Category: Uncategorized

Earth Day is this weekend, and a few organizations around the state are celebrating in style on Saturday. The Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls is hosting a Party for the Planet, Custer State Park visitors will have a chance to build bluebird houses, and South Dakota canoers and kayakers will be slipping their boats in the water for a paddle on the Big Sioux River near Flandreau. This week’s web roundup collects a few recent storie relating to our interactions with the natural world in South Dakota.

Cycle Farm of Spearfish just got in a shipment of bees. Trish writes about getting the insects settled in their new hives.

Bob Speirs posted this week about the relationship between hunters, landowners and wildlife.

Folks from the South Dakota Oral History Center recently spoke at the Climate Friendly Parks Workshop in Custer to demonstrate that voices and stories from the past can still teach us about sustainability and environmental concerns.

After a bit of controversy, Chicago Tribune readers are finally being educated about the natural wonders of South Dakota, courtesy of Kara Silva’s account of a trip to our Badlands.

By Laura Johnson

Do you ever wish you could be in multiple places at once? I do every time I look at our events calendar. If I wasn’t hosting a party to celebrate sending our May/June issue off to the printers tonight, I’d love to be in Brookings for a rare screening of the 1925 silent film Body and Soul. Oscar Micheaux, a pioneering African American filmmaker, was a homesteader near Gregory, South Dakota before he started writing novels and making films. Brookings will also be hosting the Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo at South Dakota State University this weekend, which is sure to be a lively time.

I’m sorry to be missing the Lakota Omniciye Wacipi at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, also. I spoke with a charming young man at the Center for American Indian Studies, who kindly taught this ignorant wasichu how to pronounce omniciye.

Downtown Sioux Falls will be full of music and fun Saturday night for the Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Society’s Downtown Jazz Crawl.

Those of us with a soft spot for baby animals will want to visit Bear Country USA for Cubfest. It’s not often that one has a chance to pet a bear. Like all little ones, they grow up much too fast.

That’s just a small sampling of the things going on this weekend around the state. Check our events calendar for other options. If you’ve got an event coming up, please let us know! Submit your event here.

By Laura Johnson

I was reading and listening to some short stories by Red Cloud Indian School students about the places and people they valued, and it sparked off thoughts of who we admire, and the people we want to be. Jason Salamun has been blogging about what it takes to be a real man on his site, Good Sirs. “Hallmarks of a Hero” is a good starting point. Salamun puts family first, as does Amy Kirk with her supper table traditions. Dana Lone Hill of Sioux Falls believes “we learn everything at the feet of our elders.” As someone who studied with her grandmothers for years, I agree wholeheartedly.

That’s what I have for you this Easter weekend. I hope yours is a splendid one, spent surrounded by people you love.

By Laura Johnson

Maria Birch’s recent post about coloring eggs with natural dyes reminded me of one of the great joys of childhood: that one Sunday a year when my young cousins and I were released into a relative’s back yard to hunt for brightly colored eggs full of sweets. The weather back then generally wasn’t as conducive to egg-hunting as it will be in 2012. Lucky kids — it’s much easier to pick up eggs without mittens. Here’s a few of the communities holding Easter egg hunts this year:

March 31

9 a.m. McKeague Field, Rapid City.
11:30 a.m. Bandit Baseball Field, Box Elder.

April 1

Noon. South Middle School, Rapid City.
1 p.m. Pierre Aquatic Center, Pierre.

April 3

5 p.m. Sanford Care Center and Prentis Park, Vermillion.
5 p.m. Wellness Center, SDSU, Brookings.

April 6

10 a.m. Yankton Mall, Yankton.

April 7

City Park, Avon.
10 a.m. State Veterans Home, Hot Springs.
10 a.m. Brandon Middle School, Brandon.
10 a.m. City Park, Spearfish.

April 8

1:30 p.m. Crystal Park, Miller.

By Laura Johnson

I’m not a bit tired of talking about how spring is here yet. For as giddy as I am about it, you’d think we’d had a winter this year. But who can remain passive when the signs of new life are everywhere, from the lushness of the grass under our feet to the green haze of trees nearly ready to leaf out?

The South Dakota Cowgirl observed prairie chickens preparing to dance this week. And we all know what chicken dancing leads to — baby animals. My inner five-year-old is ecstatic. The local farm supply store has chicks and ducklings for sale, and there’s some sweet new calves on Amy Kirk’s ranch in Pringle. Of course, in the Black Hills they have very different signs of spring.

If you’re looking for things to do this weekend, here are a few ideas. It’s the first weekend of Freeman’s cultural celebration, Schmeckfest. The Washington Pavilion is celebrating National Agriculture Day tomorrow, and Platte is holding its Farm, Home and Sports Show as well. Race fans can take in the Oahe Speedway Fan Fest at the Pierre Mall, and there’s art and craft shows in Faulkton and Mitchell.

