Home on the Range!

I forgot to mention in my ghost town post that ol' J.C. was once apon a time named "Home on the Range" Really. This log cabin is still pristine and sits on the edge of town. It has seen a whole "city" come and go. When my dad was small this was the post office. The sign says Peterson and the home was owned by Beulah Peterson Walker when I was a child. I do not know who owns it now but it would be interesting to find out.

Painting with Bonnie

Bonnie asked if I could come paint with her while I was back in WY. Of course I said yes! We painted together once before with Mom and all made the same picture of wild mustangs, in oil. It was fun to see her painting from that session in her house and all her other work! She has some that if I was brave enough I would ask to buy but I know she has "feelings" for them and that is why they are hanging in her home. It was tremendous amounts of fun to get caught up in the conversation to the point that I boldly put a red background in my painting. That was definitely her influence! :) She is a very energetic conversationalist. I loved every minute with her.
They recently made up the "calving shed" into an indoor/outdoor entertainment area that is decorated with signs from the dairy of days gone by and tools and other cool things. The vignette is of feed bags and hoof clippers all on a special bench from Chugwater (If I remember correctly) convention. I wanted so much to have the convention bench in my painting but couldn't get it to work out so just did a simpler scene and Bonnie wanted to do something big and she ended up with the whole scene. Funny. Thanks Bonnie!

I've been tagged!

I can usually outrun Melisa but this time she caught up with me!
*Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.* Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.*

1. In September I will have been someones "old lady" for 20 years. And thankfully he has never really referred to me as such. It feels like 20 years(not more or less) and yes I was married very very young! Wink!
2. Most of you know that I like art: creating, viewing the works of other artists and teaching. What you may not know is that it wasn't until High School that I discovered that it was something I enjoyed doing. I was a coloring book child, and still love to color- in coloring books. This is frowned upon now but teacher Beth says it is very good for eye-hand coordination so I am having my kids color with me this summer.
3. I enjoy talking one on one to just about anyone. I like to be able to concentrate on just you. I do not do so well when there is a medium to large group- there are so many interesting conversations happening it is hard to concentrate on just you. Sorry.
4. I love to watch people. Kids are hilarious to watch.
5. Talking about myself is not easy here. All these sentences that start with "I". My English teacher would not approve.
6. My dad has always had an abundant repertoire of silly sayings and as I get older I find myself being more and more like him, especially with my kids. Seems like I should be more like mom.
7. Something weird huh? How about that I miss using Methiolate on cuts. I loved the color of that stuff.
I tag: (Don't worry it isn't that hard to fulfill the requirements if you put in as much thought as I have!)
Kristi, Janell, Donna, Andrea, Hilary, Lana, Beth

Modern Day Ghost Town

"We are the longhorns, the longhorns are we. We will go down in history...."
Looks like they have updated the school building at least for the few remaining souls living here.
Townsite could use some of the Maintenance....Jeffrey "City" was owned by Western Nuclear.

The Local Grocery Store: I have lots of memories associated with this store from dogs chained up in front that I always petted much to my moms horror, to buying little books for a dime, as well as whole bags of candy and comic books. How many times was I told not to run in the store? I even had the unfortunate lesson of taking back an unpaid for treasure, apologizing and paying dearly (my mom could go on and on and on!) for it. Remember the spree packages with romantic scenes? I loved those. Candy cigarettes? Good stuff. Pop bottle candy (wax bottles with cool-aid type stuff in them...yuck) and cinnamon tooth pics.
This fellow has taken up residence. He was not at all spooked by us trespassers.
Beggars lice (a weed) and ants are abundant homesteaders.

Dad walking our old driveway on to which he added a side walk. It was the only one with a poured patio out back. Try not to be jealous now. Smile.
And to think, it was such a big deal when they paved the streets.
The view from our house.

Neighbors: The Smiths perhaps? 3 does and 4 babes.

Then: the F's Sweetwater Cabin

Way back when, my dad's family had a cabin on the Sweetwater River (Oh how sweet it is!) where they would come and spend the summer. They would go out right after Chugwater Convention and his dad would come on weekends. They planted potatoes, raised chickens,and rabbits and had a garden to tend. There was a well for water and a cellar for storage. The kids played on the rocks around the ranch, and had many special spots they liked to go. One of them was called the "Bowl". It was a spot in the rocks that the water had made and there is often water standing in it.

That reminds me. Do you have a wart? The advice is to go soak it in the water of one of those bowls, and then cover the bowl. I've heard it works but I can't say for sure.

They found a lot of shell casings from the Airforce practice sessions as well as arrowheads from previous warrior battles and hunting expeditions.

During WWII the country was under fuel rations so they sold the ranch back to the McIntosh family.

This photo was taken in the 60's long after the family had left. It was still standing up until last year when some hunters were in the valley and a fire started. The beautiful trees (treasured because they are so rare there) and the cabin around the place were all burned down. Dad and I found some of the large nails (9-10") from the cabin and a cupboard latch but not much else is there.

Now.....Still Beautiful.

Mr. Cottontail and Mrs. Lizard are the only two residents we saw this time.
The water in the creek was pretty high for this time of year and the grass was so tall that we couldn't see the sagebrush in places.
Dad is sitting on a barrel that they used for water. The place did have a well also.
This burned remains of the cabin was actually what was left of a sitting spot for my dad. Um...a sitting spot for thinking....he didn't have to sit there too often, since he was mostly a good boy. Grin.

The colors here were so soft, relaxing and the smell of the sage was wonderful and brought back so many good memories. I really miss these big sky's. What I don't miss are the spear grass, and the beggars lice. The cactus can be avoided but these two are impossible to keep out of.
The contrast is so pretty. Here we see the darkest darks and the lightest lights all in a natural landscape.
This was the sandbox that dad and his sisters played in as a kid. The soil is very soft sand. I had forgotten how sandy the bottom of Sweetwater (oh, how sweet it is!) River is, no wonder we loved playing in it.
Evidence of the burn. I imagine it was a beautiful sight to drive though these trees in the summer.

There are great echo's in this canyon...Our favorite question is: Do you like me? No or YES!! (Yes, Yes, yes....)

Sister Time

Miss Teri was doing well. I think she is actually better than last time I was home. We went out for lunch, she came to the reunion, to Sunday meeting and lunch, and out for ice cream. We went shopping at Walmart and she would have been up for more if I would have had more time. Her mood was good and we had some fun times together. It has been over 3 years since she had an acerbation (MS attack) basically she has stabilized since being in the "home". It is not fun to see her there but there are obvious positives. She has a lot of friends there and is well liked by the staff so that is all good too.

Peterson Family Reunion

Aunt Lois, Mom, Uncle Ed, Aunt Fern, Aunt Hazel

Aunt Fern, Aunt Lois, Mom, Aunt Hazel, Aunt Erma

Grandma Laura

First Stop: JellyStone!

Stopped in at Historic Wallace Idaho for an icecream cone, eaten in a bathtub. Played the coin operated "player piano" and enjoyed the break from driving very much.

Tower Falls!
Can you believe it? We actually saw a bear right by the road. Thrilling. Like old times in the Park.

The Yellowstone River was mighty big water!

The fire from 1988 still shows it's effects.
Upper Falls

Yellowstone River....so worth elbowing my way in for a good photo shot.