Friday, May 7, 2010

Happy trails to Oklahoma

Wednesday afternoon was the end of my big trip to Oklahoma.

Wyomingites dominated the plane ride back, easily outnumbering the rest of the passengers.  I love how we travel in packs.

An Oklahoma sunrise. I was on the 9th floor of the hotel and this is what it looked like out my window each morning...


A statue of Buffalo Bill outside the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.  We had a big reception there one night.  It was a pretty amazing museum with lots of gorgeous Western art...


I'm doing a Flat Stanley for my little cousin Ciarra.  Only I've turned her into Flat Stanley-etta and made her into a cowgirl.  I'm not good with arts and crafts so her face is kind of messed up.  Here she is at the Oklahoma City bombing memorial...


The "entrance" to Bricktown, what's billed as the entertainment district in Okla. City.  It was right next to the hotel, so I ate a lot of meals in this area...


Such as this place on the canal.  I had a nice - but rather salty - Cajun meal here...


The American Banjo Museum is also in Bricktown.  I tried to go in to take some photos for my sister Kelly who has a fascination with banjos, but I decided not to spend the entrance fee.  I made up for it in getting her birthday present from there though!


This conference always has tons of tours you can choose to go on if you want.  A few of us decided to take the "Rubbin' Buckles on the Ol' Chisholm Trail" tour - I think the name is funny.  It was pretty interesting and, let me tell you, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, Okla., is awesome!  Very experiential.  I highly recommend it! 
 

The Heritage Center also had a wing filled with Western art.  This piece was found in a barn and then restored! I so wish I could stumble on something like this!  It was one of my favorites...


One night, a large group of us from Wyoming went to the stockyards and had dinner.  There's a place called The Cattlemen's that is famous and is apparently listed in the book "1000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die".


So, of course we had to go!


Some Western-style transportation...


I bought this lovely piece at an antique store in Duncan, Okla. I LOVE Western jewelry and turquoise and sterling.  Just guess, GUESS how much I got this for?  $10!!  I've worn it every day since.  Doesn't my dinner napkin make for a lovely backdrop?


The crowning glory of the trip was meeting up with my old boss, former U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley and his wife Lynn.  I just LOVE Mr. Hefley!  He is SO great and I haven't seen him since he retired to a ranch south of Okla. City where he and Lynn raise horses...


Lynn, Mr. Hefley and I at Toby Keith's restaurant...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice pictures. Can't wait to see what you got me from the banjo museum. :)

Stacey said...

And training Tess to be a western jewelry girl?? I can't wait to see her gift. I can't wait til she's old enough for me to do her hair and wear jewelery, etc. :)