Dinosaur Park

 We have been driving the narrow road to Dinosaur Park along the skyline of Rapid City since 1982. It was and still is a free attraction and a good place for kids to expend some energy. Back in the day when the kids were young, we camped at Camp Rapid while Hubby was baking at the National Guard Camp for two weeks each summer. It was economical to find as many free activities and entertainments as possible for the (sometimes) two weeks we would hang out in Rapid City and the Black Hills. One of our favorites was Dinosaur Park. Because of geocaching we revisited the dinosaurs on the hill earlier this week.

We were VERY impressed with the upgrades to Dinosaur Park! The construction is not done, but what is done is a magnificent improvement.

There is now a ramp, a wide cement walk way that goes from the street to the very top of the hill. Prior to this upgrade, it was impossible for a wheel chair to visit the dinosaurs on the hill. This was a much needed upgrade.

In 1936, during the Great Depression, work began on the 80-foot-long brontosaurus and four of its neighboring friends. Emmett Sullivan, among many that worked on the carving of Mount Rushmore, were hired to construct the massive beasts after dinosaur bones and footprints were found in the area. It was an idea that served as a way to capture traffic drawn to Mount Rushmore and marked the beginning of Rapid City’s transformation from pass-through town to must-stop destination. ~ Rapid City SD Things - To Do/Historic Sites/Dinosaur Park

Originally, five dinosaur species were selected to represent the giants that roamed the Western United States. Later, the group became seven when two additional, smaller dinosaurs were added near the park’s gift shop. Sullivan constructed the dinosaurs out of metal pipe frame, wire and concrete and chose to paint them gray. It wasn’t until the 1950s, after the sites dedication that they were given the cartoon-ish color scheme you see today – green and white. ~ Rapid City SD Things - To Do/Historic Sites/Dinosaur Park

The steps are still there for those who want the climb and cardio work out, but they too have been replaced and vastly improved with sturdy hand rails and wide/deep stone steps.

The Grandkids Visit in August 2017

Adventure Lab completed! 5 more geocaches to the count.

June 6

 So how did we spend the day on our 54th wedding anniversary? We geocached! Since we are in the beautiful Black Hills and it was a perfect weather day, we ventured into the National Forest to search for hidden tupperware, pill bottles or ammo cans.

vibrant shades of green

a wild iris

a bird met its demise in this ditch

if only the forest service road was this good

hunting for a geocache

I have not seen this sign before

this was the tree on which it was located

this was the forest service road at its best

more shades of green

the flowering pine cones

After a couple of hours of looking for the correct forest service roads and searching for some geocaches, we had lunch at Olive Garden, one of Hubby's favorite eateries. Then it was off for some more geocaching.

5 favorite kid stops along Highway 16,

including Rushmore Candy Co.

the Billy Goat crossing the bridge at Old MacDonald's Farm

metal art work at the entrance to a ranch

ending our 54th anniversary day with pizza in Hermosa

Where Are We?

 After more than a year we are back to one of our favorite camping spots. We stopped at Al's Oasis for an early lunch on Sunday and were surprised to see the changes at this iconic business. There has been some major remodeling in the three or so businesses that are part of Al's Oasis. Now customers walk through the candy store and the gift shop to reach the restrooms, which were in dire need of an upgrade. Sneaky business concept to have all the customers now walk through two stores before dining.

An even bigger surprise was to have our meals delivered to our dining area by a robot! It rolled into the small dining area, backed up to the counter, and waited for the staff to remove the plates of food. Then it turned and rolled through the larger dining room back to the kitchen area, startling more than one customer as the robot came towards them. Good entertainment and our food was hot!

glimpse of the South Dakota Badlands

geocaching stop in Wall

World's Largest Jackalope

Dahl's Chainsaw Art in Wall

(and in Keystone)

seeing some sites in downtown Wall

and a walk-through of Wall Drug

with no shopping

not even ice cream!

our destination for the week

 

The Garden, the Flowers & Perennial Flower Bed

 Knowing I was going to be gone for most of a week, I shopped for the tomatoes, cucumber plants, and some herbs and got them all planted around the middle of May.

I did some research before planting the tomatoes and I think it paid off as the plants look healthy and have almost doubled in height and size since first planted. They got a good dose of special fertilizer and now I'm hoping we get the rain that is forecasted. Four different varieties. Two of the plants have blossoms already!

Because I did not get any cucumbers from the plants in the raised bed last year, I added marigolds to help with the pollination. I've never had the issue of no cucumbers from the three plants in the past. Hope the flowers work this year!

The cucumbers have also doubled in size since the middle of May. I had to tie the plant stems to the support wire and trellis as they were sending out runners, or whatever the curly stems are called.

I see mojitos in my future! Basil is in the top planter.

This hibiscus was the first one of the season. More hibiscus have been added to the collection as have a few other flowers for planters. Those photos will appear when we get back from our camping trip, if the neighbor keeps them alive!

Now for the perennial flower bed. You may remember our experience in December when we were home for Christmas. The story is here: Week One in South Dakota

I talked to some guys from the city who mowed the wash the first time this spring. I told them I would keep my area clean of weeds and tall grass if I could just keep this little patch for my flowers. I promised not to put the rocks or landscaping blocks back. The peony plants are returning, so I but wire cages around them to help keep them upright. The Columbine plant is healthy and I added two more Columbines. Oh, and a poppy I had planted last summer is growing. That is also exciting as I have not been able to grow red poppies.

The neighbor tilled a small patch and planted potatoes this year. (He had corn hast year.) I see he also put two large rocks, one at each end of his potato patch.

I have watched the city mow two more times now and they leave our two little beds alone. So far, so good. 

In my December post I said I removed two plants. One was the peony I got from our son. I guess I didn't get all of it, because it was one of the plants that returned all on its own.

And this is the other plant I dug out in December. It's the Pasque flower I moved from Watertown. I had  put it in a 5 gallon pail in the garage when I dug it out of the perennial bed. The flower bed ground was very wet when I decided I had nothing to loose by digging a hole and putting it back in the perennial bed. Imagine my surprise when I saw green leaves and flower buds. (And grass! I'll take care of that later.) I am so pleased this little perennial survived as it is about 15 years old. 

The perennial bed needs some TLC, but until I knew what the city folks were going to do with their mower, I wasn't planning to put any extra effort into maintaining it. I just hope everything is still there later this month.

A Trip to Pollock

 I spent some time in Pollock last week. I visited my mother in her "new to her" nursing home and got to spend some time with my oldest brother. Both visits were good. 

I love being back in the area where I spent my first almost six years as a child. The rolling hills along the Missouri River in the north central part of the state are a spiritual place for me, especially in the spring when the vibrant greens are at their best. I love the drive along Highway 1804 from the ND border to Mobridge. Photos do not do justice, so there aren't any. 

It was the hedge of lilac bushes at the city campground that brought out the camera.

the smell was intoxicating

the bees were busy

lilac flower buds

not certain the name of this bush 

but the flowers were pretty

white lilacs bushes, but not as many as the purple bushes

the bees chased me away from this area

I wish the smell came through the computer

the fern peony at my mother's house

the flowers were on the downside of their peak

Pollock Bay

the area between Lake Picasso and the Missouri River