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AUG 2026

WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS

NATRIUM PLANT IS PROGRESSING THE LOOK OF NUCLEAR POWER

WE’RE READY TO POWER WHAT’S NEXT Tri-State, together with your local electric cooperatives, is proud to power Wyoming’s homes, farms, and businesses— and we’re ready to power new opportunities too. We welcome responsible growth that supports our communities. We’re not just keeping up with change—we’re planning for it, with a commitment to reliability and affordability. So that the grid we’re building today is strong enough for tomorrow’s ideas. When Wyoming grows, we all grow.

WHATEVER THE FUTURE HOLDS, WE’LL POWER IT.®

Scan to learn more or visit www.tristate.coop/powering-future

Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

2026

A TerraPower worker stands in front of Test and Fill Facility in Kemmerer, Wyoming. PHOTO COURTESY OF TERRAPOWER PHOTO HAS BEEN DIGITALLY ALTERED TO REMOVE AN INDIVIDUAL FOR DESIGN PURPOSES.

A U G U S T

Natrium Plant is Progressing the Look of Nuclear Power STORY BY AMBER STEINMETZ

ON THE COVER 18 CENTERPIECE

JUST FOR FUN

ART SPOT 06 THE SHE CARRIES THE FIRE

Wyoming has powered America for generations, and it’s preparing to lead the next era of energy.

Turn to page 18 to see how the nation’s first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant is taking shape in Kemmerer—and what it means for Wyoming’s workforce, economy and energy future.

FEATURES

BY JERRY WOOD

HEROES 28 COMMUNITY T E AC H I N G W I T H C O M PA S S I O N A N D LOV E

BY COURTNEY SHOSH

FROM OUR READERS

ESSAYS & ANECDOTES

STATE NEWS & EVENTS

TO PAPER 30 PEN BIRDS

NOTES 04 WREA T H E FA M I LY FA R M ,

BY DIXIE LIRA

32 T R A D I T I O N S

BY SHAWN TAYLOR

GIVEAWAY 31 BOOK T H E E A RT H I S

COOKS 34 COUNTRY T O M AT O E S

08 CO-OP CONNECTION 14 TOWN TALES 16 WILD WIRED WEST 35 WHAT'S HAPPENING

CORNER 24 KIDS’ H I G H E L E VAT I O N PLANTS

25 PUZZLE S U RV E Y S AY S . . . TRADITIONS

HER OWN

BY RENÉE CARRIER

BY ALEJANDRA GONZALES

JUST PICTURE IT

O R T H E FA M I LY A N D T H E FA R M

ON THE RANGE 26 THOME H E O L D WAY BY DR. BRUCE CONNALLY

38 ENLIGHTEN US

GOODBYE IS N OT F O R E V E R BY MARIE ANTOINETTE HAINES

READER UPDATE Our address has changed! Going forward, please send your reader submissions to:

 2312 Carey Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82001-3627

WREA NOTES

T H E F A M I L Y F A R M, O R T H E FA M I LY A N D T H E FA R M This summer the Taylor clan went to our family reunion at my mom’s family farm in Illinois. I’ve written about the farm in previous columns and the great conversation I had with my grandma about “the day the lights came on,” thanks to their rural electric cooperative. The farm has always held a special place in the hearts of my family and this reunion didn’t disappoint. It was probably one of the best-attended reunions, maybe around 75 aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, kids, spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends, from Alaska to New Hampshire and many of the flyover states. We had a cornhole tournament and by the time we got to the championship round, the entire family was watching. It was a blast! The farm has always brought us together and has been our common bond, even after my grandparents passed away. However, this year was a bit different because my aunt, the oldest of my mom’s siblings (of which there are five) passed away earlier this year, so we had to have a tough family conversation about the future of the farm. I am certain that many of you have had similar conversations about your own estate planning. I’ll admit that my family is not going to be the ones that move and take over the farm operations, but we had some family members that were so quick to say “we need to sell the farm” without taking into consideration that, in my opinion, if we sell the farm we lose the reunion, because again that’s the common bond we have. Whether we live in Chicago or Wyoming, that’s what brings us together every five years or so. I’m not really sure what my point is other than to acknowledge that there are folks all over our state and the country that struggle with the question of “how do we keep the ranch or the farm in the family?” Selling can really help families out financially, but what are we giving up in return? Again, in my mind, we lose that connection and the common bond that makes us a family. For those of you struggling with this same question, I wish you the best of luck. My hope is that, however things turn out for my family, we do what is best for the family and the farm.

S H AW N TAYLO R

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

AUG 2026

NO PLACE LIKE HOME ON THE FAMILY FARM JESUS SANCEN, SEATON, ILLINOIS AT THE TAYLOR FAMILY REUNION

THE WREN MAGAZINE WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS The official publication of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, volume 72, number 7, August 2026 (ISSN 1098-2876) is published monthly except for January for $22 per year by Linden Press, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Collins, CO and additional mailing offices. WREN Magazine is owned and controlled by rural electric cooperatives in the interest of the economic progress of rural areas specifically and the entire population of Wyoming and the nation generally. WREN Magazine has a total average monthly paid circulation of 23,390 for 11 months ending March 2026. WREN Magazine is delivered to rural electric member/consumers and other subscribers throughout the entire state of Wyoming and the nation. Acceptance of advertising by WREN Magazine does not imply endorsement of the product or services advertised by the publisher or Wyoming electric cooperatives.

WREN STAFF Publisher: Linden Press, Inc. — Editorial Team — Maggie York | Alison Quinn | Becky Freismuth Dixie Lira | David Merkley | Joel York

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Big Horn REC, Basin – John Joyce, President

Wheatland REA, Wheatland – Sandy Hranchak, Vice President Wyrulec Company, Torrington – Ben Scott, Secretary/Treasurer Basin Electric, Bismarck, ND – Paul Baker Bridger Valley Electric, Mountain View – Ruth Rees Carbon Power & Light, Saratoga – Roger Cox Garland Light & Power, Powell – Scott Smith High Plains Power, Riverton – Jeff Milton High West Energy, Pine Bluffs – Mike Romsa Lower Valley Energy, Afton – Bob McLaurin Niobrara Electric, Lusk – J.D. Wasserburger Powder River Energy, Sundance – Mike Lohse Deseret Power, South Jordan, UT – Gary Nix Tri-State G&T, Westminster, CO – Clay Thompson

SUBSCRIPTION RATES $22 per year; single copies $2

ADVERTISING 307-286-8140 | wren@wyomingrea.org

OFFICE OF WREN OWNER 2312 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001-3627

KNOWN OFFICE OF PUBLICATION 121 E. Mountain Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80524-2818

ADDRESS CHANGES Please contact your local cooperative to update your address. Paid subscribers contact publisher.

PUBLISHER 307-286-8140 wren@wyomingrea.org

POSTMASTER — Send address changes to — The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, c/o Linden Press, Inc., 121 E Mountain Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80524-2818, [970] 221-3232. Include 3-digit co-op code.

PRINTED WITH VEGETABLE INK

THE ART SPOT

She Carries the Fire JERRY WOOD

SARATOGA, WYOMING

“She Carries the Fire” is a striking sculpture carved from luminous Honeycomb Calcite, a stone whose warm amber and cream tones seem to glow from within. Flowing lines and layered movement give the figure a sense of quiet strength, as though she is both shaped by the flame and guardian of it. The natural translucence of the calcite allows light to travel through the stone, creating depth and warmth that changes from every angle. Rather than revealing every detail, Jerry Wood invites viewers to experience the spirit of the piece through its form and motion, expressed in sweeping curves and softened features.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME, LOCATION, ENTRY TITLE AND ENTRY DESCRIPTION.  wren@wyomingrea.org | 307-286-8140 6

AUG 2026

 2312 Carey Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82001-3627  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions

A showcase of creative work by our Wyoming readers, entries for The Art Spot may range from paintings, illustrations, bronzes, pottery, woodworking to digital artwork. The sky’s the limit! We look forward to sharing our readers’ talents in each issue.

CO-OP CONNECTION

WYOMING & COLORADO

THE 2026 ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Youth Tour Journey

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MISSY BIEGLER

Youth Tour participants in front of the Wyoming State Capitol.

EACH YEAR IN JUNE, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY SPEND A WEEK IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AS PART OF THE NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION’S YOUTH TOUR.

2 0 2 6 W YO M I N G YO U T H TO U R PARTIC IPA NTS Andrew Harmon, Lyman - Bridger Valley Electric Association Aiden Harmon, Lyman - Bridger Valley Electric Association Race Carr, Mountain View - Bridger Valley Electric Association Jaxson Hadley, Mountain View - Bridger Valley Electric Association Stesha Tidyman, Carpenter - High West Energy Grace Smith, Carpenter - High West Energy Keefer Fomstrom, Pine Bluffs - High West Energy Aurora Clark, Afton - Lower Valley Energy Katie Miller, Wheatland - Wheatland REA

Youth Tour participants in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in front of a painting depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

To find out how you can become eligible to participate in Youth Tour, contact your local electric cooperative.

More information is also available at

YO UT HTO U R . CO O P National Gallery of Art.

AUG 2026

Youth Tour participants with Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.

Wyoming and Colorado Youth Tour participants. Space Shuttle Discovery at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center National Air & Space Museum.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C.

Statue of Freedom inside the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Youth Tour participants walking up to the east front of the U.S. Capitol. The Youth Tour group poses in front of the Visit Baltimore sign located at 501 Pier 3 in downtown Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

AUG 2026

CO-OP CONNECTION

WYOMING & COLORADO

THE 2026 ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

LEARN. G

Youth Tour Journey A week in Washington, D.C. Connections made. Leaders inspired. Memories for life.

