Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Beautiful WYOMING

Day Six on our Western trip from Sept. 12-27, 2012 had us traveling from Colorado through WYOMING (on the road to Yellowstone).   Today I will share some pictures of Wyoming for you.  Above is the beautiful SUNRISE we had when we left Colorado early that morning on Sept. 18. 




After getting into Wyoming,  we traveled at high elevations across the state.  I had no idea that elevations in that state were SO high...  The picture above is something I had NEVER seen before.  It's a SNOW FENCE.  There were many of them in this state as we crossed these high plains.  In order to read more about these special fences,  click HERE.   Above is a picture I took of one of the snow fences.   These fences help by reducing drifting snow.  Interesting!!!




Here's a sign I captured when we stopped at a rest stop along the way.  Hope you can read the sign (click to enlarge it) --since it's quite interesting.




This is what the area looked like.  That scrubby vegetation is food for wildlife--even in those treacherous winters.




I was excited to see my first ANTELOPE (Pronghorn) here in Wyoming.  Beautiful animal, isn't it?




Here's one more picture of a group of ANTELOPES (Pronghorns).




The terrain began to change as we got close to Jackson, Wyoming.  This is the Hoback River --where people enjoy fly-fishing!!!!




Finally,  here's another view of the river --with the beautiful mountains (beginning of the Tetons) in the background.  From Jackson, Wyoming,  our GPS took us into Idaho where we headed north toward our destiny that day,  West Yellowstone,  Montana.   The trip on this day took us 10 hours and 45 minutes.  We were both so excited to get to Yellowstone.  The next several posts will be from Yellowstone --where we spent FIVE days.



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Here are a few more pictures from our Ice Storm last weekend...  This picture was taken the next morning (1/26) --and even though the temperatures were still in the 20's,  we were excited because the SUN was out....  Yeah for some sunshine!!!!




This is a 'creative' ???  shot looking straight up at the BLUE sky (YEAH) with the glistening, icy trees....  By noon,  the temperatures rose above freezing --and the ice and icicles were falling off of the trees and house like bombs!!!!!

Ice Storms can be rough and dangerous.  Luckily, ours wasn't... SO, for us photographers,  the ice made for some great pictures... Hope you enjoyed seeing some this week.

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Hugs,

53 comments:

imac said...

Real nice Betsy

eileeninmd said...

Betsy, lovely photos from Wyoming. It is a beautiful state! Love the cute Pronghorn shots. I could live there if it were not for their cold winters and all that snow. Great shots from your trip. Have a happy day!

Catherine said...

Mother Nature can sure show us who is boss when she wants to can't she? I am ready for some warm weather but I am afraid I have awhile to wait yet.

Happy Wednesday Betsy!
xo Catherine

Hootin Anni said...

Beautiful Betsy!! I love the Grand Tetons and Jacksonhole Wyoming. It's so pretty with the snow-capped mountains, blue sky, and summertime in the valley...all rolled into one.

But, Wyoming isn't all that pretty once you get away from all that and into the eastern slope. You should've gone through Casper, Wyo. Ewww. rofl

Glad you got to see antelope for the first time in your life. I grew up with this kinda wildlife. :o)

I know I'm gonna enjoy this segment of your travels too.

Elizabeth Edwards said...

hope to get out west again soon. love the river shot. so beautiful. love the close up of the antelope. such a fast animal. ( :

RoeH1592 said...

That was like a trip back home for me. I lived in Cheyenne, Wyoming for a time and yes---the wind never stops blowing across those plains. And very cold in the wintertime. Beautiful state.

joy said...

Did enjoy very much the trip and the ice flakes:)
So happy to see places through your blog:)

Beatriz said...


Wyoming seems avery good place to live, at least for me...... I love the nature around..... I just don't know if I would get used to all this cold!

Have a nice week Betsy!!!!

Bia
www.biaviagemambiental.blogspot.com

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

I love the first picture of the river in Wyoming. I'd like to go spend some time there.

MadSnapper said...

i like the desert with horses in the middle. and the wildlife shots. cool shot of your roofline...

Beth said...

Hi Betsy! Fascinating to read about the snow fences and how they not only help protect drivers, but provide water for wildlife and livestock. I've really enjoyed reading about your trip out West--seems I learn something new every time I read a post.

Pretty pictures of the ice storm. It was quite treacherous here, but thankfully didn't last long. We were also very, very glad to see the sun!

linda m said...

Beautiful pictures!

Arkansas Patti said...

Wyoming is definitely on my to do list. Thanks for the lovely and tempting pictures. Perhaps that is what I need to gas up and go--when the weather gets better however.
Hope last nights bad storm missed you all. We got lots of rain and winds but no damage here.

Betty Manousos said...

good morning dear betsy,

wyoming looks so beautiful!

utterly refreshing and beautiful photos. i really enjoyed 'em!

another place on my "someday" list.

big hugs.

Janice K said...

The eastern side of Wyoming has always seemed so desolate to me.

Hope you are safe from the bad storms going through your area today!

MTWaggin said...

Lovely images of a warmer time and the My 3 sons on your sidebar look like wheaten puppies. Oh be still my heart!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yet another place that I'd dearly love to visit.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos of your journey, Betsy.

No icicles here! ~:)
Hugs

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Wyoming is beautiful! Makes me want to watch a western. :-)

The ice hanging from your roof is pretty.

My husband brought up many times through the years, the huge icicles that used to hang outside his bedroom window and how loud they were and freaked him out as a little boy.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

FlowerLady

~marci~ said...

I enjoy popping in to read about your adventures, and absorb your beautiful pictures.

Anonymous said...

