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...