June 27th, 2017

I haven't seen my Uncle Gary and Uncle Jack for over 20 years..... maybe longer I don't know.  To show them a good ol' Wyomin' time, we went to Sinks Canyon.

Taken with Samsung Galaxy S6

It was a little chilly and windy but, the mountain cicadas were out in force! Mom wouldn't let me bring one home to take more photos of it......

Taken with Canon 50D

Taken with Samsung Galaxy S6

I think this little guy is a house wren, but I could be wrong....

Both photos taken with my Canon 50D

This is why it is called Sinks Canyon:

Taken with Samsung Galaxy S6

Water from the Popo Agie (poh-poh-jah) River sinks into an underground cavern. The last time I was here, you could walk inside that cave..... I can't believe how much water is in Wyoming right now-- and the snow has just begun to melt!

We drove up the Loop Road over the Wind River Mountains. Uncle Gary was not impressed with the height.

You can see the storm that just passed over us in the distance. I love being able to see forever.
Taken with my Canon 50D

I am sure someone would drive on that road.... not me though.
Canon 50D

The road was closed at the top so we had to go back down the way we came, but first some flowers where we turned around!

A lonely Indian Paintbrush
Canon 50D

Columbines
Canon 50D

We went to the Shoshonie Rose Casino for diner, because it is delicious, and I pretty much refuse to go anywhere in Riverton.

While we were waiting for out meal Uncle Jack and I created some artwork.

I bet you can't guess what I made!

I had chicken fried steak for dinner and for desert, fry bread!

Uncle Jack and Dad won at the slot machines.... I managed to only loose $12.....

Then we had to take a family photo on the couch.

Uncle Jack                       Uncle Gary
I am pretty sure that Dad and I go most of the photography talent.... lolololololololololololol

June 25th, 2017

Well, I am garbage at keeping up with my posts.....


My Dad's 70th birthday is on June 26th, I wanted to go spend time with him, and my uncles that were coming into town. I left Boise earlyish, and stopped to get gas for my car in Mountain Home, only 46 miles away. When I started up my car, Google told me to go right--the opposite direction of the freeway-- and I went along with it. I haven't driven back to Wyoming for many years, so I just went along with the GPS......

Little did I know, this was the start of my week long adventure.

I soon found myself in an unfamiliar landscape. At first glance I thought  a terrible fire swept through the prairie turning it all black, but I was wrong. Volcanic rock covered the plains; somehow I stumbled into Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.  I will have to go back for another visit. The landscape is incredible, and not so easy to photograph in the bright sun. I will have to plan a trip to go back during the early morning light, or the evening light. (On a personal side note, I LOVE volcanoes......This is super cool.)

Taken with 50D

Taken with 50D

Taken with Samsung Galaxy S6

It is amazing to me how much life is out there in such a harsh landscape! Flowers, plant, insects, arachnids, birds, mammals, and reptiles, all going about there business of survival.

Taken with Canon 50D

 There is so much more life there then in the perfectly manicured lawns of my apartment complex....

There is very little cellphone service in the back roads of Idaho, I texted my folks to let them know where I was. Dad sent a message back to me telling me how to get home. He told me to stay on Highway 20 when it split from Highway 26.

This is one of my favorite things about driving on the plains, does the road fall off the end of the earth? who know!
Taken with Samsung Galaxy 6s

I didn't actually read it correctly...... and I ended  up in Blackfoot, Idaho instead of Idaho Falls.... which is no big deal.... I just added more time to my already longer trip.

Outside of Idaho Falls there is wonderful farmland. All the times I have driven though the area I don't ever remember it being in bloom.

Taken with Canon 50D

Taken with Canon 50D

Taken with Canon 50D

Taken with Canon 50D

I believe this is a canola field, one of many along the highway. Potato farmers have started using canola in their crop rotations. The canola helps enrich the soil for the potatoes and provides the farmers a good crop.

I still had two mountain passes to drive over before I got home so I stopped taking photos along the way.... my 8.5 hour drive was quickly turning into 11 hours.....

I made it all the way to Riverton,  and got to see this cute guy, IGGY POP! (and my parents)

Take Care!!

There is more Wyoming Adventure on the way!

June 18th, 2017

I know that many of you will never be able to visit me, so let me take you on a tour of our apartment!

You will be greeted by an armadillo, a grasshopper and the Jolly Roger.

Then:

This is my studio space.... yes I am aware of the mess........

That is our bed room..... yup, that is a total mess too.....

Joel gets "his own room" Basically this is where he is able to work on his Virtual Reality stuff, and where we watch TV

Have a great night!! See you later!!

June 17th, 2017

Today was a pretty lazy day...not too much interesting to talk about.....

The morning sunlight was pretty on my origami flowers:

I cut paper into tiny squares:

I sat with Inky on the patio:

I watch Joel cook dinner:

Please note all the cabinet doors and drawers are open. I love him so much.

and I vacuumed the carpet....

I hear it will make me a better skater......

Hope you Saturday was just as exciting!

Have a great night!!

June 16th, 2017

Hi!

For all of you who don't know, I have move to Boise, Idaho. I thought I would spare you living through my move, since you have already seen me move three since 2013..... and that is more moving than anyone needs to vicariously live through.

Joel was hired in Boise to do some coding. I don't really know what he does..... but, that is why we moved.

With the move, won't have to work for a while, at least until I get bored. I am taking the opportunity to be creative. It is a weird transition going from working to not working..... sometimes I don't know what to do with myself.

Anyway, I have planted a little garden on my patio. A little butterfly came to visit, I think it is a kind of skipper, I am still researching, but as always, if you can identify it that would be great!  (if you remember, Dad gave me an old macro lens with a DSLR adapter, it is pretty hard to manually focus on the butterfly because the you have to manually set the aperture on the lens! I haven't done that in years! Thankfully this little one held still for a bit.)

Look at the blue fuzz!!

Oh Hai!!

Also, some kind of mason bee, I think:

And just one of my daisies:

Inky is doing great! You don't have to worry about her! You can always follow her adventures on Instagram: @msinkyjones or me @jessies6005!

See you all tomorrow!!

Have a great night!