Discovering Rapid City...

 We woke up in the morning to this...it looks like rain, but it was snow flurries...which was actually a bit better to drive in than rain...but I guess it wasn't cold enough to stick...the temps that day were steady at between 32-34...so we put on an extra layer and jackets and went out to discover downtown Rapid City...

 We had passed this quilt shop a couple times in previous days...I knew I had to stop here...boy am I glad I did!! Iwas the cutest quilt shop I have ever been in!!

 It was actually a two story Queen Ann styled house and every room was it's own adventure! They were all themed with all the fabric and patterns to make all the items that were there...plus much much more!

 The owner designed all the patterns...Pearl Louise Designs...I loved them! They were all so cheerful...I bought several patterns...all the patterns were 25% off too...now that was a plus!! They had other patterns too...but I loved all of hers...isn't this little chandelier cute!

 I loved the little doll section...lots of patterns to make American Girl doll and children's clothes...precious baby items...and displayed so sweetly!

 Since it was still October...there were Halloween decorations to greet us as we walked in...and candy! Plus they offered us coffee or hot chocolate and had a nice comfy place for Don to sit and snack while I looked around...he even looked around...even Don was impressed!

 After we left the shop we headed towards downtown...we had read about life sized bronze statues of all the Presidents...so we decided that was something worth checking out...it was still snowing lightly as we wandered around...these statues were incredible...each one depicted the President in a way we probably think of them...I picked pictures of three I think were easily recognizable...yes...that FDR...if you look around the back you can see the braces on his legs...

 I loved this one of President Kennedy...

 And Thomas Jefferson signing the Declaration of Independence...very cool! After we finished getting all the pictures of all the Presidents...we had worked up an appetite...so we found a place for lunch that looked like fun...

 The Dakota Soda Company is right downtown...and looks like a 50's diner...the menu was on a giant chalkboard...this way they can change the menu daily...we decided on soup and sandwiches...it was cold...soup sounded good...

 But of course we had to have a taste of the frozen custard...we have frozen yogurt here...now this was a real treat! It was Cherry and not just the cherry flavor...there were huge pieces of fresh cherries in every bite! Top with freshly whipped cream and a few sprinkles...YUM! How I wish I had some right now!!

It was getting colder...we were getting wetter... so we thought we'd stop for a few snacks for the night...this car in front of us pretty much sums up western South Dakota...they have it all...in case you can't tell what every thing is there...kayak, snow boards, bikes,and  fishing poles . We headed back to the hotel ordered in some Chinese food...and went to the hotel social...another great day in South Dakota!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Deadwood, South Dakota....

 Sorry tp be gone so long...blogger has been a pain...it seems I have to pay because I post too many large pictures...oh well...I decided if I can't post the way I want...why bother...it's not really that much...but another reason for my continued absence is my Etsy shop...Christmas shoppers have been good to me this year and I have had challenges keeping up...no complaints here...the doll carriers I started making last Spring have been incredible sellers...WHO KNEW?? Anyway...back to my trip...we left Wyoming and headed back to South Dakota...our destination was Deadwood...

 Theweather was a bit rainy and then cloudy...wonderful we thought...

 We met a few more friends on the way...we laugh because the deer always seem to pose for us...not quite sure if I scare them and they stand so still out of fear...our they are just checking me out too! A little of both I suppose...I don't have deer in my neck of the woods...only in the mountains which are a 15 minute drive...and rarely do I see them there...so I am fascinated by seeing so many!

 It was a pretty drive...still quite a bit of color here in western South Dakota... 

 Deadwood is up higher in the hills...I call them hills because where I am from...these are hills...the elevation is about 4500 feet...these rugged hillsides remind me of home...

 Dead wood was a bit of a disappointment I thought...not much happening here...I expected a little more of the atmosphere we found in Tombstone, AZ...nice old buildings...but we didn't find a lot of the history we were searching for...maybe we looked in the wrong places...maybe it was the season...don't know...I just knew that Wild Bill Hitchcock was shot here...and Calamity Jane spent time here...thought I'd find something more about that. 

 We walked all around...it wasn't hard...its small...ate a nice lunch...lost $20 in a slot machine faster than I could believe...that's about it...I'm glad we saw it though...I love seeing as much as I can when I travel...

As we headed back to our hotel in Rapid City we heard on the radio that snow was on the way...REALLY?? Snow in October?? More excitement for us though...stay tuned for more of our adventures...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

This can't be right??

Sorry I have been absent a while, but I'm really not sure what I should do...I found out I can no longer add pictures to my blog without paying...and I think it might be more than I want to do...I haven't yet decided what I will do. I really enjoy sharing my life and experiences...but at what cost?? Not sure...I guess I'll have to decide...have any of you encountered this new pay system? What did you do? 

