Flash Back and Proof of Adventure

I have spent much of the day searching through some old pics of when I worked in the mountains looking for a certain pic on an evening ride in hunting camp about 1994 in the Thorofare of Wyoming.......to no avail.  

However, what I DID find, was proof that my Mom can be coned into just about anything.  I took this pic of Mom, Sarah and Dad just before hunting season started in 1996 - the year I ran the mountains of Montana working as a camp cook just outside of Gardner.  

North Yellowstone Park Line, August 1996

Not a bad lookin' bunch.

None of It Was Right

Recently I was invited by a friend to attend a Rapid City Rush hockey game.  Specifically, the game the evening of January 24th - "Pink the Rink Night", to raise awareness/money for the cure for different cancers.  It was THE most exciting athletic event I have been to in a LONG time!!  Two overtimes, and a shoot out that seemed to go on, and on, and on.  It seemed like it, because it did.  Eventually, the Rush fell to the Wichita Thunder.....by. one. point.  A heart-breaking end to an exhilarating night for sure.

The next day, my Facebook feed was plastered with reports of a racial incident which took place right there in Rapid City.  During the game.  In front of the Eagle Sales - Budweiser Distributor suite.  I was seated on the opposite side of the rink - no where near where the incident took place.  No where near where I could have known that a despicable act was taking place.

It has been reported in the Rapid City Journal, on the Black Hills Fox5 station, among other media's in the area that some 65 students and chaperons from American Horse School in Allen, SD attended the exciting game that night.  Only to leave early.......before the real excitement began.  They made the 200 mile long bus ride to Rapid in celebration and as a reward for excelling in school.  My hat is off to you kids.  Congrats on a job well done.  Hard work pays off.

Our area news outlets have run multiple stories that an/some individuals that were guest's of Eagle Sales in their suite made a very bad choice that evening (probably fueled by beer) to pour beer on those in attendance from the school and their chaperons while hurling racial insults at them.  Eventually 'running the group out'......to then "seemed to gloat over what they had accomplished in chasing the student group from the game".  (http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/police-probe-opened-in-rush-racism-incident/article_9b65b4f5-9270-51bb-bafe-e1953d8cfdda.html)

This. Is. Not. Right.

• In NO way do I agree NOR do I condone the actions of those involved in the hateful happenings that night.  
• In NO way do I feel the student group should have given in and left.
• I DO feel the chaperons should have involved security.
• I DO feel the chaperons should have stood up to the ridiculous individual(s) that made very bad choices that night.
• I DO feel those sitting near should have stood up to the before mentioned ridiculous individual(s).  
• I DO feel if people were "uncomfortable" with what was going on (as has been reported) they should NOT have just continued to sit in their seats and watch the game.
• I DO feel that everyone - adults AND kids - that was in earshot of what was going on should have stood up to these bully(s) and SHAMED them into stopping.  Peer pressure can be a good thing at times.  
• I DO feel that anyone that heard or saw what happened should have contacted security.

News agencies have reported that parents of those in attendance of the game want hate crime charges filed.  Apologies have been demanded not only from those responsible, but from The Rushmore Civic Plaza (venue where the game took place), The Rapid City Rush hockey team, Budweiser Eagle Sales; even the mayor and police chief have been in on apologies.  I read this morning that the suite the incident took place from/near was not originally reported because the person/business that rents that suite received a death threat. 

I ask you.......Where is the personal responsibility in this?  Tar and feather the culprit(s) that were complete asses.  They deserve it.  Seriously, a death threat on a person who was not even in attendance to the game that night?  Why is there no outcry for justice to this person?  An apology is being demanded from the team?  They were on the ice.....in no way could they have known what was transpiring.  The Civic Plaza is a public place; paid for with tax dollars.  How can managers of such a place be responsible for the publics actions and be responsible for an apology?  How can the MAYOR and POLICE CHIEF be responsible for an apology.  Get a grip.  Chaperones, where is your responsibility in not contacting security?  Where is your responsibility in not standing up to the moron(s) that did this?  Why did you bury your heads and run away?  What kind of an example did that set for those kids?  They were young kids.  They shouldn't have had to stand up for themselves with you there to look out for them.