By Laura Johnson

If you’re in Yankton tonight, swing by the Marketplace CafÈ for free food, live music and photos of new art at the 2012 RiverWalk kick-off party. The RiverWalk committee members and I will be serving drinks for tips, and all proceeds will go to RiverWalk.

Saturday is St. Patrick’s Day, of course, with no shortage of festivities to take in. I know of two races, parades in Clear Lake, Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City, and live music everywhere you turn. If you’re staying at home tomorrow night, try cooking up some Lucky Irish Soda Bread or a potful of Potato Soup.

Other green things are on my mind, too. The beautiful weather, Christian Begeman’s pasque sighting and this post on garden planning has me itching to get out in the open scouting for signs of spring. What hints of new life are popping up in your neighborhood?

By Laura Johnson

Ok, maybe it’s too early for flowers — even our own delightful pasque — but with the geese honking overhead and the lovely weekend weather, aren’t you feeling ready for a little more green in the landscape? Perhaps you’re feeling the gardening itch. Karl Schmidt of Sustainable Dakota Digest recently wrote about starting seeds indoors, and he already has a few little green shoots to show for his efforts.

Ice skating season is coming to an end. The Yankton Area Ice Association is hosting its spring figure skating show”Skating Through Time” at the 4H Pine Acres Kiwanis Ice Arena this Saturday at 5:30 p.m. A lot of hard work and planning goes into events like this, and I have a great admiration for the organizers.

Banjos will be ringing out at the March Unplugged Music Performance Showcase (or MUMPS for short) at the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City this weekend. Acoustic and bluegrass musicians are performing to raise money for the Black Hills Bluegrass Festival in June.

Mitchell’s Dakota Discovery Museum will be hosting”Poetry for All People” on Saturday, featuring readings by Bruce Roseland of Seneca and Suzanne Sunshower of Scotland, plus open mike time for poets in the audience.

The South Dakota Home Cooking group on Facebook is a good place to share recipes and ask for advice. Perhaps I should consult with them about the tavern problem I’ve been having.

by Laura Johnson

It’s a great night for art lovers in the Sioux Falls area. Twenty-five artists will be participating in the First Friday Art & Wine Walk tonight at various locations in downtown Sioux Falls. I hear that there’ll be flying objects at the exhibit at Rug & Relic.

I’m looking forward to taking in the opening of the Ipso Gallery’s “In Passing” exhibit, featuring works that celebrate the human form by Anna Youngers and Luke Gorder.

Last month, our photography columnist Chad Coppess told us about how his photos were being used as backdrops for an online racing game. Recently, a few more of his South Dakota landscapes were transformed.

The more I read about Black Hills rock climbing and spelunking legends Herb and Jan Conn, the more fascinated I am. Daryl Stisser of the Sylvan Rocks Climbing School and Hollis Marriot recently posted tributes to the couple after Herb’s death at age 91.

Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is February 21 this year, but Deadwood is celebrating early with a whole weekend of pre-Lenten excitement. The fun starts tonight with a parade, followed by the coronation of the Mardi Gras King and Queen and live zydeco music.

There won’t be much snow for the Custer State Park Lover’s Leap Snowshoe Hike on Saturday, but a regular hike is just as romantic, right?

Chocolate and alcohol seem like the perfect Valentine’s Day combination. Dale Miskimins of the SoDak Beer blog recently reviewed two chocolate ales for couples to enjoy.

Jill at the Wild Idea Buffalo Company has a luscious-sounding recipe for Mousse au Chocolate that would make a sweet ending to a special supper.

Smart lovers keep the romance going all year ’round. Nothing says lovin’ like a hot summer night at an old-time drive-in movie theater. It was recently announced that Wild Water West in Sioux Falls hopes to bring back the once-popular summer entertainment, opening its outdoor theater in the spring of 2013. Doug Lund reflects on his drive in experiences. Don’t worry, his account is work-safe.

Nobody throws a party like the people of Deadwood. This weekend, they’re hosting South Dakota’s largest tailgate party with beer, brats and a 24-foot television on Main Street, chili cook-off, football toss contest, performance from the Deadwood Cowboy Cheerleaders and more. All proceeds from the festivities will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Those of us who are not sports fans tend to think the best part of football parties is the food. Annie at Phoo-d recently shared her football-friendly food ideas, including this recipe for smoky black bean and butternut squash chili.

Do you know how to play Hohu Yourmonpi? The folks at the South Dakota Art Museum can teach you the ancient whirling bones game. It’s part of their new exhibit that pairs Oscar Howe’s artwork of Native American games with the actual game pieces.

For something that requires a little less dexterity (and fewer sinews), try out this Mount Rushmore jigsaw puzzle. You can choose to digitally put together a 16, 49 or 81-piece version of the famous faces.

Black Hills landmarks are the backdrop for an online racing game, thanks to the photography and photoshopping skills of Chad Coppess. His digitally-created panoramas are bringing South Dakota’s scenery to a whole new audience.