COOPERATIVE FOUNDATIONS

HISTORIC BALTIMORE

ORIENTATION & ELECTRICAL SAFETY

COOPERATIVE CAREERS 101

The tour began in Lakewood, Colorado with an electric safety demonstration and a briefing on the legislative process.

Students explored the “Story Behind the Switch” and learned about career paths within generation and transmission.

FORT MCHENRY NATIONAL MONUMENT AND HISTORIC SHRINE Students visited the historic site where the “Star Spangled Banner” was inspired during the War of 1812.

RECORDS & RESEARCH

THE SMITHSONIAN EXPERIENCE

NATIONAL ARCHIVES & NAVY MEMORIAL

WH I W

E & WORLD OUS H EMORIAL TE AR I M Students enjoyed photo opportunities at the White House before visiting the National WWI Memorial in Pershing Park.

Students chose to explore the Natural History Museum or the National Art Gallery.

Students saw the founding documents of the U.S., including the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

N TO ING ARL

NA TIO NA LC EME TERY

Students toured the nation’s most hallowed ground to honor those who served.

AUG 2026

NATIONAL MEMORIALS CIRCUIT Visits to the National World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial and Lincoln Memorial offered time to reflect.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM Exploring one of the most significant events in modern history was a powerful experience.

GROW. INSPIRE. THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY Students explored the world’s largest library and its historical treasures.

U.S. CAPITOL & CONGRESSIONAL MEETINGS

Meetings with Senate and House members and staff discussed leadership and the legislative process, followed by a tour of the U.S. Capitol.

CO N

ESS GR

At one of the nation’s premier aquariums, students explored marine biodiversity before heading to the hotel in National Harbor.

LIBRARY OF

MUS EUM

BALTIMORE NATIONAL AQUARIUM

AI R

&S PA CE

INNOVATION & AIR POWER

Students viewed thousands POTOMAC RIVER ER of aviation STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENT DINNER CRUISE and space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle Discovery and the SR-71 Blackbird. An evening of celebration and community featured

L NA O I T NA

views of Washington, D.C.’s iconic monuments.

HONOR & REMEMBRANCE

7 DAYS PENTAGON & AIR FORCE MEMORIALS Students visited the memorial dedicated to the events of September 11 and the highreaching spires of the Air Force Memorial.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT & JEFFERSON MEMORIALS

TOTAL STEPS: 116,812 TOTAL MILES: 46.3

Students explored memorials along the Tidal Basin. AUG 2026

CO-OP CONNECTION

WREA Seeks Nominations for NRECA Committee Member THE WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION NOMINATING COMMITTEE IS ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR CANDIDATES TO REPRESENT WYOMING ON THE NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION’S REGION VII STANDING COMMITTEES. Region VII includes the Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska rural electric associations.

HOW IT WORKS Region VII members (as a whole) have two representatives on each of the three committees: 1] Regulations 2] Legislative 3] Cooperative Management and Employee Issues

Wyoming will be accepting nominations for one seat on the Cooperative Management, Employment and Community Committee to start serving January 2027.

MAIL YOUR NOMINATIONS BY SEPTEMBER 4, 2026! Committees generally meet once a year. A per diem is paid and travel expenses are reimbursed.

Members and employees from any Wyoming co-op are eligible.

Committee members will be chosen by the WREA board of directors at the WREA Fall Conference on

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026.

Those interested in serving or nominating someone should submit names in writing to Nominating Committee, WREA, 2312 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY, 82001. Mail by September 4, 2026. Include the name of the nominee, mailing address and phone number.

AUG 2026

CO-OP CONNECTION

Building Relationships During Cheyenne Frontier Days PHOTOS COURTESY OF WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

GOVERNOR MARK GORDON WELCOMED SEVERAL MEMBERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CABINET TO WYOMING IN JULY AS THEY PARTICIPATED IN DAY OF THE WEST FESTIVITIES DURING CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, WREA Executive Director Shawn Taylor and Governor Mark Gordon pose for a photo during one of the Cheyenne Frontier Days parades outside of the WREA office.

Kelly Crane, Dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Wyoming visits with Governor Mark Gordon, WREA Executive Director Shawn Taylor and Senator John Barrasso outside the Cheyenne Frontier Days event center.

“There’s no better place to experience the spirit of the American West than in Wyoming,” Governor Gordon said in a press release. “Cheyenne Frontier Days celebrates the values that have defined this state for generations, like hard work, stewardship, personal responsibility, and a deep love of our land and our way of life. We’re honored to welcome these national leaders and look forward to productive conversations about the issues that matter to our state and our country.”

“

There’s no better place to experience the spirit of the American West than in Wyoming GOV E R NO R M AR K G O R D O N

For WREA Executive Director Shawn Taylor, the event also provides an important opportunity to strengthen relationships with elected officials and key decisionmakers. Those connections help ensure the interests of Wyoming’s electric cooperatives are understood and represented at both the state and federal levels. As part of his volunteer role during Cheyenne Frontier Days, Taylor helps host elected officials, industry leaders and other distinguished guests, extending WREA’s ongoing advocacy efforts on behalf of its member cooperatives. This year, Taylor hosted U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, who participated in one of the Cheyenne Frontier Days parades and later visited the WREA office. During the visit, Burgum met with community members, gubernatorial candidate Eric Barlow and his wife, Kelly, and other Wyoming legislators. AUG 2026

TOWN TALES

Town Tales

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRED GRAY, JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY

Buffalo Manufacturing Company on the banks of Clear Creek, Buffalo, Wyoming. This building used to be located on Lobban Ave.

FLOUR POWER

THE HISTORY OF ELECTRICITY IN BUFFALO

FROM WYOMING HISTORICAL SOCIETY WYSHS.ORG

BY BECKY MUELLER RAMIREZ, JOHNSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

he story of Buffalo’s electricity originates with a creek, a mill and a pragmatic need to get things done after dark.

town with flour made from local wheat and power generated by Clear Creek. Buffalo flour earned a reputation for exceptional quality, winning awards at the St. Louis and Portland World Fairs – an impressive feat for a small mill tucked against the Bighorn Mountains. The inaugural power source was a Westinghouse AC dynamo. Water diverted from upper Clear Creek flowed through an open ditch and millrace to a water wheel, producing enough power for nighttime electricity – available only when milling operations stopped.

In 1888, two years before Wyoming became a state, In 1898, the Buffalo Manufacturing Co. purchased the ornamental streetlights illuminated the night sky of Buffalo, mill and upgraded the power system. A large room was and local citizens were undoubtedly amazed by Edison’s added for the dynamo, along with a four-foot Pelton modern wizardry. Even a limited supply of electricity water wheel, powered by a steel pipe that delivered changed the evening atmosphere and offered irresistible water with enough force to generate 75 horsepower. temptation to the cowboys who had come to Swinging bridge over Clear Creek in front of The mill and plant were managed by O.A. town to visit the saloons and brothels. They the Power Sub-Station on Burritt Leggett, aided by M.W. Bell, electrician; shot out the lamps with their pistols and Avenue in Buffalo, Wyoming. B.N. Taylor, assistant electrician; and Gus rode their mounts “hell-for-leather” Linder, miller. Marshall Bell kept long back to their ranches. Copper wires hours keeping the town lit, starting also stretched to the interiors of the the generator at 6 a.m. and not Occidental and Capitol Hotels on Main shutting down until midnight. The Street, along with the livery barn and company offered monthly rates of several saloons. Few homes could 16-, 32- or 50-candlepower lights to afford this luxury, and some families businesses (all-night or to 10 p.m.) and were concerned that the sparking wires parlors, halls and kitchens of residential might damage their eyes. homes; bedrooms and dining rooms The first power plant was a joint venture received only 16-CP. One of the highlights with a flour mill. As wheat farming prospered of 1910 was the addition of daytime electricity. in Johnson County, the three-story brick Buffalo Mill The mill was endangered several times in its history: Co. was built in 1887 next to the cheap and inexhaustible a lightning strike in 1888 took the dynamo down for “bounty of heaven” known as Clear Creek. By late 1887, 10 days; in 1912, floodwater hit so fast that Bell milling and hydroelectric equipment was on its way to reportedly had to climb out through a window as Buffalo, and by early 1888, the mill was operating. For about water from Clear Creek poured into the dynamo room. two decades, the Buffalo Mill Co. continuously supplied the 14

AUG 2026

Buffalo’s hydroelectric plant locally known as “the castle.”

