Red butte is just a few miles from their home. The general landscape in the area is ridges covered with ponderosa pine trees, with irregularly shaped treeless valleys between the ridges. Pat and I find this landscape very beautiful!
Unfortunately, there is a pine bark beatle (or some name like that) which is infesting and killing the pine trees here in the Hills. One local said that in ten years there might be no pine trees in the Hills! What a shame that will be!
On a drive to Newcastle, we came upon a mini forest fire.We watched as a bulldozer carved a firebreak in the grass to contain the fire, as one pine tree burst into flames, and as a firefighter ran to his truck, grabbed the hose, and put the flames on that tree down in seconds.
You can see the fire break just on the near side of the burning tree and heading off to the right and up the hill.
This fire was started when a power pole, rotten at the base, collapsed. Sparks from the wires touching started the fire. This is essentially the same thing which started the fire which threaten Fran and Sandy's homestead earlier this summer.
Another scenic drive through the countryside took us to Roughlock Falls, which is actually in South Dakota. This is near Cheyenne Crossing, where Pat and I went cross-country skiing years ago.
Fran might refer to the object below as "Sandy's old wagon." I guess I'd call it "lawn art" or possibly a "Wyoming Objet d'Art." Whatever one calls it, it is attractive, well placed, and has a wonderful texture for photos.
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| Sandy, Fran, Pat, Keith at the end of a wonderful visit. |
At the end of our visit, we lined up on the deck for the obligatory photo, looking out toward the ridge behind their house.
Did we enjoy the visit? YES!!
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