September 2006 in Wyoming

Five Years Across America: Year 1 - Wyoming & Montana

Series originally published as micro-posts March 2024 -March 2025. Republished as long posts in 2026.

Names have been changed, except for well-known places like states, cities, campgrounds, mass retailers, etc.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 1, 2006

Friday, September 1, 2006

​At 7:30 this morning, it was 22* F. 

I wrote letters today. It is a good way to stay busy, but I have no table and it makes my shoulders hurt. I only have two stamps left, so I will have to go into town soon, whether I want to or not, unless someone is going to the post office and they will pick some up for me.

Yesterday, just before supper, the horses broke through the fence and almost escaped, but Keith saw them. When he went out there, all but one horse went back inside the pasture. Then a wrangler arrived and handled everything.

Last night, the horses got out again, but I didn’t hear them. They went to the ranch above us. We get their neglected basset hound (who was down here again yesterday) and they get our escapee horses.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 2, 2006

Saturday, September 2, 2006

​It amazes me how many people ask “What’s ‘shooting’” when they see it listed as the afternoon activity. 

The response, “Target practice.”

“With a gun?”

“Yes, a .22.”

Then they are in shock because we use a real gun.

One English lady said that in Europe, they can’t understand why Americans want guns, but after being here and seeing the wilderness, it makes sense.

It’s been agreed that I’ll stay here with some others during the off season. We’ll each go on vacation for a week or so. Keith says that it is nice here in the off season with no guests and the work we do helps us for the winter season. 

We had a minor collision in the kitchen tonight and I got hot minestrone soup all over me. Keith said I could go change and I did. I’m not sure why I find such events amusing, but I guess it's better than getting upset over them.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 3, 2006

Sunday, September 3, 2006

It’s hot today!

I cleaned my part of the bathroom.

I played some bolo ball with Sam. I’m not very good, as usual, but it’s fun.

I’m not sure why I have a curtain over the door window when I leave the wall window without a curtain. Just used to it, I guess.

Earlier, I was sitting in my doorway, reading, and had the door open. Suddenly, I sense something fly over my head and hear a “thunk.” Then I see a hawk-like bird flying to the fence, then winging away. Later, I hear something and see a sleek, black bird flying around my room. I didn’t know how to help him get out, but eventually he managed.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 5, 2006

Tuesday, September 5, 2006

I didn’t have time to mop yesterday.

Last night, we had a bottle of Merlot go inexplicably bad. We had been serving a lady from it all evening, but after dinner, she gave the glass back and said it tasted like it was going bad. We opened a new bottle and the two smelled different. The old one had no smell. The new one was almost fruity. She liked the glass from the new bottle.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 7, 2006

Thursday, September 7, 2006
​
Worked 8-1. Half-day today.

I played the flute in the lodge for 45 minutes this afternoon.

It was rainy and cool all morning, but now the sun is coming out and it is warming up. It’s too cloudy to see the Tetons.

Yesterday, Mila got stamps for me. Now I can delay going into town a little longer.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 8, 2006

Friday, September 8, 2006

​I worked 8-1 and 5-8:30. I spent the morning in housekeeping. A towel rod fell in Cabin 8 and broke the toilet tank cover. A wine glass fell out of the golf cart and broke. 

I took a walk to take pictures of the early fall foliage.

Last night, we had line dancing. I always enjoy that. As usual, the ladies danced and the gents watched.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 9, 2006

Saturday, September 9, 2006

​A guest was riding Wyatt, so when I went on a ride with Mila and two day riders, they started me on Buster. He acted up too much. We could barely get out of the gate. So, they switched me to Sage. She is a slow-poke, but overall a good horse. It was nice that Mila understood how slow Sage is and didn’t keep after me to keep up.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 10, 2006

Sunday, September 10, 2006

​Yesterday afternoon, Ezra let me make chocolate zucchini bread. He even bought the zucchini for me. We had it at staff breakfast this morning and everyone liked it who tried it.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 11, 2006

Monday, September 11, 2006

​It’s the 5-year anniversary of the September 11 attack. 

I see what must be the Milky Way - a cloudy belt of stars cutting the sky from north to south. In this Wyoming sky, I have, for the first time, seen the Big and Little Dippers, but I’m not sure of the North Star and can’t find Orion, my constant friend in North Carolina and the only constellation I could easily find there. I don’t know how to find any other constellations and I haven’t seen a star book here. Staying up late to do laundry has its advantages. The stars are amazing

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 12, 2006

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

​It feels good to sit in the loft and play flute for the few people who wander into the lodge. I’ve been working on playing how I want to play and not paying attention to the people around or what they might be thinking. I’m getting better at it.

