This was so fun and exhausting and TEN YEARS AGO!
Collapse. That’s what we finally did about 4 this afternoon… after zinging from the opening reception of the Wyoming Grasslands exhibit into final work on our float and supper with Craig and Judy Johnson at the Red Reflet Ranch yesterday and today’s early start to get those last minute details on the float finished. We walked the piddly little 6 blocks of Ten Sleep handing out can coozies that promote the library to all the HOT audience. It was mid 90˚’s and just scorching! We then went to the park to prepare for the visitors for Craig, and sat there and tried to help until 1:30 or so when we abandoned the Johnson’s for lunch before the cafe closed. Then back to the park to pack up the shade tent and tables and tear down some of the float so we could take it home to tear it down some more. By 3:30, we’d had enough. We were even heard to say, “I am NOT interested in going down to the rodeo… It is too HOT. ” We stayed in the air conditioning for an hour to finally cool ourselves down. Holy cow. Never thought I’d say those words, but, get this, I DID NOT ATTEND THE TEN SLEEP RODEO for the first time since… FOREVER. No photos of bareback riders, bull riders, or tight Wranglers… These are better…
The Nerve Wracking trip to town, driving SLOWLY, to keep Jen from cracking…
Who’s Jen? Well, that’s the nickname of the T.Rex in Craig Johnson’s newest book, Dry Bones. this is what I’ve been working on the past month. No, she’s not a really good representation of a real T.rex, but hey, that’s what I made! I do admit that the teeth are awesome though! The skeleton, the turtle, and Jen’s dig (and bones) made for the storyline, so if you’ve read the book, you thought the float was great!
Here it is, fully decorated. Banners are the covers of the other books in the series. In the book, the government comes and crates up all the old bones, hence the Property signs and the graffiti look of SAVE JEN!
Wonderful, wonderful day.
Hot.
Exhausting.
Exciting.
Thanks so much, Craig and Judy. You’re always welcome in Ten Sleep!
(more photos to come tomorrow!)
Find me here!
Woo-hoo! terrific tribute to Craig Johnson! Your float is amazing…and yes, the dinosaur’s teeth are wonderful.
This is awesome! Yesterday I returned “Return to Sender” (published 2025) to the library so one of the next 93 people in line can enjoy it. I read it the same day I checked it out – just never found a good place to pause overnight. When my library system added its Favorite Authors feature to its website (notifying patrons of new releases by their chosen authors), Craig was the first entry I made. Thanks to you and the Ten Sleep Library and community for all you do to honor one the nation’s premier contemporary authors