Near Sheridan, Wyoming

Cattle Country.  Boy, I'd like to have the barbed wire concession out there!

Big Sky Country

A view of the Bozeman Trail from a scenic overlook on I-90 Eastbound just outside Bozeman, Montana.

A childhood memory for many Muckians!

Nooooooooooooooo!

"Noooooooooooo!" is what I wailed as the bowl I was drying flew out of my hands and landed on my favorite (and first) whiskey glass, from Clay Coyote Pottery. The cup was an unfortunate casualty of yet another dish-drying accident by yours truly.  I am about to enter into talks to voluntarily ban myself from that obviously dangerous activity.

I can almost hear Jack Nicholson yelling, "You can't handle the dishes!"

(For what it's worth, the cheap bowl I was drying survived unscathed.)

Amazing architects and builders!

Rural Illinois

Fall, when bean fields turn golden

Day One of the real "most wonderful time of the year"-- Autumn!

Love this glaze!

Purchased at Frankfort Fall Fest. Also available online at www.ClayCoyote.com

Oldest restaurant in Boston

Did not eat here, but visited. Like so much in Boston, it is rich with history. I would like to eat there one day. But I'm not one to eat six oysters in one sitting on a 95 degree day. Next time maybe I'll be with someone willing to share a half dozen.

Like anchoring a boat with dental floss

As we walked past I caught sight of this tiny chain on this huge and heavy iron gate. I thought the contrast was funny. I'm guessing this chain is not there for security.

Something to consider

Champaign County, Illinois

Terri took this picture as we drove along a back road on our way home after camping. For those not familiar with Illinois agriculture, most farmers raise corn and soybeans. That field is planted with corn. Corn as far as you can see!

Happy camper

We did it. We bought camping equipment and went on our first outing in a nice forest preserve in Champaign County, Illinois. Middle Fork campground is just outside Penfield and the hosts Harold and Bonnie kept the grounds nice, clean and orderly. Being a Thursday, there were only a few sites occupied. Terri and I enjoyed a quiet evening with more stars than I've seen in a long time. After midnight it cooled off nicely for comfortable sleeping. The next morning I was able to enjoy the early stillness then began fussing with a new fire for breakfast. Later, the sound of diesel engines from two school buses bringing many very happy children from Champaign Boys & Girls Club took care of the stillness. Boy did those kids have a blast! All in all, a successful maiden voyage with our new gear. Looking forward to our next outing!

So, right after I said, "You're not a REAL magician..."

Energy within

I don't remember where I lifted this from, but it is a striking bronze sculpture with a pretty cool vibe to it.

Bed frame

Chair shadow on table

Boston Marathon Bombing

Another sad day for Americans. More lives lost to senseless violence-- and I wonder as I type those words, "Is there any other kind of violence?"

But we are a resilient bunch and we will survive this and move on as we have moved on before.

Aftermath

Looking forward to Spring

Happy weekend!

Isabella

Yes, she is as sweet as she looks.

Clay Coyote Pottery

Yay! Our new pottery arrived today from our friends Tom and Betsy at Clay Coyote. The yunomi cups are great for tea, or wine, or even a bit o' whiskey. The larger piece in the center is a Dutch Oven that can go from stovetop to oven to tabletop! We love our Clay Coyote pottery-- we have more than 20 pieces now-- and use it as much as possible. If you are interested... ClayCoyote.com

Grace

The lines in this Rocky Mountain National Park tree make me think of a dancer.

Natural humor

From the archives: Five years ago, Luke did a science experiment to determine if surface area affected how fast ice melts. This was how it was tested.

I love how he named the three different shapes.