Elizabeth vs. The Mountain!

For half a month now, the skies have been opened, and the rain has poured incessantly. Flash-flood warnings have been posted in many places in South Dakota. The land has begun to look and feel like a very large version of New England. It's is verdant... wet... humid... moldy (ok- no mold-yet)... mosquitoes everywhere-sheesh- this is not why I moved out here! I have been threatening to build an ark... and my mood has been really, really lousy!

However, just as I was about to jump off of a bridge into the (now broiling, turbulent) Rapid Creek, a funny thing happened. The sun came out...for an entire week! AND- Lizzie came back for the summer! Elizabeth, aka 'Lizbeth, Lizzy, Liz is Nancy's daughter and her youngest. Lizzie and I first met up last summer. Since then, shes' been my youngest partner in adventure!

This Saturday, Lizzie and I went to climb Bear Butte. It was fun seeing Lizzie again- she is much more grown up, and just as much fun as last year!

I should explain that Lizzie lives in Florida, and there (as far as I can determine) they have no mountains (maybe sand dunes?) So, as a "Flat Lander", Lizzie has no opportunity to climb mountains during the school year.

BUT! She was agreeable, and so we began the journey...

The first thing I noticed was that the Tinpsila is in bloom. This is known as the turnip, but is actually in the peanut family, and has relatives- known as breadfruit- which exists throughout the world.

It is important, as it is used in buffalo soup in Lakota country, and I have been honing my skills at harvesting it, for just this purpose.



The light was truly lovely this weekend-

a perfect time to be out and about taking pictures.
I'm not sure, but I think this one is called a sword plant?
I wish I could have gotten the blooms better- they were just gorgeous!

Because of all the rain we've had,
the flowers are spectacular this year...
this Penstemon was blooming everywhere!















Though Lizzie did some good-natured complaining, she was excellent company.

We met many people on the trail- some veterans, some obviously cancer patients, and some NDN. There were two NDN veterans who were gathering sage... Lizzie and I had just stopped to shake hands and exchange pleasantries. After we passed, they scared a yellow-bellied marmot out of his hiding place. It was amusing to see his hasty, tubby departure uphill!



(Yellow-Bellied Marmot- chillin'!)










These pink Coral Bells are literally growing out of the rocks... dunno where their roots are going to!















Stopping to take pictures gave both me and Lizzie a good break. She really got into the picture-taking thing. She even took a few herself, like this Sulphur flower, below:





















Sometimes it seems like you're never going to get there...





























Even with all these rests, though, she sat down towards the end, even though she was in sight of the very top! lol!
















It's good to be able to activate your "Lifeline Option", though, and after this brief consultation, she was empowered again to continue, and...




... text everyone, at the top, to let them know you made it! ;-)














To sum it all up, I guess it was a pretty good day!
















...a few more acquaintances we made along the way...

South Dakota Sky: Thunderstorms!

View to the South, towards Pine Ridge, June 2010

Though I haven't mentioned it much before, the Thunder Beings play a major part of the life that I have come to know and love in this new land which I now call home. They shape the land, day- and how the people live. In the winter, the Thunder Beings come back to The Nest in the Black Hills. In the early Spring (Solstice) they awaken and again are active throughout the South Dakota sky. Though I haven't had a really really good thunderstorm yet this year, I await one with great excitement!

Tonight, though there were severe storm warnings everywhere, they went to the East of us. This is what they look like from above...

I had just gotten back from a nice dinner at Minerva's with Jhon... luckily- just in time to snap these extraordinary series of photos- taken seconds apart! Do you not think that the photos taken below are much more beautiful?

The meteorological name for them is mammutus cloud. They are like upside-down bubbles in the sky. There is more information available to read on these interesting and beautiful clouds at wired.com.
























































Beauty is all around me!





Addendum: There were stories in the paper the next day all about the storm. In fact- a tornado was produced by the storm- far away from Rapid City, though...















Here are two of the most dramatic and beautiful photos of lightening that I have ever seen- taken by JhonDuane right out back of the house in the country!
(Click to enlarge!)













©JhonDuane Goes In Center














Thunderstorm 19 July, 2010














A South Dakota hailstone- a possible new record for size?

Awesome!