Although the dynamo survived, roughly $50,000 worth of wheat was ruined, prompting construction of a high retaining wall. Another disaster came in March 1920, when fire damaged the mill’s north side. Although the elevators and dynamo were spared and operations resumed, financial losses forced the mill to close by the mid‑1920s. In 1915, the Buffalo Manufacturing Co. redoubled the dependable source of kinetic energy by constructing a hydroelectric plant on Clear Creek about six miles west of town. A dam near the mouth of Mosier Gulch fed water through a 24‑inch wood‑stave pipe to the generator, producing enough electricity for cooking and heating. The hydro plant supplemented power from the mill until the mill closed, then remained Buffalo’s primary source for four decades. In 1928, an old steam tractor was installed to prevent water lines from freezing. The following year, the Buffalo Northwestern Electric Co. (successor to the Buffalo Manufacturing Co.) was sold to Chicago’s H.M. Byllesby & Co., which merged it into Mountain States Power. Soon there was an appliance store in Buffalo – a clear sign that electricity had shifted from novelty to necessity. After World War II, rapid expansion of power consumption in Buffalo prompted upgrades to existing systems. Gas engines were added in 1946, 1949 and 1954, increasing output by more than 2,000 kilowatts. These were practical stopgaps that helped the system keep pace while bigger,

6 A.M. — MIDNIGHT

ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 1910 WAS THE ADDITION OF DAYTIME ELECTRICITY

Another view of the Buffalo Manufacturing Company on the banks of Clear Creek.

longer-term plans were taking shape, including a “power superhighway” between Casper and Billings. Coal deposits near Lake DeSmet offered exciting potential for power generation. In 1952, Black Hills Power and Light explored the idea of building a plant but decided instead to prioritize expansion of the WyoDak plant. Reynolds Mining Co. began negotiating with Pacific Power and Light. By early 1955, the company announced it had analyzed the possibility of building a $23 million, 200-megawatt plant near the lake – an eye-popping figure for the time, it stirred plenty of controversy. In the end, PP&L built the Dave Johnston Power Plant near Glenrock. The Lake DeSmet plant idea became one of Buffalo’s great near-misses – close enough to imagine but never realized. Around 1955, the arrival of a high‑line rendered the Clear Creek hydro plant obsolete, and the last remnants of the old mill were demolished in 1990. Buffalo’s journey into electric power began earlier than most Wyoming towns, rooted in the enterprise of its citizens and the natural resources of the area. Harnessing a stream of mountain water to energize a few valiant wires extending into the deep, dark Wyoming sky marked the beginning of a determined march into Western progress. AUG 2026

WWI IL LD D WWI IR RE ED D WWE ES ST T

BEFORE

the

GRID

Some Wyoming communities relied on local, small-scale hydro systems powered by mountain streams for electricity, such as the Sinks Canyon plant that operated from 1920 to 1954, and the Shoshone Powerplant that harnesses the power of the Shoshone River.

S M A L L L O C A L G E N E R AT O R S The design of the Sinks Canyon system consisted of a small stone and concrete dam that stood 9 feet high and 60 feet wide, built on the Popo Agie River. The dam connected to a power house via a rivetedsteel pipeline. The power house contained two 47-inch, 250-horsepower impulse wheels spun by two water nozzles. The wheels were spun by separate oil-pressure governors connected to an alternating-current generator.

P OW E R I N G L A N D E R

Power generation was possible most of the year except during winter months, when water levels become too low. The power was transmitted at 11,000 volts over a copper circuit suspended by cedar poles to Lander and South Pass City, as well as some oil extraction projects in the area. The plant operated until 1954, when cheaper sources of electricity became available. Pacific Power and Light operated the plant. In 1963, they donated the land to the city for a park.

POWER FROM THE SHOSHONE RIVER In the 1890s, people began to settle in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin to establish farms or ranches. To bring water into the region, the vision was to create a system of canals that would distribute the seasonal rain and snowmelt carried by the Shoshone River to farms and ranches. Around 1905, crews from the Reclamation Service established through Theodore Roosevelt’s Reclamation Act began to build Shoshone Dam, now called Buffalo Bill Dam. When completed in 1910, built only using hand labor, teams of horses and steam-powered equipment, the dam reached a height of 325 feet. Its great height provided enough vertical drop to develop hydroelectric power, which 16

AUG 2026

was used to power the Reclamation’s Shoshone Project. Excess power was sold to nearby towns and villages, which helped to cover the project’s costs. In November 1920, Reclamation crews began to build the Shoshone Powerplant. Despite the harsh conditions inside Shoshone Canyon, the plant was completed in two years and was Reclamation’s first hydropower plant in Wyoming. The hydroelectricity generated immediately benefitted the Shoshone Project. It was used to construct another Project dam, and power was also delivered to the town of Powell. In the spring of 1922, the Powell Tribune announced that “Powell has now become an electrical town.”

Source: cyark.org

HOW IT WORKS THE SHOSHONE POWERPLANT HARNESSES THE ENERGY IN THE SHOSHONE RIVER, WHERE FLOWS BEGIN WITH SNOWMELT OF THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

Water stored behind Buffalo Bill Dam forms an artificial lake, the Buffalo Bill Reservoir.

A rush of water rotates turbine blades, starting the generator.

An intake structure located upstream controls flow of water from the reservoir into a penstock, a pipe or tube that funnels the water directly into a turbine within the plant.

The electric current generated at Shoshone travels to a transformer, where the voltage – the pressure that pushes the current over a wire – is stepped up, transmitting the charge over miles of wire.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BUREAU OF RECLAMATION HISTORIC PHOTOS COLLECTION

PHOTO COURTESY OF W. A. BUMAN FAMILY PHOTO COLLECTION

A penstock at its entrance to the Shoshone Powerplant.

Near the Sinks, south of Lander, Wyoming, on July 2, 1920. (PHOTO BY BISHOP M. CARAWAY)

AUG 2026

CENTERPIECE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TERRAPOWER

N AT R I U M P L A N T BY AMBER STEINMETZ

IS PROGRESSING THE LOOK OF NUCLEAR POWER

P R OD U C I NG R O U G H LY 1 2 T I M E S MOR E E N E R G Y T H A N I T C ON S U M E S , W YOM I NG H A S L ONG P OW E R E D T H E NAT ION.

The nation’s leading coal and undisputed uranium producer, Wyoming is also among the top states for both crude oil and natural gas production. However, as U.S. electricity needs continue to rise and the demand for low-emissions energy products increases, the state is expanding to other emerging opportunities, including renewable and advanced nuclear energy. In Kemmerer, construction is underway on TerraPower’s Natrium plant. Expected to be completed in 2030, it will be the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the United States.

Researcher working with liquid sodium in a glovebox.

AUG 2026

“Wyoming has been a leader in energy for more than 100 years,” said Andrew Richards, TerraPower Vice President, Government Affairs. “Wyoming communities, like Lincoln County, understand what it takes to produce energy, and its highly skilled workforce is experienced in building and operating complex projects.” He adds that the Kemmerer location offers the ideal environmental characteristics, including proximity to Rocky Mountain Power’s Naughton power plant and the associated transmission and established infrastructure. “TerraPower is proud to add our technology to Wyoming and Kemmerer’s rich history of energy production,” he said. “This is a great project for Kemmerer, the state of Wyoming and America,” said Travis Deti, Executive Director of Wyoming Mining Association. “With the significant increase projected in energy demand, nuclear power fueled by uranium mined in Wyoming is going to be critical. And of course, more uranium mining means jobs and revenues to our state and communities. With a renewed focus on American energy dominance, it’s an exciting time to be in the industry.”

N E W L O OK OF N U C L E A R As U.S. electricity demand continues to rise, including from data centers powering AI, the industry will need projects delivered consistently and safely. Richards said the Natrium reactor is built to meet this moment. The plant design features a 345-megawatt sodium-cooled fast reactor with a patented molten saltbased energy storage system. The storage technology can boost the system’s output to 500-megawatt of power when needed as it is designed to keep base output steady. It is the only advanced reactor design with this feature. “The Natrium technology is a breakthrough innovation by TerraPower that integrates an advanced nuclear reactor with a thermal energy storage system to provide reliable, flexible and cost-competitive power necessary

to meet our growing energy demands,” Richards said. “Its innovative design reduces complexity, construction time and material use while enhancing safety and efficiency.” Most nuclear plants run at a constant, steady output around the clock, making it unique that the Natrium plant has the ability to ramp up output for more than five hours when it needs it most. “This is valuable for baseload power, but not when demand spikes during a heat wave or when renewable generation dips because the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining,” Richards said. “TerraPower’s Natrium technology provides not only constant, reliable baseload power, but it also provides flexibility for when electricity surges and renewables are unable to meet demand. Having firm, constant power coupled with this kind of flexibility is vital to meet growing demand.”

TerraPower worker at the Test and Fill Facility.

Aerial lifts operate around the Test and Fill Facility.

AUG 2026

B R I NG I NG N E W J OB S Kemmerer has ridden the booms and busts of fossil fuels for years, with the Naughton coal plant and nearby mine providing most of its jobs. In 2020, PacifiCorp announced the coal plant would shut down entirely by 2025 as it transitioned to natural gas, leaving the community worried about what came next. Then in 2021, it was revealed the small town of less than 2,700 people had been chosen by TerraPower, beating out a handful of other Wyoming towns that had volunteered for the project. Once operational, the facility will employ about 250 full-time staff. “There’s been overwhelming support from the community,” Kemmerer Mayor Robert Bowen said. “This is a good blue-collar community that’s heavy in the energy industry, so they have faith and trust in the industry. They know how everything works. Of course, we don’t know how nuclear specifically works, but the power plant itself, that’s something we’re familiar with.”

Test and Fill Facility steel framework.

AUG 2026

TerraPower teamed with Bechtel as the engineering, procurement and construction partner for the Natrium project. They broke ground on a greenfield site that is part of the nonnuclear support facilities for the project in June 2024. “We successfully poured the concrete for the Sodium Test and Fill Facility (TFF) foundation and erected the steel framework,” said Suchit Chopra, Bechtel Project Director for Natrium. “The TFF is critical infrastructure, laying the groundwork for safe, efficient operations and long-term success at the Kemmerer site.”

M A J OR M I L E S T ON E In early March, TerraPower received notification from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission that Kemmerer Unit 1 (KU1) was awarded a construction permit. It is the first commercial-scale, advanced nuclear power plant to ever receive this permit and the first approval for any commercial nuclear reactor in nearly a decade.

