Frontier Days booty

Cheyenne Frontier Days just isn't complete for me unless I find a special jewelry purchase or two at the Indian Village.

My goal is to get at least one thing each year I volunteer to mark my time at CFD.  I've been doing pretty well, but sadly, I lost a ring I bought a couple years ago.  It just disappeared - and oddly so has the post where I'm SURE I had a picture of it.  Cue the Twilight Zone music...

This year, I attempted to make up for my broken heart over the cool lost ring and purchased three things.  I couldn't help it!  There were some irresistible deals I just couldn't pass up!

There are so many stunning pieces in the Village, but I have never spent over $100 on any one thing.  One day, I will.  I have plans to save a little each month so when CFD rolls around one year I can buy, say, a Squash Blossom.  Or a turquoise and silver belt...  Or a truly dramatic turquoise and/or coral cuff - one that makes you look like a superhero!  Oh...the wish list goes on.

My purchases this year:

The double strand necklace was my first purchase.  I was very attracted to the more rough cut turquoise this year and while I've always eyed pieces like the necklace and ring below I ultimately have chosen jewelry that was a little more symmetrical.  The second purchase was the ring.  After staring at my friend Rachel's finger all week with a similar ring on it I decided to see what I could find.  I found this little gem and declared I was done.

But...then I decided to go back one last time to find Todd a hat band.  He has a cowboy hat as part of his work uniform and I thought he'd enjoy something for it.  The beaded band is what I ultimately found, but only after another irresistible find... That pendant.

The pendant on the left was a super steal!  If you hit up the Village toward  the end of the week the vendors are more likely to deal.  The vendor at that booth gave Rachel and I 50 percent off anything we wanted plus an additional discount for being volunteers. I wasn't even intending to shop for myself that day!  I just wanted a hat band!  But with that kind of deal I wasn't about to just walk away.

Then there were the three turquoise drop necklaces I got for my sisters and mom.  They were too good of a price!  And were really pretty.

So, everyone got a little piece of CFD.  And since I didn't buy it all for me I'm hoping for some awesome shopping karma next year...  and a Squash Blossom...

Wisconsin back track

A couple weeks ago, Todd and I were off, once again, to Wisconsin for a wedding in Green Bay.

But as soon as we got home I was out the door to Frontier Days and had no chance to post about our last Midwest excursion.

Here's a recap:

The first night we "camped" once again.  Not quite the camping experience we had the last time, but not too far off.  This time, we had a bit more room to spread out in the back of the Outback.  We pulled over in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  This is what it looked like the next morning...

Todd and Rigby...

Me...

There's a delicacy in Wisconsin I learned about for the first time.  We were at the butcher shop and Todd said, "Let's get some wildcat."  I thought, like what I believe most normal people would think, that it was going to be ground bobcat or something else feline.  Todd had fun helping my imagination run, well, wild, before explaining what it was, which is raw, ground, top of the line sirloin mixed with onions and a bunch of spices...

Now, I LOVE sushi.  I'll eat raw fish, no problem.  I want my steaks medium rare leaning a little more on the rare side.  But completely 100 percent raw burger on a cracker?  I had a bit of a mental block.  But I tried it...

And while I can't say I LOVED it, it wasn't bad.  I would try it again.  But it is weird to think about...

On a more yummy note, Todd's dad was a blueberry growing pro.  He was known for his ability to grow some good berries.  There are blueberry bushes all around the house, and we also filled up on those!

And don't forget the cheese.  I had yet to go to a cheese factory or dairy, so Todd and I stopped by Mullins Cheese on our way to the wedding...

Cheese there is so cheap!  For my old Dupont Dwellers let me equate: It is WAY better than the secret cheese bin!  Full chunks of cheese for a slice of what it normally goes for in other parts of the country!  I like the dairy cow scene above the cooler...

This is a bag of whey.  I wondered what in the world someone would need that much for - then saw a sign that said great for smoothies.  That made sense...if you were a smoothie shop.

And the cheese curds!  These were actually still warm!  So they were quite squeaky!

Just start calling me Miss Muffet...  though I don't yet own a tuffet.

It's Frontier Days!

And I have been so busy I haven't been able to post!

Here is my haphazard collection of photos so far.

Want to know why there a) aren't many photos, and b) I'm not posting frequently...?  It's because my coworkers and I are running all over the park managing the CFD facebook page!  We're getting TONS of great video and photos to share with fans.  Consequently, that's been occupying all my computer time!  Check it out...!

