I was eight years old when we moved to Wyoming, a shy, chubby, bi-racial child with no social skills to speak of in a state where less than 1% of the population is black. My town, Laramie, is the location of the only 4 year university in the state.
One of the best things about living in Wyoming is all of the wide open spaces. We are nestled among several mountain ranges that are a part of the Rocky Mountains. One of our favorite places to visit is Vedauwoo. The rocks look as though some giant child was playing with clay and left all of the remnants all over the land. In actuality, the whimsically shaped rocks are the result of intrusive volcanic rock uncovered by aeons of erosion.
With a population of just over 30,000 people, Laramie is the third largest "city" in Wyoming. In spite of its designation as a city. Laramie has a small town atmosphere. The people here embody the spirit of the West. They are conservative, hard-working, fiercely independent, loyal to a fault, a bit taciturn, and incredibly kind.
Laramie has recently undergone an artistic renaissance. The winters here are long and brutal, and the landscape for much of the year is grey and dull. Laramie artists and gardeners have responded by creating beautiful public spaces to add color to our winter doldrums. The buildings in town are now covered with amazing murals, and more are being added all of the time.