Wednesday in Wyoming - December 27, 2023

 

Even though it's two days since Christmas Day, there's still reason to celebrate the Christ Child's birth and the joy He brought to the world. 

I hope your Christmas was a happy one and that the new year brings you health, happiness, and time with those you love. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 20, 2023

 

One December quite a few years ago my husband and I toured the current governor's mansion to see the then First Lady of Wyoming's Christmas decorations. Several long tables and the grand piano were covered with winter-themed porcelain ornaments, but my favorite was this nativity scene set by itself on a small table.

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 13, 2023

 

Where do you find houses like this in Cheyenne? One way is to take one of the Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley's holiday lights tours. 

I was attracted by the simple white lights outlining the figures in the nativity scene. Beautiful! 

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 6, 2023

 

Snowflakes are beautiful; Santas are cute; but they're not the reason we celebrate Christmas. That's why this month's posts will feature the true reason for the season.

I found this nativity scene in the basement of the Historic Governors' Mansion here in Cheyenne. The building and trees aren't ones you'd find in Bethlehem, but maybe that's the reason the artist crafted this -- to remind us that people all around the world celebrate Jesus's birth.

Wednesday NEAR Wyoming - November 29, 2023

 

Would you want to live in a sod house? While I appreciate the early settlers' ingenuity in creating homes on the treeless prairie, I shuddered when I read about some of the disadvantages of sod houses ... including snakes falling from the ceiling.

If you don't believe me, here's a post entitled Snakes on the Dinner Table.

The sod house is only one of a number of historical buildings in the Old Town Museum in Burlington, Colorado. Burlington is also home to the Kit Carson County Carousel which is well worth visiting. Beware, though. This carousel revolves faster than most and might make you just a little bit dizzy by the end of the ride.

I hope you've enjoyed this month's posts featuring sites in Colorado. Next month we'll return to Wyoming. 

Wednesday NEAR Wyoming - November 22, 2023

 

Small but beautiful, that's St. Catherine's Chapel on the Rock, located near Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park.

In addition to being a tourist attraction, it's also the site of weekly Masses and weddings (if you plan enough in advance).

For more information, you might enjoy this post.

Wednesday NEAR Wyoming - November 15, 2023

 

Why would anyone want a plain barn side when they could have one like this?

I found this one in Montrose, Colorado, gateway to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The drive to the canyon's floor is not for the faint of heart, but the views are worth the hairpin turns. 

And, as Montrose's web site points out, the Black Canyon is only one of the attractions in that part of Colorado. If you're planning a trip to Colorado, you might want to include Montrose in your itinerary.

Wednesday NEAR Wyoming - November 8, 2023

 

Would you expect to find this quintessential sculpture of a cowboy outside a greeting card company's factory? For many years, this and many other pieces of western art were displayed in at the Leanin' Tree company headquarters. Sadly, the art collection is no longer there. After more than forty years, the art was sold at auction.

Still, if you're ever in the Boulder, Colorado, area, I suggest you visit Leanin' Tree. Even without the art as an added attraction, it's a fun place to go if you enjoy greeting cards. 

For more information click here.

It's Cover Reveal Time!

 One of my favorite parts of the whole publishing process is being able to share cover art with you, and so without further ado, here's the cover for Into the Starlight, the third Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing book.

What do you think? I'm delighted with it.

And, if you're curious about the storyline (you are, aren't you?), here's part of the official press release.

Joanna Vaughn has spent more than a year in Europe trying to fulfill her goal of becoming a concert pianist. With the tragic loss of her husband, her dreams are dashed and she returns home to Sweetwater Crossing. Her childhood house is there to greet her upon her return, but she’s changed so much that it no longer feels like home.

Dr. Burke Finley is desperately searching for a fresh start after his fiancée married his business partner and they both blamed him for a patient’s death. He finds a reprieve when he accompanies his uncle’s fiancée, Della Samuels, to Sweetwater Crossing. But his quick trip turns into an extended stay when he is caught up in an investigation over his uncle’s untimely passing. At least he is able to spend time with the lovely Joanna

Burke and Joanna join forces to help Della find the truth behind her fiancé’s death. But the more time they spend together on the case, the greater their attraction grows. Both have baggage from their past that could impede any future romance. Only if they overcome their trauma can they have their happily-ever-after.

Get swept away by this emotional tale of family, friendship, and the kind of love that overcomes every obstacle.

Into the Starlight will be released on July 16 next year and is now available for preorder at most of the online retailers.

Wednesday NEAR Wyoming - November 1, 2023

 

Did you notice that the title of this blog is Wednesday NEAR Wyoming rather than Wednesday IN Wyoming? That's because this month I'm going to highlight places south of the border ... that is south of the state line. In other words, this month's posts are from Colorado.

Isn't this building beautiful? You'll find it in Central City, Colorado, a town that was once described as "the richest square mile on earth" because of all the gold that was being mined near it.

A town with that much wealth deserves an opera house, doesn't it? The miners thought so. Built in 1878, the opera house is still home to an opera company. In fact, the Central City Opera is the nation's fifth-oldest opera company. How's that for history?

