An Invitation To Our First Wyoming Ranch Wedding

It came in the mail today. The invitation to Steph and Roberto's wedding. It won't take place until July, but Joe and I are excited. Steph is our doctor - primarily Joe's doctor since he goes more often. (Yes, she's young...very young, but then I'm old and getting older).

The wedding will take place at her parent's ranch away from civilization and the reception and dance will follow. The wedding begins at 6:30 in the evening so I think it will most likely be a long evening. Joe's already saying he needs to save up his money to buy some boots. Hmmm, we'll have to see about that.

What does one wear to a ranch wedding? Hopefully I'll find out by the time the wedding comes around. This ought to be lots of fun!

This map shows where we'll be going...Casper is in the bottom center; where I work is northeast of Casper and the red x shows where the wedding will be held. Trina lives in this area if you go directly east about where the word "Rd" is shown.

Snunderstorm

Last week on the way home from the oilfield, while riding in the truck with some of my co-workers, I experienced some very unusual weather. On one stretch of road for about 1/2 mile, we encountered - at the same time:

• rain
• hail
• sleet
• snow
• thunder
• lightning
• ice
• wind
• sunshine

All we needed was the moon to have come out and I would have thought the end of the world had arrived. I did make the comment about "where was a rainbow"?, turned around and there it was - a rainbow, but better than that, it was a double rainbow! Where was my camera at a time like this? Home awaiting the arrival of new batteries!

It was a though God or Mother Nature had a basketful of leftover weather systems and decided to dump them out all at the same time. It was absolutely incredible!

Hence the name Snunderstorm!

What Looks Like Snow, But Isn't?

It's ponds filled with alkaline and they are scattered throughout the landscape in Wyoming. As the water evaporates, the alkaline becomes more prominent and very white.

The carbonation was caused by volcanic activity and was used by immigrants and Native Americas for its medicinal qualities, even though many a settler and their livestock got sick from drinking up too much of the alkaline-based water.

The Cos

Last weekend, Joe and I went to see Bill Cosby in concert. Here is the happy couple having their picture by someone that I know that happened to sit a couple of rows down from us...

This is what the set looked like before he came out. Just a chair, a side table with Kleenex and a bottle of water...

And here he is - The Cos!!! I couldn't believe we were seeing him in person.

For two straight hours that man made us laugh until we cried without the first script or cue cards or prompting of any kind. It was as though he'd stepped into your living room and was just sitting around telling funny tales of his life.

We were in the midst of a living legend!

Spring Scenery

This is my FAVORITE stretch of the interstate when you head north towards Buffalo...

Crowded, huh? When we went to Trina's, I set the cruise control at about 78 mph and never had to touch it until we reached the exit to go to her home. Wouldn't do that on the drive to Atlanta from Tifton!

Trina's Petting Zoo

Joe and I went to Trina's house again last weekend to check on the two little lambs rescued at the oilfield and to see her new additions - a miniature pot-bellied pig named Wilbur and a new little alpaca named Skylar.

Here is Skylar and her mother...


A family portrait...


Daddy seems to be saying "Are you looking at me"?


"Well, here I am and aren't I good looking?"


Notice Skylar's coloring. He looks like he was dipped into two different paint cans...


Trina trying to get some personal contact...

Then there is a sheep I named "Smiley". When she looks at you front on, it looks like she's smiling at you. Watch...

Still watching? It's coming...

See, I told you so...

Smile, you're on candid camera!

This sheep loves to be petted and her wool is soooooooooo thick...

These two were a little camera shy...

This is her "horny" sheep...

Then there is Tom Turkey. He would make a great turkey dinner about 25-30 lbs. worth...

He apparently liked the way I smelled and/or looked that day as he kept bumping me and nearly knocking me over on several occasions. He was trying to "court me" and kept following me around.

He loved having his head stroked, but I found out that was the wrong thing to do. It only made him more amorous and eventually Trina had to run him off and away from me after he kept grabbing my shirt and finally nipped me on the back of my thigh.

But he came back again...

and started getting frisky with Joe!

Until he finally put a love hold on Joe's hand...

