Whether you’re turning the lights on in your home or keeping your livestock warm, electricity is vital to our way of life. It powers our communities and keeps us safe. We use many different fuel sources to keep electricity affordable for the cooperative family because investing in you is why we exist! AFFORDABILITY BASIN ELECTRIC
Hydropower
Every day, your cooperative provides you, the consumer-members, with safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and affordable power. They are able to provide this essential service because we use many types of fuel to generate electricity. Having diversity in our power resources helps us keep costs affordable should one type of fuel spike in price or be in short supply.
You may occasionally hear about base load and non-base load power sources. How these resources work together to power your homes and businesses is important, and long-term planning plays a vital role in meeting your needs. Generation plants are typically long-term assets, which last for several decades.
In Wyoming, base load power plants are most commonly fueled by coal. The plants operate nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide a consistent and steady amount of power.
Based on our consumer-members’ annual and average daily use requirements, we plan ahead to know how much power we need to generate or purchase to meet those needs. Base load power plants run at constant levels, allowing these plants to provide the lowest-cost generation in a safe and efficient manner. Throughout Wyoming and the U.S., base load power plants supply the majority of the power used by consumers. In Wyoming, as a testament to our commitment to being good stewards of our environment, we continue to invest in upgrades to these base load plants to ensure they meet strict and changing environmental standards.
As part of our balanced approach to providing you with power from a variety of sources, we supplement base load power with intermittent resources, such as wind and solar. These are considered non-base load power because we have limited control over their power generating ability. For example, on a sunny day, solar panels can produce maximum output. Or, when wind speeds are steady and not too high or too
low, wind turbines can generate a fairly consistent supply of power. However, during cloudy days or at night, we can’t rely on solar power because it isn’t generating a significant amount of energy. Because of the unpredictably of non-base load sources, we use them in tandem with base load plants to ensure when our consumermembers flip the switch for power, they can count on a reliable and adequate power supply to meet those needs.
Base load power sources are the backbone of our system for a number of reasons, including the fact that energy cannot be effectively stored. Advancements in energy storage, such as batteries, have come a long way in recent years but it’s still not economically feasible or in some cases, reliable enough, to meet our consumermembers’ needs. Through our national partners, we invest in ongoing research to determine when and if technologies, such as storage options, may be viable for our consumer-members.
As a member of your not-for-profit electric cooperative you may be thinking, why is all of this important to me? Having a balanced and diverse energy portfolio is similar to having a diversified personal financial plan. When it comes to savings, it’s not prudent to put all of your eggs in one basket. The same is true with sources of power generation. To achieve the best mix of reliability, affordability, environmental responsibility and safety, we rely on multiple sources rather than just one type of power generation.
SHAWN TAYLOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Todd Herman is based out of Big Horn Electric’s Lovell shop and has been with the company for almost 30 years. He also earned his pilot’s license.
Q Q Q A A A A
How long have you been a lineman?
28 years.
What made you want to decide to become a lineman?
Well, my dad was a lineman and so now my son’s a lineman, so I guess just keeping it in the family.
What is your favorite part of the position?
Just the fact that you’re doing something different every day and working outside. The job is satisfying because you can look back at the end of the day and see that you got something done. We had 30 poles go down in a snowstorm last Tuesday, so we’re still fixing that up.
When did you earn your pilot’s license and what made you decide to do so?
I’ve had that for 30 years and had some friends that taught me how to fly so we use it for traveling for family vacations and a lot of flying around the Big Horns here.
“THE JOB IS SATISFYING BECAUSE YOU CAN LOOK BACK AT THE END OF THE DAY AND SEE THAT YOU GOT SOMETHING DONE.”
Q Q A A
Who or what inspires you to do your job well?
I like working with people, building a new service for them, meeting new people. Like this storm job, it was a fun job because we got to work with High Plains Power and Garland Light & Power, working with different crews, different guys. I enjoy that.
What’s the best part about working in rural Wyoming?
I think it’s the way we take care of the consumer. The consumer is basically our boss and we give them a better deal I think than investor-owned on building lines and getting services. I like meeting with [consumers] and being able to help them out. I think the co-op world is really good about that.
Electricity is a reliable, affordable and responsible way to power the rural West. With electrification and energy efficiency programs offered by your electric cooperative with support from Tri-State, together we are helping consumers, farms, ranches and businesses get the most value from power and save money.
Learn more at www.tristate.coop/electrify-and-save
Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
GROWTH WITH REBATES
Energy efficient upgrades reinvigorate business owners serviced by Big Horn Rural Electric Company in Wyoming.
San Miguel Power Association steps in to create energy efficient affordable housing for essential workers in Colorado mountain towns.
New technology powered by Wheat Belt Public Power District increases operational reliability for third generation potato farmers in Nebraska.
Learn more at www.tristate.coop/features
A pioneering electrification project brings renewed power capabilities thanks to Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative.
wyobiodiversity.org
Look into a nearby stream or pond, and you may see small silvery streaks as fish dart past. It might be hard to believe that those little fish have any impact on the health of our ecosystems, but they do! Wyoming has 50 species of native fish, all of which contribute in some way to keeping aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems healthy and thriving.
Native fish are vital pieces of the complex freshwater food web, serving as scavengers, predators and prey. Some species eat algae and other plant matter, while other species eat aquatic insects of all sizes. Some species even eat other fish or larval amphibians. In turn, native fish are important food sources for many birds and mammals, including humans!
Aquatic plants and algae require nitrogen and phosphorus to grow, but they need the help of fish to turn these nutrients into a form that they can actually use. Fish are able to do this simply by eating! The waste that fish produce from digested food contains nitrogen and phosphorus that is easy for plants and algae to uptake. Because fish swim around, they can distribute these nutrients to plants and algae over a wide area, allowing plants and algae to grow and provide food, oxygen and shelter for the water’s inhabitants.
Native mussels provide a vital service by cleaning water of bacteria, algae and other particles. But these sedentary shelled invertebrates would not survive without native fish! Mussel larvae latch onto the gills of fish, where the larvae can safely develop and grow— all without hurting their fish host. In addition to helping them grow, fish act as taxis for moving these cleaning powerhouses around freshwater ecosystems. When the larvae are grown, they’ll drop off of the fish and settle into their new location, far from where they first latched on.
A life-sustaining element, water also plays an important role in the energy sector. Many Wyoming waterways provide power to the electrical grid, benefitting residents, communities, agriculture and wildlife.
Hydropower possesses a long history, with many dams and power plants constructed in the United States during the early to mid-1900s. This type of energy accounts for more than 30% of America’s renewable electricity generation and more than 6% of total electrical generation in the U.S.
BY GAYLE M. IRWIN“Hydropower is one piece [of the energy grid]. It’s a cleaner form of energy,” said Lyle Myler, Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation - Wyoming Area Office.
The federal Bureau of Reclamation operates several hydropower dams with hydropower in Wyoming, including Buffalo Bill Dam west of Cody and Boysen Dam located between Shoshoni and Thermopolis. Buffalo Bill Dam was completed in 1910 and opened thousands of acres in the
Bighorn Basin to irrigation. Buffalo Bill Dam was originally constructed as a feature of what was known as the Shoshone Project, a series of tunnels, canals, diversion dams, Shoshone and Heart Mountain powerplants, plus the Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Buffalo Bill Dam was raised by 25 feet as part of the Buffalo Bill Unit in the early 1990s, which included the addition of two powerplants – Buffalo Bill and Spirit Mountain powerplants. Today, this system irrigates more than 90,000 acres, helping produce various crops, including beans, alfalfa, oats and barley.