If you'd like more details, here's a link.

Wednesday in Wyoming - October 25, 2023

 

If you have vegetables, you need scarecrows, especially at this time of the year, and so the Children's Village at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens has its share of scarecrows. 

I don't know whether they kept the crows away, but both children and adults came to admire them.

Wednesday in Wyoming - October 18, 2023

 

Who would have thought that flower petals falling into a birdbath would create such beauty? 

As you may have guessed, this picture was taken at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.

Wednesday in Wyoming - October 11, 2023

 

The dome at the Children's Village (part of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens) is beautiful at any time, but a bright blue sky and vibrantly colored flowers add to its appeal and make it a must-see.

Wednesday in Wyoming - October 4, 2023

 If you're looking for beautiful autumnal foliage and flowers in southeastern Wyoming, there's no better place than the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. This is one of my favorite places in the city and one of the reasons my husband and I chose to move to this part of Wyoming. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - September 27, 2023

 Can you guess why this is called the Fallen City?

I hope you've enjoyed this month's posts featuring the Big Horn mountains and that you'll come back next month for glimpses into another part of Wyoming.

Wednesday in Wyoming - September 20, 2023

 The scene appears peaceful, doesn't it? But during World War II, Heart Mountain was home to an internment camp for American citizens of Japanese descent.

Wednesday in Wyoming - September 13, 2023

 

Whether you call it the Medicine Wheel or, as Native Americans do, The Place Where the Eagle Lands, if you visit this site in the Big Horn Mountains, you'll discover that it's one that will linger  in your memory.

Wednesday in Wyoming - September 6, 2023

 

A virtually deserted road, lush cattle (and sheep) grazing land, verdant hills -- that's Wyoming's Big Horn Mountain region.

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 30, 2023

 

From my perspective, there's nothing quite as fascinating as watching a hummingbird flit from blossom to blossom, extracting nectar from the brightly colored penstemon flowers, sometimes hovering with its wings flapping so quickly that they're nothing more than blur.

We've reached the last Wednesday in August, which means that this is the last of the backyard birds posts. I hope you enjoyed them and will come back to see what's in store for September.

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 23, 2023

 

Master of all I survey -- that's what I imagine this hawk was thinking as it perched on a pine tree. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 16, 2023

 

The sunflowers may have lost most of their petals, but that didn't stop this goldfinch from harvesting seeds. 

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the birds' antics, especially when they hung upside down to get a seed. A couple less acrobatic but still enterprising goldfinches stayed on the ground, devouring the seeds others dropped. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 9, 2023

 

Did you know that Horned Larks build their nests in the grass? This nest was in the Buffalo grass near a walk in my backyard, which meant that I had the perfect site for watching these three chicks hatch and develop their downy coats. 

Don't you love the brightly colored open beaks, announcing that it's time for more food?

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 2, 2023

 

If you've been following my blog, you know that most of my Wednesday in Wyoming posts feature different parts of the state. This month I'm staying closer to home and am planning to share pictures from my backyard. 

Imagine my surprise when I walked to the sink to wash dishes and found this rather large bird perched on the window sill and staring at me. It's one I'd never seen before, a Chukar. Natives of Eurasia, Chukars were brought to the United States as game birds and have managed to thrive in parts of the West including -- obviously -- Cheyenne.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 26, 2023

 

Does this look like a scene you might find on the cover of one of my books? It's actually part of Fort D.A. Russell Days, one of the many events that occur during Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Fort D.A. Russell, which is now F.E. Warren Air Force Base, was established at the same time as the city and, as you might expect from the length of time it's been here, has a storied past. Some of that comes alive during the popular historic homes tour sponsored by the Warren Spouses Club. 

The year I took the tour, one of the stops was at the Etiquette House, where we learned about nineteenth century etiquette. It was great research!

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 19, 2023

 

One of my favorite parts of Cheyenne Frontier Days is the US Airforce Thunderbirds air show. The skill involved in their aerial acrobatics never fails to thrill me. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 12, 2023

 

Before we moved to Cheyenne, our realtor told my husband and me that we absolutely could not miss the pancake breakfasts that are part of Cheyenne Frontier Days. "They use a cement mixer for the batter," she informed us. I thought she was kidding. Admittedly, it's not the large cement truck that I had envisioned, but it's still a cement mixer ... or so the sign says.

The three pancake breakfasts are one of the most popular free events, in part because there's showmanship involved. If you look carefully, you can see two pancakes being flipped into the air next to the light post. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 5, 2023

 

It's July, and that means that Cheyenne is getting ready to host the world's largest outdoor rodeo, Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Taking place over ten days at the end of July, this the city's biggest event -- one that draws visitors from all over the world. In addition to the rodeo itself, which has been nicknamed the Daddy of 'Em All, there are many, many other events. 

I plan to highlight some of them in this month's posts, so please come back each Wednesday.