Tom was then shooed off into another part of the yard where he kept his distance.

This is Ariel and Brody who are long-haired highland cows and Ariel is about to become a mother.

Because I was taking their picture, Brody thought I had a treat and came to check out the camera...

And finally, here is Wilbur. Isn't he adorable?!

B-a-a-h, B-a-a-h

Last week, three guys who were working out in the oilfield brought into our office two little lambs who had been deserted by their mother for whatever reason. The lambs were on the verge of becoming dinner for a couple of golden eagles when they were rescued by these guys.

Because we had no milk and these little lambs were at the point of dying, Trina mixed up some dairy creamer and water, placed it in a couple Ziplock bags, pricked a hole in the corner of the bags and proceeded to try to get them to drink.

It was very hard in the beginning to get the lambs to drink as it appeared they had never even suckled from their own mother. They seemed to be no more than two days old, still had the markings of afterbirth and their umbilical cords still attached.

Eventually they begin to nurse from the bag and then I even got into the act and tried to help with the feeding. The little white one finally got the hang of sucking the corner of the bag and his brother then stepped up next to him.

The one with the markings planted himself next to the bag and began sucking off my finger where some of the creamer residue was dripping from the bag. That's how you feed two little lambs at the same time with one plastic bag teat!

They went home with Trina at the end of the day to join her zoo as she has much more experience at mothering little lambs than I. And, can you imagine what the dogs would have thought had I brought them home and put them in that back yard?

The Mucky-Muck Visit

Last week, we had a visitor in the oilfield from Washington, D.C. It was Christopher Smith who is (get this title) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oil and Natural Gas in the Office of Fossil Energy of the U.S. Department of Energy. (Whew, I'm outta breath after that job title)! In this position, he is responsible for administering domestic and international oil and gas programs, including research and development, policy analysis and natural gas import and export licensing. The Oil and Natural Gas Office leads the Department of Energy's LNG program which involves the analysis of safety and other technical issues. Wow! Sounds impressive, huh? (and he's about four steps below/away from our esteemed President of these here United States).

This is Clark (l) introducing Chris to the members of the oilfield team. Clark is the head Department of Energy guy here in Casper. The man in the middle is my new boss, Jim.

The guy on the left side of the picture is Cecil who is the head DOE guy in the oilfield and whose office is located in my part of the office building.

Mr. Mucky-Muck a/k/a Chris... By the way, who wears a white shirt to an oilfield?!?!?

Yes, we have a popcorn machine in the lower office. (I work in the upper office and am generally only down here for the 6:30 a.m. meeting each morning).

See how everyone is totally mesmerized by Chris' speech? That's my friend Trina in the yellow shirt.

Yes, that is me sitting underneath the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center sign.

Stepping up to meet my new buddy Chris. Doesn't he look excited at the thought of meeting me?!?

Now that I have his full attention, he's thinking:

• I wish I could understand what she's saying, but she tawks kinda funny; or
• Why yes, I'm sure Barack would love to meet you; or
• Say what? You didn't vote for my man Barack!; or
• Whoo wee, the wind really is blowing out here today; But I'm quite sure he was really thinking...
• Who is this babealicious creature! Girlfriend, where have you been all my life? I have apparently died and gone to heaven!

I realize though that had he moved on his obvious instant attraction to me, I would have had to turn him down because:

• he's a little too young for me;
• a long distance romance just wouldn't work between Wyoming and Washington, D.C.;
• if I had to move to D.C., how could I give up the hurricane strength Wyoming winds and the snow and the cold and the antelope and the sheep and the deer and all the things that make Wyoming special;
• I like a little more meat on my men. He doesn't look like he eats any fried foods;
• his wife might get a little upset if she found out about us;
• he's good buddies with Barack; and
• I'm a married woman and LOVE my fuzzy-headed man Joe!

It's a good thing we were like passing ships in the night and this was our only encounter. I just know it would have a test of my fidelity and commitment to my marriage and my over-flowing love and affection for Joe if Mr. Mucky-Muck had stayed much longer. Alas, it was not meant to be. Farewell, adieu and adios. Parting is such sweet sorrow...