Wednesday in Wyoming -- July 25, 2012

We're in the middle of Frontier Days, Cheyenne's biggest celebration of the year.  Although every day has a rodeo, a night event and dozens of activities for visitors, today features my favorite event, the USAF Thunderbirds show.  Each year I marvel at the beauty of the flight formations and the dedication to excellence that results in a truly awe-inspiring show. 

Wednesday in Wyoming -- July 18, 2012

One exterior wall of the Laramie County Library in Cheyenne is decorated with a series of book-related quotations.  It was hard to choose a favorite, but this one won.  I like the way Eliot expresses the many things books can do for us, including entertaining and informing, and -- of course -- I like the fact that he was eloquent in doing so.  

Like Thomas Jefferson, I cannot live without books.  Can you?  If not, why not?

Wednesday in Wyoming -- July 11, 2012

One of the things I find fascinating is animals' camouflage.  Horned larks build their nests in the ground, apparently not caring that predators might trip over them, but you rarely see them, because the colors of the nest and the eggs are so similar to the surrounding grass.  Every time I came near, the chicks would open their beaks, obviously expecting to be fed.  I think they mistook the clicking of the camera shutter for their mother's chirping. 

Wednesday in Wyoming -- July 4, 2012

Independence Day was a major event for the soldiers stationed at Fort Laramie, and even today it's a big day for visitors to the fort.  So, what better day could there be to show you another picture of the fort, this time with a flag as the centerpiece?  The parade ground was empty when I took this picture, but on July 4 it would have been filled with soldiers and their families, celebrating the day with parades, special foods and fireworks. 

Celebrating New Book Cover

Did you hear the sighs of pleasure coming from Cheyenne?  I just received the cover art for Waiting for Spring, the second of the Westward Winds books and have featured the story of how it was designed in my most recent (July) newsletter http://www.sff.net/people/amanda.cabot/index_files/newsletters.htm    and on my web page's "Story Behind the Story" tab http://www.sff.net/people/amanda.cabot/index_files/more-spring.htm.  I hope you agree with me that this is a cover that will catch readers' eyes.  I couldn't be more pleased with it.