thank you for your Service

to our Veterans and current Service Members,
and their families

Thank you 

Memorial Day 2011

a study in black, white and Green

Or more correctly, black and white (Lucifer) studying violet-green. The swallows were flying through the backyard, either hunting, playing or prospecting homes, cat was fascinated.

mango Tango

still life for Gena

spring Green

Betula papyrifera

after the Rain...

 late afternoon sun shines on pear blossoms

dancing Feet

The bottom half looks very traditional, feet keeping time with the Drum, the top half is a very hungry little boy munching on fried chicken and chocolate cake.

the Feathering Ceremony

Adding to the count

honoring song

Our school district honors our Native American graduates with a Feathering Ceremony just prior to high school graduation. It is an awesome event, full of tradition, pride and joy for the graduates and their families. It was an honor to be there this evening and celebrate our students' success, several of whom I have known since elementary school.

Stevens HS, The Academy, Central HS tipis

the star quilts

the eagle plumes and feathers before the blessing

the yucky Duck

 

Ok, what the heck is the Yucky Duck???

shooting Back

Shooting stars, feast for the eyes and a feast for the nose, they have a wonderful fragrance on a sunny afternoon in May, despite the fact that there were snowflakes in the air yesterday morning!!

Glad to be back online again after Blogger and server problems this week, drat!

likin' some Lichens

 

 

(click on photos for close-up details)

Lichens bring to mind the tundra and browsing caribou, but these favor a dry prairie pasture instead. Out taking wildflower pictures yesterday, these wild ones were brightening up the landscape, too. 

The top photo is a rock the size of a softball, yet it is hosting 4 different kinds of lichens. The bottom photo is a little rock about the size and shape of a Wheat Thins cracker. I was intrigued at how the lichen is covering the edges on all 4 sides and seems to be working in toward the center.

The foundation rocks both appear to be Black Hills granite and quite colorful all on their own.. Cool.

hey, There....

Are you someone's mom, or grandma or auntie?

Well, Happy Mother's Day!

game Over!

PeeWee soccer day in Sioux Park, some small player seems confused about the rules of play.

baby geese made their Debut

What a gorgeous day to see the World for the first time!

The Canada goose parents I've been watching for a month successfully hatched out 7 goslings sometime in the past 18 hours.

Family doing well and snoozing in the warm sunshine by their natal pond, parents on high alert.

last year's gosling, maybe an uncle or auntie to this batch

expectant Father

By my calculations, he should be the proud father of a brood of goslings by Friday. He watches and guards, she sits caring for the eggs, through 60 mph winds, rain and 2 snowstorms. The next several days should be sunny and mild, perfect for a first look at the Planet.

old green door in the Neighborhood

The Neighborhood around my school is the local historic district. Lovely big, old homes and small, quaint cottages 100 years old living side by side. Always some neat detail tucked away.

spring green in the Neighborhood

a beautiful day in the Neighborhood for a lunch time stroll
 

happy May Day

Sunshine from the Greenhouse!

cat Pilates

He favors the basswood for his daily workout.

ok, we do get some windy Days...

 

but I am not sure we really need to be anchoring down the fences!

the agave Pool

Just watered, the agave created its own sculptural glassy little pool. The impression of the spikes from the inner leaves create a permanent pattern on the ones that surround them, Ma Nature, the artist, at work again.

mellow Yellow

Nuttall's violet

James Nuttall, for whom Nuttall’s violet was named, was a Harvard Professor of Natural History. He also was an explorer, botanist, ornithologist, and ecologist of the western United States in the early 1800’s. These are a favorite early prairie wildflower, these bloom from April through May . The only violet color on this violet are the purple nectar guides, the stripes that lead the pollinators to the flower's throat.

happy Easter!

with help from Country Road Farm's ladies

Ma Nature's own Easter egg colors.

storybook Character

Miniature iris "Pippi Longstocking"

Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim's Daughter Longstocking

Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!