Until I decide what to do...Happy Thanksgiving!!

Devil's Tower...Wyoming...

 I don't think I mentioned this before...but while we were in Rapid City we stayed at a very nice Howard Johnsons...they had a social every evening with popcorn and drinks...there we met a really nice couple from Alberta, Canada...we exchanged stories about our trip...and we found out about a place we didn't know was so close...so the next morning...we set out to Wyoming and Devil"s Tower...

As the days went by on the trip...it was getting colder each day...it rained a bit on the drive...but that didn't dampen our spirits...there was even talk of snow soon!

As we crossed the border...we thought we'd better check in at the visitor center...and see what lie ahead...

We had a little fun while we were there...

Looked around and got some information about Devil's Tower...we found out that there are 22 Indian folk tales about how this place came to be...

Wyoming was a beautiful place...rolling hills...

rambling streams...

rugged cliffs...

But wait...we are getting close...

Off in the distance...can you see what I saw!

The locals said we were on the right road...

Oh my! It was like nothing I ever saw before...

It was like a huge piece of rock just shot up out of the ground!

The truth is...the rock there froze millions of years ago...and the ground around it eroded over time and fell away...I can't explain how I felt at that moment...so small...so amazed at the wonders of our earth...

There is a 3 mile trail that goes all around, but it had been raining...we met a couple who had gone up and got soaked...the threat of rain was still there...so we decided to just take a few trails right nearby...On nice days...mountain climbers can be found here...that must be a thrill!

This was a really pretty place...I found that I like Wyoming a lot!

The area all around was wooded...there were pine trees everywhere...and a stream running too.

We left reluctantly...another beautiful spot...another wonderful adventure...our next stop would be Deadwood...for lunch and possibly another adventure!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!

Mount Rushmore...

 On of our main goals when heading out to western South Dakota was to see Mount Rushmore...this may see strange to many of you...but its been a dream of mine for years and years...the dream was about to turn to reality in just a few minutes...I was on the edge of my seat! A nice woman at one of the many visitor centers we had been to told us to talk a different route into the area...this way you could view the mountain as you were approaching...

 Oh I am so glad we listened to her...there it is!!!

 We had to drive a bit further through some tunnels...

 And bridges...

 Getting closer...

 A bit further to go...

 We met a friend on the way...

 We made it!!!

 What an awesome sight to behold...yes...Mount Rushmore looks great too...

 I can't believe we made it...I thought I was going to cry standing there and staring...such an incredible journey getting here...such a beautiful place...such an amazing story...

 In 1925, Gutzon Borglum was invited to the Black hills by state historian, Doane Robinson...he came with his son, Lincoln.Originally, Mr. Robinson wanted western heroes up on a different peak...can you imagine how that would have turned out?? Anyway...Mr Borglum thought the original peak was unsuitable for carving and they chose this spot. Mr. Borglum suggested that for such an impressive peak...there should be national heroes...

 The reason these four were chosen were because Washington was the first President and many consider him the father of the country...Thomas Jefferson because he doubled the size of the country with the Louisiana Purchase...Abraham Lincoln held our country together and Teddy Roosevelt supported the building of the Panama Canal...expanding world trade and a friend of Borglum as well as a friend to National Parks.Construction started August 10, 1927 and shut down October 31, 1941...Mount Rushmore has never been finished for a couple reasons...the first being that Borglum died suddenly in March of 1941 and secondly...the project ran out of money due to WWII.

 The faces were dedicated in different years...the first one being Washington in 1936...Many wonder how Mount Rushmore got its name...it was named for a young attorney, Charles Rushmore, in 1885...he was thinking of mining in the area...asked about the mount and what its name was...they ended up naming it after him. Isn't this an awesome place...I still pinch myself to see if I was really there!

 Can you tell we're a bit on the excited side...it was really cold when we arrived...we didn't care...we stood and stared and stared...

 It was getting late...notice the difference in the lighting...the sculpture faces southeast...so it will get morning sun...The faces were carved in this order...Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and then Roosevelt...can you see Teddy Roosevelt,s glasses? Pretty cool...huh!!

 We met another friend who has been hanging out here for quite some time...that is a radio collar on him...to track him...

 Another pretty exciting thing...although this is as excited as he seemed to get...was meeting...Don "Nick" Clifford...he is the last living person who worked on the carving. He is a native of Pierre, South Dakota...and we purchased his book and he was kind enough to sign it and pose for a picture...he is 92. I have read the book cover to cover...very interesting facts in there!

I leave you with my final look at the monument...so sad to leave...but there was more vacation to be had...more exciting things to see...but nothing would be as anticipated as this was!!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!