June 7, 2010
Driving through Iowa and South Dakota always makes me wonder what the prairie must have looked like 150 years ago.
The photo is one guess – it’s buffalo munching grass outside Sage Creek Campground in Badlands National Park.
It always takes an effort of will to remember that what now looks most “natural,” especially in Iowa, isn’t necessarily. Yep, that’s the trees.
February 6, 2010
Need a break from looking at snow?
January 9, 2010
Curbside recycling worker in Vermillion, SD
Thank you for your dedicated service!
January 2, 2010
Subzero temps + boiling water = homemade snow. Temp was between -15 and -19 F.
October 25, 2009
Yesterday, under a sky more suited for November, volunteers cleaned up the Vermillion Community Garden. And they built a new tool shed!
Readying the plots for next year
Hammering duo
A young crew boss supervises
Cleaning up around the native flower beds
Racing the rain spatters to build the tool shed
Ad hoc lumber mill
October 18, 2009
Vermillion's newest weather station
As of yesterday, there is a new source on the Internet for real-time Vermillion, SD weather data.
The pic shows the weather station, which is located near Vermillion’s historic downtown. We’ve had it up a few days and started sending live data to Weather Underground yesterday.
Like all weather stations, it has accuracy limitations due to its physical placement. On really sunny days, the recorded temps may be slightly higher than actual air temperature. Because we couldn’t get it fully above the roofline, recorded wind speeds may be a little lower than reality.
We’re using a three-year-old La Crosse wireless weather station to collect the data.
October 11, 2009
Pictures of last weekend’s Pumpkin Festival in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Painting a Celtic pumpkin
The finished product -- the legendary "Green Man"
Pumpkin loadin' in Rapid City
Who gave the bat signal?
Love child of the Tin Man and the Scarecrow
Halloween bison sighting
Not a tagger, "just some person"?
September 5, 2009
It was beautiful today out on the (restored) prairie.
A good day for wildflowers
Spirit Mound Prairie Trail
I tend to forget that Spirit Mound, a major landmark in these parts, is only few miles away from town. Funny, when I lived in a huge megalopolis, I had no problem driving 20 minutes nearly every day so I could hike up a somewhat larger hill. It’s easy to take natural beauty for granted here, without so much concrete and asphalt around.
Spirit Mound
No evidence of 18 inch devils today at the mound although at the nearby park a young man with a throwing disc certainly put a devilish spin on some of his tosses to his mother.
August 14, 2009
Hedge balls (osage orange) are said to repel spiders and crickets
Natural food special?
Made with real sugar!
August 10, 2009
Went on Saturday to the Humboldt Threshing Show in the countryside near Sioux Falls. Missed most of the antique farm machinery demos, but got there in time to buy fantastic dill pickles and watch the horse pull.
The second place team
During a horse pull, a team of horses and its driver attempt to move a sled laden with heavy concrete blocks. The pull tests the team’s strength, training, and temperment. It can be dangerous.
Another contender - with a representative bystander
The winning team pulled more than 4,000 pounds
Better shot of the young woman who drove the winning team
A driver and his team await their next chance to pull
A well-deserved rest after the show
A machine from the old days
Some of South Dakota's immense sea of corn
P.S. I’ve finally figured out how to describe the size and population of South Dakota to west coasters. Here it is: South Dakota is about half the size of California, with the population of greater Bakersfield.
