Z is for Zane Beadles

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

Zane Beadles was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1986. He played football for the University of Utah and received All-American honors. He was considered one of the best offensive lineman available for the NFL Draft in 2010 and was picked up by the Denver Broncos. Here in Cheyenne, we love the Broncos. It's considered our home team. In 2014, Zane left Denver to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Are you a football fan?

Y is for Yellowstone

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

My first and only trip to Yellowstone was in the summer of 1976. I was 19 and traveled with Hubby and his parents (who were visiting from Pennsylvania). We stayed in a rustic cabin, caught trout at Yellowstone Lake and saw the magnificent water falls. We checked out Old Faithful and the hotsprings. We saw bears, moose and deer. One of these days I will return. It's my destiny.

Have you ever been to Yellowstone?

X is for boX

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

As a Wyoming writer myself, I'm embarrassed to say I've never read C. J. Box. I have repented and am now reading my first Box novel "Nowhere to Run." WOW --- I can't put it down. Living in Wyoming, I'm pretty excited about the familiar places in Wyoming where his stories are set. "Nowhere to Run" is part of Box's Joe Pickett series. Joe is a game warden in Wyoming and the stories are mystery/crime dramas with a western flair.

Have you ever read a C.J. Box novel?

W is for Wolves

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

The Gray Wolf is a controversial subject in Wyoming. In 2012, they were removed from the listed of Threatened or Endangered Species. However, in 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service restored protections of the wolves, even though they are no longer listed as "threatened or endangered." Some Wyomingites are against the wolves because they kill farm animals and pets. Others are for the protection and preservation of the species.

What are recent controversies in your state?

V is for Van Tassell

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

Van Tassell holds the distinction of being the least populous town in the least populous county of the least populous state in the United States. Located in Niobrara County Wyoming, Van Tassell was named for cattleman R.S. Van Tassell and a post office was established in the town in 1910. As of the 2013 census, the population of Van Tassell, Wyoming is 15.

Have you ever been to Van Tassell?

U is for Unfinished Life

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

"An Unfinished Life," is one of our favorite films. It is set in Wyoming and is the story of a man's grief, a woman's regret and a child's desire for stability. The movie was based on the novel by Wyoming author Mark Spragg, who hails from Cody. As a writer and a movie buff, I look for motifs and metaphors in films and novels; they add depth to the the characters and the story. In "An Unfinished Life," the motif is a bear. The bear represents danger, fear, loneliness and freedom.

Do you have a favorite movie?

T is for Tetons

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

Located ten miles south of Yellowstone in northwestern Wyoming, the Grand Tetons are one of Wyoming's most beautiful mountain ranges. People visit here from all over the world to climb the mountains, hike the backcountry, float the Snake River and enjoy the beautiful landscape. The mountain is 13,775 feet in elevation. Pretty inspiring!

What is one your state's most inspiring sites?

S is for Sage

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

Sage is everywhere in Wyoming. It has a strong, distinctive aroma and has been used by Native Americans for purification and protection. It is said to cleanse the body and mind of negative spirits and is a remedy for physical, emotional, spiritual or mental imbalances. Sage is also used for cooking. My mom makes the best gravy in the world. Her secret ingredient is a dash of sage.

What's your favorite herb?

R is for Railroad

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

The city of Cheyenne was first established in 1867 when the Union Pacific railroad was built. The Cheyenne Depot has a railroad museum and also houses offices for the Chamber of Commerce and other government entities. The beautiful plaza in front of the Depot has farmer's markets, live music, and other events during the year. It's also where the famous pancake breakfast is held during Cheyenne Frontier Days. My favorite part of the Depot is the magnificent clock tower. It reminds me of the movie "Back to the Future."

Does your town have a clock tower?

Q is for Quentin Tarantino

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

Wyoming was one of the locations in Quentin Tarantino's film "Django Unchained." The winter scenes were shot at Grand Teton National Park near Jackson Hole. In the movie, you can see breathtaking shots of the elk refuge and the magnificent Grand Tetons. Unfortunately, the Wyoming Film Commission doesn't offer the best incentives for filmmakers so they go to New Mexico or Canada. Some films set in Wyoming but not shot in Wyoming include "An Unfinished Life," "Unforgiven," "Brokeback Mountain" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" - just to name a few.

Do you like Western movies?