Congress authorized building the Boysen powerplant through the federal Flood Control Act of 1944. Construction started in 1947 and was completed five years later. The plant regulates water flow not only for power, but also for flood control, irrigation, fish reproduction and recreation. Two electricity generating units generate 15,000 kilowatts, said Myler.
Smaller hydroelectric plants in the state also assist Wyoming communities and rural areas. For example, Lower Valley Energy, based in Afton, provides customers with power using water. Eighty-five percent of the co-op’s electricity is generated by hydropower.
“That makes us unique from other cooperatives,” said Jim Webb, president and CEO of Lower Valley Energy. “Our main power supplier is Bonneville Power Administration. They’re the federal marketing agency that sells off all the power from the Snake and Columbia rivers. That’s nearly all hydro. The Snake River starts in our territory … and goes into the Columbia.”
In addition to hydropower from Bonneville, Lower Valley possesses two hydroelectric facilities.
“One of them is called Strawberry – it’s [near] Bedford and Thayne,” Webb said.
The facility has operated since the 1940s.
“It’s run great for all those years … and it’s very cheap power,” Webb stated.
The second project is located in Swift Creek and was originally owned by a power company that serviced Afton prior to Lower Valley’s arrival. The co-op “inherited” the project, Webb said. About 20 years ago, the town of Afton approached Lower Valley to see about restoring the facility, which had been destroyed by a snowslide during the 1980s.
“We put in new generators, new turbines, on both the upper and lower projects, and replaced all the penstock,” Webb said. “We restored the upper powerhouse … and we built a new powerhouse on the lower one.”
The Intermittent Spring supplies Afton’s water, so “we put a generator on their water system, too,” Webb said. The three projects produce about seven million kilowatts a year, he added.
Hydropower “saves our members money,” Webb said.
Lower cost is one of the major benefits of hydropower, and Wyoming co-op members with such facilities in their area reap that benefit, said Jim Horan, executive director of the Mid-West Electric Consumers Association.
“The power they’re buying … is about 63 to 65% of market power, so it’s a relatively low-cost power supply,” he stated.
Some irrigation districts also operate small hydropower plants, benefiting agri-business operations, he said.
Reservoirs, rivers and streams also benefit wildlife, from fish and amphibians to birds and mammals. Project partnerships with agencies such as Wyoming Game & Fish and Natural Resources and Conservation Service restore habitat and drinking and swimming pools.
Another hydropower benefit for humans is that it’s “dispatchable,” meaning “ondemand,” said Kurt Miller, executive director, Northwest Public Power Association, which represents communityowned utilities across 10 Western states.
“It will show up when you need it,” he said. “That’s the key element of hydropower compared with other renewable resources.”
Although considered a clean and lowcost energy source, hydropower is not without controversy.
For example, along the lower Snake River and the Columbia River, dams and hydropower plants are being scrutinized and the possibility of removing or breaching dams is on the table. Most objections to keeping the dams revolve around possible impacts on salmon populations and the orca whales that feed on them. Utility companies, including Benton (Washington) REA, oppose the removal.
It will show up when you need it. That’s the key element of hydropower compared with other renewable resources.
electricity
generating units generate 15,000 kilowatts
Hydropower today is probably more valuable than it’s ever been. We need to protect it and not take it for granted.
Hydroelectric power plants convert the potential difference of water into electricity by transferring it between two points at different heights or elevations.
The dam across the natural river course holds back the water to form a reservoir. The potential energy of the flowing water is then converted into electrical output.
Water behind the dam flows through an opening and down a pipe called a penstock. Potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy as the water flows through the pipes.
Filtering Grilles
Sluice Gate
Pressure Pipe
Turbine
Shaft
Electricity Generator
Transformer
Power Lines
Drain
Water Use For Irrigation, Etc.
When it reaches room, the water turbine blades to transforming kinetic into mechanical
the machine causes the to spin, kinetic energy rotation.
The organization’s website notes, “Salmon survival rates through these dams are as high as 97%. NOAA Fisheries’ analysis shows Puget Sound Chinook salmon are most important for the Southern Residents (orcas). Cleaning the Puget Sound and reducing carbon output would be a better use of time and money” to save salmon and orca.
Litigation around the federally owned lower Snake River dams has “been going on for decades,” Miller said. In 2022, the Biden administration engaged in
negotiations with the stakeholder groups. Miller said his former organization was supposed to have a seat at the table, but was ultimately excluded from the negotiations because he wouldn’t support dam removal.
“It was a long year and a half, and it was very frustrating,” Miller said.
Only Congress possesses authority to allow dam breaching, but the settlement “allowed for the plaintiffs to frame any new generation that was built as power
that would be used to replace the lower Snake River dams,” he stated.
“We were really against that because that presumes the dams should go,” Miller said.
Despite such challenges, hydropower continues to be part of America’s, and Wyoming’s, energy mixture.
“Hydropower today is probably more valuable than it’s ever been,” Horan said. “We need to protect it and not take it for granted.”
The turbine shaft is attached to the electricity generator, which converts rotational energy into electricity.
After giving up its energy, the flow of water drains downstream through a spillway.
The Middle Fork of the Powder River, which flows through Kaycee and the surrounding area, has a history of breaching its banks. These overflows flood the community and damage or destroy diversion dams.
“Almost every spring we get at least mild flooding, and every three to five years we get moderate to severe flooding,” said Anita Bartlett, Resource Coordinator and District Manager, Powder River Conservation District.
Partnerships with other agencies, including the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) and Wyoming Game & Fish Department, helped southern Johnson County mitigate and alleviate damage through various engineering projects that rehabilitated and reconstructed the waterway.
“We took irrigation diversions which had been damaged and the banks around them – they were push-up diversions – and we changed them to a cross-vane diversion system,” Bartlett said. Instead of being a solid wall, it’s basically a stair-step with cross-vanes coming across that pulls the water back to the center of the river and keeps it off the banks so it still allows for irrigation and also allows for fish passage.”
Using blocks that resemble Legos®, these diversions decrease the water’s power, stabilizing streambanks and protecting property and habitat.
Local rancher Kevin Lund finds the projects helpful for him and his neighbors.
“That’s how we get water to all these hayfields,” he said. “That not only feeds your animals, but you can sell some of it.”
Diversion dams also help livestock and wildlife, said Lund, a board member of the Powder River Conservation District and Area 1 Director for the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts.
“Any of the diversions means more sufficient water supply,” he said. “The only drawback is that you sometimes have to regulate where the cows go to drink – they’ll sluff a bank off and cause erosion. But it’s usually an easy fix.”
A large share of these multi-million-dollar water projects comes from grants available through the NRCS.
Those funds come via the federal Farm Bill that distributes money to states, said Allison McKenzie, Johnson County NRCS District Manager.
“Landowners can apply for Farm Bill dollars … Any time of the year, they can make application [for range or irrigation projects],” she said. “Usually in the fall, we gather those applications and rank them, and then we see how many we can fund.”
Another project recently funded involved developing hydropower for irrigation.
“We had such an elevation change, from our headgate, our takeout, to the bottom of the field,” she said. “We had all of that elevation to help us be able to use hydropower to move a pivot instead of having to use electric on the pumps.”
