Greetings from the Hill City South Dakota and Points Southeast

We spent a day traveling between Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park and the Crazy Horse Memorial. I have a lot to tell you about Crazy Horse but will save it for another blog. It was our first trip to the area and I just fell in love with the scenery and the people we met along the way. If you plan to see Mt. Rushmore I suggest approaching through Custer State park on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. Not only is the scenery beautiful but you get a glimpse of Mt. Rushmore not once, but twice through rock cut tunnels. Very cool.

Custer State Park was a great place to explore. Plan on taking one to two days to see everything. The buffalo herd is vast and you run into them in the most unexpected places. We also enjoyed the Needles Highway with it's high lookouts and switchbacks. I did notice my brake pads getting a bit overheated on the way down. Stop often to enjoy the view!

Greetings From the Moon

Okay, It's not really the moon but it sure feels like it. We are in the Badlands of South Dakota. I have never been anywhere like this. It is a very surreal place. The hills are composed of bentonite clay that has hardened and eroded over time. The Badlands hold the fossilized remains of prehistoric camels, horses and rhinoceros dating from 37-28 million years old. It's a great place to photograph. The light and shadow are constantly changing. This is a place you must see in your lifetime.

Greetings from the World's Only Corn Palace

Here are some photos from the first stop of our trip out west. The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota has been around for over 100 years. Every May the exterior of this concrete structure is redecorated with a new theme. This year's theme is "Everyday Heroes." The exterior is covered with locally grown corn and grains. 500,000 people tour this facility yearly. Yes, this building does serve as a giant bird feeder. That's me with my Husband Mark on the left. Mark, Matt (my son the ham) and his friend Whitney are in the bottom right photo. One thing that you should know about me is that I love kitschy places. I dream of having my picture taken in the mouth of the giant Muskie in Hayward, Wisconsin.

The Wedding Day

Here are some photos from the wedding of Jeremiah and Rachel Daly. They were married on Saturday at Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park Colorado. It was a breath taking site. The backdrop in the photo is the Continental Divide.

It was the first time we had a chance to meet our nephew's bride. On top of her never ending effervescent smile was an amazing spirit. Jeremiah is a very lucky man. We met so many wonderful people on this trip. Many of the people I met will never be forgotten. The couple is surrounded by the love and support of amazing families and friends. Here is a shot of the groom's mother, my sister in law, Rebecca escorting their flower dog Fiona to the altar.

Seeing Jer and Rachel together you can tell they were made for each other and their marriage will hold a lifetime of happiness. Oh, did I mention we were honored to give the groom and his bride a lift to the reception?

More Winter Musings

Here is another winter shot of my farm from my work area. You can see one of my stained glass snowflakes hanging in the window. It is time to start making these items again. I was surprised to find out they sell year round. Sales really take off in the Summer and I can't keep them in stock the last 3 months of the year.

The Wedding Quilt

We've been waiting for this day for a long time. My nephew Jeremiah and his bride to be Rachel are getting married today. You would not believe how beautiful the setting is for this event. More pictures after the holiday.

They requested a wall hanging in earth tones. This pattern is from Evelyn Sloppy's Log Cabin Fever Book called "Delectable Log Cabins". It is a variation of the deletable mountain block. The quilting was done by a local quilter from Elroy, Jane Wiess.

Jer and Rachel are an amazing couple and will have a wonderful life together.

Lovely Dress models

I just had to share these photos with you. I went shopping in Madison with my friends Cindy and Marcella. Here are some shots of the dress mannequins in the window at the local sewing machine shop. What a creative idea.

Shady Grove in the Winter

I've been talking a lot about the greening of our land. I thought you might enjoy some winter shots. On New Years Eve day we had a hoarfrost. Hoarfrost forms on clear nights when objects on the ground become colder than the air. I love the hoarfrosts and always look forward to them. On top of the frost we had about 3 feet of snow on the ground. I've added a shot of my tall husband knee deep in snow. The snow started on November 30th and never melted until late March. This is the most snow I have seen in years. My husband Mark had to get really creative with new places to pile the snow. The pile by our mailbox was at least 6' high by the end of the winter.

The Amazing Jack

Jack is our Australian Shepherd. For those who aren't familiar with the breed, they are a high energy working dog that need a job to keep them focused. Jack has no herd to watch so he is in charge of keeping an eye on us. His other job is to play Frisbee no matter what the weather. If you don't think it's a good idea he reminds you that it is his job and it needs to get done. He is extremely athletic and always strives to perfect his Frisbee playing skills. This is not a breed of dog for a city setting or someone that likes to sit on the couch. They love to run, play and exercise. They are also so brilliant and creative that you will find yourself always laughing at their anticts. Jack keeps us very amused.

Dyed Cotton Fabric

I LOVE to dye fabric! It is worth all the time spent and the results are fabulous. I can always think of a dozen projects I can make with the fabric when I am dying. I am disciplining myself to start a journal of these ideas for future use and believe me it takes a lot of discipline. I am always thinking five steps ahead and it is hard to slow down long enough to make a quick note.

Look for my hand dyed quilting fabric for sale in early June. Have a wonderful week!