Elk

 This is our back yard in a matter of speaking.  We border the Silver Spur ranch which is a large ranch with holdings in several states.  In the background, the trees border the North Platte river and in the foreground, the barbed wire fence with bluebird house is the edge of our property.  Our neighbor and good friend called yesterday to let us know that this herd was headed our way.  This is only a small portion of the heard and as you can see they are 3 and 4 abreast. We watched them cross the highway and travel across the wide open prairie in a northwesterly direction. I took the picture from my back door.  Awesome!!!

 Just cannot resist posting pictures of the girl above.  She climbs into any spot to nap...she hopped up into an old radio cabinet where I display many of my quilts a few days ago, but I didn't get a snap of it and of course below more of the magnificent sunsets.  This would have been the backdrop for the elk herd as they traversed west had it been later in the day.

I think we are supposed to get much more snow today and the wind sounds like a freight train.  With the garden catalogs coming, I can't think of planting anything yet.  I try to go to lunch once a week with a friend here and we have been going to Riverside, which is about10 miles south of here.  There are 2 eating establishments there, both of which are rustic...the Bear Trap is where we eat.  Both are bar/cafe's as I would describe them and if you blink, you will miss the town completely when you drive through.  The customers are mostly locals--ranchers and a few truck drivers who wander in and you will have to stop and pet the 3 or 4 dogs that wander in from the bar.  This is Wyoming.  Some of the establishments here have a store pet and a few years ago almost all did.  Tula, a dachshund who was a store dog in a shop where I worked once, was a regular attraction and all who came in were greeted with enthusiasm.  Some do-gooder from back east complained about this once here as I remember and some dogs disappeared from the shops, but we welcome the furkids.  But back to the story...the food is wonderful at either place and you can back up the fire and stay as long as you like.