Dull Knife Reservoir, an NRCS waterway in the Bighorns constructed in 1966, also provides irrigation water. Because of its age and a study that determined loss of life and property could occur if the dam breached, “a lot of work” was done about five years ago to rehabilitate the spillway and fix other concerns, McKenzie said.
“I believe water is the most important asset we have, so I’ll always support water projects,” Lund said. W
I believe water is the most important asset we have
Gayle M. Irwin is a freelance writer based in Casper.
STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR?
U2 CAN SOLVE THIS PUZZLE—MOVE IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS TO PAGE 37.
BY KENDRA SPANJERThe
Mookie Blaylock
Little
Wicked
Pen
The
The
The following 20 bands have had massively successful musical careers, but you’ve probably never heard of them. Why? Because they weren’t successful until they changed their names. Would Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. have been able to sell 150 million records worldwide and reach number one in the U.S. with eight different albums if their band was still known as The Hype? Bands’ original monikers are clues to the crossword puzzle; their now-famous identities are the answers. The
BY NEVA BODIN
“You feel the jolting and hear the crushing of the sand beneath the wheels … you smell the sage … [you are] lying there in a tent and hear the coyotes in the distance … I had a pretty authentic experience!” Pamela Eddy, historical interpreter for the National Park Service, described her five-day trip with the Historic Trails West wagon train owned by Morris Carter of Mills, Wyoming.
Historic Trails West has offered the adventure of traveling by wagon train across the Oregon Trail since 1989. Today’s want-to-be Western emigrant may book an experience as short as two
hours — spending time in camp and absorbing the ambiance of the west while dining pioneer-style — or as long as five days, visiting Independence Rock and traveling to the Continental Divide where water flows on the west side to the Pacific and on the east side to the Atlantic. All ages may participate, with the oldest so far being 104.
On this train, history will meet you and you will feel a part of it, traveling in the same ruts a half million people traveled between 1840 and 1870. You will perhaps stir up the same soil, experience the same feeling of awe, and marvel at the courage and hope it took to traverse and
sometimes die on that trail. You’ll see prairie grasses wave at you, cross the Sweetwater River and marvel at etchings of names on Independence Rock, known as The Register of the Desert. You may see a burial place forgotten by most and marked only by a small stone cairn.
In Wyoming, the Pony Express, Mormon, California and Oregon trails overlap in many places. “From Casper, it’s pretty much one trail on top of the other,” said Carter, the Train Captain.
The five-day trip takes travelers to South Pass, the route across the Continental Divide, elevation over 7,000 feet, for emigrants. “We travel right along where the Mormon handcart emigrants went,” Carter said. He’ll point out the monuments and trail markers along the way.
Participants ride on or walk alongside the covered wagons built by Carter. He said each wagon is as authentic as he can make it, “except it doesn’t have a toolbox on the left side or the front.” To craft the wagon box, he gets “yellow poplar and oak from back east, and Douglas fir from Wyoming for the seats. It takes about 1,000 hours to build a wagon.” Carter sews and waterproofs the canvas tops for his wagons.
Guests help set up teepees and care for the animals. There are wranglers and a cook. Travelers may ride a horse or learn to drive a team of mules or horses. Carter currently uses mules and the Percheron breed of horse to pull his wagons.
The menu includes steak, stew, burgers and other delicious and soul-satisfying meals made in a Dutch oven. Teepees that can sleep up to six people are erected for the night. Mosquitoes might join the fun, but unlike the pioneers, who had little recourse but to swat, scratch and stir them right into the pancake mix, Carter has modern methods to deter them.
Trekkers are “mainly interested in how people survived and got along on the trail,” Carter said. “They realize how much work it really was … walking
everywhere … that everybody walked unless they were sick or real young. They hear the creak of the wagons, the rattle of the tug chains and the songs of the prairie, and talk to the horses. You learn more than just reading it out of a book. Several guests have dressed the part.”
While most treks take place within the state of Wyoming, Carter and his wagons traveled the full length of the California Trail — 2,500 miles in five months — in 1999 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1949 gold rush. They began in St. Charles, Missouri, and ended in Sacramento, California.
In 1993, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the first wagon train leaving Independence, Missouri, on May 12 and arriving in Astoria, Oregon, his train traveled 2,600 miles in six months and six days. On that trip, they carried a regular mail pouch with postcards hand-canceled in Independence, Missouri, Fort Caspar, Wyoming, and Independence, Oregon, and then mailed to different destinations. In 1989, he and his four daughters led a wagon train on a 30-day trip from Casper to Cody to celebrate Wyoming’s Centennial statehood.
The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times and Westward.com online have covered stories of Carter’s wagon train adventures. In addition, at least one family who blogs wrote of their time: “This experience was hands-down, the most educational and amazingly fun excursion we have done in the four years that we have been homeschooling.”
VIEW THE ARTICLE ONLINE HERE: blessedwithoutboundaries.com/covered-wagon-ride-oregon-trail
Carter obtains permits for his wagons from the Bureau of Land Management and private landowners. “I say thanks to all the private landowners for allowing us to travel across their land. If it weren’t for them, this wouldn’t be possible,” he said.
While many Wyoming people have enjoyed his wagon train, Carter has hosted people from all over the world. “I had a guy from South Africa, one from Ireland and one from New York, all on the wagon together one evening. It was interesting to hear the diversity of their thoughts,” he said. He has a tour group coming for the 15th time from England in June 2024. W
Neva Bodin is a Casper-based freelance writer, author, artist and poet.
In 2023, Wyoming Camera Outfitters booked Carter’s stationary campsite by the North Platte for a Canon camera class, inviting Native Americans to pose in full regalia.
1/4 CUP CRANBERRY JUICE FROZEN STRAWBERRIES (4-6)
3 TBS FRESH SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE
1 TBS POWDERED SUGAR
1/2 CUP ICE
2 OZ WHISKEY
Combine cranberry juice, strawberries, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Start low and move to high and blend until smooth. Add whiskey, stir. Double for fun!
WREN STAFF
FOR TOPPING:
1 TSP COCONUT OIL
1/4 CUP UNSWEETENED COCONUT
2 TBS SLICED ALMONDS
1 TBS SESAME SEEDS
1 TSP HONEY
FRESH OR FROZEN BLUEBERRIES SLICED FRESH STRAWBERRIES
FOR SMOOTHIE:
3.5 OZ FROZEN AÇAÍ
2 MEDIUM BANANAS
1 CUP FROZEN BLUEBERRIES
1 1/2 CUP ALMOND MILK PINCH OF KOSHER SALT
Make topping: In a small skillet heat coconut oil on medium. Add coconut, almonds and sesame seeds, toast until slightly golden. Remove from heat and stir in honey. Transfer to a plate to cool before breaking into small pieces. Make smoothie: Combine frozen açaí with bananas, blueberries, almond milk and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Divide between bowls.
Top with fresh fruit and coconut topping.
WREN STAFF
3 CUPS PINEAPPLE JUICE, CHILLED 1/4 CUP LEMON JUICE
1 QT PINEAPPLE SHERBET
1 750 ML BOTTLE CHAMPAGNE, CHILLED
In a punch bowl, combine juices. Just before serving, scoop sherbet into punch bowl; add champagne. Stir gently. Makes 20 servings.
