Blooming Bear Trap Meadow

Although these images were not taken in August I'm going to show them anyway as I didn't show them last bloom day. Bear Trap meadow is an open meadow on top of Casper Mountain. Casper mountain is a long mountain on the north part of the Laramie mountains overlooking Casper, Wyoming along the North Platte River. Elevation is 8130 and there is a 3000 foot climb to the top.
 It holds a special place in my heart as I have fond memories picnicing there while young with my parents, taking my boys there when they were young, and of course enjoying it even more in my "later" years. This is part of the Natrona County Park System and when I was in junior high I had a summer job picking up trash and downed lumber. I didn't appreciate the splendor then but I do now.
The meadow is used extensively for winter sports such as snowmobile races, cross country and of course sledding. In the summer large parties use the pavilions, camping and picnic areas. Wildflowers are abundant as you will see. In early August there is the Beartrap Music Festival which brings in quite a few bluegrass bands.

 A Juncus variety I think Allium canadense-wild onion-(thanks Susan for the ID)

I have spent hours trying to identify some of these plants, as above.

Geum triflorium-Prairie smoke, Antennaria arcuata-meadow pussytoes with Juncus-above

 

Balsamorhiza-Balsamroot

More photos to come.

As always the 15h of the month means Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, join Carol at May Dreams Garden to view blooms from around the world.

Near Muddy Mountain

During our recent vacation to Wyoming in late June, my mother took us on a tour of an old cemetery near Muddy Mountain. As we were traveling over BLM land we would see old wagon wheel ruts left from the Oregon trail as the area is near Independence Rock. We were traveling in a four door sedan, and with it's low clearance, it caused a few moments of questioning our travel on this particular non maintained rural road. However we did arrive without knocking a muffler or rear end off the auto.

I had been curious about why my mother wanted me to visit a cemetery of all places. However, it turned out to be an interesting first stop in our Casper Mountain journey. Freeland cemetery is not your normal cemetery. I wonder how they get the funeral procession here?

The photo above shows how smoky it was at the time as there were many fires around the state. The old single loop galvanized fence with the post finials really gives a rustic look. Not exactly your typical manicured cemetery.

Many of the tombstones were made of natives stones derived from nearby areas. This particular one is made of petrified wood.

I speculate that this fenced in area may have been built for the original family to be buried here.

Another petrified tombstone.

Now here is an unusual tomb. Must have been a rock collector.

The gravesite about is more my style. Native!

In conclusion, this last tombstone is really cool.

Wouldn't you like to hear the story behind this pilot's grave-site?

Okie Dokie - Artichoke

Actually I didn't make up the punch line, there is a Artichoke Sandwich Bar in Wichita Kansas that sells T-shirts with this slogan printed on them. However, since I lived in Oklahoma in the past and have artichoke plants in the garden, why not use this slogan for a blog post?

Cynara cardunculus

When I lived in San Antonio I was always amazed at the ragged serrated foliage of the artichoke plants that were often planted at the Botanical gardens there. Over the last two years I've planted them from seed and only this year have they performed. However, my main reason to plant these was for foliage not fruit and I was surprised when they actually produced fruit in the heat of this summer!

Anyone have a recipe out there I can use?

 

Memories of Crimson Dawn

"History and mystery beckon from atop Casper Mountain in the heart of central Wyoming. Trails wind gently among the pine and aspen while the log cabin museum provides a warm step back in time. Crimson Dawn Park and Museum welcomes you to the enchanted world of Neal Forsling's creative and inspirational legacy." This is the description from Crimson Dawns web page of a hidden log cabin found on top of Casper Mountain Wyoming. This post doesn't have anything  to do with the history of the place but of a visit we made in summer of 1987. Cindy and I were in our seventh year of marriage and had two tag-a-longs: Jeremy 5 and John 19 months. That summer was a hot summer if I remember right, similar to this summers heat wave. We went to the top of the mountain with my mother and of course my camera to cool off and inspect the museum. Upon arrival my boys ran to this unique looking bench made from twisted tree limbs. Wow, what a photo op. There were not digital cameras at this day and age, so film had to be developed. The day of taking multiple photos had not yet arrived and also you could not preview them. Fortunately one photo turned out well as you can see below.

I had to take another image of the original photograph as we do not have a negative. It tuned out well, however. John probably spelled Koolade or something on himself and took his clothes off . Hee hee. It is definetly our favorite picture of the boys.

On the trip this summer we wanted to go back to Crimson Dawn and possibly relive some memories. Mother had a little difficulty finding the correct road. After finding the right turn, I had visions of finding the same bench and taking a photo of Cindy and I sitting on it.

