Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 29, 2012

Railroads were a key force in developing Wyoming and were responsible for the settlement of a number of cities, including Cheyenne.  If you go to Douglas, not only can you learn more about trains at the Railroad Interpretive Museum, but as a bonus, you get to see the town's most famous resident, the jackalope.  The museum has a number of different types of train cars, everything from engines to dining cars and sleepers, and they're all open to the public.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 22, 2012

For me, Devils Tower (no, there's no apostrophe there, thanks to a clerical error when the area was declared a National Monument) is a special place -- very peaceful and awe inspiring.  Even though I enjoy walking around it and studying every angle, I can't imagine wanting to climb the tower.  Can you?

Christmas in August?

It's over four months until December 25, but it felt like Christmas today.  Why?  Because I received the first copy of my Christmas novella, Christmas Roses.  For an author, there's nothing quite like holding that first copy, and this one is extra special to me, because it's a hard cover book. 

If you're curious about it (and, of course I hope you are), I've posted a brief description, some background information, an excerpt, the first review, and bookclub discussion questions on my web site.  http://www.sff.net/people/amanda.cabot/index_files/more-christmas.htm

Happy reading.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 15, 2012

Like last week's picture, this one was taken at Flaming Gorge.  Unlike last week's spires, which I could envision the pioneers seeing, this is distinctly modern -- a fish cleaning station.  Did you know that Wyoming is noted for its world class fishing, particularly trout?  It is!  Although I don't fish, I'm glad to see that we provide amenities for those who do.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 8, 2012

I don't know about you, but to me spires like this say WEST in capital letters.  I picture the pioneers seeing them in the distance and knowing how far they'd come on their journey.  Perhaps they were encouraged that they were well over halfway to their destination, but perhaps they considered the landscape desolate. 

These spires are in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in south western Wyoming.  If the 300 or so miles from Cheyenne seemed like a long trip on an interstate with 75 mph speed limits, what must it have been like for people traveling all the way from the East by covered wagon?   I salute the pioneers!

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 1, 2012

Western wildfires have been in the news for the past few months and for good reason.  They're terribly destructive, and the destruction lasts for decades.  Although this picture was taken more than twenty years after the Yellowstone fires of 1988, you can see that the dead trees are still clearly visible, although they no longer dominate the scene.  I'm encouraged by the amount of new growth that has occurred, and so I try not to cringe when I look at the snags and think about all the majestic lodgepole pines that were lost that year. 

Does anyone know who decided to call standing dead trees 'snags' or why?  I don't.