I found a website with all the Tae Kwon Do forms. It helps a lot, except when the print is too small to read and I can’t remember what the move is supposed to be. I’ve been trying to practice some part of TKD for a few minutes each day.

I waded in the warm shallows and collected some snail shells. The big shells all had occupants. These snails are mostly 1-1.5 inches long, but some are 2 inches. The shells I found are no bigger than my little fingernail. I also saw small crabs that look like leaf insects. You can see no legs, only two front pinchers that look like wings until you get close. There were also small, brown fish.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 13, 2006

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

​Dad called, so I talked to him and Mom. That was nice, but of course I thought of things to say afterwards instead of on the phone. 

I think tonight, for the first time, I found the North Star. I couldn’t find a useful star chart online, but I read several descriptions of how to find Polaris and looked at the diagrams. I think I finally did it!

I think I see Cassiopeia, too, but I’m not sure. I thought before that I had found the Little Dipper, but after finding the North Star, I found out I was wrong. I don’t know where Cassiopeia is supposed to be. I only have in the back of my mind that it looks a little like a “W.” Of course, when I finally get a star map, I may find it’s actually something else. Right now, I just want to know what the fake Little Dipper is.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 14, 2006

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Line dancing night! It’s my favorite part of the week. We even had some men try. 

Ezra made butterscotch sauce for the ice cream. It was delicious. I love butterscotch!

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 15, 2006

Friday, September 15, 2006

It’s been windy and rainy all day. In the upper elevations, the riders saw snow.

I’ve spent all afternoon playing Scrabble with guests from England.

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 16, 2006

Saturday, September 16, 2006

I got my ticket home this morning. 

I went on a ride to Cowboy Cabin. It was cold and windy. On the way back, we all put on our slickers because they helped keep in the heat. Mine dragged the ground. I looked like Dumpy the Dwarf or a friendly troll. Sage looked at me, took one step forward, and gave me a long, quizzical look.

I love how Sage is always looking around and turning her ears in all directions. She is always aware of her surroundings. When we come to a dip or rise, she slows down and looks at it before proceeding. Instead of “slowpoke,” I should call her Miss Deliberate. I still don’t like her as much as Wyatt, but she’s growing on me.

Almost as soon as we got into the lodge, it started snowing. It snowed all afternoon. Nothing stuck, but it snowed in September!

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 21, 2006

Thursday, September 21, 2006

This morning, the hills surrounding the valley had a dusting of snow and we got a few hours of slush - rain and snow mix. It was about 40* F in the valley, so nothing stuck. It is clearing now and the snow has melted from the hills. Even with the rain, most guests went riding.

One guest doesn’t like the water part of the hot chocolate mix. Once the machine starts giving the water part, she pulls her cup away and lets the water run onto the counter. At least now she has started to use a napkin to mop up some of it.

Yesterday, I took a 2.5-hour nap and last night I slept from 9:00 - 7:00. I think partly I am tired and partly I’m bored. At any rate, I felt a lot better this  morning. 

9:30 p.m.

It’s snowing! It’s been snowing all evening and sticking. 

🎵 It’s snowing, snowing, snowing! 🎵

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 24, 2006

Sunday, September 24, 2006

All the snow melted by Friday evening, except for in shady places or the hilltops. 

Yesterday, I went on a ride and rode Wyatt, the most perfect horse I could imagine. We saw a coyote in the elk-feeding valley. The coyote was pouncing about, hunting mice maybe. His movements looked more like a cat’s than a dog’s. I’ve wanted to see a coyote ever since I heard one when I first came. Now I am content. 

5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; September 27, 2006

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

​I took a ride on Wyatt. Got the stirrups figured out. I like Wyatt’s gaits. Between getting the stirrups a good length and some experience, cantering was easier. When walking, I keep wanting to close my eyes and absorb the rhythm, but I figure that’s not safe. 

My heater was leaking oil. I told Sam, and before dinner Filip told me that he had turned it upside down and it would be fine for one night. At 8:30, I went back to my room, opened the door, and was assailed by smoke and burnt-oil smell. I quickly turned off the heater and unplugged it. I opened the doors and turned on the fans. Even the bathroom was full of smoke. It took half an hour for my room to clear enough to go to bed. The bathroom took longer. I sprayed Febreeze and left my door open a crack for a  while to let the last bits out. Even this morning the bathroom smelled and some of my clothes did, too. 

Of course, people knew about it last night. It’s hard to miss smoke pouring out of your living quarters. Keith and Wes looked at the heater and said, “Well, I’m going to have a beer.” Sam gave me his heater. I’m just thankful there wasn’t a fire.