Best of February 2014

A Cooper's Hawk near Lake Vermillion Recreation Area

February has been coldish even for South Dakota, but not without some good photo ops.  I had some good luck birding again this month especially at Good Earth State Park southeast of Sioux Falls.  I also took the time to gather some more country church photos to kick off my new face book page called Prairie Sanctuaries.  This page is dedicated to images of the region's country churches.  A link for that page is HERE.  As always, thanks for checking in and taking a look.

Martinus Lutheran Church bathed in winter sunlight in rural Yankton County.

Sigel Church just a mile or two east of Martinus Lutheran that same evening.

The waxing moon and tall prairie windmill in rural Hutchinson County.

A snowflake happend to land on this cardinal's shoulder just as I snapped the photo at Good Earth State Park (click on the image for a larger file to view).

The last of the snowfall at Good Earth SP.

Resting deer at Good Earth SP.

A white-breasted nuthatch near the bird feeder area of Good Earth SP.

Post sunset colors on distant clouds above an abandoned farmstead near Freeman, SD.

Faint northern lights appeared above Oslo Church in Brookings County just as the moon rose and the clouds began to break up.

Another shot of the northern lights later in the evening in rural Minnehaha County.

Melting snow on my car's window obscure this image of Trinity Lutheran Church south of Hartford, SD.

Best of January 2014

Post sunset clouds over the rolling prairie of Fall River County.

It's hard to believe that January of 2014 is nearly gone.  As in 2013, I've resolved to self-critique and choose 12 favorite photos from each month.  Once selected, I'll post them to this photo blog.  Enjoy January's... click on image for a larger file to view and thanks for looking!

Trumpeter Swans taking flight early in the morning at LaCreek National Wildlife Reserve south of Martin, SD.

A curious northern cardinal through the twigs of his favorite tree at Farm Island State Park near Pierre, SD.

An abandoned schoolhouse at sunset along the Lyman and Stanley County line.

A beautiful iron cross in a country church cemetery one early Sunday morning at Lower Brule Reservation.

A jealous looking blue jay at Good Earth State Park in Lincoln County.

Pre-sunrise clouds over downtown Sioux Falls.

A red-headed woodpecker at Newton Hills State Park.

Highland Church just north of Garretson at sunrise.

Another view of Highland Church at sunrise.

A female snowy owl that visited northwest Sioux Falls in late January.  She hung out near my place of work and I happened to catch her in a clump of sunflowers in a nearby hayfield on my way in one morning.

The next afternoon she was hanging out on a rock pile just five blocks from where I live.

Favorites from 2013

January

 Last year, with inspiration from an Ansel Adams quote, I decided to do a "self" photo critique.  On this, my photo blog, I would only post what I considered my best twelve photos from each month.  Now that 2013 is well behind us, I took the project one step further and chose a favorite photo from each month.  This post are those results.  Feel free to click on image for a larger file to view.  For more info on each location and subject feel free to check out the previous twelve posts in 2013 for that info.  You can also see if what I picked as my favorite is what you would have picked.  It's been a fun process and I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it again in 2014.  Thanks for stopping by!

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

December's Best

December's first significant snow falls on Phillips Avenue in downtown Sioux Falls.

Here are my twelve favorite photos from a cold and snowy December of 2013.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in.  Happy 2014!

Sunset skies near Hartford, SD in early December.

Steamy breath and jingle bells adorned this hard working horse pulling sleighs at Fort Sisseton State Park's Frontier Christmas in mid-December.

Sunset over Willow Creek Lutheran Church in rural Minnehaha County.

The last light of the sun reflected off distant clouds adds a unique color to this old thistle weed.

Winter Solstice sunset in rural Miner County.

Subzero temps collided with open water below the Oahe Dam to great wonderful hoarfrost creations on December 23rd.

Grazing horses on distant hills artistically colored by late sunlight and snow in rural Stanley County.

A negative seventeen sunset along the Sansarc road in Stanley County.

An abandoned schoolhouse in rural Stanley County.

Pre-sunrise skies with the Korb windmill in the foreground just south and east of Isabel, SD in Dewey County.

Abandoned Our Savior Lutheran Church in rural Dewey County just before sunrise in late December.  This church and cemetery is located a few miles northeast of Firesteel, SD.

November's Best

A weak geomagnetic storm caused faint northern lights in early November.  Taken in McCook County.

Here are my favorite 12 photos from the month of November.  Just one more month on this little pet project of mine.  It will be interesting (and hard) to try to pick favorites from each month for the overall top 12.  Regardless, it has been a fun endeavor!  As always, click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for stopping by!

Sunset and prairie windmill in southern McCook County.

A church made from the stones found along the James River south of Menno, SD.

A Bighorn Ram at sunset in Badlands National Park in late November.

Pre-dawn clouds over Badlands National Park.

The first light of dawn strikes the Badlands.

A rather large Ferruginous Hawk perched above a prairie dog town.

A coyote howls along a road overlooking a prairie dog town at Wind Cave National Park.

A white-tail buck in Custer State Park.

Morning breaks over Custer State Park.

A white tail buck a few miles south of Isabel, SD in Dewey County.

An abandoned farmstead in Dewey County, SD