This morning I read that an apology is now being demanded (and has been received) from the Rapid City Journal for a headline they printed as they continued to report on the finding of the investigation of the events of January 24th.  The jist of the article that resulted in  "justifiable anger" reported that the student/chaperone group from American Horse School did NOT stand for our national anthem.  Really?????  

• I do NOT condone the actions of the school group for not standing and giving our flag the respect she deserves.  
• I do NOT condone the disrespect the group showed to our country, our veterans, or our citizens.
• I do NOT condone unjust demands put on those that are NOT responsible for the events of the night.
• I do NOT condone teaching the kids to demand responsibility from those NOT responsible.

What I DO ask.....where is EVERYONE'S personal responsibility in ALL of the absurd acts of the night?

Chasing A Sight

The other night Bill and I headed up to Bell Fourche to pick up a couple things from a friend.  As we started down the county road, I noticed the moon was just a sliver and very bright and vibrant above the trees.  First thing I said to Bill...."I'm seeing a photo op".

 

The next evening I headed out with my camera and a couple lenses with a certain "op" in my mind I was trying for.  I pretty much achieved it.

"Dane Church"

Information on line was difficult to find, what little I found, Little Dane Church Cemetery was concentrated in 1887, about the time the Scandinavian Lutheran Church was founded.  The church then disbanded in 1929 during the depression.  There is one service held once a year in the church, Memorial Day weekend; and that service is open only to descendants of those buried in Little Dane Church Cemetery.  All graves can be traced back to early settlers of our area or direct descendants or those related by marriage.  The cemetery is very well maintained, open only to those with direct lineage to those already laid to rest and only with a previously purchased plot as there are no more plots available.  The following link is my information source.  It also has a listing of all those that have been laid to rest for the Dane Church to keep watch over along with co-ordinates of each grave location.

www.mrail.net/data/cemete/sdak/lawrence/littledane/dane.  

I do intend to go back and try again....this time with my tripod and hopefully capturing the moon a little closer to the church.  There is also an old school house, the Asbury School, located just south of the church I would also like to photograph.

Harney Peak Hike

Last week we FINALLY had a break in the cold and the dreary, dreary gray days.  I  celebrated by Casey and I hiking the Harney Peak trail in Custer State Park.  The trail goes up to the Harney Peak Fire Look Out tower - once used for exactly what the name says.  The view is beautiful both along the trail and once reaching the tower.  Looking west one sees the Hills toward Wyoming and looking east one sees the bad lands.  I took my camera along, but didn't stop for many pics...I really just wanted to hike.  

The first glimpse of the Tower along the trail.

Just a cell phone pic looking south.  8 steps before entering the Tower.

I'm a sucker for a great sunset.

From a little farther down the trail.

Almost off the trail, I thought the rock formation was interesting against the sky.  

Look close, you can see a contrail above the rock, moving right.  Then the 2nd tree to the left of the rock has a bright star/planet above it.

A Wednesday Sunset

When I was looking through my 2014 photo's, I realized I really don't take a lot of sunset photos.  Mostly because we usually have far better views of sunrises.  Tonight I happen to notice the glow from the sunlight, so I grabbed the camera and the dogs and I headed outside.  I need to work on the technicals of shooting in the snow, especially at low light, but here's a glimpse.

"Icy Reflection"

One of the photo groups I am in does monthly 'assignments'.  This month it is "different and unique perspective".  I thought this reflection on the ice in the drive was a little different.  Although I'm not sure I like this photo, I do think it fits the theme.

"Hillside View"

Our view off the front deck looking southwest.  This time of year the earth is tilted so we get our sunset colors more WSW.  It's not a bad view - that's for sure!

2014 Photo Review

I was inspired by a fellow photographer to look back over 2014 and gather some favorite shots.  2014 has been a growing year for me in photography, as I started doing some portrait work after a friend asked me to do her engagement and wedding photos.  I learned that wedding photography is H.A.R.D. - and have a whole new respect for those that do it.  I shot two additional weddings as a second shooter; lots of experience gained - I have a long way to go before I will be considered a 'wedding photographer'.  I'm also not sure that is the direction I want to go.

