In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife decided the greater sage grouse would be kept in consideration for placing on the endangered species list. They say the listing is “warranted,” but there are too many other endangered species needing attention at this time. “Based on a 12-month status review pursuant to the Endangered Species Act,…
Tag: rural life
Wyoming on the Edge of Ogallala Aquifer
The headlines read Aquifer study could lead to water use restrictions in Laramie County It’s hard to believe we could be draining such a large water resource as the Ogallala Aquifer.
Warning Snow
As long as I can remember we’ve had an October snow. The DH and I call it the warning snow. It snows enough to remind us to get the firewood cut and stacked; winterize certain outdoor water faucets; finish up any yard chores; get the horse hay into the barn; and put the winter…
My Visit to the Crazy Woman
The North Fork of Crazy Woman Creek tumbles down the dramatic Crazy Woman Canyon southwest of Buffalo, Wyoming. Two legends exist as an explanation for how the drainage got its name: One involves a native American woman who was left alone after a rival tribe attacked and killed everyone in her village. She supposedly stayed…
Water Travels Uphill in the Wind River Canyon
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.
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…
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…
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…
Wyoming Summer Branding
Most ranchers try to get all their calves branded in the spring when the weather isn’t too warm and the calves aren’t too big. But there are always a few that slip through and you have to catch them when they’re bigger. Heading and heeling is the preferred method around here for handling those big…
Wyoming Life 