Wyoming into Colorado

I was quite surprised yesterday when

I found out we were going to be in the

southeast corner of Wyoming.  I do

love it here!  I finally took a good look

at the sign and license plates when

I realized the cowboy is in front

of my beloved Tetons!!!

Caught this beautiful stallion

grazing in a field.

You may wonder why I would take a 

picture like this.  It is to show the

wide expanse of Wyoming.  There

truly is a farm way back in the distance!

Depot park in Cheyenne, WY.

Just had to take a picture of this boot.

It takes a big person to fill this boot!!!

Bill and another boot.

The snow covered peaks of Rocky

Mountain National Park, taken from

I-25 South in Colorado..  The Park 

is closed right now.  Golden, CO

got six inches of snow Saturday.

Western Nebraska

Leaving Ogallala, NE, we ran into snow

on the high plains.  I was intrigued

seeing snow on the lilacs.

More snow in the high plains.

A farm on the Platte River Valley.

There was some snow on the 

high bluffs.

 

Another view of the Platte River Valley.

Note the cattle in the distance.

Cottonwoods are in the foreground.

The high plains in wheat, cattle 

and horse country.

Tree reflecting in a newly melted

snow pond.

I can't resist an artsy shot!

We finally got toe Carhenge in Alliance.

A man who spent many years in

England decided to build a copy

of Stonehenge in his home

town of Alliance, NE.

Happy Birthday, Bill!

It was really cold with

the wind "sweeping down

the plains!"

Because there were no large

rocks or stones to build a 

Stonehenge, the man and his

sons created their henge

out of junk automobiles.

After a week of arranging the

junk cars, some other citizens

of Alliance added their own

modern sculptures to his park.

"The Fourd Seasons"

Click on this (or any other picture)

to enlarge it and you will see

the caption on the yellow car

trunk.  These sculptures are four

Fords; hence The Fourd Seasons!

Chimney Rock, just outside of

Scottsbluff, NE.  Chimney Rock

was used by wagon trains as a

natural sign post along 

their journey.

A parting view of another bluff

on the way to Scottsbluff, NE.

 

Iowa & Nebraska

The sun finally came out! Here is one of

many typical farms in Iowa.

This is the Protestant Chapel at Boys Town, NE.

One of the original Pony Express Relay stations.

I never knew the Pony Express only lasted 18

months, replaced by the telegraph.

Taken on the balcony of our hotel in Ogallala, NE.

I love the natural wood furniture.  I also love the

fact I have my smile back.  Broke a front tooth

yesterday and would not smile.  Found a dentist

in Grand Island, NE who took me as an

emergency this morning!

A view of the outside portico and entrance.

Michigan, Indiana & Illinois

We were quite surprised to see how much farming 

was going on in Michigan.  Here is a beautiful

grove of flowering fruit trees.

We were surprised to find a Dunes Park

located on the southeast coast of

Lake Michigan in Michigan.

This sand dune is a couple hundred feet

high from the water.  I found it fascinating

that trees can grow right down to the water's edge

because the Great Lakes are fresh water.

The color of Lake Michigan is spectacular!

You knew I had to include an artsy fartsy

picture sooner or later along the way!

Another Dunes Park, this time in Indiana.

"Devil's Slide" in the park.

Bill and I opted out on climbing all these

stairs to the top of the dunes.  How about you?

Up for a good hike?

By now you all know the love I have for John

Deere equipment.  Here we are in Illinois

watching the farmer plow the field.  Yes, he

gave me a smile and a wave as he went by.

 

A little further along on Rt. 52, we came across

this John Deere corn planter.  The yellow buckets

in the back are filled with corn kernels, which allow

for about 20 rows of corn to be planted at a time. 

It was about 76 degrees and lots of plowing

going on today.  Such a joy to watch!

 

Frankenmuth, MI

Welcome to Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland

in Frankenmuth, MI!

I bought a regular sized ornament just

like this for my tree.

I don't normally take pictures of trash bins,

but being Hungarian, I found the third entry

kind of fun since it is in Hungarian!

Bill found a couple of tiger friends.

Just a few of the hundreds of Santas on

display in Bronner's.  Santa is serving

Coke to Beers!

This is an interesting interpretation of the journey

of the three kings.  One is riding a camel, the

second a horse and the third king an elephant.

Having just celebrated Easter, I had to

include this scene of the crucifixion.

One has to also look up in this store.  I liked this

elf I saw up in the rafters.

So many trees and ornaments, it is hard to

take it all in!  We spent two hours in Bronner's'

and that is coming from someone who hates to 

shop!

Trees all over the place!

A white sleigh filled with blue packages

up in the rafters.

The town decorates for Easter in a big way.

Plastic Easter eggs along with bows and 

ribbons decorate the greenery.  We had dinner

at Oma's Restaurant behind the decorations.

Here I am at the carriage in front

of the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth.

A parting shot of Frankenmuth, MI.