THE BADLANDS OF SOUTH DAKOTA

Badlands National Park

Of all the tours we experienced on our vacation, the Badlands National Park  is the most difficult t0 describe, partially because we only toured the northern part of the 244,300 acres, called the North Loop Road and the Badlands Wilderness Area which probably encompassed about 66,000 acres.

In 1935 Frank Lloyd Wright, the notable architect said, "I've been about the world a lot, and pretty much over our own country, but I was totally unprepared for that revelation call the Dakota Badlands...What I saw gave me an indescribable sense of mysterious elsewhere--a distant architecture, ethereal..., an endless supernatural world more spiritual than earth but created out of it."

The Badlands National Park is a treasure trove of geology, paleontology, and history but its formations are an ever-changing example of water (rain) and wind erosion. The rock formations are very fragile. In a short length of time persons who regularly study these formations can accurately show these effects.

The cardinal rule for tourists, bikers, hikers, and explorers, ADMIRE BUT DO NOT TOUCH, and reports  findings and formations you may think of importance to the entities doing on-going research studies. An 8 year old girl did just that; her find was part of a prehistoric animal whose skeleton was then recovered intact. SHE DID THE RIGHT THING and her name and discovery will be honored when the skeleton becomes a part of a new display to open in 2012. 

Warning to those who may be considering hiking, biking, camping, there is NO POTABLE water or food. Be prepared and watch weather forecasts as very severe thunderstorms and other extreme weather may occur suddenly.

Badlands National Park

The majority of the remaining acreage encompasses the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of the Lakota Indians.
There are three units to the Badlands National Park (BNP): North Unit and Badlands Wilderness Area, Stronghold Unit (also called the South Unit) and Palmer Creek Unit. The latter two are within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

The Sioux Nation is composed of 3 major divisions: Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota. BNP reservation occupied by the Ogala band of the Lakota division.

Although the buttes, mounds, and colored striations of the peaks of rock formations, which I would incorrectly call mountains, are the immediate, awe-inspiring sights, a majority of the acreage is prairie with 60 species of grass which form the foundation of a complex community of wild plant and animal life.

The shaping of the land and life in the Badlands is about 75 million years old when the Earth's climate was warmer than today. Hmmm, wonder if the Warming Climate Green enthusiasts know this--don't think humans existed, maybe so-called humanoids, if you believe in such, but I digress.

A shallow sea covered the Great Plains from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada  and western Iowa to western Wyoming. This sea teemed with life. Today the bottom of that sea is represented by a grayish-black sedimentary rock called Pierre shale which is as rich source of fossilization of creatures that sank to the bottom when they died. Inside and outside BNP Pierre shale has yielded abundant remains of ancient fish, giant marine lizards, huge sea turtles, flying reptiles (ugh), a diving loon-like bird.

The Earth's continental plates pushed and shoved as eons passed, which produced the ancestral Rockie Mountains and causing the land under the sea to rise and the sea retreat and drain away. Thus the Badlands area was exposed to air and sunshine. The climate was humid and warm with much rainfall, creating a subtropical forest which flourished for millions of years.

Bandlands National Park Overlook
(by husband)

But then the climate COOLED. (where are the current ecological nuts???) and dried. Savannas formed as the forest receded. The savanna then became much like the grassland prairie it is today. This band in the rock formations is reddish in color and more visible after a heavy rainfall.

Most of the array of fossils are extinct animals from the Oligocene, a geologic epoch 23-35 million years ago.

Oh yes, a river runs through it--NOT THE MOVIE of the same phrase--but the White River which meanders through most of the acreage.

What about humans? The Badlands area has supported humans for more than 11,000 years, followed by nomadic tribes who settled along the White River and were replaced by the Sioux/Lakota in the mid 18th century and flourished in the region for about 100 years.

And then explorers came, followed by French fur trappers, soldiers, miners cattle farmers and homesteaders who changed the prairie forever; the groups battled over the land for 40 years, culminating in the Wounded Tree Massacre.

For more information and history of the Lakota/Ogala and all related to the Pine Ridge Reservation got to this very complete link.

I am including a few photos we made, but because of the nature of the subject matter, I made a Flickr slide show for those of you who might be interested. For some of you a series of similar photos becomes monotonous.

