Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 25, 2017

Doesn't this look like a fun place for a child to explore? It's part of the Laramie County Library in Cheyenne and is one of the reasons the library was voted one of the best in the country.

The whole second floor is devoted to children and young adults and has become a popular place for everything from story time to chess games, proving that libraries are gathering places as well as repositories for books.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 18, 2017

Last week I showed you the entrance to the Old West Museum.  What I didn't tell you is that its exhibits include one of the country's largest collections of historic carriages and wagons, including this stagecoach. 

I know from my research that traveling by stagecoach wasn't particularly comfortable, but I'd still like to travel a few miles that way to see just how much passengers were jolted and bounced.

What do you think?  Should we do it?

Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 11, 2017

Where would you expect to see benches made from wagon wheels and a fountain with a cowboy pouring water from his boot?  If your answer included something about the old west, you were right.  You'll find this scene outside the Old West Museum in Cheyenne.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 4, 2017

Perhaps this week's post ought to be titled "The Sunflower Saga," because everything in it revolves around one of the wild sunflower plants in my backyard. While the plants themselves aren't especially beautiful, the flowers are cheerful and -- best of all -- they attract beautiful birds.

Here's an American Goldfinch, his beak open as he reaches for a seed.

If you look carefully, you can see the seed in his beak.

One seed isn't anywhere close to enough, so he goes back for another and another and another.

I'm always amazed by how persistent the birds are. They'll stay on a single plant for up to an hour, devouring the seeds. It's particularly fun to watch them when they turn upside down to pluck a seed from the flower.

Here's what the plant looks like when they're finally finished. Not much left for the next bird.

I won't tell you how many hours I've spent watching goldfinches and other birds feasting, but each time I see them, I'm grateful for the volunteer sunflower that decided to grow so close to my house.