Visit to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

After chores, watering the in the greenhouse, and making a batch of queso cheese this morning we headed off the homestead. It is my mom's birthday. She wanted to head to  Wyoming, at first, to find the grave of our Great Grandmother Julia who came across the prairie to pioneer and settle in Wyoming. But when we got there we got all caught up in the history of the place.  Cemeteries will need to wait for another day. Wyoming is an hour and half from the eastern plains of Colorado.  I love Wyoming.

It is fitting that we went to find a grandmother as it seems Wyoming is famous for it's strong women.  They were the first state to allow women to vote - 12-10, 1869, Colorado was next in 1893 (wow, long time between)  and the first state to have a women Governor - Nellie Ross , 11- 4-1924. My grandmother owned a cattle ranch which she worked hard  while having troubles with a drunken husband and sons roaming saloons of the wild west. We are lucky to have her letters from her travels across the country looking for a better life as a pioneer. (will post at another time).

Anywhooo... a good time and fun to get off the homestead every once in a while to learn about others who came before us.
                                    

        The Capital

                                                        Out at the rodeo grounds.

These boots are all over town! They were all different and brightly painted.

There is a cool story about the lower balcony of the Wrangler building. They would hang elk, deer, antelope over the side and whenever they wanted a hunk of meat they would just slice it off. I am sure it got rather ripe come July! Not sure if it's true but it is a story we were told while visiting. The main part of this building has been there since 1892.

Another point made was how difficult it is to grow anything in Wyoming due to the altitude, extreme winds and snow storms. (thank goodness I unloaded a 40 acre ranch in Laramie about 10yrs ago)

Well, more days will be needed to visit again and we plan on it. Being the Capital of Wyoming, Cheyenne and a very quiet town...unless you are there on Cheyenne Frontier Days at the end of July.

Books - Finished reading Pioneer Women , Into a Dark  Dark Wood and listening to Pillars of the Earth.  I am reading The Sweet Life in Paris, yes, still. 

 I love this book, so I am  taking sips of it, savoring every bit instead of gulping it down.  I love that it is story and recipes.  How can you go wrong with recipes such as warm goat cheese salad  or cinnamon meringue  with espresso- caramel ice cream, chocolate sauce and candied almonds? As I read it my brain just melts, falling in love with every word... it happens.  I know no French. I have had 5 years of studying Spanish and continue to listen to Spanish conversational lessons on podcasts.  I know nothing of Paris, yet, books of the place have been magically landing on my shelf lately.

Tomorrow it is back to the homestead life, family and work.

peace, health and happiness