Wonderful Wyoming

Our "new" CJ7

Superman has been looking for a Jeep for the past six months.  Very intently looking for the past couple weeks.  With the sparse population in our area, it wasn't an easy task.  Last Sunday we were in Billing shopping and checking out yet another jeep when he announced that we would be taking a road trip down into southwestern Wyoming.  He had been in contact with a gentleman in that area who was attempting to sell what appeared to be exactly what we had been looking for yes, I was all in on the Jeep scavenger hunt.  As the mama I cringed at the thought of extending our road trip, but his logic was sound.  We were already three hours into the eight hour trip, so we might as well make a run for it.  If the vehicle didn't pan out, at least we could say we'd seen some country.  Thankfully, after driving that distance with Miss Busy and Little Bitty Baby, the Jeep was all we expected and more.  We brought her home and named her "Calamity" this girl will be a big part of some exciting changes to our world, I'll keep you posted,  but that was just the icing on the cake.  It ends up, Wyoming is more beautiful than Montana even in my native Montanan opinion and the scenery as so spiritually moving that I just have to share. 

Now, this was Superman's first adventure in Wyoming and I had only seen it from the interstate.  I have to say it was completely breath taking.  We didn't get as many photos as I'd like, but we've already made plans to load up Calamity and go back to explore further next summer.  All the photos of this recent trip were taken on Miss Busy's tablet through the vehicle window. 

South Central Wyoming, between Rock Springs and Lander

Red Rock Canyon Wyoming, just outside of Lander

My beloved Yellowstone River:
 photographed just north of theWyoming boarder near Belfry, MT 

Lessons for a Magical Mama

 

There is nothing like a cantankerous child to ruin a magical moment.  You have slipped out for a nature walk, young one in tow, and just when you found what you thought you were looking for the child in the stroller turns into a banshee.  It only takes one wild yell to chase off every living being in the area and completely destroy your newly found center.  Yep, that is exactly what happened to me today. 

Superman and I had Miss Busy down by the river and in all fairness, we should have known better.  It was past naptime, but it was such a beautiful day- how could we resist?!  All was pretty well at first and she happily rode down the path perched on her daddy's shoulders.  It was when I paused and exclaimed, "Wild Sage!" Prairie sage/Wild sage is native to this region and can be used like white sage. More about the in a herbology post, this is a parenting ramble.    Things started going downhill.  Of course, this is one of the local plants I have been on the lookout for and I was all ready to harvest a bit.  By the time I had procured permission and left a small gift, all hell had broken loose.  We left quickly with a screaming little girl and one small branch of sage.

I have to admit that I was really disappointed to walk away from the potential smudge sticks just waiting beside the trail.  I had already envisioned the beautiful sage tied into pretty little bundles, drying in my pantry.  It was tempting to let my failed harvest become a sore spot in the day, but when I scrolled through the days photos on my camera I knew that no time had been wasted.  Not only do I now know where to find sage I'll go long before naptime in the future and arm myself with snacks, but we also enjoyed a beautiful walk, found an abandoned birds nest, picked out a campsite for later in the season, and made a few memories. 

Also, the older children have taught me just how fleeting the baby stage really is.  It will not be long before Miss Busy is no longer available to join me on daily walks.  She will have school and friends and activities clamoring for the moments that are currently all mine.  Then I will have all the time I need to gather herbs, commune with nature, and just be...but I will miss her. 

A River Walk

The Yellowstone River on May 5, 2014

To open with a bit of truth, I've been feeling blah this week.  Not bad, just kind of here.  Yesterday started out particularly slowly and it actually took a great deal of  mental coaxing to just pull out my yoga mat.  Duh, that's almost as pathetic as being too lazy to start a pot of coffee! 

So, with a bunch of excuses and feet dragging, I finally got my day started.  My case of the blahs  must have been more serious than I thought though, because when I read my cards I was told on no uncertain terms to get my butt outside.  Without arguing I'm proud of myself on that one I got myself together and when Miss Busy got up from her morning nap, we set out for a river walk.

The dike separating town from the river is topped by an unmaintained, gravel road that is used mainly by local fishermen and is a tough route with the stroller.  Fortunately, what I found was more that worth the effort.  Not only did I receive the energy and grounding I needed out in nature, but it was also my first chance to really see what useful plants were growing locally.  I was excited to find both Alfalfa and Plantain which are known respectively as the "father of herbs" and the "mother of herbs" and will be great additions to my stock.   I also found plenty of dandelion, wild honeysuckle, two aspen trees, a juniper bush on an abandoned home site,   along with countless cottonwood trees.  As an extra bonus, I found a rusted metal joint of some kind beneath the railroad bridge (it will be cleansed and saved for spells needing rust shavings) and five new stones. 

As exhilarating  as the walk was, it didn't take long before life started catching up with me again here at the house.  I sat down with the good intent to write this post and the phone rang, then Superman needed something at work, I ran out of milk, etc....  Somewhere in all that, the exhaustion of walking 2.5 miles pushing a stroller over rough terrain settled in remember I am 5 months pregnant and I was spent. 

Today started out quite slowly again and my cards for the day have warned me to get it together and find my passion.  I guess I should start working on that.