“Receiving the NRC construction permit approval and becoming the first, commercial-scale advanced reactor design to ever achieve the NRC certification was a huge milestone not only for the company, but also for the nuclear industry at large,” Richards said. “Our achievement shows how a Gen IV reactor can successfully move through the NRC licensing process on a credible timeline and officially start plant construction, serving as a precedent for every other advanced nuclear company to follow.” Construction on the plant footprint began in April, Richards said, and the site fully cleared with large-scale mass earthworks and excavation underway for both the energy island and nuclear island. “The Sodium Test and Fill Facility building has been completed and is now preparing for installation of testing systems to support operations,” he added. “The Natrium simulator has also been installed on site, allowing for KU1 operator instructor training course development to begin, marking the first major milestone toward KU1 operational readiness.”

Source: Energy Department

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

NUCLEAR POWER FACTS TOP U.S. ELECTRICITY SOURCES

15%

18%

U.S. NUCLEAR POWER

9 6 R E AC T OR S 2 8 S TAT E S P OW E R I NG 7 2 M I L L ION HOM E S

5 NUCLEAR ENERGY FACTS 1. Installation of Test and Fill Facility bridge crane.

NAT U R A L G A S R E N E WA B L E S NUCLEAR C OA L

43%

23%

Nuclear power plants produce nearly 782 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year. U.S. nuclear power plants generated nearly 723 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2024. That’s enough to power more than 72 million homes. U.S. reactors have supplied around 20% of the nation’s power since the 1990s and are also the largest producer of nuclear energy in the world.

Nuclear power protects air quality. 2. Nuclear power plants do not emit greenhouse gases while generating electricity. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, U.S. nuclear power plants avoid more than 430 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, which is the equivalent of removing roughly 95 million cars from the road each year. Nuclear energy is one of the most reliable energy sources in America. 3. Nuclear power plants operated at full capacity more than 92% of the time in 2023 — making it one of the most reliable energy sources in America due to its high availability. Nuclear helps power 28 U.S. states. 4. There are currently 96 commercial reactors helping to power homes and businesses in 28 U.S. states. Illinois has 11 reactors — the most of any state — and joins South Carolina and New Hampshire in receiving more than 50% of its power from nuclear. Nuclear fuel is extremely dense. 5. Because of this, the amount of used nuclear fuel is not as big as you think. All of the used nuclear fuel produced by the U.S. nuclear energy industry over the last 60 years could fit on a football field at a depth of less than 10 yards. Source: U.S. Department of Energy

AUG 2026

Currently about 300 workers are on site, but approximately 1,600 workers will be involved in the next few years. And aside from some recent concern about the placement of a potential workforce hub, the Kemmerer community hasn’t expressed many concerns. “I get more emails, text messages and phone calls from people from Florida concerned about the nuclear plant than I do from people in my own city,” Bowen said. “TerraPower has been absolutely wonderful. They’ve had multiple meetings, especially early on, with elected officials to talk to us about the safety of the plant and how it works, so that we could pass that on to our constituents.” To anyone with concerns about a nuclear plant coming to their area in the future, Bowen simply says trust the process. “The NRC is a very heavily regulated entity, and they have a lot of oversight,”

he added. “They don’t move fast. They take their time, they review things, they make sure it’s done right. Trust the people who are involved in this, because they know a lot more than the general public.”

B IG P L A N S When the Natrium plant is up and running, it is estimated to produce nearly 3 million megawatt hours of carbon-free power each year and avoid almost 2 million metric tons of carbon. It will provide power to support Rocky Mountain Power customers in Wyoming and throughout the region. And KU1 is only the beginning, as TerraPower is rapidly commercializing the Natrium technology, which includes an agreement with Meta for up to eight Natrium plants by 2035. “With the Natrium plant, we are applying disciplined planning, standardization and digital execution

WYOMING DOESN’T JUST P R O D U C E E N E R G Y. W E P I O N E E R I T. The Natrium simulator at Kemmerer Unit 1.

AUG 2026

practices that are designed to make repetition possible,” Chopra said. “That emphasis on constructability and execution readiness is key as advanced nuclear moves beyond demonstration projects toward broader deployment.” “Wyoming has powered America for generations and the Natrium plant is our next chapter,” said Rita Meyer, TerraPower Executive, Engagement and Wyoming Energy Futures CEO. “For the grid, it delivers the firm, reliable power that keeps the system stable as demand grows and the energy mix continues to evolve. For the state, it delivers something equally important: proof that Wyoming doesn’t just produce energy. We pioneer it.” W Amber Steinmetz is a freelance writer and photographer in Cody.

BASIN ELECTRIC

RELIABILITY

POWER YOU C AN DEPEND ON No matter the season or storm our members face, Basin Electric provides reliable and affordable electricity for our members’ homes, schools, and businesses. We’ll do everything we can to keep fans running, the lights on, and the coffee brewing.

AUG 2026

ILLUSTRATION BY LEO DION

KIDS’ CORNER

WRITTEN BY SUSAN NELSON, WYOMING NATURALIST PROGRAM

wyobiodiversity.org

High Elevation

Plants

If you stood with your toes in the water at a sunny beach, the plants would look very different than if you stood at the top of a mountain called Gannett Peak—the highest point in Wyoming. This is because of something called elevation, which means how high a place is. The beach where the ocean touches the land is 0 feet in elevation, but Gannett Peak is 13,810 feet high! Wyoming is a high elevation state, so our plants are special to this place. Up in the mountains it is colder, and there can be deep snow. Winter lasts longer. Summertime, when the plants grow, is not very long. The wind blows hard and often, the soil is rocky and dry, even the sunshine and the air are different. So how do the plants survive?

Huddle Up Many high elevation plants grow as small mounds close to the ground so the wind blows right over them. It’s a little warmer right against the ground, too. The plants often have deep root systems to reach for nutrients and water from rocky soil, and to anchor from the wind.

Playing wi th Time Buil t-In Protection Leaves are often small, thick, leathery or waxy to hold water and to act as sunscreen. Many also have white hairs or bristles that can protect against the strong sunshine and help hold in moisture.

AUG 2026

Because their growing season is short, many of the plants stay green all year to gain a head start in the spring, or grow fast and finish their life cycle in just a few weeks. But some of these plants grow very slowly, and are very old. If you see one of the small mound plants called Moss Campion, it may be more than 100 years old!

PUZZLE

SURVEY SAYS ...

TRADITIONS

BY DIXIE LIRA

Put your instincts to the test! From time-honored American traditions to everyday habits, routines and ways of doing things, choose the answer you think claimed the top spot, including a bonus question inspired by the people of Wyoming. Earn one point for each No. 1 answer you pick. Play on your own, or challenge a friend or family member to see who comes out on top.

TEAM ____________ This good-luck superstition is still the most commonly practiced:

VS.

TEAM ____________

Of these classic weeknight dishes, this is the favorite choice for dinner:

Excluding a restaurant, this first-date location is the most popular:

Crossing your fingers

Knocking on wood

Tacos

Hamburgers

Bar

Movies

Wishing on a star

Throwing spilled salt over your shoulder

Pizza

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Coffee shop

Walk-around venue (zoo, museum, etc.)

The hobby or skill parents are most likely to teach their children is:

This warm-weather pastime reigns as the absolute favorite summer activity:

Someone is most likely to pass on a second date because the other person:

Riding a bicycle

Basic home/yard maintenance

Swimming in a pool

Going to the beach

Didn’t look like their online profile photo

Talked too much about their ex

Playing a sport

Cooking or baking

Eating a frozen treat

Dining outdoors

Was rude to the wait staff

Talked too much about themselves

People are most likely to do this festive winter holiday activity:

Immediately after waking up, most people do this:

This boys’ name has been given most often across generations:

Decorate a Christmas tree

Bake holiday cookies

Make coffee or tea

Drink water

John

James

Watch a holiday movie

Listen to holiday music

Brush their teeth

Check phone / social media

Michael

Robert

After a bad day at work, more people cope by:

The New Year’s resolution that Americans choose most often is:

Viewers get hooked into rewatching this TV genre most:

Venting to a partner or friend

Taking a nap / Going to bed early

Lose weight

Exercise more

Action

Comedy

Ordering take out / Eating comfort food

Drinking alcohol

Save more money

Improve mental health

Crime

Drama

When making a bucket list, this is the most common addition:

BONUS QUESTION

People consider this the most important quality of a successful relationship:

Travel

Own a home

Honesty

Respect

Get healthy / Lose weight

Get married

Trust

Communication

Wyomingites claim to like this common food item more than any other state:

FLIP TO PAGE 37 TO SEE IF YOUR ANSWERS ARE ON THE BOARD.* *Answers were sourced from YouGov polls, a nationwide Talker Research survey and 100 years of baby-name data from the U.S. Social Security Administration.

AUG 2026

HOME ON THE RANGE “I like that idea,” I answered. “But how do we catch them to administer the drugs?” “I will rope their front legs,” the man answered. “My grandson will help because my hands are old.” He smiled. “Then you will be able to give your drugs.”

BY DR. BRUCE CONNALLY

The Old Way “I

need for you to cut a couple colts.” The cadence and tenor of the speaker’s voice convinced me that I was talking to an older Shoshone man, despite him not introducing himself at the start of the phone call.

