Wyoming Gothic

This weekend I'll be participating in HOBY, or the Hugh O'Brien Youth leadership camp for high school students.

My office runs the Wyoming program and somehow I went from casual volunteer to pretty much running the show.

My title is Big Mama, something I'm not sure what I think of. There's also a Big Daddy, who is my friend Brandon.

We had to have our picture taken for the program and this is what we decided on...

It cracks me up!!

Wyoming Gothic

And the law won

After making my way home from Jackson, Wyo., on Saturday I still had it in me to go down to the Atlas Theater downtown Cheyenne for a little CD release party I was privy to.

The Law North of Crow Creek, a band of prominent lawyers in town, was having a little get together to play for their friends.

Justice Hill, who Linds H. works for, invited me to go a few weeks back. I didn't want to miss out - no matter how long of a day it had been!

They are pretty darn good, playing lots of old cowboy songs and some covers. And they're so funny! They had the crowd cracking up between songs.

They're a modest band that has a good time playing. If you're ever in Wyoming Home in Cheyenne you can pick up one of their CDs!

Branding iron

A couple weekends ago I went up to Jonna's family's branding outside Kaycee, Wyo. I've always wanted to go, but was never back in the state when they did it. This year I wasn't going to miss it!

I didn't have a job except to take some photos. I do have a bit of a branding resume though: My family helped our friends in Gillette, Wyo., brand for a few years and I got assigned to the "castrating crew." I was the insecticide and blood clotting powder-girl. Sounds pretty glitzy, huh?

For those who aren't up on their branding practices I was the girl who, after the, ahem "deed" was done, ran up and sprayed insecticide around the area then dumped blood clotting powder in.

I wanted to try other things after a few years of this prestigious job and got moved over to ear tags and vaccines. It just wasn't as exciting.

And my old role made for a much better story for all my East Coast listeners.

How about some nice, warm-up pics first...

This is Banjo. Check out his tongue! He just keeps it hanging out like that most of the time...



A new-born ranch kitten...

Jonna's dad Wayne...Kissing calves...


The cattle coming in...


Ok, enough of the sugar coated shots. Let's get down to the nitty gritty: The irons used to burn out any horns...

Jonna's brother Nathan roping...

I've titled this one "Kicking and Screaming"...


See that bucket there? It's called the "nut bucket." I'll spare you the close up photo of what's inside...

Lots of activity...


And that, folks, is how it's done.

A couple days worth

I've been on the road for several days.

It started on Friday when I went to Kaycee for Jonna's family's branding. I got back on Saturday, but was busy, busy getting ready to leave for this week's work trip around the state. Photos on the branding are still forthcoming, so stay tuned for those.

In the meantime, I'm up early and have a few minutes (and wireless service at the Bear Lodge, but no cell service) to try and catch this blog up. I'm blogging from my work account this week, so you can follow along on some things there (www.wyospace-wyospace.blogspot.com).

So far this week:

Matt and I have covered a lot of miles. Day one was Cheyenne to Alcova, then to Glenrock, then to Sundance where we spent the night. We conducted a few interesting interviews and had lunch at the Paisley Shawl in Glenrock, which I had heard great things about from a few trusted friends. Turns out there's a reason I trust them! The place was nice - much fancier than I expected. And our sandwiches were amazing: chicken with slabs of smoked cheddar and avocado was my choice.

We also stopped at the bar in Bill, Wyo., (population one, I believe) for a beer on our way to Sundance. I've passed by this place truly countless times on my way home to Gillette and back when my parents lived there. I always wanted to stop, but was on a mission to get off Hwy 59, so would keep truckin'. It was fun! I had recently read about the bar in the book Jukeboxes and Jackalopes by a Wyoming author. Matt and I had one beer then got back on the road to Sundance.

I'll have a story later on the lady we interviewed yesterday morning for our Agtivities magazine. Her name is Pat and she was the neatest, coolest lady. I loved her. I want to be her.

We also interviewed the mayor of Gillette yesterday afternoon after having lunch at the old Goings Hotel downtown. My dad's office used to be above the Chophouse restaurant downstairs and we'd have dinner or wine there from time to time. It's a nice place too and I'd definitely recommend it if you're ever in that neck of the woods.

Matt and I are supposed to be taking pictures of some of Wyoming's Main Street program communities, but it's been raining since day one. Rainy, drippy skies don't make for good photos of what are supposed to be vibrant, cute downtowns, so our plans to capture Buffalo and Sheridan were put on the back burner.

We did, however, spend some time in Sheridan last night. If you've never been to Sheridan's downtown, well...you must. It's EXACTLY what a downtown should be. It's so cute, with so many great restaurants and bars and shopping, and it's got it goin' on! It was bustling with things to do - and it was a Tuesday night. We had dinner with my friend Jesus and his family at Oliver's, a nice restaurant I've always wanted to try. It was great.

Then it was up the mountain to Bear Lodge at Burgess Junction. This place ROCKS. My friend Candice's husband's family owns this and the Arrowhead Lodge. It's so pretty and relaxing. As a matter of fact, Matt and I are having breakfast in the "great room" right now.

I don't have access to many of my photos right now, but I'll load some later.

Keep checking back here! I might be a little slow in posting, but I'm still around!

Proud to be an American

I was standing in line at Wal-Mart yesterday wearing an old USO (United Service Organizations) tee I had gone for a run in. I got the shirt after helping fill care packages at a USO event with my boss on Capitol Hill a few years back.

A man standing in front of me suddenly asked if I worked for the USO. I told him no and casually explained that a group of friends and I had helped at one of their events.

He told me he was a soldier that had been stationed in Afghanistan in '05. As the soldiers were heading out, a line of USO workers handed each of them a care package. He said it made all the difference and he really appreciated it.

He then stuck out his hand and said, "Thank you."

He said thank you to ME.

I shook his hand - and my head - and said, "No, thank YOU."

Right then, it was his turn in line and with a question for the pharmacist they were off looking for what he needed in the aisles.

I picked up my prescription and as I turned we caught each other's eye. I smiled and waved and took for the door.

Then I remembered the back of the shirt says in very large letters, "DO STUFF FOR OUR TROOPS".

I'm glad he saw that. Reminding people about our troops is one of the very reasons I love wearing that tee.

Moments like the one in line are all the other reasons...