Wednesday in Wyoming - September 10, 2025

 

This Northern Flicker is one of my favorite birds, mostly because of its unusual coloring. How often do you see a bird that's apparently wearing a bib? 

Wednesday in Wyoming - September 3, 2025

 

This month I thought I'd stay close to home, at least for my blog posts, and so I'm featuring Backyard Birds.

This Swainson's Hawk was a frequent visitor one summer, perhaps because there was a lot of food for him in the form of ground squirrels and baby bunnies. But one day instead of taking a bath in the birdbath, he washed his food. What was it? A slice of bread. You can imagine what happened when that went into the water.

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 27, 2025

 

Since the hero of "The Sagebrush Bride" is the post trader, more commonly called the sutler, I thought you might like to see the exterior of the sutler's store. It's hardly an architectural wonder, but the stone construction made it warmer than a log cabin.

This concludes this month's exploration of Fort Laramie. What's coming in September? I haven't decided, but I hope you'll return for another glimpse into the state I call home.

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 20, 2025

 

Rank has its privilege.

I'm sure you've heard that, but if you had any doubts, compare this elegant dining room with the rather Spartan mess hall in the cavalry barracks that was the subject of last week's Wednesday in Wyoming post. 

As you undoubtedly guessed, this is how the highest ranking officers lived at Fort Laramie. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 13, 2025

 

Continuing our tour of Fort Laramie in honor of "The Sagebrush Bride," I thought you might enjoy seeing where the enlisted men ate.

This is the mess hall in the cavalry barracks, one of the buildings that has been restored. One of my questions when I saw it was whether the stove was adequate to heat the whole room or whether the men who were seated at the ends of the room were cold during those long, very cold Wyoming winters.

Wednesday in Wyoming - August 6, 2025

 

Since "The Sagebrush Bride," which is set at Fort Laramie, was just released, this month's Wednesday in Wyoming posts will feature the fort.

This building is not the most famous -- Old Bedlam, the bachelor officers' quarters, holds that distinction -- but it's equally important, because this was the cavalry barracks. 

You'll note that there's  a covered wagon to the left of the barracks, a reminder that Fort Laramie was a key stop on the Oregon Trail. 

What you don't see is a stockade fence or, for that matter, any kind of fencing. Hollywood did not use this fort as the model for all those westerns. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 30, 2025

 

For sheer scenic beauty, it's hard to beat Lake Marie in the Snowy Range. 

If you were only looking at a map, you might think that the mountains were given that name because they're covered with snow during most of the year. Not so. It's the rocks that led settlers to call them snowy. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 23, 2025

 

Have you heard of Sinks Canyon? It's the spot in western Wyoming where the Popo Agie River goes underground for a while. Even if it didn't sink into the ground, I'd find the bubbling water and the autumnal color of the bushes beautiful.

And then there's the river's name. Do you know how to pronounce Popo Agie? I was surprised to learn that it's po-po-je. 

If you'd like more information about Sinks Canyon here's a link.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 16, 2025

 

A series of posts about water in Wyoming wouldn't be complete without one of the Laramie River at Fort Laramie.

Even though the trees weren't there when the pioneers traveled the Oregon Trail, I can imagine what it looked like then and how grateful they were to reach the fort. Not only was there fresh water, but the sutler's store had supplies they'd need for the remainder of the journey west.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 9, 2025

 

Like the Flaming Gorge reservoir that I featured in last week's post, the Glendo reservoir was created by a dam. 

Located in the eastern part of the state, easily accessible from I25, Glendo State Park attracts people who want to camp, hike, mountain bike, fish or simply relax in a peaceful setting.

I chose this picture because in addition to showing the reservoir and the dam that created it, it has Laramie Peak in the background. You may recall that Laramie Peak was one of the landmarks on the Oregon Trail. I can only imagine how the pioneers felt when they saw it looming in the distance and realized that the most difficult part of the journey west was still ahead of them.

If you'd like more information about Glendo, here's a link.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 2, 2025

 

Wyoming is a semiarid state, and so we value our water, which is why this month's posts will focus on water.

Undoubtedly, the most famous water is the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone, but there are other beautiful but lesser-known bodies of water that are worth visiting.

This photo is from the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, which includes the 91-mile long Flaming Gorge reservoir. It's so large that it extends into Utah, and is noted for -- among other things -- excellent fishing. 

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

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 28, 2025

 

These are among my favorite wildflowers -- blue flax. According to the research I did, flax is prized for its stems, which can be used in making linen, as well as its seeds and oil. I enjoy it simply for the beauty of the flowers. 

We've reached the last Wednesday in May, so this will be the final wildflower post for a while. What's coming next month? I haven't decided, so please check back next week to see what theme I chose for June.

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 21, 2025

 

Do you know what kind of wildflower this is? I don't, but I'm impressed with both its beauty and the fact that it grows in less than ideal conditions. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 14, 2025

 

Continuing my prairie wildflowers posts, as you probably guessed, this is a wild cactus, a ball (or maybe it's a barrel) cactus. I'm always amazed at how many blossoms one small plant can have. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 7, 2025

 

If you're like me, when you hear the adage, "April showers bring May flowers," the flowers that come to mind are ones you or a neighbor planted. But those aren't the  only flowers that bloom in May. This month I'm going to feature May-blooming flowers that I found in the prairie. Yes, wildflowers.

These are Evening Primroses, flowers that -- as their name suggests -- start to bloom at dusk. They last only a day, frequently fading early the next morning, but while they're blooming, they're beautiful. At least I think so. 

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 30, 2025

 

As you enter Wyoming from the south on I-25, you'll notice two large statues on the exit leading to the state's welcome center. 

Entitled "The Greeting and the Gift," they depict the meeting of a Native American and a Mountain Man on the prairie. The Native American offers the gift of a horn, while the Mountain Man waves a greeting.

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

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 23, 2025

 

No series of posts about statues in Wyoming would be complete without Lander Lil, the Cowboy State's answer to Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil. 

Yes, she's a prairie dog, not a groundhog, and she's a statue, not a live animal, but each year on Groundhog Day, Lil can be depended on to forecast spring's arrival.

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 16, 2025

 

In addition to beautiful scenery, the attractions at Guernsey State Park include a number of buildings constructed by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) during the Depression. This statue outside the museum celebrates the men who turned stone and mortar into the fanciful buildings, including one called the Castle, that are considered the finest example of CCC work in the Rocky Mountain region.

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 9, 2025

 

If you're a dinosaur fan -- and many people are -- you won't want to miss this T-rex. You can find him in front of the Tate Geological Museum in Casper. 

Interested? Here's a link with information about the museum.

Wednesday in Wyoming - April 2, 2025

 

This month I plan to feature various sculptures that I've seen around the state. This one, entitled Sacred Circle of Smoke, is one of my favorites, particularly when it's viewed from this angle, framing Devils Tower.

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