In a day or two after Mike has had some time to go through the many pictures taken today I will get some posted. We had temperatures in the high 90’s to look at today here in Billings MT where we had decided to have a break day today from traveling — well I don’t know about you but sitting around a campground in the 90’s means sitting around the camper all day in air conditioning. We decided after Mike did a little research to take a drive — the Bear Tooth Highway goes to an elevation of almost 11,000 ft so instead of the 90’s for heat we knew we would have 60’s and maybe some 70 degree temperatures. We drove the winding highway into Wyoming almost to the northeast gate of Yellowstone before we turned back — we plan on hitting Yellowstone in another week or so, so we didn’t need to go into the park. When we got back to the campground around 6:30 it was still in the 90’s!! where was all that cool weather we had been getting? it looks like it will be hot for another day and then back into the mid 80’s at least with 57 or so for a low – this is the temps. for Great Falls Mt. that is because that is where we are heading to tomorrow. Here is a link to the highway that we took — we didn’t know it until I was searching some on the internet this evening but evidentally last year in May the highway suffered major damage from mud slides and rock slides and underwent major repair work. This link shows the damage and will give you an idea of what the road looks like — no damage today! and we had a great time. Mike took tons of pictures and I took a few also. Hopefully we will get some up here in a day or two.
Taking a break at the base of Devil’s Tower
On this day, we took the trail around the base of Devil’s Tower and, later, a drive to see some of the countryside around here.
The Devils Tower KOA has a large area at the back of the campground which, at this time of the year, is empty, except for those who are using the Kamping Kabins. It is very pretty back there. This view is of the Devil’s Tower National Monument from that part of the campground. The fence in the picture is the boundary between the monument and campground properties.
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Devil’s Tower is sacred to many Native Americans.
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This image is a montage of over 10 separate photographs. Even with a wide angle zoom lens, we were so close that Mike was not able to get all of the tower in. The rocks below the tower are remnants of rock columns that have fallen over the ages.
Critters around the tower:
Deer
Chipmunk
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In the afternoon we took a drive and ended up at Interstate 90 east of Sundance, Wyoming. Seeing a sign pointing to Vore Buffalo Jump, we decided to go check it out.
For over three hundred years, Plains Indian groups stampeded bison over the rim and into a deep natural “sink hole” at the site which is now called the Vore Buffalo Jump. It was one of the most effective means available to the Indians to procure the buffalo which were their primary food and the source of many other materials used in their cultures. It is believed that up to 20,000 of the shaggy bison were trapped at this one location. – Sundance, Wyoming website
Note: this image is a panorama compiled from several photos.
Images from the I90 rest area at Sundance, Wyoming:
Silver Buffalo Berry (see reference) – silver refers to the color of the leaves of the plant
Devil’s Tower images
The camper in this image is ours, after we had set up and extended the slides. Excellent location.
This is the view from the campsite next to ours. We have a small tree across the drive that is slightly in the way of our view.
We see deer every time we go for a walk or go for a drive.
This is from the opposite side of the tower, from the parking lot at the head of one of the park’s trails.
Long before the official time for sundown, we were in the shadow of the tower.
The Devil’s Tower KOA is a very large campground with plenty of room for tenters and RVers. This is the “overflow area.”
A twilight image of the tower.
We have spent a week in the Black Hills of South Dakota and a trip over to the Badlands. Here are some pictures from the Badlands which we really enjoyed seeing — it was a nice day — not too hot! Isn’t this tree beautiful, it is so twisted, these are the kind of trees that grow in the Badlands.
This is a picture of the badlands, we have so many it is hard to pick out just a couple to put on here but I’m going to try!
These signs are posted frequently!
Do you see what we saw? Look closely 
This is part of the road to Mike’s great aunts ranch in Nebraska, the first 2 miles or so are ok, just a dirt road, but then you get to the sandy ruts, there are no other houses around, you drive six miles on this road until you get to the ranch house. Aunt is 86 years old and lives by herself and still manages ok, she drives a 4 wheel drive pick up truck.
Her flower garden, she does most of the work herself in her yard but has finally this past year had to have someone come out and cut the grass for her as she only has a push mower.