Reflections of a small piece of the Big Blue Marble, third rock from the Sun.

before his unfortunate Accident

"Ozzie" posed in the pansies before his unfortunate Humpty Dumpty accident. Let's just say, he'll bear the scars of the fall for life.

can you Tell?

We colored Easter eggs today, goose eggs no less, even 9th graders think it is fun. But, can you tell that our class is all boys this year? No pastel girly eggs here. :o)

sorry, but enough is enough Already!

April 17

This was yesterday, what Spring is supposed to look like, thank you.

April 18

This is today, what Spring is not supposed to look like!

is this a Shapeshifter

 

Easter is, after all, only a week away. Does this look like a shapeshifter turning from mule deer to Easter Bunny?

boys of Spring

The local high school Prom is tonight, with all its finery. These other boys are handsome in their formal attire as well. Their Prom dates were totally disdainful of their parading around. The toms were fairly preoccupied, but they were quite aware of a human with a camera and were not posing nicely like the Prom-goers.

under mom's Feet

Any mother of small children can appreciate trying to get anything done with the kids underfoot. This little youth ditched his 3 buddies (yesterday's post) and started bugging mom for a snack. Mom was not amused. He decided to try an approach from the rear instead. One hopes that he did not get his furry little head decorated by a steamy, fresh meadow muffin for his efforts.

naughty Children

 

Small people of every species are curious and often get themselves into difficulty. One snoozer, one snacker and one explorer.

oh, Really?

Please note the symbol in the lower left corner. We shall see! Our local cervids appear to be illiterate and unable to read labels.

another European Immigrant

Viola tricolor, known as Heart's Ease

"Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
It fell upon a little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with loves wound,
And maidens call it love-in-idleness ...
The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid
Will make a man or woman madly doat
Upon the next live creature that it sees."

Shakespeare: Midsummer Night's Dream, ii. 1.

the Immigrant

Siberian squill, a Eurasian immigrant from southwestern Russia, the Caucasus Mts and Turkey. It naturalizes easily, deer think it tastes nasty and it is the first thing to bloom in my yard every year (except maybe dandelions), what is not to love? The blue is so vivid that you notice it clear across the yard in the new green grass despite its diminutive size. You welcome in my garden, stranger.

lions and tigers and...

The hippotomotamus

For some reason, the robins object to a hippo in their birdbath!

the great Race

 Here be the Dragon.

We are studying Newtonian physics in 9th Grade science, the Balloon Car Race was the activity of the day. To demo Newton's 3rd Law, we each got a styrofoam meat tray, 3 drinking straws, 2 bamboo skewers, hot glue and a balloon. Our task was to design a  race car. To be the top dog, your car had to go from end to end of our gym. Other milestones were the half court mark, and the opposite free throw line. I was second or third dog, but I managed to vanquish several of my favorite students! Yesssss!
 

the front of the Bird

Goldfinch lady curious about what is going on on the other side of the window. Her faithful swain is beginning to show his summer plumage. He is tatty looking still, but the distinct black cap is quite clear, waiting to see his dandelion yellow appear.

the bottom of the Bird

Mountain bluebird

Sometimes they help you out, and pose beautifully, sometimes not so much.

snowdrops and Teapot

4/1/11

 

I have had the little tea set with the snowdrops for more than 50 years, a present from my grandmother.

Many hot chocolate parties with my sisters, and then my daughters, have been enjoyed using the little pot and cups and saucers.

I have always loved snowdrops because of these fragile pieces, and have tried to grow the bulbs innumerable times in our challenging South Dakota weather. Finally, success, one hardy little soul has bloomed this year and a second one is trying. Thanks one more time, Ma Nature, for another surprise present.

welcome to the world, Small One

He was not there when I went to the grocery store, when I came back an hour later, there he was! Still wet and not very steady on his feet yet, but in the big world nontheless. The first spring calf to arrive on this balmy April day. Thanks, Ma Nature.

finch through the Fog

The scene: sunrise, laundry from the clothes dryer steams up the window.  The house finch casts just his shadow on the window pane.  Only in silhouette, none of his rosy pink to be seen.