Aug 31-Sept 17, 2011: North Dakota

Click on the thumbnail for a map during this time period

United Tribes Pow Wow

During our time in Bismarck, the annual Pow Wow was held, featuring separate competitions in several dancing styles and ages, and also between different sets of drummers from different tribes.

Barb's 42nd Carrington High School Reunion

One week after Chuck's reunion in Jamestown, ND, Barb's class had a reunion in Carrington, ND.  They first assembled at the Municipal Golf Course and then drove consolidated vehicles to nearby "Dakota Sun Gardens", a farm that as a side business gives tours of their extensive flower gardens and their recently-established winery.  That evening they re-gathered in town at The Chieftain for dinner.   We spent that night as guests of Tim, Barb's only sibling to remain in North Dakota.   Next day, Tim showed us how to get to the top of "Hawks Nest", a range of hills to the west of the highway that runs from Carrington to Jamestown.   There are several such ranges in this part of North Dakota (and in eastern South Dakota); they were formed by the glaciers at the end of the last ice age dumping massive amounts of soil and rock as they receded northward.

Hostess at Sun Gardens

In addition to extensive flowers, the grounds are decorated with many metal objects

This little hummingbird rested on a decorative rock for a spell

Barb's cousin Geri and classmate Doug Silkey

Don Gussiaas and Barb

Mary, Geri, Monica, Lynne & Barb

Tim Zink and Tom Carr

Doug, Cletus, and Steve

Monica and Cletus

Geri, Barb and Lynne

"Famous" fiberglass Amerindian outside of The Chieftain

This was our first opportunity to visit Barb's mother Louise's grave in Carrington.

Barb's mother died in Las Vegas last year. The cremation and service were held there. She was later buried next to her daughter in Carrington.

Barb's oldest sister Carolyn Dee's grave

Barb's brother Tim gathering pussy willows at Barb's request

Hawk's Nest as seen from the prairie below

Tim and Barb at the Hawk's Nest overlook

Panorama of the Dakota landscape as seen from Hawk's Nest

One-room country gradeschool not unlike that attended by Chuck for his 1st 8 grades in S. Dak.

These old-fashioned grain thrashers seem to be placed along roadsides as decoration

Barb crowds up to a corn field so we can judge the height of the crop

It was a beautiful "Indian-summer" day

(Five!) combines and the semi-trucks that modern farmers now use

Lake Isabel & Bismarck

On a windy day we visited Mike and Zona's cabin at Lake Isabel.  On another occasion, when Erik and Cindy came back from Minneapolis to visit, we gathered with them and Mom and Zona and Jon and Kathy at a local Japanese restaurant.   When we weren't off on other activities, Chuck spent a lot of time cutting dead branches out of the trees on Mike and Zona's property.

Isabel neighbor Marvin visits with Zona and Barb in Mike's grape arbor

Brisk wind from the south made the Lake Isabel surface rather unappealing

Bismarck Zoo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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