Many locals know a trip up the Wind River Canyon has a surprising twist. While the scenery itself is spectacular, a mixture of optical and sensory illusion often causes the traveler to think that water is traveling uphill.
Author: wyominglife
Glowing Golden Chrysothamnus
I know I’ve said it before, but when the Rabbitbrush is in full bloom, its rich golden color seems to glow. Maybe it’s the way the depth of the flowers in those terminal cymes let the light bounce around and intensify. Click on the photo for a closer view.
Sheepherder Fire Grows Twenty-Fold in Ten Hours
Update on the Sheepherder Hill Fire on Casper Mountain, Wyoming. (Click on a photo to view slide show) Extreme. Erratic. Unpredictable. That’s what they call the kind of fire behavior seen in these photos. Definitely life threatening. Firefighters can’t be sent into this kind of scenario. The fire is literally making its own weather. Just…
New Forest Fire on Casper Mountain
We were so close to getting through this fire season without a wildfire on Casper Mountain. This afternoon a large plume of smoke rose steadily from the mountain. It seems to have erupted very quickly, probably the result of steady winds. Right now, as the sun sets, the wind is dying down and we are…
Wyoming Wolf Plan Approved by USFWS
“Under Wyoming’s management plan, the state is required to keep a minimum of 10 breeding pairs and 100 wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park and the Wind River Reservation. A minimum of five breeding pairs and 50 wolves are required inside Yellowstone.” Read the rest of this article from the Casper Star Tribune And the…
Gotcha! Little Fox
I was a little groggy on a late Friday evening as we drove up to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. We hadn’t really gotten out of the (relatively) well traveled part of the trip yet. Actually, we were driving through an area of private cabins. Hardly the wilderness, so my camera was still securely packed…
Early Harvest
My neighbor shared some of her harvest with me. Her little orchard is irrigated, so the high temps and drought conditions didn’t affect her apple and plum trees. If you are interested in the history of small orchards on the high plains, I recommend a book entitled High Plains Horticulture: A History In the early 1900’s…
Another Chance to Vote on New Library Funding
In November, Natrona County will once again vote on whether or not to increase sales taxes by 1% to cover the construction of a new library. The measure failed in 2008. The pro-library folks seem to think it’s a good sign it was added to the ballot, but most Wyomingites I know think it should…
Natives Can Take the Heat
I’m sure you’ve heard the US has experienced the hottest July on record, and over half of the country is in drought. Corn farmers are plowing their crops under as they shrivel in the dry soil and intense sun. Food prices are expected to rise. I was not comforted as I hiked through our horse…
Duck Eggs in Nest
I stumbled onto this duck nest while hiking along a creek. I took a quick shot and then skedaddled in hopes mama duck would soon return if the pesky humans departed. Watching mama duck fly away I recalled my bird identification mentor from college. His ornithological skill was legendary, and it is to him I…
The Original Western Ranch Decor
I like to look at the old log cabins, barns, and outbuildings built by early pioneers and ranchers. Wyoming has a lot of them, and our arid climate means they can be in pretty good shape half a century or so after they were last inhabited. The use of local materials is noteworthy to me….
Wyoming Life 