Wednesday in Wyoming - June 28, 2023

 

If the Grand Encampment Museum isn't enough to convince you to visit the little town, perhaps the scenic road that leads to it will. This is part of the Snowy Range Highway, one of my favorite drives in southern Wyoming. Beautiful scenery and little traffic -- it doesn't get much better.

Wednesday in Wyoming - June 21, 2023

 

This is arguably the most famous building in Encampment, a two-story outhouse -- testament to the amount of snow that falls in this part of Wyoming.

Wednesday in Wyoming - June 14, 2023

 This may look like an ordinary log cabin, but a closer look at the chinking between the logs reveals something I hadn't seen anywhere else.

Notice how small branches are used to fill the space between the logs. At least for me, this was a novel way to build a log cabin. Have you seen this technique? If so, where?

Wednesday in Wyoming - June 7, 2023

 

Welcome to Encampment, Wyoming. More specifically, welcome to the Grand Encampment Museum, where you'll find buildings that bring Wyoming's past to life. This month I'm going to share a couple buildings that I found particularly interesting, so come back next week for more. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 31, 2023

 

A curving road lined with evergreens -- true beauty at Guernsey State Park.

I hope you've enjoyed this month's posts. Please come back next month for pictures from another part of Wyoming.

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 24, 2023

 

This is one of my favorite photos from Guernsey State Park. I love the contrast between the limestone cliffs and the dark reservoir, and the sight of the hawk soaring over the water makes me smile.

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 17, 2023

 

Though most of the traffic in Guernsey State Park is privately owned vehicles, the railroad tracks are proof that there's also commercial traffic. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 10, 2023

 

I often wonder whether the pioneers heading west in their wagon trains stopped in this part of Wyoming and whether the mountains looming to the west made them wonder whether they'd made a mistake in leaving their homes. After all, the most difficult part of the trek was still ahead of them.

You won't find any wagon trains here in Guernsey State Park, just vacationers and day trippers ready to enjoy some beautiful scenery and recreational activities.

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 3, 2023

 

This month's posts will spotlight Guernsey State Park, which is located in the eastern part of Wyoming.

Although the park is famous for its buildings created by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Depression, for many visitors the beautiful scenery and recreational activities are the primary draw. 

The reservoir looks peaceful, doesn't it? I imagine it's far different on a summer weekend.

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 26, 2023

 

The incoming clouds may bring rain, but as you can see from the sprinkler system, irrigation is needed to grow crops in most of Wyoming.

I hope you enjoyed this month's photos from the Big Horn Mountains and that you'll come back next month for a look at a different part of the state.

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 19, 2023

 

Don't you love the contrast between the green grass and the red rocks? Add in puffy cumulus clouds and a partially blue sky, and it's the perfect spot for a picnic lunch ... at least for me.

This photo was taken on a trip to Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 12, 2023

 

All right. I'll admit it. Earth Science was my favorite high school science class, and so when I see various kinds and colors of rock layers, I'm transported back to the days when I learned how they were formed.

These hills, as you probably guessed from last week's post, are found in the Big Horn Mountain area of Wyoming.

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 5, 2023

 

If you're looking for a quintessential picture of Wyoming, this might be it. I love the combination of the sagebrush, which was one of the things that brought me to the Equality State the first time, and the brave evergreen trying to grow in a decidedly arid climate.

This photo, like all of those that I'll share this month, is from a trip to the Big Horn Mountains. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - March 29, 2023

 

Although the art I've featured in previous posts this month has been two-dimensional, the annual Glass Art Show at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens also has three-dimensional pieces, including this one from the 2020 show.

I would never have thought to combine candy dishes like this. Would you? 

Wednesday in Wyoming - March 22, 2023

 

The opening of the Shane Smith Grand Conservatory gave the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens a new way to display art from its annual Glass Art Show, with pieces hanging in front of the second story windows overlooking the conservatory.

This piece was part of the 2019 show.

Book Birthday

 

The wait is over! Today's the official release date for After the Shadows, which means that it should be available in brick and mortar stores as well as all the online sites.

I'm particularly excited about this book, because early readers have told me they think it's my best. Is it? As an author, I'm too close to my stories to judge them fairly, but Library Journal liked it so much they called it a "must-buy" and gave it a starred review. I was thrilled!

If you'd like more information about After the Shadows, here's a link. 

And, if you're reading this before 5 PM EDT on March 21, I hope you'll join me for an historical romance panel sponsored by Baker Book House. Tracy Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse, and I will be talking about the challenges -- and the fun -- of creating books set in times gone by.

Most of all, I hope you'll enjoy Emily and Craig's story. Happy reading!

Wednesday in Wyoming - March 15, 2023

 

Glass Art brings additional beauty to the original conservatory at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens in this photo from the 2015 show.

Wednesday in Wyoming - March 8, 2023

 

Since space was limited prior to the construction of the Grand Conservatory at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, glass art was displayed in the growing area next to the original conservatory. I found the juxtaposition of natural and manmade beauty intriguing in this picture from the 2012 Glass Art Show.