Wyoming Breezes

on the corner of Third and Kearney Laramie, WY August 2019

February 2020 Yesterday, I spent the afternoon playing Bunco at the senior center. The annual event was hosted by the Laramie Women's Club, and I'd estimate that 90 ladies spent the afternoon rolling the die, enjoying appetizers, and meeting new people. Lots of door prizes were awarded during the afternoon. As you can see, I won as many rounds as I lost, and scored two buncos. It was a fun afternoon. Have you played Bunco recently?

Dinosaur mural Laramie, WY August 2019 From Wikipedia : The fossil record of the US state of Wyoming spans from the Precambrian to recent deposits. There are a large number of different fossil sites spread throughout the state.  Wyoming is such a spectacular source of fossils that author Marian Murray noted in 1974 that "[e]ven today, it is the expected thing that any great museum will send its representatives to Wyoming as often as possible." Murray has also written that nearly every major vertebrate paleontologist in United States history has collected fossils in Wyoming.  Wyoming is a major source of dinosaur fossils. Wyoming's dinosaur fossils are curated by museums located all over the planet.

Houses in the Snow Norway 1895 Claude Monet as seen at the Denver Art Museum November 2019 In an earlier post , I mentioned being surprised that Monet had painted Winter scenes. The bleak landscape in this image reminds me isolated Wyoming ranches. Those who live in such areas are hardy and have a work ethic that is hard to match. They know that the animals come before their own creature comforts. They don't have set schedules for meals or bedtime: they work until the work is done - period. They work in miserable conditions, and the pay is minimal; yet it's a lifestyle they will fiercely defend. photo courtesy of WYDOT

Christmas Puzzle Challenge Day 7 2019 I'm trying a "new to me" Christmas Countdown activity this year, and so far I've been having fun with it. Each day of December, I reach into the 500 piece puzzle box and grab 20 pieces (500 divided by 25 = 20 pieces each day). Since this is the first time I've worked on a puzzle this way, I decided a 1000 piece puzzle would be too large and frustrating.  The photo shows my progress as of December 7, 2019 when I had a total of 140 pieces. The goal of this activity is finish the puzzle by Christmas Day, adding 20 pieces each day. It's been a fun way to countdown to Christmas.

On Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the Monet exhibit (THE TRUTH OF NATURE) at the Denver Art Museum. The Laramie senior center (Eppson Center for Seniors) organized a bus trip to the exhibit, and I'm thrilled that I was able to secure a seat. It was often difficult to get close to the masterpieces because so many people were in the exhibit hall, but I did manage to take photos of my favorites. I'll be sharing them periodically. Forgive me for not giving the names of these fabulous works of art, but I felt fortunate to just photograph the paintings before the crowd surged around. Monet is well known for his use of color, so I was surprised that one section of the exhibit included winter scenes. The detail was amazing down to the brush strokes of the frosty trees. I particularly loved the paintings that included water and clouds and could have viewed the details for hours.

close-up of "Escape" mural Laramie, WY August 2019 I always smile when I drive by this mural: it reminds me of the illustrations in a Dr. Seuss book. The mural wraps around the corner of the building.

section of mural at First and Grand Laramie, WY August 2019 This mural is across the parking lot from the Gill Street fish mural . Matthew Shepard , a University of Wyoming student, who was beaten, tortured and left to die near Laramie in October 1998 left a lasting impression on the community. Since that tragic event, the community of Laramie has focused on public awareness and tolerance.

running pronghorn antelope mural Laramie, WY August 2019

cast of the musical 9 to 5 take a bow at curtain call PACE Center, Parker, CO September 2019 I spent the last week in Colorado visiting family: my sister and I try to have a quilting retreat each year. I took three QOV quilt kits to work on, and Marilyn finished a project that she had started and began another one. The last evening of my visit, Marilyn, her husband, and her daughter, and I attended the stage performance of 9 to 5. It was very well done, and we all enjoyed ourselves. (The photo was snapped during curtain call - no photos were allowed during the performance) Photos of our finished quilt tops will be posted soon.

large fish on the southern most end of Gill Street mural Laramie, WY August 2019  As I mentioned last week, the Gill Street mural is huge. This week, the photos depict the fish on the southern end. This image gives you some idea of the size of the mural.   More fish photos next week from the northern and eastern ends of the mural. 

one segment of Gill Street Mural Laramie, WY August 2018 A large mural featuring fish is painted on the back of several Second Street buildings. The open alley in that section allows the viewer to get the full perspective of the mural, but viewing each fish closeup  is necessary to see more of the details and beauty of each fish. I'll share more of the mural in coming weeks.

play program and knitting November 2018 Last week, I attended a play at the University of Wyoming. Rhinoceros was first performed in 1959, yet its message is still as relevant today as it was 59 years ago. The actors did a wonderful job with the script and the staging, and the playwright's message was clearly presented. It was not an entertaining play, and at times, it was very uncomfortable to watch; however, that was the playwright's intent. According to Wikipedia,  The play is often read as a response and criticism to the sudden upsurge of Fascism and Nazism during the events preceding World War II, and explores the themes of conformity, culture, fascism, responsibility, logic, mass movements, mob mentality, philosophy and morality.  The director's note in the program stated. ". . . it is not the unapologetically evil that must be feared, but rather the indifference that allows them to grow, the refusal of the average person to make a stand and say, 't...

Mexican Train group teaches Tiger Cub Scouts how to play November 2018 On Saturday, five players from the senior Mexican Train Domino group taught five Tiger Cub Scouts , their leaders/parents/siblings how to play the game. The boys lead those gathered in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Scouting Pledge, and before the games began, everyone took advantage of the treats the Scouts brought to share. We played for two hours and had a lot of fun. (Faces of the children have been obscured in the photos because of their age)

Community Band performance October 2018 Last week was a whirlwind of activity: every day I had some event or activity on my calendar. Monday evening, I attended a performance of the Laramie Civic Chorus and the Community Band. It was very enjoyable. The young man in the percussion section who is shown far left in the photo was like a whirling dervish, dashing from one instrument to the next with his sheet music fluttering along with him. Tuesday morning found me in a Women's Bible study group. I had several errands that kept me busy in the afternoon. Wednesday afternoon, I knit with the Needlework group at the senior center. The group has grown from three to twelve in the short time I've been attending. I cast off the Baby Surprise Jacket, and asked some of the ladies to figure out how it would be folded into a sweater. It was fun to watch as they flipped it this way and that. Mexican Train dominos November 2018 The Mexican Train domino group meets on Thursd...

Koto players October 2018 In addition to the Taiko performance , the Japanese Festival included a few traditional Japanese songs played on the Koto . I actually remembered the songs, and they triggered some wonderful memories. The instrument, similar to a harp, has a distinctive sound.