WREN STAFF
Combine all ingredients in blender. Secure lid. Blend to desired consistency. Add orange juice or water to thin if needed. Leftover pineapple or cucumber? Try a new variation. Serves 2.
WREN STAFF
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✓ First walk-in tub available with a customizable shower
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Now you can have the best of both worlds–there isn’t a better, more a ordable walk-in tub!
Halfa mile beneath the icy waters off the coast of Argentina lives one of the most remarkable creatures in the world.
Fully grown, they’re less than 2 feet long and weigh under 10 pounds…
But despite their small size, this strange little squid can have a bigger positive impact on your brain health than any other species on the planet.
They are the single richest source of a vital “brain food” that 250 million Americans are starving for, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.
It’s a safe, natural compound called DHA – one of the building blocks of your brain. It helps children grow their brains significantly bigger during development. And in adults, it protects brain cells from dying as they get older.
Because DHA is so important, lacking enough of it is not only dangerous to your overall health but could be directly related to your brain shrinking with age.
With more than 16 million Americans suffering from ageassociated cognitive impairment, it’s clear to a top US doctor that’s where the problem lies.
Regenerative medicine specialist Dr. Al Sears, says thankfully, “there’s still hope for seniors. Getting more of this vital brain food can make a life changing difference for your mental clarity, focus, and memory.”
Dr. Sears, a highly-acclaimed, board-certified doctor— who has published more than 500 studies and written 4 bestselling books — says we should be able to get enough DHA in our diets… but we don’t anymore.
“For thousands of years, fish were a great natural source of DHA. But due to industrial fish farming practices, the fish we eat and the fish oils you see at the store are no longer as nutrient-dense as they once were,” he explains.
DHA is backed by hundreds of studies for supporting razor sharp focus, extraordinary mental clarity, and a lightning quick memory… especially in seniors.
So, if you’re struggling with focus, mental clarity, or memory as
you get older…
Dr. Sears recommends a different approach.
Research has shown that our paleo ancestors were able to grow bigger and smarter brains by eating foods rich in one ingredient — DHA.
“Our hippocampus thrives off DHA and grows because of it,” explains Dr. Sears. “Without DHA, our brains would shrink, and our memories would quickly fade.”
A groundbreaking study from the University of Alberta confirmed this. Animals given a diet rich in DHA saw a 29% boost in their hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory. As a result, these animals became smarter.
Another study on more than 1,500 seniors found that those whose brains were deficient in DHA had significantly smaller brains — a characteristic of accelerated aging and weakened memory.
MEMORY-RESTORING SENSATION: The memory-saving oil in this Antarctic squid restores decades of lost brain power starting in just 24 hours.
from a farmed source. That will protect your brain cells and the functions they serve well into old age.”
Dr. Sears and his team worked tirelessly for over 2 years developing a unique brain-boosting formula called Omega Rejuvenol
It’s made from the most powerful source of DHA in the ocean, squid and krill — two species that cannot be farmed.
time high. I’ve always had trouble concentrating, and now I think I know why,” raves Bernice J. “The difference that Omega Rejuvenol makes couldn’t be more noticeable.”
And 70-year-old Mark K. says, “My focus and memory are back to age-30 levels.”
EVEN KNOW IT
Dr. Sears uncovered that sometime during the 1990s, fish farmers stopped giving their animals a natural, DHA-rich diet and began feeding them a diet that was 70% vegetarian.
“It became expensive for farmers to feed fish what they’d eat in the wild,” explains Dr. Sears. “But in order to produce DHA, fish need to eat a natural, marine diet, like the one they’d eat in the wild.”
“Since fish farmers are depriving these animals of their natural diet, DHA is almost nonexistent in the oils they produce.”
“And since more than 80% of fish oil comes from farms, it’s no wonder the country is experiencing a memory crisis. Most people’s brains are shrinking and they don’t even know it.”
So, what can people do to improve their memory and brain function in the most effective way possible?
Dr. Sears says, “Find a quality DHA supplement that doesn’t come
According to Dr. Sears, these are the purest and most potent sources of DHA in the world, because they haven’t been tampered with. “Omega Rejuvenol is sourced from the most sustainable fishery in Antarctica. You won’t find this oil in any stores.”
Already, the formula has sold more than 850,000 bottles. And for a good reason, too. Satisfied customers can’t stop raving about the memory-boosting benefits of quality-sourced DHA oil.
“The first time I took it, I was amazed. The brain fog I struggled with for years was gone within 24 hours. The next day, I woke up with the energy and mental clarity of a new man,” says Owen R.
“I remember what it was like before I started taking Omega Rejuvenol… the lack of focus… the dull moods… the slippery memory… but now my mind is as clear as it’s ever been,” says Estelle H.
“My mood and focus are at an all-
These are just a handful of the thousands of reviews Dr. Sears regularly receives thanks to his breakthrough memory formula, Omega Rejuvenol
To secure bottles of this brainbooster, buyers should contact the Sears Health Hotline at 1-800-4406299. “It takes time to manufacture these bottles,” says Dr. Sears. “The Hotline allows us to ship the product directly to customers who need it most.”
Dr. Sears feels so strongly about this product, he is offering a 100%, money-back guarantee on every order. “Send back any used or unused bottles within 90 days and I’ll rush you a refund,” says Dr. Sears.
The Hotline is taking orders for the next 48 hours. After that, the phone number may be shut down to allow for inventory restocking.
Call 1-800-440-6299 to secure your limited supply of Omega Rejuvenol. Readers of this publication immediately qualify for a steep discount, but supplies are limited. To take advantage of this great offer use Promo Code OMWREN524 when you call.
Gene had a great love of horses and the cowboy way of life. He was nominated into the Cowboy Hall of Fame by his eldest son J.B. Wollen. Gene passed away at the age of 82 on June 6, 2016.
He did things with horses that I couldn’t do. I wasn’t the cowboy he was,” Wollen said. “I suppose he was on a horse probably before he could walk.”
In fact, his family says Gene learned to walk at the early age of nine months, and oftentimes his mother would catch him headed to the barn and corrals where the horses were.
Byron Eugene (Gene) Wollen was born to Wyoming Pioneer Homesteaders, Byron E. and Flora L. Wollen on
January 13, 1934 in Douglas and was raised on the homestead which was located northeast of Bill, Wyoming. He attended Converse County Rural Schools and town schools later on.
When he was not in school he worked alongside his father helping with the care of the Thunder Basin Grazing Association Community Pasture. Gene always went with his dad on horseback through the north country from the homestead to the Thunder Basin Grasslands. If they were near a
neighbor’s place, they would spend the night and move on the next day.
“He was a cowboy, raised to be a cowboy,” Wollen said.
Gene found himself most at home on the ranch, especially alongside his dad. Wollen recalls his dad saying “I didn’t think I needed an education. I didn’t want to be in school. I wanted to be out there with my dad on the ranch.”
There’s plenty of stories to share about these working days.
One time Gene was bucked off a horse at Thunder Basin and rolled through the cactus. Wollen retold the story –“He kind of forgot what horse he was riding … I think Grandpa told him to get the horse moving so he stabbed him with his spurs and [the horse] come undone and rolled him out to the cactus.”
Gene was promptly told to hop back on his horse so the group could all head back to cow camp, to which he vehemently replied, “How am I supposed to ride?! I’m full of cactus!”