“Yes Sir,” I replied. “When would you like to do that?” “The day after tomorrow,” he answered. “My grandson can help that day. I want to do it in the morning before the sun gets too hot.” We settled on 8:30 Thursday morning. He gave me his name and directions to a corral in a meadow up Trout Creek a few miles from Ft. Washakie. “You turn left on Trout Creek Road at the Trading Post. After you go around a big turn there is a red house with a gray

AUG 2026

roof on the south side of the road. The corral is past the next turn on the south side.” The corral proved to be easy to find. It was a 60-foot round pen set up in the middle of a grassy meadow. There were no houses, barns or additional corrals. Two wary 3-year-old stallions were watching me from the other side of the corral. I looked around but could not see how he had gotten those wild colts in there. The grandfather walked up to meet me while his 16-year-old grandson leaned against the side of a decade-old gray Dodge pickup. “Thank you for coming. These horses have not been trained to the halter. But I do not want them to be afraid. I want you to use your drugs so they are sleeping during the surgery.”

“You are going to front foot them?” I responded with a new respect for the old man in front of me. There were very few people around who still knew how to catch a horse by roping the front feet. It was an art that the old horsemen practiced when they needed to catch a wild horse who had never been caught before. It sounds terrible to rope a horse by its front feet as it is running around the corral. But there is an art to it. They would catch the front feet and time the pull on the rope so the horse went down on his side without being hurt. If the roper was inexperienced and did it wrong there was a chance of injuring the horse, so gradually the technique has been replaced with safer methods. I collected my drugs and surgical instruments. When I had everything positioned by the gate the grandfather and grandson went into the corral. “We will catch one of the horses. When he is down, we will pull his front legs back so he cannot get up. Then you can give him your drugs.” The old man was obviously coaching the young veterinarian and the grandson to be sure we each knew how this was going to work. They reached the center of the corral and the old man carefully shook out a loop in his 50-foot lariat. When he was satisfied with the loop he turned and handed the last few coils of rope to his grandson. He spoke a few words to his grandson and turned to the stallions. By this time both horses were nervously circling the round corral. The man swung the rope a few times and tossed it toward the smaller stallion. Unfortunately, he only caught one front foot. He deftly flicked the rope off of the foot and coiled the rope for another try. This time he caught both front feet on the bay stallion. He pulled the rope to tighten it around the legs and then pulled the legs back so the horse went down in the sandy corral. “Pull hard!” Grandfather encouraged grandson.

I sprinted through the gate with drugs in hand. I needed to inject the anesthetic in the jugular vein in the horse’s neck. He could kick me with a rear leg if I got too far back toward the shoulder and bite if I got too close to the head. I found a safe spot between the two danger zones and raced to administer the tranquilizer. In a couple minutes the horse became quiet enough for me to give him the anesthetic. After that everything was easy. The horse went to sleep, I prepped him for surgery, and then completed the procedure. We removed the ropes and stepped back. It wasn’t 30 seconds before the horse rolled up onto his chest and stood up in one continuous movement. He was a little wobbly from the drugs but still able to trot across the corral as far from us as possible.

ALWAYS BE ALERT FOR PEDESTRIANS

SAFER DRIVERS SAVE LIVES

“Good,” Grandfather said, nodding his head approvingly. His grandson didn’t say anything while he coiled the rope up for his grandfather. I scooped up the surgical equipment and headed for my truck to prepare for the next horse. My adrenalin was pumping. I had been really afraid as I found the fairly safe position for me to get drugs into the struggling horse. But it had worked well and I was ready to try it again on the larger stallion. “Ready,” I announced when I had all of the drugs and surgical equipment hauled to the gate. This stallion was bigger and stronger than the first. Grandfather and his grandson had to struggle to control the horse. Through wide eyes I saw a rear foot kick at me close enough to leave a dirt smudge on my shirt sleeve while I leaned over the neck to find the vein. My hands shook as I rapidly gave the intravenous injection. Soon the drugs worked their magic and the stallion relaxed. I didn’t relax. I remembered how quickly the first stallion had recovered from the anesthetic. There was no time wasted on unnecessary steps as I set a new personal record for surgical speed. “That was good,” Grandfather said as the two new geldings watched us suspiciously from the other side of the corral. “The horses did not hurt and we did not get hurt.” I was about to agree when the grandson stepped forward and silently held out his hands. Several large areas of skin were missing on each hand from the rope zipping through his fingers when the second horse kicked. “Yes,” Grandfather spoke to the still quiet grandson. “I believe you forgot to bring your new leather gloves.” W

VETERAN

RANCHER

VETERINARIAN

ERIC BARLOW

KEEPS OUR COMMUNITIES STRONG Reliable, affordable power keeps Wyoming ranches, businesses and communities running. Reliable power Strong rural communities A future built by Wyoming people VOTE ERIC BARLOW FOR REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR

Dr. Bruce Connally practices equine medicine in central Wyoming and northern Colorado from his home in Berthoud, Colorado.

EARLY VOTING STARTS: JULY 21 REPUBLICAN PRIMARY: AUGUST 18 PAID FOR BY BARLOW FOR WYOMING

AUG 2026

PHOTO BY TONI ORUM-ZASKE

COMMUNITY HEROES Liz Orum in the Big Horn Mountains with two moose in the background.

“That was a hard one to learn how to work with because they didn’t know much about dyslexia when I was raising her,” Orum said. As an adult, that daughter got a job working with kids with special needs. Orum worked at a daycare center at the time and decided to apply, too. She was hired and worked alongside her daughter’s group for a summer. Watching and observing her daughter helped Orum learn how to work with children with special needs.

Teaching With Compassion and Love BY COURTNEY SHOSH

iz Orum would be the first to tell you she’s not perfect. She’s the embodiment of a quiet hero, humble, yet making the world a brighter place through the challenging work she does every day with compassion and love. Orum is a special needs paraprofessional in Sheridan County School District #2. For 19 years she’s worked with children who have autism, Down syndrome, severe medical conditions and more. Seventeen of those years she’s been at Sagebrush Elementary School helping kindergarteners through fifth graders.

AUG 2026

Orum says some people have the misconception that if a child has a problem, they can’t learn. “Anybody can learn. Even those who, unfortunately, can’t help themselves … You’ve got to try different things. You can’t give up,” she said. “They need loving care. They need to have someone they know is going to be there for them no matter what.” She’s even taught some children with special medical conditions to chew solid food without choking. “It just takes time,” she said. “Everything takes time.” It’s a team effort at her school with teachers and other staff working together to help kids. “It takes all of us, because none of us can do it alone. We’ve all got to have someone to float ideas off of or ask ‘do you think this might work?’” she said. “Those teachers, I couldn’t say enough about how they work with these children. They are awesome!” Orum is the mother of three grown children—a son and two daughters. One of her daughters has dyslexia.

To make ends meet, Orum continued her job at the daycare center while working for the school district. “That kind of job, they don’t pay you a lot,” she said. She finally retired from the daycare center after nearly 20 years, but she still keeps a second job cleaning her daughter’s nurse practitioner office. When asked what she likes best about her work at school, Orum said, “I like seeing that the child knows he’s cared for. I like seeing whatever it is I’m doing is working … As we go, I make mistakes and they make mistakes, but we still keep learning.” Orum’s caring extends beyond the classroom. “Some of my kiddos through the years, I see them out and about, and when they smile, it warms my heart so much. They come over and give me hugs. They say, ‘How are you?’ and they carry on a conversation with me. That means the world to me. I love those kids,” she said. The kids love her, too. Seven years ago, Orum faced cancer. It was especially difficult because she’d lost many family members to the disease. She had surgery to remove part of her lung the day before Thanksgiving.

During her recovery, the mother of one of Orum’s students texted her videos of the boy saying he missed Orum, that he loved her. “I was used to working two and three jobs, and to go to nothing immediately, that, mentally, is hard,” Orum said. “You’re already worried, stressed about your bills and not knowing what cancer will do. My kiddos … have been a miracle for me. They have kept me going.” Orum’s close friend Billie Jo and Billie Jo’s family have also been there for her. Orum is well now, but once a year she gets a scan to check for cancer. She remains positive. “Life happens, and it knocks you back a little bit. Then you think, ‘God had

a reason for me, and I’ve got to go with it.’” Originally from Texas, Orum moved to Sheridan in the late 1970s with her family. “To me, this is God’s country,” she said. “You can go to the mountains, you can go to the lakes, you can go fishing, there’s wildlife. It makes your heart happy.” She doesn’t get much leisure time, but she recently spent a weekend in the mountains with her daughter’s family. “At the fishing hole, two moose snuck up behind us, and we kept right on fishing,” Orum said. That wasn’t their only wildlife adventure. “We were walking down one of the roads and discovered that we were walking behind a bear,” she laughed.

PHOTO BY SAGEBRUSH ELEMENTARY STAFF

Liz Orum with students at Sagebrush Elementary School in Sheridan.

“We took pictures of the paw prints … We were hoping it went into the woods and decided not to come back.” For other fun, she plays cards and Yahtzee with friends. Orum’s eight grandchildren hold a special place in her heart. When they were in sports, she often attended their games. “I’d let them know … just because you didn’t win doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re learning,” she said. When asked who her heroes are, Orum listed her children, mother, the kids she works with, God, her church and the families who

attend it. Although she’s uncomfortable with the title for herself, her dedication, love and compassion have made her a hero to many. W

Courtney Shosh is a Wyomingbased freelance writer and author.

AUG 2026

PEN TO PAPER

Birds ALEJANDRA GONZALES

The flutter of a bazillion wings takes flight, the upward and downward pull of air rings in my ears.

POWELL

The birds dot the skyline like a vial of spilled poppy seeds on a baker’s countertop. They flit here and there like a crazed game of tag.

My eyes scan the sky, but daylight is blocked from my view as black feathers, all vying for first place in an unwinnable race, swallow the light.

All at once they change direction, like they’ve stumbled upon a sleeping bear, eager to run away in case it should wake.

