Yellowstone Place Names). It made sense, but on my latest trip up as I passed by Glendo Reservoir, I made another possible connection to the name. The grass being so very green, and the sage being so, well – sage colored, it reminded me of how the lacy edging on Artemisia surrounds the pool. I took a few shots just holding up my camera – this one (cropped) shows it best.

Perhaps, from a lower angle, Artemisia Geyser took on this type of an appearance to Mr. Weed.  Just a thought I had while driving through an incredibly green Wyoming.