Ok - quick catch up:

KISS played on Friday night for the first concert of the week to an absolutely ROARING crowd.  I got to see them (albeit through a window) behind stage!  They did walk in front of me to the vans they ride in to the stage.  That was cool...

Stage set-up for KISS's show...

These two horses just cracked me up fighting over that dish...

Some country dancin' at the Buckin' A Saloon in the Midway...

Horses from the Wild Horse Race zooming past in the back stretch...

What the first Pancake Breakfast of the week always looks like for me.  I have to be there by 4:30 a.m. with my news crew, which has been Channel 4 of Denver for the past two years...

The Depot Plaza pre-dawn with the news cameras set up...

A few more folks...and a little more light.  There were over 8,700 folks fed today...

Cody Sosbee, the CFD rodeo clown...

I not only went behind the chutes for this shot but underneath the stands...

Just some cool pics of a ride...

Same ride...

More of that ride...

The last bit of that ride...

Cowboys behind the chutes...

After a bull ride...

I'll have a lot more to share, but after being up before dawn with my news crew I'm too tired to load right now.  Stay tuned!

Imposter

The moment I laid eyes on a squash blossom necklace it was the beginning of the end for me - I simply HAD to have one.

This epiphany occurred during my first Frontier Days a couple years ago in the Indian Village.  Everywhere you turn there is amazing Western jewelry and hanging everywhere are squash blossom necklaces.

It's out of control - kind of like my longing for one.  Every time I pass a display case with them in it I stop in my tracks and just want to die with desperation for it.  I lovingly run my fingers over them.  I try them on.  And ultimately, at generally upwards of $700 a pop, I put them back...walking sadly away.

Todd has even said he thinks he might have to give me an engagement squash blossom versus a ring.

The thought gave me pause.

Then one day, a month or so back, Todd and I went to the Eclectic Elephant, an antiques place in town.  And there in the display case lay a beautiful turquoise squash blossom - and a sign saying all jewelry 50 percent off.

O - M - G.

I knew I still couldn't justify the price, but I had the sales lady pull it out just the same.  I just HAD to see what the discount would knock the price down to...

$3.75

$3.75???!!!

I was momentarily stunned - could I have some crazy, CRAZY find on my hands?? - before my good sense came back and I knew, with great disappointment, it wasn't real.

But did I care?  I had to ask myself if I could in good conscience wear an IMPOSTER.  Wouldn't I be a poser?  A total wanna-be?  Yes.

But I told myself I wouldn't wear it around town.  I'd only wear it in states outside the Western ones. Nobody would know then...

I bought it.  I just couldn't help it.  How in the gol-darn world could I pass it up??  I put it on in the car and wore it ALL night long.  Todd told me I was like a kid who couldn't wait to play with a new toy.  I'm ok with that.

And one day...not being able to take it staring at me from my dresser any more...I wore it to work!

I was apprehensive.  What would I say when people inevitably ask me where I got my squash blossom - because people always do.  And they did.  So, I came clean. But nobody judged.  Instead, they cooed over it!  One coworker even told me I should have it examined to see if it's worth more because, she said, she would never guessed it to be a FAKE.

What does it look like...?  Take a gander... The flash lighting is really annoying, but you can still see it.

 

  

I still don't think I'll have the guts to pull it out during Frontier Days, but who knows?  I'm so crazy happy about it I'm becoming almost brazen about wearing it.

Who'll know?

Back

I'm back!

July was a killer on my schedule! - and my ability to keep my little blog updated.

After trips to Vail, Dubois, Wyo., Lamar, Colo., and Vegas, and several days of cowgirling it up at Frontier Days I am ready for a quiet August.

However, if you know me that just means a little more time doing stuff closer to home - not a kabash on doing stuff in general.

So, I'm back and will be much more consistent in my updating.

Ahhh...August!

Good eye

I aspire to take wonderful, artistic photos and maybe one day I will. But I know I don't have a God-given gift to take photos like this artist.

Her name is Jennifer Alnwick and she's one of the photogs that comes to Frontier Days.

I also believe she is a true artist and wish I could buy one of everything she's got!

Some of my favorites?

Under portfolios then people I LOVE numbers: 2, 4 (he's a pick-up man at Frontier Days - and one of my favorites too!), and 32 (I freaking LOVE this one!)

