bird Count

6:45 AM start

Early morning Canadas

Ma Nature's embroidery

Mallard and Bufflehead buddies

Belted kingfisher gentleman

One of these things is not like the others!

It is a Christmas bird count, after all

A solitary Solitaire

A Lady and her escort squadron

My grandfather's field guide, always carried for good luck.

Audubon Christmas Bird Count

 December 15, 2013

Rapid City, South Dakota

just sprucing things Up

Black Hills spruce

Picea glauca var. sensata

State tree of South Dakota

endorsed by blue jays Everywhere

Order your down jacket today! It will keep you warm at -5, and the snow won't even melt off your back because of heat transfer.

at -9F

You just put on your fur coat and go find some lunch. 

At least, Bighorn sheep do!

You might have a staredown with a human, who was wondering if you had some evil intentions toward the side of the Subaru.

festival of Lights

Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, celebrated by the international students at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology last night. Complete with music, dancing, food and fireworks.
Great time had by all!

Veteran's Day 2013

Rapid City High School Veteran's Day Celebration

Thank you for your service to our country to all of our Veterans and our active duty personnel serving today all over the world.

 To colleagues Carol, Lucky, Crystal, Greg, John, Gene, and David, it is an honor to work with you,

thank you for your service. 

take only Pictures

Badlands National Park, SD

...and leave only footprints behind

Late afternoon on the corner of 7th and St. Joe.

heading: due South

11/3/13

1pm MST

44N 103W

Sandhill cranes, overhead

heading: due south

it's A-maizing

There is candy corn, and then there is corn that looks like it should be candy!

have a boo-tiful Day

Happy Halloween everyone!

fosty Needles

Fogfrost needles on the birdhouse roof. Thick fog all day created little needles of frost all over everything exposed to the gentle flow of moisture from the south. Fragile, yet they grew to 1/2-3/4 of an inch long.

pumpkin Bombing

First, you get up your courage to fly a glider. Next, you put a pumpkin in your pocket or the cockpit or somewhere. Finally, you take off on your flight, find the target and drop the pumpkin. Closest hit to the bull's eye wins this stunning handcrafted trophy! Today's the event day, it is a lovely sunny morning, with no wind. Safe travels, flyers.

mums the Word

Back from busy.

meet the ThunderBlizzard

drift out back door, shoulder high on left side

Friday front yard

Monday

Monday morning

our pines, neighbors' fence underneath, squashed

Sunday

glacial blue

Thursday

Friday

Power back after 56 hours, some folks still out. Trees down, no school, roads blocked, plows out, sun is shining. Thanks to our electric co-op folks who worked through the storm and are still working to get heat and light back to everybody. It has been quite a weekend for the beginning of October! See www. rapidcityjournal.com for lots of pictures.

september on the Prairie

east toward the Badlands

west toward the Black Hills

Western South Dakota

Short grass prairie
2 more days till October

scenes from the Festival

The 1st festival we all had jackets and mittens on, the 5th was a gorgeous fall day with little kids running through the fountain at Main Street Square!