now on to important matters of a different kind...

the Democractic National Convention and even in some ways the pathetic Republican Convention. Do we have a choice? Yes and I believe a good one. Anyone with a brain and a heart, not necessarily in that order MUST vote for Barak/Biden. Since Obama doesn't have much tolerance for drama his barak is worse than his bite but he's chosen Joe Biden, a pennsylvania scrappy guy who has come through personal tragedies and doesn't give a crap about calling reality, reality. This time we could pull back from the abyss that has jettisoned our jobs, economy, oversees opinions and general greatness into dark ages that generations from now will be hard pressed to repair. This time we will be on the lookout for the only way a republican can get in office, by theft of elections. They will be developing even more heinous ways to destroy the election process.
Remember, its the people who cast the votes that matter the least. Its the people that count the votes that matter most--Josef Stalin
Even with that said GET OUT AND REGISTER AND GET OUT AND VOTE.
Tonite it gets interesting...with the roll call vote ongoing until they get to New York. Then Hilary may stop the rollcall and challenge all delegates to commit to Obama. You can do that here in the united states. Its complicated but so is citizenry in the United States. Its more than just what we can get from this country, its about making it available to all who seek it. if you don't seek it, you get left behind. Even if you do seek it you might get left behind but redress is available here in ways unavailable to other peoples in other countries. I've been outside our borders many times...I've witnessed it and we are rapidly approaching third world status and that is another opinion for another time...

Going out west helped me gain an understanding of this country I lacked before. The typically Republican strongholds are waking up and realizing that this new breed of Republican cares for nowone who makes under 5 million dollars a year. That excludes most of the ranchers and farmers I chatted with. Colorado and Wyoming are ditching republican politicians, its a joy to see!! Next up, the South. Maybe a reminder of the first time they did battle with the North would knock some sense into them!!

Found my voice again...stay tuned

fox and elk and moose, oh my

my oh my how the time does fly! It is the eve before we leave to return to the real world and i am digging in my heels like a little one determined not to follow directions. But follow i must. Where did I leave off.
did I mention that the rodeo was pretty cool and like most things is much more entertaining live than on tv.
these men, women and children are athletes of another kind. We watched calf roping, barreling racing, bronc riding and bull riding to mention a few things. I couldn't help but think that we dress our children in combat clothing to go out to play and here are these children roping calves and riding broncs with nothing other than western clothes and chaps. And they still survive! Hmmm.

The Buffalo Bill Cody museum is a can't miss. Covering 3 out of the 5 ginormous sections was pretty good. The Whitney museum's collection of Remington sculptures was worth the price just there, not to mention unexpected N.C. Wyeth paintings. I had no idea how much of a national hero Bill Cody was especially after magazines and moving pictures came into being. He died in 1917 leaving behind an interesting legacey. In one area he was generous to the indian population, bucking (pun intended) the trend by employing them with compassion and love for their traditions but at the same time helping to continue the stereotypes that still appear in textbooks and popular opinion. Could you imagine a dinner with Buffalo Bill and his contemporaries such as Mark Twain, Calamity Jane and Annie Oakley?!

Back to Jackson...more photos of the Tetons and Yellowstone with a total of about 800 shots all together, much less than usual, but pretty darn good in content if I do say so myself. Lots of experimenting done with light, shadow and composition. What did I do before digital?

The only bears and wolves we saw were unfortunately stuffed on a wall somewhere but the searching was half the fun. Including bison with the title animals, I have a new emotional connection with God's creations outside of a zoo.

Now its back to my humble home on my humble range full of new ideas, memories and pictures that only traveling can provide!!

cody, wyoming

has it been that long since I entered anything in my screed pile!!
I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to Wyoming, primarily yellowstone national park and points around. and by around I mean really long drives...
First day we arrived in Jackson Hole or just Jackson Wyoming. Very turista! Thank God for Sturgis. After the weekend in South Dakota a great number of them come here.That increases the number of harleys to more than the number of wildlife in the area. Although I would argue that it is wild life of another kind. Needless to say, that was a bonus...
Old Faithful was first up followed by the Great Prism Pool which was spectacular. We must have shot photos for more than 8 hours that day.
We then made our way to Gardinier Montana to explore Northern yellowstone which includes Mammoth Springs. While walking these springs i kept singing "ooh ooh that smell, the smell of death surrounds you" by Skynyrd due to the overwhelming sulfur fumes. But its absolutely not about death. Life at microscopic levels. The only things that live in those hot temperatures are bacteria and what beautiful bacteria they are. I never knew they were so visible, alive and viewable with the naked eye. They make cool pics. but then everything does out here...
Whitewater rafting is the bomb and we rode class 3 down the Yellowstone river. Too bad the guides look like they were babies. Oh, wait they are!
On to Cody via the Chief Joseph Hwy. Today was on to drive the Beartooth Highway, the highest elevated road in the US between 10,000-11,000 feet.
Talk about switchbacks...I had fantasies of Indy racing when driving minus the speed. We made it to the top which is still snow covered in places. Very bizzare to be standing in snow, sun beating down and being warm.
Speaking of speed, Montana is set on 80 mph. its a dream come true and I am taking every advantage of it even if I am driving a chevy cobalt!
I officially do not know what day or date it is but it is off to the rodeo tonite. Now there is something i never thought I would write, let alone do...
to be continued