For anyone wondering if they have won the quilt the drawing is delayed until next week on Monday. Evidentally the Boys and Girls Club was swamped with activity due to school starting this week and after school programs so decided to wait a week. I’ll let you all know when I find out who the winner is and how much money was raised. Toni is doing well and has several more weeks of wearing the back brace and then well go back to rehab soon to learn all she can on caring for herself.
Well we have made it to South Dakota, got here about 2 PM mountain time. Believe it or not we actually went through an area today that was only 63 degrees I checked the weather page and see that all of you back in Arkansas are still sweltering in the heat! We went through such isolated land today that if you haven’t been out in the western states you wouldn’t believe it. From North Platte Nebraska to the state line of South Dakota it was 140 miles, we passed through 2 tiny little towns that were barely there and one larger town (2,700 pop.) before we got to the state line — from there it was pretty much the same for a good way here. The land is so pretty though in a very barren way.
A hello to all my quilting groups — both at home and on line. On the quilting front I have not accomplished much! I have completed two DJ triangles only. I have some fat quarters pressed and ready to cut into strips to begin the top that I have planned on making while we are gone but then put it aside as I didn’t feel like cutting
I’m not sure what we are doing tomorrow, we are very near Mt. Rushmore and of course plan on seeing that again (we saw it years ago) there are some caves in the area we might see and also a place called Crazy Horse. The old west town of Deadwood is also near by. We plan on taking a day trip this week over to the Badlands and see that also. We will most likely be busy almost every day that we are here, there is so much to see in this area.
I will try to post some pictures tomorrow as Mike is going through the digital photo’s now and editing some and deleting some ect.
This is our last day in Nebraska and tomorrow morning we move on to South Dakota. We have been busy the last couple of days visiting with family and will have one more visit today with Mike’s father and step-mom. I have not had time to download any photo’s of this second stage of our trip but I’m sure when we get to S. Dakota (we will be in one place for a week) that Mike will have time to go through photo’s on the camera (taken a lot of them) and I will post several and tell you where they are taken. Weather has been wonderful the last several days, 80’s daytime and high 60’s at night. Today will be warmer in the low 90’s. I’m glad that it will be cooler where we are driving tomorrow. I have finished 2 dear jane triangles this week! What with visiting family I haven’t spent much time on sewing. Next week in the evenings I plan on getting the sewing machine out and start the quilt top with the pastel batiks that I bought before we left with the intention of making and designing a lap size or baby quilt. Good intentions — now will I do it
Star Flower log cabin quilt finished the week before we left on our trip. This quilt is 62 inches square and was machine pieced, hand appliqued, and hand quilted — and it was designed by me.
Our truck and camper at a rest area in Kansas — which has rest areas set up pretty good for campers, you park away from the big rigs all by yourself, you can even camp there overnight if you want — but we really don’t think that is very safe and do not plan on doing that! We arrived in North Platte Nebraska late this afternoon and have just been relaxing and chilling out all evening. I finished one more Dear Jane triangle this evening, I had started it two nights ago but didn’t really work on it much either evening. Thank goodness we are out of the heat wave area and the high here today was 92 when we got here and is down in the 70’s right now, we will be here until Sunday and I don’t think it is supposed to be more than 90 at the most and maybe more in the 80’s. Looking forward to the nicer weather!
I have been questioned numerous times about the thimble I use for hand quilting. It is unusual and rarely has anyone seen anything like it. I have been using it for a long time and I refer to it as a paddle thimble although I guess technically the name is a “hand held thimble”. It is a more ergonomic thimble than most are and if you have any problem with arthritis or hand/finger problems you might want to give it a try. I first heard about it on a quilting list that I am on and actually did a trade for it with another quilter who had bought it at a show and then never used it. I eventually figured out how to use it and it is the thimble of choice that I use. I saw it demonstrated at the quilt show in Paducah one year after that and saw the looks of the quilters walking by — like what is this thing — and I told them it really does work!
Here is a picture of mine and the link below will get you to a site to order it (no affiliation).
http://www.houseofquilting.com/handheld-quilting-thimble.php
