Revisiting—our town

Without a doubt, our little town is lacking.

There’s a lot that’s missing…like dress shirts and dress pants for the teenager (and the Legal Dude).

The local “Staples” carries just that, and not much more.

Wal-Mart is NOT Target and the K-Mart has the feel of a store that’s on the verge of closing.

Most of the restaurants are mediocre, and those we do like charge the equivalent of D.C. prices.    

Laramie has only two grocery stores, at either end of town, but there are two local food shops that carry unique—and also ethnic—foods, but at a cost.

Book and video shopping is limited but there’s always Amazon, Netflix, etc., and I hear Borders filed for bankruptcy.

This post, however, is not meant to dis our town. 

Despite what we don’t have, I still appreciate what we DO have.

I can still look around, and think, “Wow! We really live here!” and be happy for it.  

With warm, almost balmy, weather this past week and clear skies, the Snowies have been magnificent! 

(I thought about taking photos, but they never capture the beauty I see every morning as I head west to the University.)

Clouds are moving in as colder weather—and snow—heads in our direction once again.

I’m reminded that February and March (and even April) are the real winter here.

While driving home this afternoon, I thought it might be time to revisit what I love about this place…

The beauty of the snowcapped mountains

The blue, blue sky

The magnificent cloud formations (even when they are dark and foreboding)

Blazing, intense and hot sun, which is a g-d send on those frigid, frigid days  

The riding barn, a 10 minute drive from home, where I now take riding lessons

Western boots

Western paraphernalia

Cowgirls’ basketball

Art Classes

University life

 

Who cares that frozen snow litters our landscape, that strong winds are never ceasing or that winter may linger for yet another two months.

This is, Wyoming, after all…

Still hard, sometimes, to believe we actually live here!

Sweetness...

These are what a friend dropped off after reading yesterday's post...

She wanted to cheer me up, especially with the Legal Dude gone.

What a sweet friend!

I’m on the mend—hopefully—from my cold, the teenager is feeling better and the Legal Dude comes home tomorrow.

Everything’s coming up Daffodils.

Thanks, Caitlin!

Midnight Musings...

[Written—but not posted—Monday, December 20]

It’s snowing tonight.

Not anything unusual for up here on the high windswept plains of Laramie, Wyoming.

The snow is “of easy wind and downy flake” a la Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

The soft and downy flakes are falling gently against the dark and empty night. 

Stepping outside, with the Medicine Bow National Forest to the East and the Snowies to the West, one can almost hear the snowflakes gently falling. 

Laramie is deserted about now.

Everyone is gone—or soon will be—to points elsewhere around the lower 48.

I would love to be in Yellowstone, or the Tetons, “to watch the woods fill up with snow.”

Then again, this past spring I wrote about feeling “almost” lost up in the Medicine Bow National Forest on a May day. 

It was gorgeous and I had that “if a tree falls in the woods” sense of isolation.

I’m hoping to have more “adventures” this coming year.

Tonight is the last lunar eclipse until 2014. 

Alas, I missed it. 

With the snow and cloud cover, I don’t know if it was even visible from Laramie. 

Hope someone out there got to see it. 

Only in Wyoming

I met up this evening with some friends at the Front Street Tavern located on First Street, at the very edge of downtown and directly across the street from the railroad tracks.

There was a commotion outside.

A huge hay wagon, full of folk, stopped outside the tavern.

Then we heard bang—bang—bang, multiple times.

I stepped outside, but it was over.

I was ready the next time they came around, only I didn’t have my camera.

So my friend J let me use her phone to take a shot and then e-mailed me the photo of the reenactment.

Wish I had gotten photos of the guys lying “dead” in the street.

Only in Wyoming—

Happy belated Fourth...

My picture taking doesn’t do them justice and no, they aren’t anything like the fireworks on the National Mall, but this is what we saw from our front porch last night…

Of course, they were larger—much, much larger.

Almost as if we were right under them on the Mall.

Hope you all had a Happy Fourth!

Service with a smile

My Virginia driver’s license expires on Thursday, forcing me to apply for a Wyoming license.

I have nothing against carrying a Wyoming license, and if fact, I think the reciprocity laws might even require that I carry one after living here for one year—or maybe even before—at which time I become an “official resident” of the state.

My issue is the nightmare that is the Virginia DMV—having to queue-up before the DMV opens at 8 A.M., and then having to sit and wait—and wait—and sit, if one somehow manages to queue later down the line.

I don't ever remember seeing a sign like this at the VADMV

But then the VADMV is 4 x as large, so maybe I missed that
warm and welcoming sign to be ever so helpful... 

The Virginia DMV has a process by which you can renew on line, but I don’t think it applies to someone with an out-of-state license, like from the great state of Wyoming.

All of this is not to say that we will be heading back to the Old Dominion.

We have no plans for that now, nor for any time in the foreseeable future.

