The Great Prairie Safari -- Day Seven

7 May 2013; In South Dakota Badlands –

Hearing coyotes last night convinced the Safari Party to stay two nights here in the comfort of this National Park campground. But what to do during the day?

The Swede opined that her family could use a refill of genuine, unfiltered, South Dakota yellow sweet clover honey, a sample of which Grumpy had given them from Summer 2012. So our first stop was in the near-ghost town of Belvedere SD [the home of Tom Berry, South Dakota’s “Cowboy Governor”, and someone who was personally-known by both The Grand Mother and Grumpy]. By inquiring of the town Postmistress, Grumpy was able to go to the home of the lady who, with her husband gather and process the “best honey in the world”.

Leaving with our "bootie” of honey, we headed North to the little town of Midland where The Great Grandmother lived as a young girl (and when she first met Grumpy). Grumpy pointed out the site of this childhood home in Midland. It was sold to another family after Great-Great Grandpa N came to live with Great Grandmother and Grumpy, and subsequently burned down, leaving only the little house in which the Grandmother of The Great Grandmother lived.

Turning West, we came upon the old Ray E. Noble garage. Stopping here for a look around (and a photo or two) Grumpy pointed out the concrete floor under which the pet badger ("Fuzzy") hibernated his first year after becoming the pet of the little girl who later became The Great Grandmother.

We looked but could not find the 3’ x 5’ slab of concrete that formed the porch of the house that The Great Grandmother lived in as a little girl until she was about 8 or 10 years old, when they moved into Midland. That slab contained the imprint of that little girl when she was about 5 or 6 years old. It has either been uprooted or covered over by current fixtures.

Grumpy pointed out the headstones in the Nowlin cemetery, marking where the boys’ Great-Great Grandmother and Great-Great Grandfather N’s bodies were buried. As we entered Philip, where both The Great Grandmother and Grumpy graduated from High School [though two years apart], Grumpy drove by the gravesites of Great-Great Grandfather and Great-Great Grandmother Z.

In the town of Philip, we visited the site of the “Earth House” that Great-Great Grandmother Z had built in the side-hill of the odd-lot acreage that Great-Great Grandfather Z had purchased many years previously. The house is completely buried in native soil except for one side facing the Southeast. The roof area is planted with native “Cedar” [actually a form of Juniper] trees.

Leaving Philip, we drove back to our campsite in the Badlands. Grumpy was hoping to hear the Coyotes howling – the Swede claimed that she had heard them the previous night. As we were finishing our supper, a thunderstorm -- with hail! -- besot our camp. The survivors took shelter in one small tent -- ludicrously labeled "BUCKINGHAM PALACE" -- while the hailstones peppered the sides, including any boys' head that might be too close!

 A stiff wind accompanied the hail-storm. With the MAN tent securely anchored and the WOMAN tent firmly held down by the four bodies inside [who were engaged in a card game of some sort that the GGson's were always able to win!], our tents remained in place -- others' were not so fortunate.

The devastation in our camp was viewed later by the brave soul (a MAN), who ventured out while the last drops of rain were still falling. This petrified hailstone (right) was all that Grumpy could find after the storm had passed. 

The wind persisted after the rain and hail ended; the self-exiled travelers dare come out of their lair. The wind brought a bonus for the Swede, who had previously inquired about "Tumble Weeds", at first asking if those sage brushes might be the fabled tumble weed.

Lo and behold, through our campsite rolled a fine example of the fabled Tumble Weed.

The boys took turns running after it, bringing it back and letting it go again.

Besides "Beggar's Lice", one of the interesting plant life that Grumpy wanted the boys to experience was "Wild Onions". Grumpy remembers the long-lasting and near-deadly smell of the breath of any young boy who ate "a few" wild onions on his way to school. The first and second grade teacher would summarily call "Anthony" up to her desk and quietly but firmly admonish him to stop eating wild onions before coming to school, and then excuse him for the day. 

GGson I was the first to spot the wily onion; and then, amazingly, it was the Queen Mother who located another patch, and then a large "plantation" of them right next to our camp! Grumpy was instrumental in showing how to extract this delicious (??) morsel from the sun-baked clay here in the Badlands.

Later, after soaking the hard-caked mud from the roots, Grumpy demonstrated the final cleaning and eating of this delicacy of the desert. [Subsequent tooth brushing and breath mints were ineffective in diminishing the potent odor of those who partook.]

More adventure on Day 8!