Under ranch and rodeo: 6 (oh man...), 12 (love, LOVE), 15, 16 (so cool), 27 (just look at the detail of the dirt flying!), 30, 31, 33, and 35 (love the movement here)

Under equine: 2 (look at that light), 6, 15, 28 (you can nearly see emotion in the horse's eye)

Under on the road: 3 (beautiful), 11, 12, 16 (I love old Western murals painted on the sides of buildings), 21 and 31

People who have this kind of talent blow me away!

Frontier Days finale

Today is the official last day of Frontier Days, but my last day was after the rodeo on Wednesday. That's because Jonna and I left Thursday morning for Lamar, Colo., for Linds H.'s little sister's wedding.

On my last day at CFD I was assigned to the photo pit, which is literally a cement bunker in the middle of the arena. It's a cool place for photographer's to go because they get awesome close up shots they couldn't get elsewhere. I took advantage of a few shots myself.

Here are my last shots of this year's Frontier Days rodeo:

Inside the pit...


I absolutely love this photo. It turned out way more cool than I thought it was going to! Click on it to check it out. Doesn't it kind of look like the horse and rider are getting beamed up by aliens...?


Getting close...!


Galloping close by the pit...


Click on this photo and check out the arch on the horse's neck. I think it's cool...


He's looking right at us! haha...


A dramatic fly-off...


I am really happy with this photo and recommend clicking on it to get all the detail. I love the horse arched over the fallen cowboy...


You can get some great shots of the timed events because they many times skid to a halt right in front of you. A steer wrestler...


Check out the vertical on this guy!


The Wild Horse Race is the last event each day. First one up on a wild horse who can go around the track once, wins...

And there you have it. Frontier Days 2009!

Flapjack fantasy

One of my favorite things about Frontier Days is the free pancake breakfast downtown at the Depot.

My goal is to eat pancakes three times during Frontier Days, that is, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday when they have the feeds.

Monday is the busy breakfast for me because I get assigned to a Denver news crew and am helping them get set up and get interviews. But I still find time to make it through the line for some flapjacks!

This photo reminds me of John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" song..."When the suns comin' up I got cakes on the griddle..." I think I've mentioned on here before how much I love the word griddle...


The flapjack cookers flip the "cakes" to Boy Scouts who act as catchers...








One of our Chey-town Grizzlies, which is our baseball team...


There's always live entertainment on the plaza during the feed. This country group was pretty good...

Frontier Days round-up

Last year, I was assigned to one camera crew that does filming for Frontier Days each year and consequently spent every, single day behind the chutes.

I watched a lot of rodeo, and it was awesome!

This year, for the first couple of days I've had a different assignment: Channel 4 news out of Denver. It's been super fun, but I've watched precious little rodeo.

Instead, I've spent the last two days setting up sit-down interviews, helping their cameraman get video, suggesting locations and interviews for live shots, showing up at 4 a.m. at the Depot to tell them where to park their satellite truck for the free pancake breakfast...etc.

I haven't had much of a chance to take photos, but I've squeezed in a few. Here's some of what I've been up to minus the pancake breakfast. There will be photos of that up soon...

A bull rider!


This bull was so stubborn! It took the pick-up men (all the guys in blue who help the riders and keep the animals in check) FOREVER to get that thing rounded up! He really dug in...


And this is what becomes of stubborn bulls...Rocky Mountain Oysters. Just kidding. I didn't take this photo of that bull's balls on purpose. I just happened to notice the incredible size of his package later! (I'm getting pretty crass!)


I took Eddie, the cameraman, right behind the chutes so he could get some cool shots above the cowboys as they were getting ready to ride.

These are the HEELS. Frontier Days is pretty much put on by all volunteers. You are eligible to make a HEEL after about 10 years of service. There are about 480 registered HEELS, the oldest of which has been serving for around 50 years! They did a big photo to get ready for next year's 75th anniversary celebration of the organization...

This is Dan Taylor, the Chute 9 chute boss. Chute 9 is where all the timed events like team roping, steer wrestling, etc. come out of. He's been doing this since '61 or '62. He is such a character!


This is Michelle Griego, the reporter I was with. I got her "written in" to the Cheyenne Gunslingers's skit. She had never held a gun before, but by the time she left Cheyenne she'd handled three...


Michelle demonstrating gun safety by shooting (with a blank) a pop can...



This is Richard, the sat truck driver. I was sitting up front chillin' while we waited for a live shot...

And me in my cowgirl garb by the truck...