Today is overcast and cool. It's early afternoon and barely 60 degrees! Summer isn't over yet - it'll be back in the 80s tomorrow - but this is one sure sign that it won't last forever. Living someplace with honest-to-god seasons is going to be a novelty, too. In the PNW, our temperatures would cool … Continue reading Spot 68: Pretty Great
Tag: Black Hills
Rally the Troops
When the Sturgis Rally came to town, we did our best to avoid it. Spent all last weekend cooped up indoors, watching movies and laying low. The constant rumble of motorcycle engines was trying, and the attendant traffic issues - all those bikers clogging the roads in and around the Black Hills - felt like … Continue reading Rally the Troops
Donut Judge Me!
I basically drove 100 miles today for a donut. It was a damn good donut, if that helps. And that was a 100-mile roundtrip. I only went 50 miles in each direction to get it. I hope that makes me sound a little less crazy. Trust me. It was worth it. OK, I didn't just … Continue reading Donut Judge Me!
It’s a Wild, Wildlife
Lots of irons in the proverbial fire out here, folks. I don't want to go into specifics so as not to jinx anything, but all the pieces seem to be falling into place. Or at least stacking up like they're going to. For both of us. Vague enough for you? Not to worry: all will … Continue reading It’s a Wild, Wildlife
Sensory Overload
We have done so much exploring the past week, I’m experiencing sensory overload. In the best way possible. When I last updated, we were about to head out into the Black Hills to check out Sheridan Lake, despite the fact that a Severe Thunderstorm Watch had been issued for the area. Sure enough, we encountered … Continue reading Sensory Overload
Mystery Solved
Remember the mystery animal cracker that appeared out of nowhere on my parents' front porch, leaving me and Tara befuddled and a little bit creeped out? We have an explanation, and sadly it involves neither ghosts nor aliens. My brother had texted me and said, "Hey, I think dad eats animal crackers all the time! … Continue reading Mystery Solved
The Whys Have It
I am standing on a bluff in the Badlands, looking over a sprawling prairie so vast it appears endless. A towering cumulonimbus cloud blots out the sun as it advances across the plains in a slow, angry march. Thunder rumbles across the prairie, echoing through the canyons and castle-like spires of red-striped rock so intently … Continue reading The Whys Have It
Open Mouth, Insert Foot
You know how sometimes, occasionally, once in a blue moon, I have a tendency to stick my foot in my mouth and end up in an awkward situation? Oh, boy. A couple of days ago really took the cake. It started with a group text from a number I did not recognize. I assumed they'd … Continue reading Open Mouth, Insert Foot
Make a Change
The timing of our trip was pretty fortuitous. Yesterday was devoted to exploring the Black Hills, and the weather could not have been more perfect: sunshine, a deep blue cloudless sky, and a temperature in the low 70s. Today was grey and rainy and it never climbed out of the 40s. We didn't care though, … Continue reading Make a Change
Today’s Theme is Buffalo
Before our South Dakota trip, I had one goal: to see a buffalo up close. Also, to eat buffalo. That part was easy enough: I ended up having buffalo, in one form or another, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner today. Seeing a buffalo? That was a little trickier. It was looking like a bust three-quarters … Continue reading Today’s Theme is Buffalo
Mark Petruska 