For my birthday, Bill upgraded much of my photography equipment.  Wow!  What a difference a professional grade camera and lens can make for portrait work!  I know, I know, it's not the camera, it's the shooter; but I have to say, I saw a huge uptick in the quality of my portrait work after the upgrade in my equipment.  This is the direction I want to take my work.  It is the toughest business I have ever tried to break into, but I have always lived my life being up for a challenge!  Landscape and outdoor photography will probably always be my favorite venue, but hey - there ain't no money in that end of it!

Because I like to build movies of my photo's, here's a video of my 2014 favorites.  Many of them are totally wrong technically, but I chose them because of the experience or the memory they were associated with.  Some, I think, are pretty dog-gone good - in my humble opinion.  Some are genuine 'photography' while some are simply 'snapshots'.  I hope you enjoy.  (I couldn't get blogger to upload the video with any kind of quality, so you'll have to click on the link.)

2014 Favorites

I am looking forward to 2015 as I grow in this chosen field.

An "E" for Effort and an "H" for Heart

Yesterday concluded archery season.  I am not an archer, but Sadie, my latest SD Youth Hunting Adventures mentee is.  She hadn't fulled her tag yet, so even though we had B-R-U-T-A-L cold temps, she still wanted to go.  OK.  I'm game if you are.

This hunt started out by securing permission to a different ranch than we had been hunting....one that had a permanent blind I knew I could gain permission to use.  One problem....that's not where the deer were frequenting anymore.  I went and met with the rancher Monday afternoon who was willing to build us a blind with hay bales as the stack yard is where the deer were now hanging out.  After taking a look, we decided that wasn't going to work out very well as his bales are all the big round ones.  Instead, we grabbed an old bent up gate, laid that across the end of the hay stack where we could get out of the wind and wha-la!  Instant blind!  Just gotta through a piece of camo burlap over it that Bill and I just happen to have. 

Tuesday morning Sadie and I got up bright and early to find the temperature having a wind chill value of -37* and frost bite warnings had been issued.  Dang.  This sucks.....but a kids wants to go huntin'.  A huntin' I shall go.  We bundled up - had so many clothes on it was difficult to move! - and headed out.  Thankfully the stack yard was literally about 50 yards from where we left the truck so getting back to warm up was not going to be an issue.  As soon as we got into the stack yard, a yearling came around the corner....5 yards from us.  "Knock an arrow!"  To late.  He left.  And that is pretty much how the last two days of the season went.

Tuesday morning as we were leaving to get some hot chocolate/coffee and get warm, Mr. Oliver (landowner) had a big ol' laugh at us as apparently a buck had come in that we didn't see.  ON TOP OF THE HAYSTACK ABOVE OUR HEADS!  Had I not wanted to made some changes to the burlap, we would have had a broadside shot.  Bummer!  We never saw him.

Tuesday afternoon, when we got back to our blind there was a doe with two fawns IN our blind. Yes, I said IN the blind.  No shot at them either...even though they left and came back three different times.  Wednesday morning we had POSITIVE temps but the wind was blowing 9-0; the stack yard was full of deer when we got there - and we were on time this time.  Dang it.  Regroup on the plan and lets go.  Small buck 'sauntered' around the end of the stack, but only gave us a 'Texas heart shot'.  I didn't poke my head around as I didn't want to bugger him; Sadie thought we should sneak down the alley of the hay and be on top of him.  He left.  But we never heard him snort.  Had some more does and fawns come in, but nothing in range.  Wednesday afternoon a doe and fawn was on the stack when we got back after a lunch break.  Again, they left, but came right back.  I couldn't get a range on them where I was sitting, and they were nervous about coming in.  After about a 15 minute cat and mouse game with them, the wind swirled and we were made.  And that concluded the 2014 deer season.

No archery harvest was made this year, but what a season of experiences!  How many people can say they had a deer - on top of them?  Sadie did fill her youth tag one weekend her Dad was able to come home and take her - with a .22-250.  I am impressed!  That caliber is a little light, but if your a crack shot, you can make that shot ethically - which she did.  I think I was more disappointed than Sadie that she didn't fill her archery tag but that's OK.  Hunting is far more about the experiences than the harvest.  Sadie's tag was filled with experiences and stories to tell.  A successful season.

All bundled up keeping the frostbite away.