Twenty five years later and little worst for wear, the bench is still there. However, like us, it is a little worn and aged. A unique patina I suppose. The bench was not strong enough to sit on, so we just enjoyed the fact that it was still there and provided fond memories.

Oh my Gosh....(another)Calamagrostis.

During my recent visit to Colorado and Wyoming, I noticed an overabundance or use of certain plants. I can speculate on how certain plants become popular in different regions of the country. Recommendations from experts, like extension agents, nurserymen, architects and such can play a large role. Botanical gardens offer views of plants in comparable landscape designs. Views of plants in magazines, newspapers, and even blogs can format our thinking also. I suppose viewing plants in landscapes in your community plays a strong role also, especially plants that succeed....

Well there was one plant which I strongly like, Calamagrostis acutifolia 'Karl Foerster'. I grow it in my own garden (9 plants as a matter of fact). I like this cool season grass as it blooms early in the year, will grow under trees(though not flourish), and has a great vertical growth habit. But...I swear when viewing Colorado/Wyoming landscapes they were everywhere (along with russian sage). I literally got sick of seeing them. There must be a Johnny Foersterseed going around planting these suckers. In commercial as well as residential designs, this grass was in every design.

(Shown in the background at the Cheyenne,Wyoming Botanical Gardens).

I thing back of past gardening trends and abundance of certain plants that were popular in my geographical areas: high school days: railroad ties, phitzer juniper and yucca. college days: Bradford Pear, Crape Myrtle, Boxwood, Procumbens and Blue Rug Juniper. Yaupon Holly multi-trunk tree form, Dwarf Yaupon Holly, Red Oak and Chinese Pistache trees. Recently Atlas Cedar, Deodora Cedar, Japanese Maple 'Bloodgood', Red Barberry, and Crape Myrtle. Can you think of others in your area or times in your life?

Back in the Saddle Again

I got my laptop back! After a new screen, motherboard, and power adapter(the dog chewed on the original) I'm back on the blogging trail. I'm probably going to miss Bloom Day (or did), so I will post on Pam Penick's meme, Foliage Followup. Actually this isn't a garden but what the heck. Imagine yourself on a horse holding the reins, looking for foliage combos, spitting out a chew, and shouting out "morning glory!

Bear Trap Meadow-Casper Mountain-Near Casper, Wyoming.  

Mostly Lodgepole Pine, Spruce, and Aspen.

Sage and prairie-Witches Mountain near Casper Wyoming.

Many photos to follow.......

Back at Last

Kind of. Upon returning a week ago Monday from our eleven day vacation to Colorado and Wyoming, our laptop computer decides to hibernate. No longer showing it's technological  and digital masterpieces of artistry or data. Arghh. Isn't technology great? Or I should say, ain't it frustrating when you rely on something non-human or human I suppose, that just doesn't work. Therefore I haven't recieved my blog posting fix for two weeks and many ideas and inspirations have dissipated into oblivion. Maybe never to see fruition again. Let's hope not. My son brought his work computer along this week for a visit, so I am posting now.What a treat! I had a general idea about my next blog post ten days ago. However after reading a few posts from my favorite bloggers, I had to respond to Professer Roush's recent post on our visit to his garden. You can enjoy his post here.

I wanted to do full blown posts on many of the Xeriscape/Botanical Gardens I had visited in Wyoming. The gardens were cardoned off in Colorado Springs during the Waldo Canyon wildfire so I couldn't visit those. One of the plants I found fascinating at the Cheyenne Wyoming botanical gardens was the plant pictured below:

Centaurea macrocepha

At the time I couldn't figure out what in the world this plant was with the unusual bloom or seedhead? I had no clue. I plucked a bloom and asked my mother when we reached Casper. She couldn't identify it either. So I kept the bloom along with gathered seeds of other praire plants along our trip. After leaving Casper and visiting Professor Roush's garden in Manhatten, Kansas, we were saying our goodbyes and I spied the plant. The same one. The plant I couldn't identify. Centauea macrocepha! The professor had written a post on this plant previously after a garden tour, view this post here. Needless to say I grabbed two spent seed heads ready for planting. Yes!

Photo from Cheyenne Botanical Garden first visit.

Photo a week later.

A day later at Professor Roush's I recieved dried seed heads ready for next year! These images do not do it justice.
 Destiny I suppose. he he. My visit was a blast, even though it was over a hundred degrees and humid. Photos and stories will follow in coming weeks as I recieve my computer back. When ever you have a chance, visit your fellow garden bloggers as friendships can become real.