Something Wicked...

"Storms in the Distance, or South Dakota's Light Shows."

I've got just a few posts from South Dakota that I will thrust upon you Ozark-info-seekers here.  But hey, it IS an Ozarker's travels, so - ya' got that goin' for ya'.

This last visit to my Dad's in SD was a humdinger, filled with family, food, travels, partying, sight-seeing, and mostly a lot of laughs.  

Good family is so good to have.  

One thing this Ozarker has really noticed about South Dakota is the storms.  We think they roll in quickly in the Ozarks; but I'm beginning a theory that its the fact we can't SEE them. Unless you're keeping your eye on the radar, you are often surprised in the Ozark hills.  The trees are tall, the hills are, well, hill-y, and weather has a tendency to build over the top of us (storms don't always roll in, they often "pop" up).

In SD, however, storms are all around you that never hit you.  Makes for great little light shows in the distance on a gorgeous evening.  For example, this little humdinger we witnessed before the rest of the fam showed up on this last trip. I heard something rolling in the distance.  It had been such a clear evening and day.  So, I grabbed my poor camera and...

...took off running.  Obviously.

My "method" of photography here was to keep clicking.  I only took 14 shots if that tells you how constant the lightning was.  It was unbelievable.  The sky seems so huge in SD, and the storms in the distance are even more, somehow, ominous than the ones right over the top of you.  Please note the little raindrops on my little camera as I'm clicking...I'm clicking...

It looks like, why, yes.  Yes, I think something wicked this way DOES come.  Wait, huh?  Its very exciting, anyway.  This is as close as this one came.  But I would like to shout out to all the South Dakotans out there.  You guys sure can handle stiff winds and full grocery carts.  And I'm talking on a daily basis.  That's a little trick ya'll have to teach me. My 3 year old got blown across a Wal-Mart parking lot, and I think people just looked at me like, "What a terrible mother; and where are you from, anyway? Eh?" 

Truly though, they're hospitable, warm, friendly, helpful pepole.  And - you live in a beautiful, awe-inspiring state SDs.  Party on, Sturgis!!!  Thanks for letting us parade the kiddies through pre-party.  We are like, total posers, and we all, like, all of us, like totally got shirts.  And I think, like, totally we are all just letting our friends think we totally went to Sturgis.  I know I am.  Totally.   (Hey - I didn't SAY I did, I just didn't say I didn't.  Heh heh.)

Yours truly,

American Bad-Ass

A Park in South Dakota

We apologize for the break in transmission, but our technical (or geographical) difficulties are resolved, and we're back on the air, baby!

South Dakota is gorgeous.  Just for those many, many, many of you that have never been there.  It's just gorgeous.  Right now it is all yellow-flowered hills and blue skies and big, fluffy white clouds.  

However, for some odd reason, the photos I took of those rolling hills didn't turn out.  Maybe something to do with the 80 mph, barreling-down-the-highway speeds, because-it-takes-30-minutes-to-get-anywhere, man-these-are-some-wide-open-spaces photography?

What I can share with you are some great photos of probably one of the most beautiful and clean parks I've ever been to.  The cottonwoods were majestic.  And, as all Ozarkers love trees, we were intrigued by their exotic-ness.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess this is why they are called cottonwoods?

The "cotton" was everywhere.  Including up our noses.

However, the trails were so clean and every turn in the bend was different and fascinating scenery.

Besides the trails, the playground was a big hit as well.  Again with the wide open spaces.

And those cottonwoods? Great climbing trees.

My Dad moved to South Dakota last year and while we were all skeptical initially, we are loving it.  We really enjoyed our time there.  More posts on that to come!

And thanks again, Dad!  We love you!