Tag: spring

By Christian Begeman

The mixed grass prairies of western South Dakota can seldom be described as vibrant. In my experience, the extended verdant green I’ve seen West River this growing season typically only lasts a month. Some years the lush prairie views do not appear at all.

I was between 7 and 8 years old when one of most brutal droughts since the Dirty Thirties took place in Ziebach and Dewey counties. Rain was on everyone’s mind. Prayer meetings at church and conversation at the cafe all centered around the need for moisture. The grasshoppers were so bad they decimated the leaves and bark of our decorative shrubbery in front of the house and caused driving hazards on Highway 65 down by the Moreau River. The old timers commented that at least they didn’t consume the wood fence posts like they’d seen in the 1930s, but that was small consolation to a 7-year-old. At least we didn’t have to push the lawn mower all that much. The only thing that made our lawn green was kosher weed near the water hydrant and garden where the water hose had gone. That was the year I learned how to long for and love rain on the prairie. Thankfully that particular dry stretch did not last long.

In May of 1982, we had nearly two weeks of slow and soaking rains. It was the first time I’d really noticed how green the prairie could get. As I grew older and began to take on more duties, like haying and summer fallowing, rainstorms became double boons. Anything over 10 hundredths would get me out of the field for a brief break and allow for a little goofing off — until Dad realized I could be out fencing instead.

The spring of 2023 has brought good rains to western South Dakota so far. I spent the week after Memorial Day chasing photos in the Badlands and Black Hills as per my usual habit. For four afternoons in a row, rain clouds built in the distance, then burst forth over the Hills, bringing rain, then leaving evening rainbows as a final sign of their passing. From those rain-soaked days in 1982 until now, I’ve always thought the first light after rain on the prairie is the prettiest light on earth. To be able to witness that kind of light on consecutive nights, plus rainbows, was a triple blessing for a wandering photographer on a week-long break from the rat race.

Recently I came across a poem by Badger Clark called”The Rains” that describes the feeling:

But last across the sky-line comes a thing that’s strange and new,

A little cloud of saddle blanket size.

It blackens ‘long the mountains and bulges up the blue

And shuts the weary sun-glare from our eyes.

Then the lightnin’s gash the heavens and the thunder jars the world

And the gray of fallin’ water wraps the plains,

And ‘cross the burnin’ ranges, down the wind, the word is whirled:

“Here’s another year of livin’, and the Rains!”

You’ve seen your fat fields ripplin’ with the treasure that they hoard;

Have you seen a mountain stretch and rub its eyes?

Or bare hills lift their streamin’ faces up and thank the Lord,

Fairly tremblin’ with their gladness and surprise?

Have you heard the ‘royos singin’ and the new breeze hummin’ gay,

As the greenin’ ranges shed their dusty stains–

Just a whole dead world sprung back to life and laughin’ in a day!

Did you ever see the comin’ of the Rains?

Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he’s not working at Midco he is often on the road photographing South Dakota’s prettiest spots. Follow Begeman on his blog.

By Christian Begeman

When was the last time you had lunch with a view? I was never much of a picnic person. Growing up, I was too easily annoyed by gnats, mosquitos, black flies and ants trying to get at my food before I did to really enjoy the picnic experience. And I like my food, mind you. But the first day of June may have changed my view on picnics. It wasn’t really because of the food (I had a ham and cheese sandwich, a bag of cheese flavored snack mix and a cold soda). It wasn’t because of the company since I was alone. It was the view, and everything that came with it.

The location was the northeastern edge of Sheep Mountain Table in Badlands National Park. I parked my vehicle at one of the sidetracks that lead to an overview and found a nice place to hang my legs over the edge and take in the scenery. The sky was that early summer, perfect azure blue graced with white clouds moving swiftly overhead. The breeze was light, stirring just enough to bring the sweet smells of blooming chokecherry blossoms up the slopes to linger over me and my picnic spot. Meadowlark song with an occasional mourning dove coo echoed between the cut banks and ravines that stretched as far as the eye could see. The chalky white badland formations against the late spring grass — a verdant green after abundant rainfall — seemed almost too perfect to be real. But there it was. As real as it gets. I wore a black t-shirt that soaked up the sun and concentrated the warmth on my back. It was one of the first solid warm days I’ve felt this year. It didn’t take long to realize that I had stumbled upon maybe the perfect lunch situation.

Ironically, during this picnic, I didn’t take my camera out of the car. And that was OK. There are some moments in life that are better left un-photographed. Even as I reminisce and try to describe that perfect picnic with a view, I can almost feel the warmth and smell the chokecherry blossoms again. Removing the pressure of”perfectly” capturing the moment with a camera turned out to be a gift that allowed me to capture this memory with more depth and breadth. These are the memories that will keep me coming back to such places for as long as I can.

That said, I was not without my camera gear on this latest week in West River. This collection of 18 photos shows the other reasons I take such trips. Driving, hiking and simply experiencing the landscape after it has thoroughly woken up from a long winter’s nap breathes life back into me just as it does the wide windswept landscapes of western South Dakota.

Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he’s not working at Midco he is often on the road photographing South Dakota’s prettiest spots. Follow Begeman on his blog.