Common Sight

This is a common sight as we in the country these days. 

There is just something about sunflowers that make me smile.

Flora, Fauna and Other Interesting TidBits

Rapid Creek in one of the many parks along its banks 

Green grass and trees and blue, blue sky

A deer running on the road in front of the van in Whitewood SD

These little purple (yes, purple) flowers were blooming everywhere

A mountain goat (momma) watching her baby (next photo

along the road in Custer State Park

Her baby was on a ledge above and next to the highway.

Momma did not care about the traffic, only her baby.

A solitary, contented bull bison in a meadow in Custer State Park

Pronghorn antelope in Wind Cave National Park

Some Angus cattle watched us drive through their range land

An old vehicle lying on its side in a pasture. 

I know there is a story behind it.

Did you know The Needles were the first chosen area for the 

carving of Mt. Rushmore? If I knew, I did not remember.

Now I know the purpose for the mining of feldspar and mica.

Sign seen near Buffalo Gap, the village

Jed Smith, the first white man in the area, encountered a grizzly bear near that spot.

He was killed by Comanches in 1831.

Interesting tree trunk at Sylvan Lake

Sleeping hippopotamus in Sylvan Lake

Little Crazy Horse rock formation along one of the many highways

Cheap Landlord or Creative Decorating?

You decide...

Cheap Property Owner/Landlord

or 

Creative Decorating?

This is the view from my front windows

I guess it could be worse...

Wind Cave

It has been about 30 years since we toured Wind Cave in the southern South Dakota Black Hills. We did it then with two little boys in umbrella strollers, a five year-old and a nine year-old. Because it was a geocache destination, it was time to take the tour again, minus the children. 

385 steps down and 11 steps up: that was the description for the tour we chose. The cave was a very comfortable 53º that warm August day. Our ranger is holding a yellow ribbon in front of the natural entrance to the cave. Breezes out of the cave are blowing about 10 mph. Winds have been clocked at 70 mph at the cave entrance! Sure am glad we did not have to crawl through that little hole to enter the cave!

Yes, I was expecting stalagmites and stalactites. Not in Wind Cave. It is one of the driest cave systems and caves need moisture to grow the colorful pointed crystals. What Wind Cave does have and is best known for is its extensive boxwork. That is the fragile framed boxes in this photo.

This was a rare bit of color seen in the cave. Wind Cave is the fifth longest cave in the world. It is within a square mile on the surface but has explored passage-ways totaling 139 miles.

Jesse and Tom Bingham 'discovered' the natural opening to the cave in 1881. The cave and its unusual winds at the natural opening were known and sacred to the native people.

A young man, Alvin Mc Donald is the first person to explore the cave extensively and to leave a detailed diary of his explorations.  He and his family were sent to explore the mining possibilities of the cave in the late 1800s. Instead of mining potential, tourism developed. Alvin led tours into the Wonderful Wind Cave using candles and twine. I was most pleased to have electric lights, the railings and metal steps, and an elevator to take me back up and out.

This photo shows the button popcorn that is another feature of the cave. In 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt signed the bill making Wind Cave the eighth national park and the first cave to be protected by law. 

To learn more about the winds at Wind Cave click here: The Wind at Wind Cave

To read the story of the cave's discovery, click here: Wind Cave's Early Days

Yee Haw! Ride 'Em Cowboy!

I know...you thought it was the end of the rodeo photos. So did I. We attended the "Return of the Rodeo" at Hart Ranch on Thursday and Friday night. Back in the '90s Hart Ranch hosted a rodeo, had trail rides, and other horse related events. They no longer own the arena; it is now a Christian High School. But that weekend, a rodeo returned. The stock for the event was exceptional. The riders were area cowboys looking for experience or cowboys hoping to make it to the next level of professional rodeo.

There is a little bit of everything: some rodeo, some hats, some horses and the ever present cowboy booty.

He was pleased that I wanted to take his photo

Nice bum...

Is that a feather under his nose?

Look at the hats

No, THE HATS!

Just doin' his job

Ready for pick-up

YEE HAW!

A fine specimen

Good form

I'm ready!

Waiting...waiting...

Just a chillin'

Everything is up in the air

Steer-1, Team Ropers-0

Pretty green rope

Nice contrast...pink rope & white horse

Nice Chaps!

Green must be the in color for ropes this season

Hat off first, cowboy is next!

Riderless horse

Colorful boots and rope

The rodeo was family focused.

About 25 kids got in a line at one end of the area and took off their shoes.

The shoes were hauled to the middle of the area and scattered.

The kids were to run to the shoes, find theirs, put them on, and 

the first shoed kid back to the line was the winner.

Lots of fun to watch. 

Some colorful boots lying in the dirt.

Notice how the chaps define the derriere?

Another one bites the dust

Co-owner of the rodeo

Look at all those cowboy hats!

How many men does it take to get one rider ready?

A little air on that ride

A bareback rider

The cowboy kicks and the bronc bucks

Hand up, heels forward, hold on for dear life

Needing a little help leaving the area

Pretty in Pink

No 8 second ride on this one

A feather in his hat

Air time

The bulls won the first evening...no 8 second rides