Best of December 2014

Swedona Church (rural Brandon, SD) at sunset - December 5th

Here are 12 favorites from December.  For the most part it was a cloudy and dreary month in South Dakota.  I was fortunate enough to be able to visit family in Southern California over the holidays and in doing so, took some time to explore Death Valley National Park as well as Joshua Tree National Park.  I learned the desert at sunrise and sunset are just as magical as anywhere on the great plains.  Look for more posts with images from the high desert soon!  As always, click on a photo for a larger file to view and thanks for stopping by!

Ceder Waxwing feeding at Lake Vermillion Recreation Area

Ceder Waxwing posing at Lake Vermillion Recreation Area

Zion Lutheran at sunset in rural Roberts County

An abandoned homestead with frosted trees on a dreary December day just west of Enemy Swim Lake 

The standing remains of Concordia Pioneer Lutheran in rural Roberts County

Sand Dunes and hikers at Death Valley National Park near to sunset

I was lucky to find a semi-friendly road runner which allowed me to get a this close-up.

The first light of day on Telescope Peak above Death Valley

Sunrise at Joshua Tree National Park

Pre-dawn clouds above the Cholla Cactus region of Joshua Tree

On my last day in Los Angeles we visited a botanical garden that was full of hummingbird activity

Best of November 2014

The waxing moon taken with early November bare tree branches as frames.

It's been a cold November punctuated by a couple of snow storms and below normal temperatures.  I was able to spend one of those snowy days out in the southern black hills with a host of South Dakota's winter wildlife, which was a lot of fun.  This time of year is always good for spectacular sunsets and interesting weather photos, too.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

An early November sunset over Mud Lake near Hurley, SD

A Northern Cardinal I found in Terrace Park of Sioux Falls

Trinity church on the southwest corner of Kimball, SD

Winter white-tail buck in Custer State Park

A bison bull in the midst of a heavy snowfall

Pronghorn on a snowy day in Custer State Park

A nice 5X5 buck in hot pursuit of a shy doe in Custer State Park

White-breasted Nuthatch in Custer State Park

Winter sunset from the Sylvan Lodge area of Custer State Park

Frost and fog at a country church east of Lennox, SD late in the month

Post sunset color behind West Prairie Lutheran a few miles southeast of Lennox, SD

Best of October 2014

The standing remains of Holy Family Church in rural Mellette County

Here are my favorites from October 2014.  I had two notable encounters with snakes this month.  The first was a very colorful garter snake in a country church cemetery (photo below).  The second was a close call with a rattler which nearly gave me a heart attack on the steps of the church in the photo above.  I did not get a photo of the rattler as it turned out to be just as scared of me as I was of him... which is probably a good thing!  As always click on a photo for a larger image to view and thanks for stopping by!

Garter snake in a rural Charles Mix County church yard

Bugling elk at Wind Cave National Park

Fishing on the Missouri near Running Water, SD

The Old Courthouse Museum clock tower on an autumn evening in Sioux Falls

The Queen Bee Mill and a portion of the Falls of the Big Sioux at Falls Park in Sioux Falls

The Falls of the Big Sioux

Autumn color in South Sioux Falls

St. Joseph's Cathedral framed by fall colors

Found at Prairie Trails Park in south Sioux Falls

Fall foliage at Rotary Park along the Big Sioux River in central Sioux Falls

A little over an hour's worth of star trails and a few passing headlights provided the light for this image of Zoar Lutheran church in rural Day County, SD

Best of September 2014

Early morning dew and cool temps kept this dragonfly grounded long enough for me to snap a photo in Sica Hollow State Park on Labor Day, 2014.

Between migrating butterflies and the beginning of fall, September 2014 was a very colorful month to photograph.  It was difficult to choose 12 this time around.  I guess that is a sign of a successful month.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

Dew on Sumac

Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly along the Big Sioux River at Newton Hills State Park

Monarch Butterfly at Spirit Mound near Vermillion

Faint northern lights over Lake Louise northwest of Miller, SD

Fall colors frame Spearfish Falls early on a late September morning

Autumn color alongside upper Roughlock Falls

Vanocker Canyon

Sage Creek Wilderness of Badlands National Park

Cattle on the border of Sica Hollow State Park late in September

Horse trail in Sica Hollow

Sica Hollow in full Autumn splendor

Best of August 2014

Raindrops on a spiderweb along a trail at Good Earth State Park.

Here are twelve of my favorite photos from the month that was August of 2014.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

Great Egret in flight in rural Clark county.  Notice the cornfield in the background.

A good friend of mine and I were chasing the sunset in north Yankton county and ended up on this prairie scene.  The church is St. Columba Catholic.

A humid night over Prairie Lutheran in Lincoln county helped provide an ethereal feel to this scene.

The Milky Way with Goodhue Lutheran of rural Codington county.

Somewhere west of Watertown, I happened on this lone windmill. The small shooting star in the upper right was a bonus.

Sunset at Lake Alvin.

The remains of Lakeview Concordia Lutheran in rural Roberts county.

A Monarch dining on wildflowers in southern Deuel county.

Somewhere northwest of Humboldt, SD after the sun had set.

Two apple trees and an abandoned barn is all that is left of this homestead in rural Clark county.

Tall corn and a late summer sunset just east of Hartford, SD.