It’s a bit of a mystery what happened from there. It was either a long walk back to camp leading the horse, or maybe a pickup ride standing in the back. Gene’s dad and the other cowboys spent the evening pulling the cactus out of him with pliers by lantern light until he couldn’t take it anymore.
Gene learned plenty at a young age. Wollen recounts how his dad was introduced to shoeing horses at the age of 14.
“He went to Grandpa and said, “I need you to shoe my horse and [Grandpa] basically told him ‘you know where the shoeing stuff is. Go for it.’’’
Gene would go on to shoe horses for several people in his community well into the 1980s.
Wollen relates to similar words of wisdom from his relationship with his dad. He recalled a time when they were riding through a furrow where they had plowed up the lower meadows and he couldn’t seem to get control of his horse. “I couldn’t stop him or turn him. He went clear to the windbreak and he hit the fence at the end and I stepped off of him,” Wollen said. “I told Dad, ‘You cannot stop or turn that horse.’”
“I’ve never seen a horse I can’t turn or stop,” Gene replied.
Later that weekend, Gene took the horse out to prove his point to his son. The horse started trying to trot on the way home and came square with a piece of barbed wire fence coming out of the corrals. The horse, trying to avoid the impending doom, tried to jump over the fence.
“It hit [the horse] right in the breast collar but it stood them both out there on their
He was a cowboy, raised to be a cowboy.
heads. They sat there for a while, trying to get [their] bearings – him and the horse both.”
“He came down where I was feeding cows later and he had blood coming down his chin and down the front of his coat and he said, ‘You know, you’re right. You couldn’t stop or turn that horse!’ But he didn’t take my word for it,” Wollen laughed.
Gene was always willing to help his neighbors whenever he could, if they needed to borrow something, or just help them with gathering, branding or shipping cattle. And, it’s likely there are horses alive today that Gene either broke or rode.
“I know I miss him,” Wollen said. “All the time I’m wanting to ask him questions about a horse he had, or a horse he might have rode … he broke so many horses over the years.”
Sunset Over the Lake
Rob McIntosh, Torrington
Dock of The Bay
Piper Whitney-Brown, Wheatland
Clouds and Cattails
Heather McLaughlin, Upton
Mountain Sunset
Andre’ Nolt, Rozet
Cow Reflections
Charlene Camblin, Gillette
Northern Lights Reflections
Ben Mason, Newcastle
Reflections
Carrie Miller, Laramie
Piper
Hay, I Can See Myself!
Betsy Jensen, Powell
The Old House
Tia Cranston, Moorcroft
Reflections
Aiyana Miller, Laramie
Cottonwood Clouds
Terry and Nicky Groenewold, Weston County
Hey Good Look’n!
Heather McLaughlin, Upton
Cecile
The
Reflections
Carrie
“Do
Betsy
Early
Susan
Tia
HAPPENING REGIONAL MAP
JULY 13
Albin Day: 9am. Youth rodeo, parades, food trucks and entertainment. Free. Info: Jillian McLaughlin, 307-214-9827 or Albin Community Center, 307-246-3386.
JULY 4-7
Library Book Sale: 11am-4pm. July 7 is $2 bag day. Info 307-745-8393.
JULY 6-7
FEATURED EVENT
JULY 27 1PM-5PM BIT.LY/EVANSTON-BREW-FEST-2024
Get ready to sip on a variety of refreshing brews and enjoy a day filled with good vibes and great company. Whether you’re a beer connoisseur or just looking for a fun time, this event is a mustattend. Along with great brews, you’ll enjoy live music, food trucks and merchant vendors.
Your safety is important to us, so we will be following the Clear Bag Policy.
Location: Depot Square
Cost:
Presale Tickets - $40 (ends July 24 at 5pm)
Day of Event Tickets - $50
Info: Evanston Chamber of Commerce, 307-783-0370
SOUTHWEST
43rd Annual Centennial Valley Art Show and Sale Fundraiser: July 6 from 9am-6pm; July 7 from 9am-4pm. Nici Self Historical Museum. Fine art exhibition and free public art show featuring original photography, paintings, pottery, stained glass, sculptures and more from over 20 local and regional artists from rural southeast Wyoming. Stop by to view the exhibition or take home a piece of Wyoming and support both the museum and a local Wyoming artist. Info: niciselfmuseum.com.
JULY 12 / AUGUST 23 / SEPTEMBER 6
Hell on Wheels Rodeo and Chuck Wagon Dinner: 5-7pm. Laramie County Fair Rodeo Arena. Doors open at 5, dinner at 5:30, rodeo at 7pm. Features an open rodeo format so anyone can pay the entry fee and compete in nine different rodeo events. Entry closes the Monday before each rodeo. VIP Ticket $80, Youth VIP $70, Chuck Wagon Dinner and Rodeo Ticket $60, Youth Chuck Wagon and Rodeo Ticket $55, Rodeo Only Ticket $25, Youth Rodeo Only Ticket $20. Info: Jim Walter, 307-772-7250, jim@cheyenne.org, cheyenne.org.
JULY 20
Albany County CattleWomen Ranch Tour: 8am. Meet at the parking lot at the Wyoming Territorial Prison Historic Site to tour ranches. Drive your own car or reserve a seat on the bus for $40. Box lunches available for $15. Bus and lunch reservations due July 1. Info: Betty Wortman, 307-399-4186 or 307-760-5590, wyaccw.com.
LUSK
JULY 12-13
Legend of the Rawhide: 7pm. Niobrara County Fairgrounds. Info: Jackie Bredthauer, 307-334-2950, 1-800-223-LUSK, luskchamberofcommerce@yahoo.com, visitlusk.weebly.com.
JULY 20
Fly In with a Pancake Breakfast: 7am. Lusk Airport. Info: Jackie Bredthauer, 307-334-2950, 1-800-223-LUSK, luskchamberofcommerce@ yahoo.com, visitlusk.weebly.com.
JULY 26-AUGUST 2
County Fair: Fairgrounds. Ranch rodeo, color run, gymkhana and AG expo. Info: Jackie Bredthauer, 307-334-2950, 1-800-223-LUSK, luskchamberofcommerce@ yahoo.com, visitlusk.weebly.com.
JULY 6-7
Festival of the Arts: Platte Valley Community Center. Free. Info: morrow.laura@gmail.com.
JULY 20
Western Swing Live Music: 5-9pm. Provided by Hwy 59. Buffalo burgers and chips. Suggested donation of $10 per person or $30 per family. Info: wrightcentennialmuseum@gmail.com.
THURSDAYS
Bluegrass Jam Session: 6:30pm. Occidental Saloon. Free. Info: 307-684-0451.
JULY 5-13
Central Wyoming Fair & PRCARodeo: Fairgrounds. Info: 307-235-5775, cwfr@centralwyomingfair.com, centralwyomingfair.com.
JULY-AUGUST
Clearmont Historical Center: Open 10am-4pm. Wed, Fri, Sat. Info: 307-758-4685, clearmonthistory@gmail.com.
JULY 26-27
Dayton Days: 47th annual festival celebrating the community of Dayton. Live music and family-friendly activities. Info: daytonwyoming.org or Town Hall, 307-655-2217.
JULY 20
Tractor Show and Rockpile Museum’s 50th Anniversary: 9am. Field between the Rockpile Museum and the Campbell County Fire Department. We will have sweet treats for visitors, free museum admission and the sealing of a commemorative time capsule. It’s also the car show at the Frontier Auto Museum. Info: Heather Rodriguez, 307-682-5723, heather.rodriguez@campbellcountywy.gov.
THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Open Mic Nite: 6-9pm. Thu. or Fri. depending on the schedule. Frontier Auto Museum. Free. All musicians are welcome. We supply the stage, mic and speakers. Bring your voice and/or instrument for an enjoyable evening under the neon lights. Upcoming dates will be posted on facebook.com/frontierauto.
Info: Ryan Swanson, 307-686-5667, relics@frontierauto.net.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
Senior Exercise Class: 9-10am. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5743.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
Hulett Museum and Art Gallery: 9am-5pm. Free. Info: 307-467-5292.
JULY 10
Pollinator Party: Reading Program: 1pm. Join Keyhole State Park & Moorcroft Branch Library staff for a pollinator themed storytime. We will make seed bombs, tour the new pollinator garden and one lucky attendee will win a 2024 Annual State Park Permit. State Park entrance fee required. Info: 307-756-3232.
JULY 17
Magician Cody Landstrom: 10am. Moorcroft Branch Library. Cody combines the skills of comedy magic, astonishing sleight of hand and masterful juggling into a one-of-akind performance. No storytime this week. Info: 307-756-3232.
THIRD THURSDAY OF MONTH
Adult Book Club: 1pm. Moorcroft Branch Library. New book each month. Stop by the library for your copy. Info: 307-756-3232.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
West Texas Trail Museum: 9am-5pm. Info: 307-756-9300.
THIRD SATURDAYS
Weston County Democrats: 4pm. Weston County Library. Info: 307-941-1822.
FRIDAYS
Bingo: 7:30pm. VFW Hall. Free.
JULY 4
4th of July Fireworks at Connor Park: Connor Battlefield State Historic Site, County Rd 67, Ranchester.
JULY 6
Karz Rod Run: 10am-3pm. Sheridan VA Medical Center. 33rd annual Rod Run show with 150 hot rods, muscle, classic cars and trucks as well as vendors! Info: karz.clubexpress.com or Maggie Randall, 307-752-3835.
JULY 6
Untapped Homebrew Festival: 12-4pm. Brundage Street between Brooks and Main. Presented by WYO Theater and Bighorn Homebrew Club. Features the finest homebrewed beer from Sheridan and across the state of Wyoming. Enter on Main Street for tickets. Info: 307-672-9084.
JULY 8-14
Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week: Sheridan County Fairgrounds. Join all week long for On the Million Dollar Tour of Professional Rodeos with the world’s top cowgirls and cowboys! In addition to four nightly PRCA rodeos and morning slack (preliminary elimination) performances, this week includes the World Champion Indian Relay Races, parade, street dances, Boot Kick-Off, carnival, pancake breakfast, Sneakers & Spurs Run, The First People’s Pow Wow, Rodeo Parade and more. Info: sheridanwyorodeo. com or Rodeo Central, 307-675-9963.
JULY 12
Shakespeare in the Park: 6:308:30pm. Kendrick Park Bandshell. Join Montana Shakespeare in the Parks for a performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Free. Pack a picnic, grab your friends and enjoy this world class performance!
JULY 16
Unplug with Discovery Sessions: A Bat Walk in the Park: 8:30am-10pm. South Park Recreation Area. As the sun sets, these flying mammals will take to the sky in search of insects. We’ll use special equipment that translates bat calls into noises and images we can hear and see as the bats forage above our heads in search of a good meal. Free. Fun for all ages!
JULY 17
White Glove Tour: Trail End State Historic Site: 6-8pm. Trail End State Historic Site/Kendrick Mansion. Put on your white gloves and take a guided tour with Trail End’s Superintendent and Curator Sharie! This special after-hours tour of the mansion will give you the opportunity to step behind the
velvet rope and into spaces not normally on exhibit. Info: trailend.org.
JULY 24
Summer Evening at the Mansion: 6-8pm. Kendrick Mansion/Trail End Historic Site. Enjoy a free evening on the lawn! Tour the museum, play badminton and croquet, bring a picnic dinner and listen to music! Info: Trail End, 307-674-4589.
JULY 25-27
Bighorn Crawlers Summer Safari: Bighorn Mountains with Lodging at Bear Lodge. This annual event shows off our wonderful Bighorn Mountains. Info: bighornmountaincrawlers.com.
JULY 27
Annual Tournament of Knights & Queen’s Dinner: 10am-8pm. Sheridan County Fairgrounds. Tournament of Knights will feature the Knights of Mayhem from Eagle Mountain, UT. Renaissance Faire, jousting, sword fighting, activities for adults and children. Queen’s Dinner to follow the Tournament of Knights (separate ticket needed). Thematic dinner with a scene from Henry V. Info: CHAPS Equine Assisted Therapy, 307-673-6161.
JULY 26-AUGUST 5
Sheridan County Fair: Sheridan County Fairgrounds. Family fun focused on livestock and crafts competitions and special events. Free. Info: 307-674-2980.
THIRD THURSDAYS IN SUMMER
3rd Thursday Street Festival: 5-9pm. Main Street between Alger and Loucks. Enjoy family fun, food, live music and fabulous vendors. Free. Info: 307-672-8881.
SATURDAYS
Landon’s Farmer’s Market: 10am. Landon’s Greenhouse, 505 College Meadows Dr. Info: 307-672-8340.
WEDNESDAYS
Storytime: 10:30am. Crook County Public Library. Info: Tonia, 307-283-1008.
SECOND TUESDAYS
Veteran Breakfast: 8am. Upton Senior Center. Free. Info: Gary Barnes, 307-468-9251.
FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAYS Bingo at Senior Center: 6:30pm. $10 for 10 cards. Info: 307-468-9262.
THURSDAYS THROUGH JULY 25
Entertainment in the Park: 7pm. Washington Park. Info: Carmen Olson, 307-899-0446.
MONDAY-SATURDAY
Cody Country Art League Gallery: 9am-5pm. 836 Sheridan Ave. Info: 307-587-3597.
JULY 4
Kiwanis Kids Games: 10:30am. Dubois Town Park. Info: 307-455-2243, dubwykiw@gmail.com.
JULY 5
The Young Volcanoes of Northwest Wyoming: Characteristics and Causes: 6pm. Presented by The Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speaker Series Program. The greater Dubois region is home to numerous smallvolume volcanoes that were active over the last 5 million years. We will discuss the types of volcanoes, styles of volcanism, and current research that is focused on understanding why these volcanoes formed and if they are related to the Yellowstone hotspot. Free. Open to the public. Info: 307-455-2284.
JULY 6
Lava Mountain Geology Trek: 9am. Part of the Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series. Dr. Matt Brueseke will lead a geology trek up Lava Mountain to learn about volcanic activity up close. This is considered a difficult hike. Participants should pack bear spray, bug spray, a hat, trekking poles, water and lunch. $20 per person, limited slots available, advanced registration required. Info: 307-455-2284.
JULY 9
Dr. Dave Love Driving Geology Trek: 8:30am-2pm. Part of the Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series. Dave Love will lead a geology tour of the western Wind River Mountains and adjacent Wind River Basin. The driving tour includes several stops with short walks to see magnificent views of the landscape and outcrops of rocks ranging in age from 2.65 billion years old to younger volcanic, glacial and stream deposits only a few thousand years old. Bring lunches, water, reasonable walking shoes, rain gear and insect repellent. $15 per person, limit 20 people, reservations required. Info: 307-455-2284.
