LOOKING UP, LOOKING DOWN

After climbing many steps , like 150 or more, we arrive at the tallest and biggest dinosaur's on this high hill in our city. This Dinosaur Park is quite a land mark. No mater where you are in the city, when you look up you can see this big dinosaur from one angle or another. Our city wraps around this hill. There is a very popular sight seeing road at the top, curvy edge of this hill called Sky Line Drive. The area is full of natural grasses, and wild flowers which adds to the beauty. Wild Life is often spotted as one drives the curvy tree lined hill top road. You can see how high up we are with these pictures of the city. The picture to the lower left is toward the West and shows one of the oldest shopping mall, Baken Park. There is also a popular park, Ball park and swim pool, and big sport complex.
The photo on the right is towards the East. It
shows down town and main street.

These pictures are toward the South West. Notice the Hill in the background.

Finally a picture toward the way South West.

This is a very nice view of the Black Hills from a high point on Sky Line Drive.

A single Tulip

Explain this one? How did this tall tulip get in the center of our lawn? It's amazing how RED it looks with all the green grass around it. It is really tall too, about 16 inch's.

David and Goliath are back!

For years I had been wanting a garden pond for our yard. Then in spring of 2001, our youngest daughter and her husband gave us the pond for mothers day, fathers day and a anniversary gift. We had to do the digging and placing but it certainly has been a joy. The red cistern pump was one we had in our ND farm house when I was a young girl. The only source of water besides a couple of out door pumps(wells). My husband is very handy and set this up to aerate the water for the fish. Today we brought our 2 fish back from my youngest daughters first grade class room where they live and stay in a aquarium all winter. You can see why they are named David and Goliath, because of their size difference. Of coarse the large golden spotted fish is Goliath. They are about 5 yrs old and the school/garden pool arrangement seems to work out well for everyone. I'd like to thank the Zion 1st grade for taking such good care of David and Goliath.

Spearfish Canyon

Last Sunday, May 6Th, My Husband and I were visiting with friends and also attended their church at Spearfish. Since we absolutely love Spearfish Canyon, we decided to drive through the curvy winding canyon on our way to our friends home. It had rained most of Saturday and was still lightly raining during the drive. I had never been through the canyon when it was raining so everything looked so different.

The main thing was Bridal Veil Falls. This has always been a very fine, trickle of a water fall. I guess that's why the name fit it so well. As you can see from this photo, it was a mighty, roaring water fall from the 2" rain. The sound of the falls and the running water as it rushed over rocks and curves at the bottom was magnificent.

There are 2 other much larger falls in the canyon that can only be viewed by walking a trail. Since it was raining, we did not take the time to do that. I would imagine they were triple their normal size as well. The Canyon is a very popular winter retreat with snowmobile trails, sleigh rides and hiking. The fall foliage is splendid and brings out thousands of sight seer's during the peak of color. If you ever get a chance to tour the Black Hills of SD, Spearfish Canyon is a must!

CREEPING FHLOX

I know, I know, More flower pictures!

I just had to share these pictures of this amazing plant. It basically needs very little care. It looks like it is dead and possibly frozen out over winter, then spring comes and it is absolutely loaded with tiny beautiful blossoms so close together that it looks almost like a carpet. I wish it would bloom all summer but I guess the 3 weeks in spring will have to do.

I have 3 different colors and they spread
each year. The picture above is a close up of
the many tiny dime size blossoms on the Creeping Fhlox.
The lawn ornament with the pink glass ball was a gift, several years ago, from my oldest daughter, her husband, and at that time their two oldest children as a mothers day gift. It always reminds me of them because it is 2 small children, a little girl and boy flying a kite. You can see the kite to the upper right of the pink ball. We are very thankful that we received 1 1/2 " rain today. Things were very dry here and lakes were very low. Also this will help prevent forest fire's in this beautiful Black Hills. There was a small fire already this week close to Leed .

FULL BLOOM FLOWERING CRAB TREE

It seems early this year, our flowering crab apple tree was in full bloom this week. They are just so beautiful. We have two trees just a foot to the West of our patio and when they bloom its like a big, gorgeous flower umbrella over our patio. It is a mess when they fall off and again when the crab apples fall and again when the fall leaves fall, but sometimes we need to put up with the bad to enjoy the good. Tuesday evening when I was sitting out under the tree, there were so many Bee's (about 3 different kinds) I could hear them buzzing. It definitely brought to mind, Busy as a Bee. What a wonderful way to see and enjoy Gods magnificent creation!

Windy

As you can see, our beautiful flowering crab trees did not last long. Wed and Thur we had strong gusty wind up to 50 MPH. You can see that most of the peddles are now on our patio and also on our lawn. This reminds me of the changes in our life and how life dose not last that long. We are but a vapor as scripture tells it best. We are like the grass in the fields, here one day and gone the next. We are thank full for the time God gives us and He uses us according to His gracious will.