Perspective is an interesting thing. If you talk to almost anyone around Casper, the general perspective is that we are having a very mild winter. I spoke with a man in his 60’s who has lived here all his life and he was commenting on how warm this winter has been. Ditto with a man…
Category: Wyoming, general
Wild Bergamot, A Showy Native Mint
Monarda fistulosa is commonly called Horsemint, Wild Bergamot, and Bee Balm. As with many native plants found in the Rocky Mountains and Western Plains, it was used by Native Americans to treat a variety of ailments, from headaches to bronchitis. Even today it is used as a component in some herbal tea mixes, and the…
Save Research Dollars, Ask Moms
I had to chuckle a little when I saw this ‘new study’ that says preschoolers and kindergarteners need lots of time…. wait for it… playing outside! “Play Time for Preschoolers Essential, Study Says” I cringe to think what this ground breaking research cost when they could have come to the same conclusion by asking any…
Cross Country Skiing on Casper Mountain
Sometimes the best activities are in our own backyards, or close anyway. At a friend’s encouragement our whole family rented skis and took a short drive up Casper Mountain to the Nordic Ski Center. The lodge itself manages to capture the classic mountain ski lodge look and feel without being pretentious, but the real draw…
Winter Watering in Wyoming and the High Plains
Last week we had three days in a row above 40 degrees F. With no snow cover, this was a perfect time to water shrubs, trees and perennials in the yard. The forecast for Central Wyoming for the first week of 2012 looks good for another opportunity for winter watering. In the high plains, winter…
Update EPA Well Testing Pavillion, Wyoming
An update is posted at the Drinking Water Advisor about the EPA’s interpretation of the results from the EPA well testing in Pavillion, WY. Pavillion is located in the Wind River Basin of western Wyoming where drilling for natural gas and oil has increased substantially in the last decade. EPA’s Lisa Jackson has stated the…
We’ve Cheated Old Man Winter
Well, that’s the way I feel when I am walking on November 28th and there are bugs flying in the air around me and the native plants in my garden have turned green and resprouted. What a great feeling to have a day in the mid 50’s and no wind. It really is the best…
Groundwater Test Results in Pavillion, Wyoming
The EPA has released initial findings from ground water testing in the Pavillion, WY area. Pavillion residents have complained of contaminated drinking water wells for many years, suspecting fracture drilling, or fracking, is causing contamination. The EPA results can be found here. Their interpretation of these results should be forth coming in the next few…
Climate Challenges and Vegetable Gardening
I moved to Wyoming from the Midwest over 20 years ago. I thought I understood what ‘arid’ meant, but it took two failed vegetable gardens to really get through to me. Sunset’s Western Gardens does a pretty good job of describing our climate: “…this zone sees January temperatures from 0-12 degrees F with extremes between…
Wasn’t Poison Sumac After All
“It turns out the “poison sumac” (Rhus vernix) of my childhood, which I so diligently avoided, wasn’t poison sumac after all, although R. vernix does grow in Indiana.” This is from my reply to a comment from Steve at Portraits of Wildflowers. Steve reports Rhus trilobata grows in Texas, but Rhus lanceolata is more reliable…
Wyoming Life 