What fun they are having soaring here and there. A smile spreads across my face.

I stare up quite dumbly at the sky, trying to search out some pattern, some secret message from God only to me in their contemporary style of dance. But the birds are erratic in their flight, never staying too long in one congregation. The sky was so still only a minute ago. I could hear the breeze as it tickled past my exposed ear lobes, my hat not quite doing its job. And then, bam!

We share a selection of WREN readers’ creative writing (poems, limericks, haiku, short verse, and prose) every issue as space and content allow. To be considered for publication, please include the author’s consent to be submitted, his or her mailing address, and confirmation that the work has not been published elsewhere. If you would like us to return your work, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. 30

AUG 2026

Who will I root for? Who do I hope wins? The underdog is always a top choice. I see him now, a lonely stray apparently missing the invisible cue to bank to the right. He flies more left for a few seconds before realizing he’s all alone and so stops short and turns to catch up. He’s almost there. He’s almost rejoined the flock. And then, it’s over. This show of black fireworks. The birds pick a towering pine and descend all at once. How still the sky becomes again.

Send Put Your complete Pen to recipe Paper! by March 10!

Please Pleaseinclude includeyour yourname, name,address addressand andphone phonenumber. number. SUBMIT AARPEIC E ICPEE

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BOOK GIVEAWAY

The Earth Is Her Own Book Four of The Riven Country Series

BY RENÉE CARRIER ORDERING INFORMATION: Year Published: 2026 Publisher: Braeburn Croft and Press Where to Purchase Online: amazon.com Where to Purchase Locally: Devils Tower KOA, The Small Print Bookshop in Sundance, Rogues Gallery and The Mercantile in Hulett

WIN A

FREE

JUNE 2026 ISSUE THE WICKWIRE JOURNALS (BOOK 1) 1863-1897 BECOMING A WYOMING COWBOY BOOK WINNER:

COPY!

MARY SHORT

“The Earth is Her Own” is Renée Carrier’s latest and final novel in her Riven Country series. Continuing from “The Simpler,” Senga Munro’s disappearance prompts discussion as to what she may be. Her herbal notebook has been discovered in an old man’s medicine bundle from the 1800s, wherein Senga details her captivity in an underground cave. One morning, she awakes in a Cheyenne camp, believing she is part of a living history project. Upon her extraordinary return, she discovers a world altered and transformed by “The Phenomenon,” an evolutionary leap in consciousness that has reshaped global values and circumstances. Through its rich tapestry of characters, historical elements and philosophical musings, the series explores the complexities of human experience, the sacredness of the Earth and the transformative power of compassion and understanding. It is a meditation on the struggles and triumphs that define both individual lives and collective humanity.

OF BUFFALO

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“Lyrical, visionary, and unforgettable. What makes the book especially compelling is its belief in attentiveness as a form of healing. Carrier explores friendship, aging, race, spirituality, and ecological consciousness with unusual compassion and patience, allowing philosophical reflections to emerge naturally from character and place. The story unfolds gradually, less concerned with plot mechanics than with emotional accumulation and spiritual awakening. By the time Senga celebrates her fiftieth birthday among old friends, revelations that might seem improbable elsewhere feel wholly earned here. Thoughtful, haunting, and deeply humane, this is a quietly daring story that asks whether humanity is capable not only of surviving catastrophe, but of evolving beyond it.” ~The Prairies Book Review

ENTRIES DUE BY OCTOBER 15 One entry per household, please.

 THE EARTH IS HER OWN c/o WREN Magazine 2312 Carey Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82001-3627

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AUG 2026

THIS MONTH:

OCTOBER (DUE SEPTEMBER 15)

TRADITIONS

PATTERNS JUST PICTURE IT

03 02

AUG 2026

Annual Wood Cutting Lynn Liebers, Buffalo

Hunting - A Family Tradition Melody Posey-Harris, Saratoga

Farming the Old Way Larry Mullock, Yoder

Christmas Tradition Carrie Miller, Laramie

Reflections Near Lake Louise Canada from Rocky Mountaineer Train Carol Strong, Oshoto

Longmire Days Parade Lynn Liebers, Buffalo

Christmas Cookie Tradition Martha Rasmussen, Burlington

10 11

Annual 4th of July Celebration at Fort Laramie Historic Site Rob McIntosh, Torrington

Saddle Bronc Ride Lynn Leibers, Greybull

A Farming Tradition Heather McLaughlin, Upton

Branding Robin Riesland, Newcastle

Second Generation Last Day of School Pick Up Dani Vorn, Encampment

A Grain Harvest Tradition Martha Rasmussen, Burlington

SUBMIT A P H OTO

 wren@wyomingrea.org  2312 Carey Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82001-3627  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions Please include your name, hometown and a title.

Please submit high-quality digital files* or an original we can scan, as well as details about the artwork, the artist’s name, and the co-op. *Use the highest quality setting on your camera, or save digital artwork as a .jpg or .tif file with at least 300 dpi resolution. If you would like your work returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

AUG 2026

COUNTRY COOKS

TOMATOES

ITALIAN BAKED POTATOES & TOMATOES 1 1/2 LBS BOILING POTATOES 1/2 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, PLUS 1 TBS FOR GREASING THE BAKING PAN 1 1/2 TSP DRIED OREGANO OR 2 1/2 TSP FRESH OREGANO

FRESH GROUND BLACK PEPPER 1 LB YELLOW ONIONS 5 OR 6 RIPE, FRESH PLUM TOMATOES SALT

Peel potatoes, slice into ¼-inch-thick disks, soak in cold water. Drain and dry thoroughly. Preheat oven to 400°. Put potatoes in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt to taste, liberal grind of black pepper, half the oregano. Toss well to coat potatoes. Peel onions and slice into ¼-inch pieces. Peel tomatoes, discard seeds, dice them into ½-inch cubes. (Should have 1–1 1/2 cups.) Choose an oven proof baking pan at least 9"x13" and grease with olive oil. Place sliced potatoes and onions in the pan making alternating rows overlapping slightly. Spread diced tomatoes over rows, adding remaining oregano and more salt and pepper, if desired. Pour remaining olive oil over vegetables in an even stream. Bake in upper level of the oven, 45 minutes or until potatoes and onions are tender. Serve from the baking pan. From Marcella’s Italian Kitchen Cookbook FROM MARCELLA’S ITALIAN KITCHEN COOKBOOK

JEAN HARM

SHERIDAN

CRISPY GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO 5-6 TBS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 1 17 OZ PACKAGE SHELF-STABLE POTATO GNOCCHI 1 1/2 LBS TOMATOES (ANY VARIETY) 1/2 RED ONION, THINLY SLICED 1 TBS BALSAMIC VINEGAR

KOSHER SALT AND BLACK PEPPER HANDFUL OF CHOPPED PARSLEY, PLUS MORE FOR SERVING HANDFUL OF TORN BASIL, PLUS MORE FOR SERVING

CREAMY PASTA WITH BLISTERED TOMATOES

6 OZ CAVATAPPI PASTA/OTHER SHORT PASTA 4 OZ GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES 1/2 MEDIUM YELLOW ONION, DICED 1 TBS OLIVE OIL 1/2 TSP ITALIAN SEASONING 1/4 TSP DRIED ROSEMARY 1/4 TSP GARLIC POWDER 5 OZ CANNED COCONUT MILK, WELL SHAKEN 6-7 OZ CRUSHED TOMATOES 1/4 CUP VEGETABLE BROTH 3/4 TSP SOY SAUCE 1/4 CUP GRATED PARMESAN, MORE FOR SERVING 2 TBS FRESH PARSLEY, CHOPPED RED PEPPER FLAKES, TO TASTE SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

Heat oven to 425°F. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet. Toss with ½ tablespoon olive oil, half Italian seasoning, pinch of salt and pepper. Roast 10-12 minutes, until softened and blistered. Cook the cavatappi in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain. Heat remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, cook 4-5 minutes, until softened. Stir in coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, soy sauce, remaining Italian seasoning, rosemary and garlic powder. Simmer over medium-low heat 5-7 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan until melted and smooth. Add cooked pasta, toss to coat. Fold in half the roasted tomatoes. Top with remaining tomatoes, parsley, red pepper flakes and a little extra Parmesan. ADAPTED BY WREN STAFF

Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high; add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add gnocchi to pan. Cook 8-10 minutes, tossing every 1 ½ minutes until golden and crispy all over. Prepare tomatoes: If you are using small ones, simply slice in half. For larger tomatoes, quarter or slice into bite-size chunks, with a mix of shapes and sizes. Place tomatoes and onions in large serving bowl. Add balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, gently toss. Add gnocchi to the tomatoes with 3-4 tablespoons olive oil and a handful each of parsley and basil. Toss. Top with more parsley and basil, eat immediately or at room temperature. HETTY LUI MCKINNON FOR NEW YORK TIMES COOKING

Send Sendcomplete completerecipe recipeby byMarch SEPTEMBER 10! 15!

OCTOBER:

WILD GAME

Please Pleaseinclude includeyour yourname, name,address addressand andphone phonenumber. number. S SU UB BM M II T T A AR RE EC C II P PE E

AUG 2026

WHAT’S HAPPENING

WHAT’S HAPPENING REGIONAL MAP

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLEIGH SNOOZY, THE SHERIDAN PRESS

01 FEATURED EVENT

SEPTEMBER

01 | SOUTHEAST LA GRANGE

SEPTEMBER 5 WyoBrick Fest: 9am-5pm. LaGrange Memorial Building. LEGO displays, vendors, building competitions, crafts, activities, robotics, food vendors and family fun for all ages. Free. Info: Linnea, linnea.dix@gmail.com or Peggy, peggyoedekoven@gmail.com.

