The Fair

This is the vegetable collection that I entered in the fair Horticulture department. Some one ask about the ribbons I won so I thought I would tell you about a few of them. I got a red 2nd place on the veg collection. 4 blue, 5 red and 2 white at the horticulture department. I only got a red on the baptism romper from the 37 yr old pillow cases.


When I went to pick up my 6 photography entry's, I was expecting to pick them up in a regular paper bag like all the rest. But instead, this bag above is what they were packed up in.

This entry was the reason for the award bag. To my great surprise, this photo above of my daughter with her youngest daughter on her baptism day, won the people's choice award !

Because I won, I also won a year membership in the Black Hills Photography Society and a $25 Gift Certificate to a local store. It was a pleasant surprise!

These two photo entries I received red second place.

These are the other three photos I entered and did not ribbon on them!

These are the three beefsteak tomatoes that I entered, and they received the Blue ribbon. This picture was taken 10 days after I picked them and they sure have held up nice considering they hadn't even been refrigerated.

Today we used one of them for our BLT sandwiches.

You can tell how firm and meaty these tomatoes are, that's why they are

called beef steak tomatoes. Some other brands are filled with seeds and the softer part.

When the fair started this was a cut off tree. Every year for the past 4 years they have had a chainsaw wood artist at the fair and he did this during the fair. 10 days!

This was the creation he carved last year from another tree trunk not far from

this years creation tree trunk.


Below you will see pictures of some of the many rides.

NO, My husband and I did NOT ride on any of these. We did enjoy a walk around the fair and watching others enjoy the rides and games.

There was one Bungee ride that seemed to have a line and many

who enjoyed the very scary bouncy ride. It cost $35 for one and only $50 for two.

I would guess priority on how one spends money comes into play!

It's not for me!

The Reservation Bouquet

Yesterday, after the Mission church service, craft and meal at the Porcupine mission, one of the young ladies who comes with her family and helps with the mission, picked me this lovely bouquet of flowers that she found out in the area. The taller round yellow flowers have a very sticky feel that hardly washes off your hand and also has a strong unique smell. I remember when I was just a little girl living in ND I would play with these plants. Seeing and smelling these in the bouquet made me feel like that same little girl.

It is a very unique bunch of natural flowers and grasses.

This very fine, wispy grass with the tiny seed at each end really filled in the bouquet.

Now this (whatever it might be) is my favorite. The firm leaves are edged in white and the flowers have very tiny flowers in the center. along with a green seed pod. A very strange unique flower and it still looks as fresh as when it was picked from the prairie field.

I see so many of these as we drive to and from the Reservation along the ditch line. They are very pretty, showy purple. I think it might be some type of Sage or Sylvia. It never has a overly lot of flower on the stem but it keeps blooming higher and seems to bloom for weeks and weeks. If you notice the leaves, you will see many holes from the thousand's of grasshoppers.

Its a good thing that 13 yr old young lady wasn't scared of grasshoppers because they fly up ahead of each step we take like a cloud.

The lonely Wild Sunflower really added to the bouquet. You can also see the Grasshopper munch marks on the yellow peddles.All these flowers and grasses grow very nicely in very hot dry conditions.

Everything about this bouquet reminds me of both Isaiah 40 verse 6,7 & 8, and 1 Peter 1 verse 24 and 25. "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."

We all need to READ the WORD, Study the WORD and Believe the WORD of the LORD.

Hot Springs

A few days ago, my husband and I drove to Hot Springs to enjoy a nice visit and have a picnic with our Mission Pastor and wife and also a Mother and her 2 daughters who had recently moved from our Porcupine Mission area to Hot Springs. We are very happy for her and know this will be a much better, safer area for all of them. It had been 4 months and this was a fun get together for us all. Pastor had a wonderful devotion for us on 23rd Psalm. The Good Shepherd.

After the picnic and devotion the girls met with some of their new friends just down the hill from our picnic spot, at the creek at a spot they call the swimming hole. It looked like a lot of fun and I even waded into my knees. I here say that this creek is 90 degrees all year round.

After the Picnic and everyone else went home, My husband and I walked next to the River on River Walk, to see some of the unique sites and features of Hot Springs. This where one of the natural mineral springs comes out.

It is safe to drink this water and many people come to fill containers with this popular spring.

This is the plaque that shows the Analysis of the natural running spring water. If you click on the picture it will enlarge so you can read it better. The right side states what the water is supposed to cure or help. Yes, we too filled our water containers with this special water created by God alone.

As we walked further down the River walk, we came to a water fall.

This is so close to the sidewalk that you can reach out and touch it.

That beautiful green is a moss.

The unique moss. I love the different colors of green.

The rock wall next to the river is also very picturesque. It is a red color sand stone and you can see where many have scratched names or just tryed to dig it out.

Across from the river are many of these castle looking buildings that are still used today as hotels, apartments, stores etc. These buildings are quite old and were made from many cut out rocks from the many sandstone canyons around the area.