Photos/FLICKR: by NitWit1 unless otherwise attributed. [FLICKR Slide show should work- Click on slide show in upper right part of page; let me know if it does not. There is a click to detail and attribution of photos in the slide show]

Information attribution: BADLANDS, National Park Service, US Department of Interior brochure, Internet, our esteemed Road Scholar (tour guide) and my observations.



Badlands National Park



FIRST SNOW!



Yucca in the Snow

Snow in Arkansas is not a novelty, but it is not a winter season-long event, either. Some years we receive one snowfall which last a few days; the rest of winter is just gray, wet and something we don't like -- ICE.

The first snow is exciting, and it has come as early as November BUT today, Monday, Dec. 5, we received our first significant, ground-covering snow in north central Arkansas.

It was somewhat surprise, even though some weather reports across the northern state line had it in the forecast. We live slightly south of the state line.



Winter Caught Some Flowers
And Bushes By Surprise

After my early morning coffee, reading e-mails and getting dressed for a glaucoma eye appointment, grumbling to myself how often I had to repeat these appointments a year, Husband (H)and I walked out to very cold rain and sleet, temperature - 34 degrees. Handicapped ramp was covered with sleet. I carefully edged my way down the ramp holding a cold, sleet covered rail. It was 8:30 a.m., appointment at 9 a.m.

It sleeted all the way to the physician's office which is in a town east of my little 'burb.' He drove under the canopy so I could disembark, and then parked in a handicap space, waiting for my return.  YES I have a handicap plate.

I was called into the exam room rather quickly. Last I looked out the weather appeared to be the same and H was smoking outside the car.

This was a full checkup, glacoma check, refraction, and exam  by physician. All was stable except some membrane affected by my cataract surgery is slightly clouded and may require laser surgery later, or sooner if it bothers me. I made up my mind it ain't gonna bother me. I don't need any more medical procedures than I already face.

After checking out for at least 6 months I hope, I wrapped up tight, especially my head as I am combating a sinus infection, I headed out the door at 10 a.m..

LO! and Behold! The whole world had turned white in an hour. As we headed home some roads were nearly covered, and the landscape became whiter and whiter.


Rails Stacked With Snow--That Summer
Flag Is Probably In Shock!

What a nice  early Christmas surprise from Mother Nature. Accumulation looks to be maybe 1-2 inches.

It seems like a day to be cozy, read, catch up on reading and writing blogs, drink decaf coffee, and complete a few minor household duties--which is mostly what I contentedly am doing.

And if this hangs around (current weather report does not support this) I might decide to cook something--not a chore I enjoy.

Fortunately I have some home-made Chicken Noodle Soup frozen, which sounded just right for tonight...and meets my WW criteria as I know what's in it.

After arriving home I grabbed ye ole camera and snapped a few pictures to share with you.

OOPS! Hope No One's Head Is Buried in the Snow!
A Gnome? A Cherub? A Munchkin?

PROGRESSION OF THE SEASON

Just to emphasize and clarify we do not check out on Christmas, as some may have gathered from my recent post, I decided to add a postscript. You might call it that.

This week we completed our Christmas Wish selection and delivered it to the center for distribution. We were amazed at the wonderful and very busy volunteers who seemed very happy to be working so hard.  At the center is a huge area of donations of items and new or old clothing, toys, and miscellaneous items which might be used for Christmas decorations. Each Wish recipient is allowed to chose items from the vast array of donations, according to certain Wish guidelines.

We also delivered a bounty of surplus men's clothing and miscellaneous other items to our favorite 4-legged charity so our beloved rescue, Luckie's friends may have the hope of a "forever home."

The next three weekends we are treating families in our various circle of friends to dinner at a nice restaurant for fellowship and good food (not exactly what I need) but it is Christmas....Tonight (Friday) is the first of the three evenings.

Christmas Tabletop

Today I am setting up two Christmas tabletops which is the extent of our decorations. One is a small fiber optic tree and the other is a lighthouse with a beacon, both cheerful.



Luckie' Christmas Stocking

Luckie has a sock hanged but empty. I dare not put anything in it until Christmas morning or she will find a way to consume, or otherwise tear it up. If she steals any more of my graham crackers on Sunday she may find that big sock barren, or full or running vacuum cleaners, the sound of which she detests.

Three Christmas Cup floral arrangements designed by myself were placed on a china closet/buffet.

