Wednesday in Wyoming -- November 16, 2016

Who would have thought that a wrong turn would lead to this?  I've been to Chugwater before, but thanks to a new navigation system that kept trying to send me to a town I'd deliberately bypassed, I discovered this little gem.

Yes, it's a mural.  I'm always intrigued by the paintings various towns use to decorate the sides of otherwise ordinary buildings.  This one in Chugwater impressed me with the way the artists incorporated the light pole into the picture, partially camouflaging it as part of the windmill.

You can see that it was more difficult to hide the electrical box and wires, but it's still an interesting mural and a great way to celebrate the town and its history.

What's missing is the town's current claim to fame -- Chugwater Chili.  There's even an annual chili cookoff in June.  If you're ever in the area then, you might want to see which variety of chili you find the best.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- November 9, 2016

Trains.  It's hard to drive very far in Wyoming without seeing one.  Though early trains carried passengers, now most of them are used for freight, hauling the state's coal and natural gas to markets in other parts of the country.

Even small towns like Centennial, with a population under 300, celebrate the influence that trains have had on Wyoming's economy.  This photo shows part of Centennial's museum and features both the town's historic depot and a train.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- November 2, 2016

Shakespeare in Wyoming?  Yes, indeed.  Not only was Jim Bridger, the famed mountain man, able to quote Shakespeare at length, but only six months after it was founded, the city of Cheyenne was the site of a production of "Othello."  Later, Edwin Booth, brother of -- you guessed it -- John Wilkes Booth, starred in a production of "Hamlet" at the Cheyenne Opera House.

With that history, is it any surprise that when the Folger Shakespeare Library arranged its fifty-state tour to celebrate the four-hundredth anniversary of Shakespeare's death by sending one of the famous First Folios on tour, Cheyenne was the Wyoming city selected to host it?

Here's a close-up picture of the First Folio, open to the well-known "to be, or not to be" scene from "Hamlet."

Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 26, 2016

Even though it was only the beginning of fall according to the calendar, Wyoming's autumnal beauty was at its peak the day my husband and I drove to the Snowy Range.

For those of you who've never been to Wyoming, here's one of the reasons I enjoy my adopted home -- beauty and solitude less than two hours from Cheyenne.  For me, this was the perfect place to relax and reflect on all that's good in the world.

What's your special place?

Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 19, 2016

Golden aspens forming a frame around an evergreen -- what more can I say other than that the beauty made my heart sing?

This is another picture from the Snowy Range and the Medicine Bow National Forest.  As you've probably guessed from the fact that this is the third photo from that area, I'm spotlighting the Snowies this month.  They're not the most famous mountains in Wyoming, but the area is among the most beautiful.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 12, 2016

When you hear the name "Snowy Range" do you picture mountains that are snow-capped year round?  That's not the reason Wyoming's Snowy Range got its name.  Instead, it's because of the white granite mountains.  And, as you can see, some of the boulders from those peaks are indeed the color of snow.

If you were wondering, the Snowy Range is part of the Medicine Bow National Forest, southwest of Laramie.  It's become one of my favorite day trip destinations, especially during autumn, when the fall colors provide a dramatic contrast to the evergreens and those white mountains.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- October 5, 2016

From the brilliant orange colors, you might think this picture was taken in New England, but it wasn't.  A Wednesday in Wyoming post can't have a picture taken in Vermont or New Hampshire, can it?  This is a scene from the Medicine Bow National Forest just west of Centennial, Wyoming.

Have you heard of aspen gold?  That's the color most aspens turn each fall.  These are aspens, but -- as you can see -- they're not gold.

Why are they orange this year?  It could be the result of the drought we've had this summer, which can increase the concentration of the pigments that make leaves turn colors each fall.

Whatever the reason, the sight was beautiful.