It’s just that everyday life occurrences, tasks and events are so much easier here I have mini nightmares about how much less pleasant certain tasks can be beyond the borders of this beautiful and barely populated state.

Everyone is so kind and helpful, and pleasant.

Well, I am sure there are unpleasant folk here, but I have yet to encounter them.

Then again, I went shopping at K-Mart this afternoon—and not a very good K-Mart at that.

Sigh...

Anyway, thought I would share some photos of my afternoon at the Laramie DMV late Friday afternoon…

No one to  the left...

And no one to the right...

There are three of these, but two of the employess were at lunch

The view across the street and as you step out the door

Another view directly across the street

The vista behind the Laramie DMV

That's my DMV...

Peter and the Wolf

The Laramie Ballet Company 7220—the number represents Laramie’s altitude—performed at the UWYO Arts & Science building this morning.

The production, Peter and the Wolf, was a special showing for all of Laramie’s elementary school students.

I went because a friend’s daughter—the friend who moved here from VA last August with her kids and whose daughter goes to school with the teenager—is a dancer with the company, which is mostly adult and college-aged dancers and performers.

What fun!

And what a great opportunity for my friend’s daughter, who wouldn’t have these same dancing and performance opportunities in a larger city.

Just another one of the benefits, of small town living!

Crude: The Real Price of Oil

This morning, one of the other Legal Dudes showed the Joe Berlinger documentary, “Crude: The Real Price of Oil,” to his class.

The other Legal Dude’s wife, called to ask if I would like to see it.

What an impassioned, moving, sad and timely movie, extending the unplanned theme of the week, social justice.

One of the many things I appreciate about this small university town—there’s always something going on, something to do and so easy to get to.

Switching back to the trivial and mundane, tomorrow it will be the Rodeo...

Controversy, forgiveness & redemption

I should have been studying.

Instead, last night, I went with a friend to hear Bill Ayers.

The Legal Dude stayed home to prepare for a presentation he’s giving in Cheyenne this afternoon.

He had already attended a forum at the law school on Bill Ayers, free speech, social justice and education.

Ayers, originally slated to speak on education and, in particular, educational justice—something my language acquisition Prof. has been touching on—was introduced by, said Prof.



At first I was surprised, but then it all made sense.

Before all the hullabaloo, I’m sure all these guys wouldn’t have been there...


and I’m not sure I would have attended the first time around.

I hadn’t quite figured out how I felt about the man’s past, and to be frank, I’m not sure I’ve figured it out, even now.

Last night, however, I got to thinking about forgiveness and redemption.

Mr. Ayers said last night, ”that even us most ardent supporters of free speech, at some point in time surely feel that we would just like to be able to shut some people up!”

Take the Dick & Lynn Cheney plaza, dedicated on campus last fall.

Oops… did I just let my politics sneak into my post?!

Getting back to last night—Mr. Ayers made many salient points about educational justice and what should be the inalienable right of every child to excellent, stimulating and equitable education.

I have to admit, though, there where times when my mind wandered to questions about his past, even as the elderly gentleman sitting in front of me, sporting a veteran’s cap, and I clapped at all the same comments.


I am proud though, of one thing—of all the questions put forth (that I stayed to sit through), only one individual asked about his past.

All other questions (although when I left 8 people were waiting to speak) related to education, the current changes in “No Child Left Behind,” etc.


I feel proud to call this University, mine, as these kids seem to be able to grasp the concepts of forgiveness and redemption and to see people, who we may not always agree with or who have committed infractions we ourselves condemn, can change and work towards the good of all.

Then again, I’m not sure Mr. Ayers has actually changed, but rather, just his tactics.

Okay…leaving any potential for expression of political viewpoints and returning to the trivial, mundane and the boring.

Sneeking a peek…

Walking across campus after my morning class, I heard shouting and laughing that sounded a lot like young people’s voices.

Not college age young, which from my vantage point is very young, nor were the voices kid-let young.

No, these voices sounded like “teenager” young, and in fact, like “my” teenager.

Sure enough, I looked across the pasture, which is what we call it here, and saw my teenager and a bunch of his buds playing football—something that causes me high anxiety.

















I don’t know if he saw me—standing next to Ross Hall—taking photos.






















If he did, he ignored me, which he is pretty good at these days.






















I don’t know.

There’s just something really cool and comforting about strolling across campus and seeing your son, playing around with his buds.






















I have to ask: who is this tall, young man-boy, with his cap nonchalantly perched backwards...

I don't like to post photos of the teenager, but I figure he's too far away to recognize, unless you know him.

I think, in the second and third photos, his baseball cap looks a bit like a beret making him look a bit like Che.

On that note, his Spanish teacher told him his first day in class that he looks just like a young Pete Sampras.

My Laramie...