16
Moon Lake Adventure Trek: 8am. Dubois Museum. Part of the Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series. Enjoy hiking and learning about water quality and the effects of early settlers introducing fish to new waters. Bring water, lunch, bug spray, bear spray, sunscreen, trekking poles and hiking boots. This is a difficult and strenuous hike, about eight miles round trip. $20 per person, limited slots available, advanced registration required. Info: 307-455-2284.
JULY 20
Kids Corner: Butter Churning: 9am. Dubois Museum. Part of the Bailey Tire & Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series. Come learn about life on the homestead! Kids will learn about everyday tasks and chores that homesteaders completed, what a typical day looked like for a homesteader and participate in one of those tasks: churning butter! Participants will be able to enjoy and take home the butter they make. Advanced registration required. Info: 307-455-2284.
JULY 24-25
WHF Community Wellness Screening: 6:30-9am each morning by appointment. Headwaters Conference Center. Sponsored by Dubois Kiwanis. Info: 800-979-3711, wyominghealthfairs.com.
JULY 30
Bonneville Pass Adventure Trek: 8:30am. Dubois Museum. Part of the Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series. Join museum staff and regional expert Lynn Stewart on a hike through Bonneville Pass. Experience the breathtaking flora and fauna at high elevation. Bring bear spray, bug spray, hiking boots, trekking poles, hat, water and lunch. Moderate to difficult due to elevation (about six miles). $20 per person, limited slots available, advanced registration required. Info: 307-455-2284.
THURSDAYS Farmer’s Market: 4-6pm. Headwaters. Info: Twila Blakeman, 307-851-0785.
FRIDAYS
Family Story Time: 11:30am. Dubois Branch Library. Free. Songs, stories and crafts for ages birth to 5 years. Older siblings are welcome to join the fun. Stay and play in the Children’s Library after story time. Info: 307-455-2992.
THIRD WEDNESDAYS
Wyoming Health Fairs Monthly Wellness Screen/Blood Draw: 7:30-10am. Dubois Medical Clinic. Appointments encouraged. Info: 307-455-2516, whf.as.me/dubois.
FRIDAYS
Story Time: 11:30am. Dubois Branch Library, 202 N First St. Free. Stretches, story, songs, crafts and fun! Ages birth to 5 years. Info: 307-455-2992.
SECOND SATURDAYS
Greybull Ladies Coffee: Greybull Library. Info: 307-765-2100.
THROUGH AUGUST 17
Grand Teton Music Festival (GTMF): Tickets to all of GTMF’s 63rd season
programs are on sale now, including the world premiere of a GTMF co-commission, family and community presentations, Musical Adventures, On the Road, Free Family Concert and FamilyJam, pre-concert talks and open rehearsals, and the Coombs Outdoors Partnership. Info: 307-733-1128, gtmf.org.
JULY 13
Eagle Bronze Foundry Tour: 10am. Pioneer Museum. Meet at 9:30am to take a bus to the facility. Part of the Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek. Artists from all over the world trust Eagle Bronze to bring their works to life. From the Grand Ole Opry awards to statues on the White House Rotunda, even as far as Sicily are brought to life in bronze in Lander’s own foundry. Join us to witness these magnificent pieces being created from inception to bronzing. $15 per person, limit 20 people, reservations required. Info 307-332-3339.
WEDNESDAYS THROUGH AUGUST 28
Eagle Spirit Dancers: 7pm. Pioneer Museum. This dazzling event showcases Native American History and Culture. Free. Open to the public. Donations are greatly appreciated.
SATURDAYS
Acoustic Music Jam: 11am-1pm. Lander Bake Shop. Info: 307-332-3237.
JULY 10
Ross Goff Lost Cabin Gas Plant Talk: 6-7pm. Riverton Museum. Part of the Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speaker Series. Ross Goff, superintendent of the Lost Cabin Gas Plant, will talk about the past and current operations in the Lysite area and will present on a general history of gas and the wells put in since the 1950’s. Free. Open to the public. Info: 307-856-2665.
WEDNESDAYS
Acoustic Music Jam: 6:30-8:30pm. Holiday Inn Convention Center. Free. Join in or listen as musicians and dancers perform. Info: 307-856-8100.
PreK Tales & Tunes: 10:30am. Riverton Branch Library. Ages 3-5. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
Starlight Storytime: 5:30pm. Riverton Branch Library. Ages birth to 5 years. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
THURSDAYS
Toddler Move & Groove: 10:30am. Riverton Branch Library. Ages birth to 2 years. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
ONGOING
Fremont County Libraries
Activities: 10:30am PreK Tales & Tunes on Wednesdays. 5:30pm Starlight Storytime for ages birth to 5 years on Wednesdays. 10:30am Toddler Move & Groove for birth to 2 years on Thursdays. 4-5pm LEGO Club grades 2-5 on Thursdays. Info: 307-856-3556, fclsonline.org.
MEETEETSE
TUESDAYS-SATURDAYS IN JULY
“Melding Art in Today’s World” Art Show: 10am-5pm. Meeteetse Museums. This show features Rhonda Schmeltzer’s work, a fiber artist well known for her striking art quilts that are widely displayed and appreciated all over Wyoming, the country and the world! Free. Info: 307-868-2423.
JULY 13
Appliqué Quilt Workshop: 1pm. Meeteetse Museums. Learn to appliqué quilt (or practice if you’re already a pro!) by making a throw pillow based on a Double Dee Dude Ranch book cover design from the Meeteetse Museum collections! Taught by local artist Anna Sapp. Supplies will be provided, pre-registration is required; workshop limited to 10 spots. Info: 307-868-2423.
JULY 20
Double Dee Dude Ranch Tour: 9am. Meeteetse Museums. Explore the historic ranch, experience a press conference by “Amelia Earhart’’ to learn more about her life and time at the ranch, and see a demonstration of a pack string by the Forest Service! High clearance vehicles recommended. If you do not have a high-clearance vehicle we unfortunately cannot guarantee your ability to attend the program. Free. Info: 307-868-2423.
MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS
Yoga: 10:30am. Meeteetse Recreation District. Info: 307-899-2698, meetrec.org.
MONDAYS
Toddler Storytime: After school. Meeteetse Library. All kids grades 1+ not in school. Legos, board games, crafts, stories, songs and more. Info: 307-868-2248.
JULY 13
“Creative Blacksmith” Tour at the Hillsboro Ranch Highlighting Eddy Hurlbert: Homesteader Museum in partnership with the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in anticipation for the Spark! Places of Innovation MoMS Smithsonian Exhibit sponsored by Wyoming Humanities touring throughout the state. Info: 307-548-5406, 307-754-9481.
JULY 26
Homesteader Museum Book Club: 9am. Discussion YA Graphic Novels “The Curie Society 1 & 2” by Heather Einhorn. Info: 307-754-9481.
TUESDAY-FRIDAY
Homesteader Museum: 10am-5pm. Private tours or visits available. Info: 307-754-9481, homesteader@parkcounty-wy.gov.
SATURDAYS
Homesteader Museum: 10am-2pm. Private tours or visits available. Info: 307-754-9481, homesteader@parkcounty-wy.gov.