Memorial Day Weekend

In New England, Memorial Day is called Decoration Day. We would go to graves of relatives and veterans, to honor them by leaving small tokens of flowers or flags, maybe saying a prayer.

First, we would go to the parade with our children. After that, we'd go and clean and decorate Aunt Grace and Uncle Charlie's grave site, in the next town. Then we would go back home and have a picnic barbecue.

However no one I know here in South Dakota cares to do such things. This leaves me with a 3-day weekend to fill with something else that is meaningful. I had some vague idea of going to the hills and wandering around- nothing more. But when my friend Nancy called before I was even out of bed, wanting to know what I was going to do, and could she go too ...decisions had to be made!

I was at Nancy's house by 9 AM and we were on our way.

We first headed out to Harney Peak. The name of this peak is objectionable in the extreme. General Harney was responsible for the slaughter of many innocent Lakota in the 1800's. This particular peak, is most sacred(Wakan) in the Black Hills, and recognized as "The Center of All That Is" by the Lakota. They call it Hinhan Kaga Paha.

"Genl. Harney having concluded to attack them in the morning and sent for most of his officers obtained their opinions and unfolded his plans...It soon became evident that we were not going to come up with the enemy, and Genl. Harney was very apprehensive he would escape especially so from the first thrust...In order to gain time and to learn something of the desperation of these Indians, Genl. H. sent the Interpreter Campbell forward to propose a talk upon which the Chief Little Thunder came out to meet him and said he would come in if the troops were halted so as not to approach nearer his people...Little Thunder said he did not want to fight and he was afraid to talk with so many soldiers..."

The "good" general murdered many innocent people in retaliation for the "Battle of the Mormon Cow". It is a sacrilege that this wakan spot is named for a man who murdered so many innocents. I often refer to it as Epahaska ("that white peak there"), and so I will refer to it, here.

Sylvan Lake was crawling with people, so we continued on down to The Needles, also known as The Nest. The day was unfolding in exquisite beauty.



Custer Park was the most busy that I have ever seen it. We decided to continue on to Cascade Springs, in the Southern Hills. Armed with a picnic lunch, and finally away from the crowds, we had a blissful hour of quiet. Though here, too there were other visitors, the demeanor of all was one of quiet respect, and we were left in peace.



It was nice to see that our small friend, Tsusweca was already here to greet us.


The springs are peaceful and lovely at any time of year, but in the Spring, the beauty is just overwhelming, and has new marvels every time I visit.

Beauty is all around us...what more is there to say!













































Did I mention how beautiful was the sky?

(Do you see the face in the cloud?)







The streams issuing from the spring are lined with watercress, which is now everywhere in bloom!

Our chicken picnic consumed, and one last longing look at the spring's luscious serpentine splendor, and we were on our way.

Through the village of Hot Springs, we traveled North, back towards the Black Hills... it was now late afternoon.









At this time of year the plains are resplendent. Regarding the world of 4-footed's, buffalo calving is upon us. One never knows if any buffalo will be seen.

We were lucky... there were plenty- posing for the cameras... one suspects it to be part of the Homeland Recovery effort, as normally aggressive bulls loll amongst the crazy wasichu, who spare no effort, (or peril to life and limb) to photograph- at ridiculously close-range, large animals that could snort at them and kill them.

No, that would NOT be me, I took this from the safety of my car between me and the bull... also, this photo has been heavily cropped... the original had the bull as a small dot in the middle of the photo! lol!

These two budds were having a whole lot of fun in a wallow just to the right of the photo.









This mom and her babe are just returning to the herd.











































Blue-eyed grass























Campion





















Fringed Gromwell




















Larkspur








































Lonely Lily






















Sand Lily





















Shooting Star





















Wild Iris (Flag)




















Mountain Bluebell













...er-uhh, well, ok! This is not a flower, it is a um, mushroom, or whatever they call these things, that one can eat. It's called a puffball, and I have had them pointed out plenty of times in the New England.

Yes, I have eaten them, when someone knowledgeable picks and cooks 'em... but- no, I am not going to trust myself to know what I am doing with 'em! lol!


The last stop of the day was the Elk Pasture, and then on to the large pasture to the North of the Fire Tower...




After this the sun was setting, and it was time to call it a day. It was enough for the day, considering that, with such beautiful memories- what more could we want?