Took a break from studying to walk with a friend along Laramie’s Greenway...



several miles of paved path



that meanders alongside the Laramie River.



I find it interesting that as we enter into spring, the colors look as if fall is coming.



A bit of spiritual "yang" on the path...





The Wyoming Territorial Prison there in the background, is now a museum as well as archaeological site for the middle school students at the teenager's school.



I love that one can almost always see mountains in the background around Laramie.



Stairway to Heaven…



Wish I had seen the graffiti when I took this shot as I would have gone for a different angle—tilted upward.

The steel walkways over the RR tracks to West Laramie, somehow remind me of Chicago.



View of downtown Laramie from the steel walkway on the West Laramie side.



Were the Egyptians here too?



Laramie’s very own obelisk



I'm told this home in West Laramie has been built with bales of hay.



We saw a lot of these…





and these.



Despite the continued cooler weather, signs of spring are beginning to emerge





but not on the trees in our yard.

Well Hello, Professor...

The teenager is once again playing in the community basketball league.

Turns out, one of his teammates, and his teenage coach, are the sons of one of my Professors.

Let’s hope, while we’re cheering our boys onward and forward, that I can in good conscious know that I tried, and did, my best in class.

Talk about small town living...

Small town news...

I shopped at Safeway yesterday afternoon (as I do several times a week), obviously after-the-fact, but had no idea about this until I opened the newspaper this morning.

No bomb found after phoned-in threat Laramie Boomerang Laramie, Wyoming

Neighboring Colorado and Wyoming fight over H20 rights. The Legal Dude attended this meeting on Wednesday evening...

Million defensive at UW Laramie Boomerang Laramie, Wyoming

Either way, this entire episode doesn't make us look...

UW announces cancellation of Bill Ayers visit Laramie Boomerang Laramie, Wyoming

Leaving Wyoming? Make sure you check with WYDOT...

I-80 between Laramie and Cheyenne reopened Laramie Boomerang Laramie, Wyoming

This morning on the TWC channel, the forecast calls for snow and more "snain" through the end of next week...

Just sharing, for those under the misconception that nothing (exciting) ever happens in small town Laramie.

My town: A walking photo tour...

I couldn't get back to sleep after the Legal Dude took off at 3:30 am for an early morning flight to D.C. So after the sun came up, I drove downtown to take some photos for a "walking photo tour."

I was surprised by all the cars on the streets so early in the morning and couldn't get the shots I wanted.

Banks, hair salons and bars seem to be the three most prominent businesses in Laramie.

Mile for mile, I bet Laramie has more hair salons than North Arlington.

Citrus Salon is where I take my hair.


I chanced upon it shortly after moving here and I’ve been happy ever since.

The inside is small and old, but they’ve created a rustic, almost grunge, cool and funky atmosphere with paint and fabric.

Again, mile for mile I bet Laramie has more bars than North Arlington.



We haven’t had the opportunity to frequent any of the bars, primarily 'cause we’re not into the drinking scene but also because we're not into hanging with the younger college set---not that we have anything against the college set, other than that it would make us feel really, really old.



We are hoping to check out the Front Street Lounge sometime soon though.


It’s owned and operated by Sweet Melissa’s, the vegetarian restaurant right next door, which I find to be a rather interesting mix.

We hear it’s a nice place---perhaps a nice venue for the “older set” to sit, chat and catch up.

We have been here though…


to Laramie’s one and only wine bar, which is a pretty cool place, especially the upstairs, although it’s always been empty when we've been there so we’re hoping it manages to stay in business.

Laramie also has quite a few “drive-through” liquor stores, which I find pretty amazing, in a college town!

What ARE they thinking?

But on to my favorite shops…

The quilt shop, where they sell some really cool fabrics, including western themes and patterns that I find myself warming to.

The shop next to it has some cute western themed tchotchkes.



The owner of this bead shop, alas, is looking to sell. I hope the store doesn't close down.



Some day soon, I plan to take some knitting and crocheting lessons at the Cowgirl Yarn Shop. In the meantime, I’m content to look and oh and ah.



Ms. Etta’s is a contingency shop for local artisans and where I market and sell some of my cards and crafts!

I do have to pay a monthly “rental” fee but I find it's an easy and non-intimidating venue to market and sell my wares.



This shop needs no introduction...



Good or bad, there are no big box Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores here in Laramie, just two books stores (alas, a third shop recently closed) and one used bookstore.

/

One of the two Coal Creek Coffee shops, where I meet friends for coffee…

and were one can also sip wine, beer and Italian hot toddies, which we did on a recent Sunday evening with friends.

Now these last two shops might not look like much from the outside, but behind these glass doors....there's some pretty cool food stuff---Whole Food’s-esque and organic items, all a bit pricey but a lovely to option to have.

Thanks for taking this little walking tour of my little town.

Sad to say, tomorrow I might just have more photos.