last weekend on the high plains…

“The Great Plains were immense enough to inspire the grandest, most foolish of dreams—but they were also vast enough that no one could ever explore every corner.”
― Melanie Benjamin, The Children’s Blizzard

PHOTOS:

  1. The farm where my mother and uncle grew up—Wakonda, South Dakota. The house is gone, but the barn and yard were so familiar to me. I still remember the sound of the screen door, and the radio on top of the fridge relaying the hourly farm reports on WNAX.
  2. Somewhere northeast of Burke, South Dakota last Saturday.
  3. Meckling, South Dakota (The Hay Capital of the World) & Toby’s Lounge, home of their very famous and delicious broasted chicken. A joint I frequented as a kid with my Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Leonard.
  4. Leaving Burke last Monday.
  5. An abandoned car somewhere in Clay County.
  6. Heading downtown—Burke, South Dakota.
  7. A creek east of Burke.
  8. Somewhere west of Beresford.
  9. I love rainy road trips, I was listening to Zach Bryan’s, This Road I KnowI’m on this road…
    And I don’t know where I am, but I know exactly where I am

Here’s to spring and road trips wherever you find yourself.

a sunrise walk with my Dad…

This morning I awakened at about the time I got the call from my sister two years ago letting me know that our father had died. I get up early, not usually in the 4 o’clock hour though.

I wasn’t surprised I stirred early today with Dad on my mind. I got up, quietly pulled on yesterday’s clothes, and waited for the clock on the stove to say 5:00 before I made my coffee. I sat outside and watched the sun begin to rise over the Cape Cod Bay.

My Dad was not an early riser, definitely more of a sunset guy but he would’ve appreciated my sunrise images, especially the coyote tracks in the sand and my obsession with them now.

The coyote is the mascot of my Dad’s much-loved, alma mater—the University of South Dakota. GO YOTES!

A few days before Dad died I called to tell him that Jeff and I got stung by jellyfish while on a kayak excursion. We were FaceTiming so I showed him the welts on my arms and described the way they stung…sort of electric-like if my memory serves me correctly. I had a flight booked to come see him in a few days so we kept our call short.

This morning I remembered a song Dad used to sing to me:

Lisa, Lisa I’ve been thinkin’

what a fine world this would be,

if all the Lisa’s were transported…

far beyond the northern sea.

I miss you Dad, thanks for the company this morning.