Take Pictures Of Pretty Lights

There have been many Christmas events going on in Cody recently, but LC and I have not attended any of them.

The impending holiday has floated around the very edges of my conscious mind for a while now, but in truth I am only partially aware of it and am totally disinterested in celebrating it.

Regardless, I was downtown at dusk this evening and made a couple of stops in the cold early-evening to take pictures of some of the lights.

Traffic on Sheridan Avenue (which is the main artery through town) was heavy, as distracted workers rushed to head home.

It was easy to ignore the traffic craziness though, and I turned off Sheridan and parked my truck in an angled parking space close to the Visitors Center and the downtown park.

I think that the last time I was at the downtown park was during the Bellamy Brothers concert in the depths of a hot and dry summer.

No....actually it was the day I got my American citizenship, on a quiet and cool day when I sat on a picnic table and called Chris and thought of Sean, while I waited for LC to run an errand.

It had been a couple of months, and on this early winter evening the park was now empty - no more adults sitting or kids playing or concerts concerting or dog walkers walking or flowers growing.

A small building was decorated in lights, and so were the rustic deer and Santa figures that stood behind it and beside it............

As I drove through town I noticed that the Irma Hotel was also covered with lights, and after leaving the park I slowly drove through back streets, weaving my way back towards the Irma.

There is almost no snow left in Cody after the past couple of days of above freezing temperatures, but on an evening when the sun had already set, my hands were freezing cold.

I parked across the road from the Irma, and as I climbed out of the truck looked over (as I always do when I am in town) at the giant gun that sits on the roof of a pawn shop located adjacent to Codys most historic hotel.

The ridiculous-ness and tackiness of such a giant gun always makes me smile, and the sight of it had the same effect on me this evening.

Smiling and shaking my head, I crossed over to the opposite side of the road and walked towards the Irma.............

Looking at these pictures now I wonder why I did not think to walk inside the Irma.

It would have been warm, and likely it would have been decorated for the holidays, but I just did not think of it at the time.

In a hurry to take some pictures and head home, I power photographed - taking perfunctory and multiple pictures very quickly, just so that I could move on.

Another day soon, and before the holidays are over, I will take more pictures and will take my time...............

After climbing back into the truck and turning the heat up to high so that I could warm up my hands, I backed out of my parking spot intending to drive through Wendys to pick up some chili, and then head directly home.

As I drove east on Sheridan I noticed a very cute and full lighted snowman standing guard on the sidewalk, and on the spur of the moment, pulled off the main road one last time.

Snowman was very cute and I wanted to take a picture of him..............

Turning away from the snowman I looked across the road and was surprised to see the lights.

Thousands of them.

The lights were located outside a bar that is a favorite with tourists throughout the summer, in an area that during the summer is actually a hugely busy outdoor patio.

Still standing across the road from all the lights I struggled briefly to remember what I had read recently in the newspaper about this place and these lights, but could only put portions of the story together.

Usually the bar patio holds only one very large (and very popular with the locals) Christmas tree, but last year the tree blew over three times during the period leading up to Christmas.

This year the owners decided to set up a number of memorial trees and people who had lost a loved one could dedicate one of the trees to that person.

After jay walking across the four lane road I stood looking at the lights, walked through the entrance and onto the patio, saw a big sign on one of the trees "in memory of" and stopped reading right there.

Take pictures of pretty lights Karin, and then get out of there.

Karin took pictures of pretty lights and got out of there..............

Always liking this sign, and liking it more when it is surrounded by lights.............

Jay walking back across the busy road, I stood looking at her.

I stood looking at her for a long time until finally the spell was broken and I realized that my hands were completely and absolutely freezing and that it was time to head home.

Climbing back into my truck I again turned the heat on high, hoping to defrost my too-cold hands.

Backing out of the angled parking spot where I had parked, I headed for Wendys to buy a large chili................