We still have 2 Life Group meetings to complete our providing Christmas for 3 families selected from 3 area schools. This Sunday we finalize what still is not done, and next Sunday we wrap and arrange delivery. I was in hospital the very first meeting so I haven't caught up on everything, except we are furnishing 3 boxes fully cooked Christmas turkey w/4 sides/2 pies dinners from a local grocery store and contributed to purchase of clothing and gifts.



Three Floral Cups For the Season

The 3rd Sunday before Christmas we are caroling at area nursing homes, assisted living homes and any special requested visits. If this is at night we may be unable to attend. I cannot stand long periods of time so would have to take rollator which is somewhat a nuisance if we are riding with others.

But I have a personal observance of Christmas I've done for years, some of which began in childhood with the reading of the Holy Scripture of the birth of a Savior. I do it on line  or on my Kindle these days. After all I live in a digital age with everything at my fingertips.

Other things I do is read  Dickens's A Christmas Carol (Tiny Tim) on my Kindle and anything else Dickens may have written. I have his complete works on my Kindle.



Cover

 I will probably read The First Church's Christmas Barrel by Caroline Abbot Stanley (illustrated by Gayle Porter Hoskins-3), a simple story about giving with Mother's personal signature, I found among her belongings after her death. I loved its simplicity, probably written for children.

I loaned it to a friend who claim he lost it, which crushed me since she had a personal love of books so much she signed her name in every book she owned to proclaim possession.

After much searching I found an original copy at Alibris, a web site where rare, or out-of-print and used books may often be found. I bought the same edition, exactly as the previous book which was some solace, except it did not have her signature. It can be downloaded from Google Books to computers or some e-readers. I did not see Kindle or Nook among them.

This "illustration" is one of  only three
 in The Furst Church's Christmas barrel
All three are sepia toned but are some kind of
 paintings, from which plates were probably
made for printing. In 1912 publishing and
 illustrating a book was much different
than today.

I also have Handel's Messiah playing on my computer's DVD player. I believe it to be the highest classical piece of music ever composed by man, except, perhaps that of angels. I  am not the only one who has an high opinion of this music; King George II stood for the entire performance of the the Hallelujah Chorus, setting a precedence which all knowledgeable classical music aficionados follow. Stand when the Hallelujah Chorus is performed.

A few years ago 3 friends and I attended a performance of mixed Christmas music in Branson. When the musicians began the Hallelujah Chorus we stood like lost soldiers for a few seconds, before the huge crowd got the point. I learned that fact in choir as a child. It seems my generation forward has little respect for any subject: our National Anthem, our Flag, our Pledge of Allegiance, much less some piece of music they may not appreciate.

I usually have other Christmas music playing on my laptop, too varying to Carols to tradional seasonal music. Two of my favorites are O Holy Night /JoanSutherland and The Holy City /Charlotte Church.

2nd Illustration - Barrel On
Back of Horse (this did
not make a good  photo
nor did Photoshop help.

[Links are to YouTube renditions- if you don't like operatic voice, search YouTube and there are multiple fine selections; my husband literally turns off his hearing aids when I play this kind of music. I had my favorite opera singer Marilyn Horne singing Carmen/Bizet, particularly Habernera, which I played in car-actually attended a performance of Horne/Carmen in Dallas many years ago!]

To pacify the more perverse humor of Christmas, in my opinion, I have the DVD of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Despite unnecessary foul language and gestures, it typifies all that could possibly go wrong at any celebration.

I am hysterically laughing at the snow saucer ride headed downhill at exhilarating speed head-on to a WalMart store; the aunt (I think) singing the Pledge of Alligence for grace (prayer) at Christmas dinner and later The Star Spangled Banner, as a cigar ignites sewer gas and launches the smoker skyward. Although the electrified fried cat is funny, I am sure PETA does not. PETA must not have been around when that movie was made.

3rd Illustration - The First Church's Christmas Barrel

COOK! COOK? Not me! Any of you who follow me know that is not a favorite thing. On Christmas Day I will warm up one of the same pre-cooked dinners mentioned above from the local grocery store. It serves 8-12 so I share with neighbors and friends.

As I think of childhood Christmas events, I may add a blog or two, but I am back to researching the BADLANDS of our vacation.

I also am having a very hard time with Blogger locking up on "error in saving." I tried immediately publish and then edit. But I lose a lot. I guess I am going to have to change to the newer composing window, which I tried and did not like.

Rewriting and rewriting is not at all pleasant.