Water is a magnet for my husband. Maybe its because he grew up on the Niagara River and spent his boyhood fishing, boating and jumping off the Grand Island bridge. Not at the highest point mind you or his life and mine would have been very different. Dave loves all kinds of bodies of water. Oceans, lakes, trout streams and his favorite, hang out water....hot springs. Thermopolis WY has large and small hot springs and an art show called the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival. The show is still finding its way but we like to support the efforts of promoters who go out of their way to make artists feel welcome so we participate. Dave shows and sells his line of jewelry made from Rawhide. We pay for our trip and supports the arts in the community. A win, win situation. The close of the art show signals the beginning of the Gift of the Waters Pageant. Held in Hot Springs State Park, the reenactment is in its 66th year. In 1896, the Wind River Shoshone and Arapaho tribes sold the hot springs to the federal government with the caveat that a portion of the land and springs would be reserved for the benefit and use of all. The Pageant is an odd mix of genuine Native American customs, former missionary influences and an odd choir of white woman dressed up like squaws. Hum... Anyways, the drummers, dancers and outfits of the Wind River tribes are worth experiencing. But wait! The fun isn't done yet. On Monday morning we took our family to the world famous Dinosaur Museum in Thermopolis. Its chock full of awesome skeletons, fossils and a child's delight, the gift shop. My favorite displays are the crinoid fossils. Beautiful, intricate, flower like fossils in high relief. Dave, Meghan and I could have stationed ourselves in any number of areas and sketched the day away! That would have left poor Ian with a four year old who loves dinosaurs but isn't ready for an all day sketching extravaganza, yet! But wait again, I forgot to mention the Buffalo Jam we got into while driving out of the park! Oh, Wyoming, full of adventure of all sorts!
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