JULY 3-4
4th of July Parade and Rodeo: This small town rodeo experience is big on intensity and fun. Ten Sleep is one of the best small town rodeos in the nation and has seen many famous cowboys pay entry fees including Chris LeDoux, Jim Sharp and Ty Murray. You will not find a more authentic western rodeo anywhere in the country, so stop in and see true cowboys in action. The event is western fun for the whole family! Info: 307-366-2311, bighornmountaincountry.com/ ten-sleep-4th-of-july-rodeo.
SECOND SATURDAYS
SUBMIT AN EVENT
Send complete information for September events by JULY 15!
Be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event.
Photos are always welcome.
Great Until 8!: 4-8pm. This event showcases the businesses who are staying open until 8pm or later in town. Shop after 5pm and enter in for a chance to win $100 gift certificates valid at the business with the winning receipt. Info: 917-589-7852, mainstreetthermopolis@gmail.com.
JULY 20
Business Expo: 9am-3pm. Washakie Museum & Cultural Center. Info: 307-347-4102.
THURSDAYS
Look for more events at wyomingrea.org/news.
QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:
wren@ wyomingrea.org
[307] 286-8140
214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001 wyomingrea.org/ wren-submissions
Storytime: 11am. Lyman Branch Library. All ages welcome. Free. Info: 307-787-6556, uintalibrary.org.
MONDAYS
Cub Scout Pack 7798 Meeting: 3:45pm. Presbyterian Church on 3rd Street. We are always accepting new boys who are in grades 1-5. Info: MarNae, 307-677-2566.
WEDNESDAYS
Storytime: 11am. Uinta County Library. Info: 307-782-3161.
ONGOING
Community Classes: Valley Learning Center. Fitness, computer, workforce and kids’ classes are available. Times and prices vary. Info: 307-782-6401, valleylearningcenter.coursestorm.com.
Earth
The
Pearl Jam
The
Kiss
Maroon 5
Nirvana
The
and Fire
New & Used Coal Stokers, parts, service & advice. Available for most makes. Thanks. 307-754-3757.
Soon Church/Government uniting, suppressing “Religious Liberty” enforcing “National Sunday Law.” Be Informed! Free materials. TSBM, PO Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540, tbsmads@yahoo.com, 1-888-211-1715.
We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & nonproducing. 800-733-8122.
WANTED CJ or Wrangler reasonably priced. Any condition but rusted. 800-316-5337.
Frontier Auto Museum Looking For Oil Company Gas Pumps, Globes And Signs. Also looking for general antiques for our antique shop. Please go to our website FrontierAutoMuseum.com. Located in Gillette WY, our passion is to preserve Wyoming history and the nostalgia of the past, especially Parco, Sinclair, Frontier, Husky and any car dealership along with all brands. We are also always looking for neon motel or store signs, WY license plates and WY highway signs and State Park signs. Please call Jeff Wandler 307-680-8647 wandlerfrontier@gmail.com or daughter Briana Brewer 307-660-2402 relics@frontierauto.net.
It was an El Nino winter – nothing like last year, and that’s OK. But no matter how you rate them from easy to cataclysmic, everyone here in the Cowboy State is ready for it to finally wear out. For those of us here at 7,220 feet above sea level, it takes a little longer for that to happen. It drags on for what seems like forever, with gray windy cold that stretches endlessly out before you like the wind-scoured shortgrass prairie north of Rock River.
Spring comes eventually. Not in flowering trees and green growing things like it does in some other places, but in subtle hints and signs that you learn to read like breadcrumbs dropped to mark the way back to summer. Truthfully, some of them are easy to see. We noticed that when we moved into town. The young Laramigos here in the Gem City of the Plains are totally predictable. They break out the shorts and lawn chairs when the ambient temperature hits 45 degrees Fahrenheit. They’ve been bundled in their Carhartt chrysalis since Thanksgiving, so it’s
hard to fault them for emerging like butterflies when the threat of frostbite is diminished for even a few hours in April.
For those of us who are a little longer in the tooth, we don’t hang a lot of skin out there for God and everybody to see. Shoot, I don’t consider breaking out a straw hat until after Memorial Day and I don’t even own any shortsleeved shirts. The thermometer is a fickle friend, and the day that starts out gentle can turn wicked in a heartbeat when the mercury plummets 40 degrees in an hour. Nope, I wait for signs.
My old friend Bob maintains that the mountain bluebirds arrive back here on March 23. I don’t doubt it, but I also know that they don’t leave their down underwear back in Sonora when they come back north. Nope, I wait for the sound of a western meadowlark – almost always in April. If there’s a more iconic image of Wyoming than a meadowlark singing on a fencepost, I don’t know what it is. You see it, you hear it, and you never forget it. It’s kind of complex, with whistles on the front end, followed by kind of a gurgling warble. That sight, that sound is the very essence of spring in Wyoming.
These guys are tough little risk-takers. You see them blooming in rockpiles at 8,000 feet up in the foothills when the snow is still hanging on over on the north-facing slopes. By late April, every little sunny spot in the sagebrush has a hairy little diadem of purple blossoms pushing up through the dead grass. Not much eats them because of the nasty oils they contain, but they’re a welcome sight after a long spell of gray and white and howling wind.
No one with any connection to the land between the Missouri River and the Sierra Nevada takes it for granted. In Wallace Stegner’s magnificent book “The Sound of Mountain Water,” he says that aridity is the West’s ultimate unity. If you live in Wyoming, if you live from Alberta in the north to San Luis Potosi in the south, you live in a dry country. Altitude doesn’t matter, latitude doesn’t matter. We all live in a place where the sound of running water in the spring is the sweetest sound of all. Whether it’s the rumble of ice-off on the big rivers, or the barely audible drip of melting snow in the aspens, water is life here. It feeds us body and soul, just as it does the meadowlark and the pasqueflower. No matter how high the creek gets, no matter how much it rains, we never fail to add “…but we need the moisture.”
By the time you read this, spring will have sprung across the Cowboy State. New life will be all around. It might be a good time for us all to pause and give thanks for the early signs of spring and the reminder that we are, always and forever, connected to this special place. W
Walt Gasson is a fourth-generation Wyoming native, writer, and son of the sagebrush sea. He lives in Laramie, Wyoming.Ingredients:
1 1/2 C Plain Yogurt
1/3 C Each Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries (diced)
3/4 C Granola
3 tbsp Honey
Ingredients:
Watermelon Chunks (about 8 cups or ½ a medium watermelon)
1/3 C Honey (optional)
Juice of 1 Lime
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt and honey together, then fold in the berries
2. In a popsicle mold, add layers of yogurt mix and granola until full
3. Place popsicle sticks in the center of each mold and freeze 5 hours
Ingredients:
1 lb Frozen Strawberries (slightly thawed)
2 Frozen Bananas (slightly thawed)
1/2 C Almond Milk
These healthy, frozen, kid-approved snacks are great to make ahead so they will be ready exactly when you need them.
Instructions:
1. Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until combined
2. Pour mixture into a 9x9 or 9x13 baking dish; freeze for 1 hour
3. Take the mixture out and stir the slush, breaking apart the frozen pieces, and return to the freezer, repeating this process after 2 more hours, then freeze for 6 hours
4. Scoop into bowls and serve with a spoon
Instructions:
1. Put the ingredients into a food processor/blender and blend until smooth
2. Scoop into bowls
3. Add whatever toppings you likesprinkles are always welcome here
Let your kids measure, combine ingredients, scoop, pour, and – of course – taste test!
Cooking together teaches your kids many skills, and it’s a great way to spend some quality time.