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Buffalo Gap, Mari Sandoz and the Never-ending Trail


Life is always an adventure when one travels across Nebraska and South Dakota!  Topography changes depend on the hill one is going over.  From hills rolling into each other to sharp breaks and sand dunes.  Sage, yucca, short grass and hip high grass waving in the constant wind. I went up through Hyannis, Whitman, Gordon, Rushville, Hay Springs, Chadron to Sturgis and back down another way.



My SD Sky!!
Caleb loves history so we enjoyed our drive.  I've always wanted to see what Buffalo Gap was and the very large stone house has intrigued me for years so we turned off and found ourselves in an adorable little community...but no buffalo.  We laughed and giggled so much when he said to me, "Mom were you really expecting to find a buffalo in a gap?"  He was terrified that I was going up to the door of the beautiful house to ask where the buffalo was...



The two lane road between Rapid City, SD and Chadron, NE is really taking shape.  I exclaimed, "This road just keeps going."  He gave me the funniest look and said, "Wow would you look at that...  The road keeps going?!"  The more I tried to explain my point that was so much further along then the last time I had been but it just became more funny.  But he is right-the road truly does keep going.  It is a never ending trail.

We visited the Sandoz Heritage Center and enjoyed the pictures and quotes and artifacts of this amazing woman.  We made a decision to read her book, "Old Jules" again as well as the rest together.


The trip was short but precious.  Conversation was hysterical and profound.  From politics, personal, family and national history to finance and economy to God and how much he loves us.





Comments

  1. Hills N ValleysAugust 24, 2011 at 9:47 PM

    Oh WOW Heather. This is where my family lived before I was born! This is where my grandparents (near Buffalo Gap) raised a family almost 100 years ago!! (and before that Kansas) My grandma had a sewing machine like that, that I remember her sewing up my raggety doll on. In some part of my mind "Old Jules" sounds familiar...gonna check that out tomorrow. I'm so glad I went snooping through your posts. Not sure how I missed this one.

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  2. Hills N ValleysAugust 24, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    That photo reminds me of some photos I have of my grandmother. I need to post some for you to see. Recently I did some tweeking of the photos and I have several on my wall.

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  3. Heather Ann GillSeptember 5, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    Joy, I just saw your comments. That is so cool. I would love to see the photos of your Grandmother. I have on old cheap Pamida camera but I love these snapshots in time.

    Did you find "Old Jules"?

    ReplyDelete

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