This old church was also one of those buildings.

In Hot Springs, steps like these and even higher steps are not an uncommon site with many hills in the City. These led to the Church.

This is the front of the church.

This is the corner Stone and you can see the name is St Luke's and the date is 1834.

It was a very fun day for us. After the in town experience, we drove around through a canyon and to view a couple beautiful lakes. More on this later. God's creation is GOOD!

This is another feature next to the river. It is a band shell where they may still have special gatherings and concerts. I am sure the audience sat on the open grassy area from where I took this picture. Maybe even sat across the creek to listen to music and bands.

If you want to see more about Hot Springs, check this site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQniDWGE6mY

The big 60 Birthday

On Sat Aug 1st a group of friends helped me and my husband celebrate my 60th Birthday.
It was a beautiful day and this is the Log Cabin Latch string Restaurant where we ate supper. This is one of my favorite restaurants and I absolutely love How God shows his creative beauty in His majestic creation!.

This is the group of friends who were there to help celebrate. The older gentleman who resembles Santa, sitting on the left, led us in a wonderful birthday prayer with his memorized Scripture verses and many years in the ministry. A BIG THANKS!
All except 3 were also celebrating birthdays within a 3 week time frame. When we sang it was easier to say except for ____ & ______ & _____, then it was to sing all the names with Birthdays. It was a fun evening!

This is just a bit of that beautiful scenery from the Restaurant patio where we ate supper.

This is Roughlock falls that is a little further West up in Spearfish Canyon. It is a tall waterfall that can only be seen from a scenic walkway. When our two daughters were young, about 6&7 years old, we could wade right up to the falls and we can remember standing in back of the falls looking out through the falling water. Great memories and I also remember how very cold the water was!

This is Spearfish Falls! It is not as tall of a fall but we can get way close to this falls and even feel and enjoy the mist as you can see in the picture.

Me and my husband with Roughlock Falls in the background.

Me with my husband with Spearfish Falls in the background. We were actually getting a little wet from the mist!

More of the Canyon wall scenery!

A friend snapped this picture of me in the Spearfish Canyon forest.

I received really nice cards, I was surprised that so many said the big 60 on them.

The actual day of my Birthday, Aug 5th, God gave me this beautiful gift of His Majestic power and Love. It is not everyday one gets to witness such beauty in the sky above.

This only reminds me of the special card I received from my loving parents. The verse said:

Always remember, when God made you, He did so with a purpose and a plan. He saw all your days before you lived one of them and placed over you the covering of His protective love.

He has allowed nothing to come into your life that has not first

been screened through that love. His hand has remained upon you to this very day.

He calls you by name. You are His beloved child...

the apple of His eye...

the delight of His heart. Today you are in the exact place He wants you to be,

and tomorrow He will be with you as He has always been in goodness, in kindness, in faithfulness.

I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1

My Cousin came over with a gift and we enjoyed a nice visit and a Root beer Float!

(if you who know me, you know I love Root beer Floats!)
I received many phone calls, Thank You Charity and Melissa and Mom and Dad!

You can see the Birthday remembrance smile box that my youngest daughter created for me. Check her blog site

Life With The Suttons
Happy Birthday Mom

I received many cards, this is only a few! I also received gift card with Birthday card, and a card from my cousin in WV. who always seems to remember my birthday and I always seem to forget hers ! Last year we were at their home and she surprised me with a beautiful cake! The square card pictured above, with the big yellow 60 on it actually plays music when it is opened. "Let the sun shine, let the sun shine in" What a fitting song!

When I think of the sun and sun shine, I always think of Jesus the Son of God and His Love shines in us!

This is a Golden Lights Azalea plant that I received form one of my close friends.

I am very excited about this plant and I hope I can keep it alive to remind me of this special day and also our friendship!

This is a special gift from one of my friends, Its a special cane. you can see the horn, also the

OLD LADY XING sign.
At the top is a magnifying glass, a cloth to wipe sweat I assume. A small spray bottle that says DIRT OLD MAN REPELLENT!

I believe this will have to be one of the gifts that will be past

on to a friend as it is her turn to turn 60!

My husband got me a matching lawn chair recliner. It is very comfortable and as much as I enjoy the outdoors, I know I will enjoy many hours in that chair!

One of my friends came over last evening to bring some fresh picked raspberries. We enjoyed about a hour time sitting, relaxing in these chairs. What a nice birthday visit!

My cousin always surprises me with a special gift. A T-shirt, strawberry plant thatI can start and grow, and a travel bag for toiletries. Also a black fleece vest not pictured.

This is another T-shirt I received from friends, I am not sure I am brave enough to wear it!

But is is really cute!

This was another cute gift I received. You can see below what makes this gift so cute!

I hope you have enjoyed a few of my Birthday memories. It was fun and every year is a special blessing from Our Loving Father in Heaven.
Thank You to all who remembered me on my special day!