Damn, and Double Damn

Wildfire swept over the old family homestead today.

 http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/winter-valley-fire-near-elk-springs-reaches-5200-acres-burning-on-cross-mountain-in-western-moffat-county/

The cemetery area was spared. The housing area wasn't. The above picture was a dugout cabin where my grandfather and great uncle spent a winter while they built houses for their families still in the Denver area. Later, my uncles slept there.

One house had long since collapsed but the other had been recently dismantled and the  posts and beams salvaged, stacked, and preserved. All gone now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6bCBkHShH4&t=10s

My grandparents and great grandfather. My grandfather died when my father was sixteen. My grandmother died when I was four and my great grandfather about the same time.

Tough people who lived through tough times. The homestead was a great place to show succeeding generations our roots.  The land remains.

Many thanks to my cousin and her husband for these pictures. 

Western Fires II

Hopefully a better picture than yesterday. This was taken just West of Guernsey, WY. Speaking of Guernsey, I'm glad I go through there at about 6:20 am. Here we are nearly into September and the North Platte is running full. Guess Glendo Reservoir has filled.

Today at about 9:30 am there wasn't a cloud in the sky. In Wyoming and Western Nebraska that means 100 mile visibility. Not so with the smoke. Scottsbluff.