TORRINGTON

SEPTEMBER 25-27 Quilts Along the Platte: Sept. 25-26, 10am-5pm; Sep. 27, 11am-3pm. Rendezvous Center, Goshen County Fairgrounds. Free. Food on site, four vendors, boutique of handmade items for sale, featured quilter, demonstrations and make-and-take. Sponsored by Goshen County Quilters and Sew Addicting Quilt Shop. Info: 307-640-4002.

02 | NORTHEAST BIG HORN

WOLF CREEK WRANGLE WOLF  SEPTEMBER 19 The Wolf Creek Wrangle is a rugged trail run known for its wild single track, “Jeff Way” distances and untamed course. Expect rough terrain, overgrowth, wildlife and the unexpected—this race isn’t groomed, it’s earned. Cross the finish line for lifelong bragging rights, a cold beer, food and live music. Best of all, 100% of proceeds support Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Bighorns and affordable housing efforts in Sheridan County. Time: 7:30-8am: Packet pickup for last minute runners 8:30am: Half-Marathon start 9am: 5-mile and 7-mile start 11am-3pm: Join us for the after party! Food, music, beer. 3pm: Cutoff for all courses Cost: $55-$80 Location: Eaton’s Ranch, 270 Eaton Ranch Road Information: runwolfcreekwrangle.com NORTHEAST

SEPTEMBER 25-DECEMBER 21 101 Small Works Show: The Brinton Museum, 239 Brinton Road. With its four high-level galleries featuring exquisite Western and American Indian Art, the museum sits in a foothills setting that is art in itself. This year’s Holiday Show is the ever-popular annual “smaller works” exhibit by an array of local and national artists, ideal for holiday giving as well. Free. Info: 307-672-3173, TheBrintonMuseum.org. THROUGH LABOR DAY Start of Polo Season: Game times vary. Big Horn Polo Club, 352 Bird Farm Road; Flying H Polo Club, 280 Bird Farm Road. Polo practices, games and tournaments happen up to four days a week at the Big Horn Equestrian Center or the Flying H Polo Club. Free. Info: Big Horn Polo Club (playing at the Equestrian Center), 307-674-4928, thebighornpoloclub.com. Flying H Polo Club (high goal polo), 307-674-9447, flyinghpolo.com.

CLEARMONT

SEPTEMBER 15 Ucross Sound Hike: 9am. Ucross Art Gallery, 30 Big Red Lane. Join us on a very special sound hike on the Ucross Ranch to experience “Confluences,” an emplaced sound experience created by Ucross artist-alumni Teri Rueb and Laurids Sonne. Free. Info: bit.ly/SoundHike. SEPTEMBER 24 Ucross Gala: 5pm. Ucross Art Gallery, 30 Big Red Lane. Mark your calendar to

celebrate with Ucross at our biennial Wyoming gala. Join us for an evening of dinner, entertainment, a lively auction and an awards ceremony. Cost: TBD. Info: Ucross.org.

GILLETTE

SEPTEMBER 10 Parade of Pronghorns Auction: 6pm. Campbell County Rockpile Museum. View life-size pronghorn sculptures transformed by local and regional artists, meet the artists, enjoy live music and bid in the live auction. Proceeds support the Rockpile Museum Association’s efforts to preserve Campbell County history. Free. Info: rockpileassociation.org.

HULETT

SEPTEMBER 18-20 Quilt & Craft Exhibition: Hulett Museum & Art Gallery. Items for the show may be brought in the week of and may remain on display the week after. Info: 307 467-5292.

MOORCROFT

THIRD THURSDAY OF MONTH Adult Book Club: 1pm. Moorcroft Branch Library. New book each month. Stop by the library for your copy. Info: 307-756-3232.

RANCHESTER

SEPTEMBER 10 Tongue River Artist Residency Presentation: 5:30pm. Innominate Coffeehouse and Bakery, 652 US 14. Join us for presentations from Collage Artist Vanessa Compton. Free. Info: 307-683-4020.

S H E R I DA N

SEPTEMBER 5 Rootstock: 10:45am-1:45pm. Landon’s Greenhouse, 505 College Meadow Drive. Rooted in Wyoming’s Annual Fundraiser featuring local food, local beer and live music. Cost: TBD. Info: 307-675-2088. SEPTEMBER 5-7 Hang Gliders Fly-in: 10:30am-3pm. Sand Turn in the Bighorn Mountains. Enjoy watching and photographing hang gliders from across the nation soaring above the Bighorn Mountains’ Sand Turn, weather permitting. Free. Info: Johann Nield at 307-751-1138, wyomingwings@wyoming.com. SEPTEMBER 6-7 Don King Days: 9am. Big Horn Equestrian Center, 352 Bird Farm Road. “Old West” rodeo events featuring match bronc riding, steer roping and end-of-season polo cups. The Big Horn Equestrian Center provides open space and no-fence setting in the majestic mountain foothills south of Sheridan. The family-oriented celebration honors renowned saddle maker Don King. Free. Info: Cecile Pattison, 307-751-5454, pattison@wavecom.net or Vicki Kane, 307-752-0567, vicki@kemperodell.com. AUG 2026

WHAT’S HAPPENING

SEPTEMBER 8 Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal: 7pm. WYO Performing Art and Education Center. Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash joins acclaimed guitarist, producer and longtime collaborator John Leventhal for an intimate evening of masterful storytelling, timeless songs and exceptional musicianship. Info: erin.butler@wyotheater.com.

SEPTEMBER 14, 15 & 17 Chamber Candidate Forums: 6pm. Sept. 14 and 15 at the WYO Performing Arts and Education Center, 42 N Main St., Sheridan; Sept. 17 at the Tongue River Valley Community Center, 1100 US Highway 14, Dayton. Hear from candidates for local offices prior to the opening of absentee voting for the general election. Free. Info: bit.ly/vote-guide.

SEPTEMBER 10-13 Flying Cowboys Annual Fly-In: All day. 89 Keystone Rd. Pilots from five states with 200 remotepowered planes for display and flight from dawn to dusk! See all types of planes, from small electric powered flyers up to 10’ wingspan giants powered by large gasoline engines. Free kids’ glider toss, potluck dinner on Friday and burgers for sale on Saturday. Free. Info: modelaircraft.org, 307-429-9196.

SEPTEMBER 18-19 Born in a Barn Creative Sale: 10am-6pm. 415 US Highway 14 E Born in a Barn was founded with six vendors in 2011 as an outlet for Shelley Kinnison’s serious addiction to all things upcycled, refurbished, vintage and unique. Nowadays it’s a community staple with live music, a field of food and 90+ vendors. $5. Info: borninabarnwyo.com.

SEPTEMBER 11-12 SheCo Women’s Conference 2026: Sept. 11, 5:30pm; Sept. 12, 2:30pm. 3179 Big Horn Avenue. SheCo is an annual conference for women from Sheridan County and beyond, offering a weekend of fellowship, biblical teaching and meaningful connection with others and with God. Free. Register at bit.ly/SheCo. Info: Joy Paulson, 307-921-8084, womensministry3179@gmail.com. SEPTEMBER 12 Wine Fest: 6-9pm. Grinnell Plaza. More than 100 wines and beers to taste, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. $75 for general admission; $125 for VIP experience. Info: 307-672-8881, bit.ly/Wine_Fest. Kendrick Cattle Company Day: 10am-2pm. Trail End State Historic Site, 400 Clarendon Ave. We’re calling all former Kendrick employees, current Kendrick Ranch owners and their employees, as well as the public, to come to Trail End for this event. We’ll have live music playing outside by local band Jaded Imagery, food vendors for lunch and the historic OW Chuckwagon on site. Free. Info: trailend.org/special-events. Sheridan County Out of the Darkness Walk: 10am. Whitney Commons Park. Join us as our community comes together to support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and to walk toward a future without suicide. Free. Info: bit.ly/CountyWalk.

AUG 2026

SEPTEMBER 19 The Mane Event: 26 Gravel Grinder Bike Ride: 7:30am. The foothills north and east of Sheridan. The Mane Event is a fall gravel bike race/ride. Proceeds benefit local nonprofits. $70-$100. Info: maneeventgravel.com. Mountain West Book Fest: 12-4pm. Whitney Commons, 320 W Alger St. An event bringing regional authors together to connect with readers, locals and fellow writers. Free. Info: bit.ly/mtnwestbookfest. SEPTEMBER 24 Mackenzie Melemed: Keys Across America: 7pm. WYO Performing Arts and Education Center. Award-winning pianist Mackenzie Melemed brings Keys Across America to the WYO, taking audiences on a journey through nearly two centuries of American music—from sweeping classics to bold contemporary works. Info: erin.butler@wyotheater.com. SEPTEMBER 26 HubFest: 11am. The Hub on Smith, 211 Smith Street. Celebrate community with The Hub on Smith. Food, games and prizes for the whole family. Free. Info: 307-672-2240. SEPTEMBER 29 TAE & The Neighborly: 7pm. WYO Performing Arts and Education Center. TAE & The Neighborly bring an irresistible blend of soul, R&B, pop and rock to the WYO,

SEPTEMBER

pairing TAE’s powerful vocals with vibrant grooves and uplifting messages of self-love, community and positive change. Info: erin.butler@wyotheater.com.

03|NORTHWEST CODY

MONDAY-SATURDAY Cody Country Art League Gallery: 9am-5pm. 836 Sheridan Ave. Info: 307-587-3597.