Pretty pics from your trip. I hope your weather today has not been bad. We are having rain/wind. Just got back from the dentist and I have a fractured tooth. UGH
John has an appt this aft. & then we'll be in to stay. Stay safe.

Irene said...

All the pictures are really great! God really made everything special.

Anyway, would you link up your posts in my blog? It's about the Special people in our lives. You could link as many posts as you like. Hope you could check it out. Thanks http://iwrightleia.blogspot.com/2013/01/special-people-in-our-lives.html

happyone said...

Love the tree against the blue sky.

Sylvia K said...

It's one of my favorite parks and your wonderful photos brought back many lovely memories! Hope your week is going well, Betsy! Enjoy -- and I know you do!!

TexWisGirl said...

the pronghorn is neat.

love the icicles.

Rose said...

Oh, Betsy, that sunrise shot is beautiful...interesting reading...could see it fine when enlarged. And like the other shots, too.

Out on the prairie said...

I have taken the train through wyoming and it really shows a lot of antelope and great scenery. 6inches of snow here last night, so we got a good taste of winter.

Ginny Hartzler said...

So much beauty here today! And of course my favorite picture is the first one! I also love your icicles and their shadow, gorgeous. And the antelope, I always thought they only lived in Africa. DESPITE the song...where the deer and the antelope play!

Ann said...

Gorgeous scenery and how exciting to see the antelope.

pam said...

I love all that flat land. I enjoy it almost as much as mountains!

Chatty Crone said...

You know what - I have never taken a trip or have been out west like that. It is something I have always wanted to do. It looks gorgeous there. You are so lucky!

Ms. A said...

I had never heard of a snow fence. We sure don't have them in my area.

Gorgeous antelope and river shots!

Ruth Hiebert said...

I always enjoy going on these virtual vacations with you. You find such beautiful scenes to share.

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

You had a long day of travel that day, but you got some great pictures. I love Wyoming. It has some of the most unusual terrain. And you captured a lot of it in these photos. Love those pronghorn antelope, too.

Linda said...

Your ice storm was really artistic!!

And George posted about Daffodils!

Spring is almost there for you!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

So glad the ice wasn't too bad for you.
Love Wyoming including the snow fences. So glad a snow lover like you has photos of them now. :-)

Small City Scenes said...

Wyoming is a beautiful state. Two parts sorta like Washington. Mountains and green and the other side plains and desert (almost). Love the pronghorn .

Yes ice storms are no fun but the sunshine is great. MB

Jeanne said...

I loved traveling across Wyoming too and would love to go back to Yellowstone some day since my husband has never been there.
Your winter wonderland pictures are very pretty!

Sweet Posy Dreams said...

Thanks for letting us tag along to Wyoming! Great scenery, and the antelope are so beautiful.

carolina nana said...

Hope you all are safe tonight after this massive storm passed your area. We had terrible wind and rain this evening but the worst has passed but we are flooded and now the temp is dropping like a rock. Might be an interesting morning !!
Love that first pic of the sunrise over the road.
Blessings
Marilyn

Karin said...

There's always so much to learn on these wonderful vacations - and still there's more....... Thanks for sharing your vacation with us!

Grandma Bonnie said...

My favorite picture is the sunrise. We always start out early when traveling so I always get to enjoy the sun rising.
I have never seen snow fences like that. The farmers put up long orange fence netting along the back roads around here for snow fencing. It sure does slow the drifting snow.

Shug said...

I remember the first time I saw a snow fence in Wyoming...I had no idea what it was. Also remember the first time we saw an antelope. We all were so excited until we had seen number 175....these things were everywhere...
Love all the photos!
Stay warm...
shug

SquirrelQueen said...

Gorgeous photos Betsy. As Small City Scenes mentioned the two parts of Wyoming are similar to Washington. One side is lush green and the other is plains and high desert (where we live). I love your pretty ice covered trees and blue sky.

Connie said...

Wonderful photos from Wyoming, Betsy. Such amazing wide open spaces. Love seeing the antelope too! Wow!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I love Wyoming, Betsy! We have driven in many areas of that beautiful state and this year, now that we live in nearby Colorado, I hope to be able to attned "Frontier Days" in Cheyenne, WY in the fall.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Love, love , love your Wyoming shots- it takes me there instantly!

Linda G. said...

There are snow fences in my neck of the woods.

Your nature photographs are beautiful.

When I awakened this morning, there was no snow on the ground. We have more than a dusting now, not yet an inch though. More snow on the way.

Anonymous said...

Wow - this is beautiful! A lovely series of shots.

Neal said...

Very nice Betsy. Were those wild horses in that picture? You sure got some nice pictures of the pronghorn. That sunrise is really a beauty.

Linda P said...

Seeing your photos of trips with such wonderful names brings geography to life.
I read the interesting information board about the relationship between the winds and the landscape. You saw it at its best as I don't think it would be so enjoyable in bad weather. The ice photos are lovely, but I'm sure you would like to get some warmer weather, Betsy.

Mountain Mama said...

Betsy there is such a contrast between the bleak snowy picture at the top of your page and the colorful Wyoming shot just below!! I'll take the color, thank you. :)
I enjoyed seeing your Wyoming pictures and am amazed at how barren some of it looks except for the scrubby brush. It's interesting that any animal can survive on it.

Busy Bee Suz said...

I thought Wyoming was the most beautiful place I've ever visited. Loved those cute pronghorns too. The winds sign was pretty interesting....that would really mess up our 'do's wouldn't it??? :)
Stay warm!
XOXO

Rohrerbot said...

This looks like a beautiful place to visit. Spotting pronghorn(and seeing them up close) is wonderful stuff! Such beautiful animals. We have herds of them here in Southern Arizona BUT one herd is getting attacked by the coyotes! Nature is really exciting!