DUBOIS THURSDAYS Farmer’s Market: 4-5:30pm. 202 E Ramshorn, Corner Entrance. Info: Martha, 307-455-2313. SUBMIT AN EVENT

GREYBULL SECOND SATURDAYS Greybull Ladies Coffee: Greybull Library. Info: 307-765-2100.

LANDER

Send events occurring in November by

SEPTEMBER 15! Be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event. Photos are always welcome.

Learn more about the WREA community at wyomingrea.org/community.

SATURDAYS Acoustic Music Jam: 11am-1pm. Lander Bake Shop. Info: 307-332-3237.

R I V E RTO N WEDNESDAYS Acoustic Music Jam: 6:30-8:30pm. Holiday Inn Convention Center. Free. Join in or listen as musicians and dancers perform. Info: 307-856-8100.

MEETEETSE SEPTEMBER 7 Labor Day Weekend: 10am. Meeteetse Museums. Open for special hours all weekend! Stop in to see our new exhibit “Many Voices, One Nation: Meeteetse and the Changing West” and add your wish for our nation’s future to our America 250 Wish Wall. Free. Info: 307-868-2423. MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS Yoga: 10:30am. Meeteetse Recreation District. Info: 307-899-2698, meetrec.org.

POWELL

 [307] 286-8140

TUESDAY-SATURDAY Homesteader Museum Summer Hours: Tue.-Fri. 10am-4pm, Sat. 10am-2pm. Private tours available by appointment. Info: 307-754-9481, homesteader@parkcounty-wy.gov.

 2312 Carey Avenue

SHELL

 wyomingrea.org/

SEPTEMBER 12 Shell Community Hall Margaritaville: 5-8pm. 201 Smith Avenue. Silent auction and taco bar! Adults $12. Kids $6. Info: 307-410-0688.

QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:

 wren@

wyomingrea.org

Cheyenne, WY 82001-3627

wren-submissions

WHAT’S HAPPENING

THERMOPOLIS SEPTEMBER 10 Dinner & Movie: 6pm. HSC Library. Info: info@thermopolischamber.org. SEPTEMBER 18 Hot Springs State Park Veteran’s Hike: 9-10:30am. Hot Springs State Park. They will be hiking the Spirit Trail. Please wear appropriate clothing and bring water. Info: info@thermopolischamber.org. FIRST & THIRD SATURDAYS Acoustic Jam Session: 5:30pm. The Learning Center, 124 N 5th St. Info: info@thermopolischamber.org. SATURDAYS Farmer’s Market: 8am-12pm. Corner of 5th & Broadway. Free. Info: info@thermopolischamber.org. SECOND SATURDAYS Great Until 8!: 4-8pm. This event showcases the businesses who are staying open until 8pm or later in town. Shop after 5pm and enter in for a chance to win $100 gift certificates valid at the business with the winning receipt. Info: 917-589-7852, mainstreetthermopolis@gmail.com.

SEPTEMBER

TRADITIONS

Classifieds

04|SOUTHWEST

WREN CLASSIFIED ADS ARE $0.75 PER SIX CHARACTERS

LY M A N

THURSDAYS Storytime: 11am. Lyman Branch Library. All ages welcome. Free. Info: 307-787-6556, uintalibrary.org.

M O U N TA I N V I E W

MONDAYS Cub Scout Pack 7798 Meeting: 3:45pm. Presbyterian Church on 3rd Street. We are always accepting new boys who are in grades 1-5. Info: MarNae, 307-677-2566. THIRD WEDNESDAYS Food Assistance Program: 8:30-10am. 325 West St. Free food assistance for local individuals and families. All are welcome – no questions asked. Info: facebook.com/BridgerValleyFoodAssistance. WEDNESDAYS Storytime: 11am. Uinta County Library. Info: 307-782-3161. ONGOING Community Classes: Valley Learning Center. Fitness, computer, workforce and kids’ classes are available. Times and prices vary. Info: 307-782-6401, valleylearningcenter. coursestorm.com.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

SURVEY SAYS ...

CLASSIFIEDS

Knocking on wood

Pizza

Walk-around venue

Cooking or baking

Eating a frozen treat

Didn’t look like their profile photo

Listen to holiday music

Brush their teeth

James

10. Venting to a partner or friend 11. Exercise more 12. Comedy 13. Get healthy/lose weight 14. Trust 15. Bonus: Cheese PUZZLE ON PAGE 25

CONTACT:  WREN@WYOMINGREA.ORG  307-286-8140

WANTED We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & nonproducing. 800-733-8122. WANTED CJ or Wrangler reasonably priced. Any condition but rusted. 800-316-5337. Frontier Auto Museum Looking For Oil Company Gas Pumps, Globes And Signs, and general antiques for our antique shop. Located in Gillette, Wyoming, our passion is to preserve Wyoming history and the nostalgia of the past, especially Parco, Sinclair, Frontier, Husky and any car dealership along with all brands. We are also always looking for neon motel or store signs, WY license plates, WY highway signs and State Park signs. frontierautomuseum.com. Please call Jeff Wandler 307-680-8647, wandlerfrontier@ gmail.com, or relics@frontierauto.net.

Farm to table dinner Sept 11 21 & OVER BUY TICKETS BY AUGUST 31 AVAILABLE AT THE MUSEUM

Homesteader days Festival

Saturday sept 12 in Powell 10 am to 3 pM

Ruby Hopkin Commemorative

pie auction kids’ games crafts & vendors Historic machinery Demonstrations truck, car, & Tractor show

hosted by Vehicle Visions

Live music family fun!

Homesteader museum

1st & clark street, powell AUG 2026

ENLIGHTEN US

Goodbye Is Not Forever BY MARIE ANTOINETTE HAINES

ife has a way of sneaking up on a person when you’re not looking … And it changes you. It can happen in the best of times or in the worst of times. It happened to me last year.

A story that I wrote about a time in my childhood, titled “The Black,” was published by WREN in the April 2025 issue. My oldest sister was the star of my story. We grew up together. Riding horses. Learning about the ways of the world and loving life. One month after that story was published, I got the call telling me she was gone. In an instant, my world had changed. No more long conversations. No more laughter at shared secrets. It was as though I was watching our life together play through the years like a movie in my mind. It was 1957. We lived on a dusty street in the poorest section of town. One cool summer evening, the neighborhood kids turned up their radios. I ran outside to the sound of rock and roll playing. My sister took my hand and pulled me into the music. I learned how to jitterbug that night. She was a teenager and could have had her choice of boyfriends, but she chose me, her ornery little sister.

AUG 2026

We danced in the moonlight to the delight of her friends who seemed to enjoy the spectacle. It was a night I will never forget. It is etched in my heart. I loved tagging along after her. It was my goal to be like her. In 1958 we moved to Lone Tree Canyon Ranch. My sisters and I fell in love with the ranch horses. We spent our days riding across the rugged terrain and bonding with the land. It was just like Heaven. It was our desire to be out in nature regardless of the weather. Rain, snow, sunshine and wind … always the wind. We danced in that wind and chased the dirt devils that played across the fields of wheat, oats, barley and alfalfa. My younger sister Patricia and I always tried to keep up with Bettyanne. We played tag on horseback. Galloping through the canyon draws. Hiding behind the rugged pines, she would dare us to find her, and most of the time, we did. When I was 13, she showed me how to shave my legs! She was so serious about the “right” way to do it. I still laugh at that memory. She put lipstick on me one morning and told me that I looked so pretty. Today, that memory brings tears to my eyes. My first date was a double date with her. That was the only way I was allowed to go, my mother insisted on it. Bettyanne was almost five years older than me. I suppose that’s why Mom trusted her so much. The funny thing about that is that if Mom knew everything she taught

me, well, let’s just say Bettyanne and I had our secrets! Things we shared with only each other. The years have taught me that you can never take life for granted. There comes a time when you wonder where all the days have gone. Wasn’t it just yesterday that your loved ones were nearby either by distance or phone? You could pick up where your last conversation ended with a call or a visit. They were just there … until they weren’t. I believe it’s true that no one can know a person as deep as those who grew up together. There are so many layers of emotions that go into building a relationship. Especially when it comes to someone you love. There are no words that can do true justice to describe that kind of connection. The way I see it, even as our bodies age, there is a youthful spirit that lives inside of us and although this poem is dedicated to my sister, everyone should remember that Goodbye is Not Forever. W

Marie Antoinette Haines grew up on a ranch east of Chugwater. Born and raised in Wyoming, she is planning on publishing a collection of true stories that she has written about life on a Wyoming cattle ranch.

Goodbye Is Not Forever Dedicated to my sister, Bettyanne Marie Haines Goodbye is not forever; it is only for now. Yesterday may be gone, but you have my solemn vow, that my love for you is steady. I hold you in my heart, and although I can’t see you, your memory is never far. Simple words can never express the depths of your soul, yet I will try to describe it so all the world will know the girl who rode just like the wind. Her heart was strong and true. She hauled the hay and spent her days doing what country girls do. Her arms were strong. Her life was a song of horses and prancing and jitterbug dancing. If you didn’t know her when she was sweet like Spring Clover, when her years were young and new, then you missed knowing the girl who loved blowing her breath in the frosty dew. She was a beauty, a prankster, a cutie and sometimes a downright pain in your bootie, but oh, how we loved her so! She had grit in her spirit. She didn’t fear it when life gave her a heavy load. After the years of laughter, pain and tears, she knew it was time to go. Goodbye is not forever, so until we’re together, I’ll say it… Though I don’t know how, but I will, if only for now.

AUG 2026

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