A Badlands Birthday

"It's my birthday and I can do

whatever I want to do."

That's our Brown family philosophy.

So, I made my birthday last three days!

(Shhhh!  Don't tell the Senator I did that.

He's traveling in Brazil with the Ambassador and the Judge.)

It started Friday night with a small gathering of friends and children,

after the Kougar Boys BB team lost in the District finals. :(

The kids went crazy running around the house,

while the adults sipped a beverage in the kitchen. 

We analyzed the game. 

Saturday morning, my actual b-day,
brought thoughts of funnel cakes.

Yes, funnel cakes.

You know, State Fair.  Funnel Cakes, Ya.

So I made them.

And Patrick and I ate one.

Well, maybe just a little bit more than one. 

But, it was my birthday, and I could do whatever I wanted to do. . .

So what if I did have three of them?

Who's asking?  Who's counting?

Funnel Cakes.  My Birthday Cake.

Patrick and I decided to take a drive down the "low road," to see if we could spot some wildlife.  We bundled up and tootled down the road in the pick-up.  We stopped to check on ours horses, but didn't see them from the road, so we continued tootling down the road.  

We hadn't gone too far and we encountered this nice group of deer.

Great!  Things were looking good for our Wildlife Drive!



Unfortunately, we went a bit further down the road and encountered this:

I am not kidding you.  This is a road.
This is our Wildlife Loop Road.
Dang.  We turned around.

We decided to head to Belvidere to have a burger with my postmaster, bar owner, candy-making friend.  Her son had just won first place in the District wrestling meet. 

Another cause for celebration.

On Sunday, which I might remind you, was Day Three of the birthday gig, I was ready for another try at the Wildlife Loop.  This time we skirted the "low road" and went in from a different angle.  Unfortunately the clouds hung low and dark, but it was a still a great day to be in the Badlands. 

Hang on to your hats. Fasten your seat belts. Hold on for the ride. 

"The Window"
Do you see it in the upper right corner?

Patrick shot this pix of a big 'ol porcupine languishing in a tree.

They are so easy to spot in the winter.
They stick out like a sore thumb in the bare trees.

It wasn't long before we spotted this little guy,
 trotting along the ridge.

Over hill and dale we went. 

And then, BINGO, look what we spotted.
Big Horn Sheep.

It made my whole day, my whole weekend, to spot these guys.
...the best birthday present so far!
(Well, besides the Kindle.  I'll tell you about that later.)

Another porcupine. 
He really did not want his picture taken!
I trampled through knee-deep snow to get this pose.

Here's one last shot of the snow-covered Badlands.



What a great Wildlife ride we had!



But wait, just after leaving the park, we spotted a whole bunch of deer!

As if the porcupines and Big Horn sheep weren't enough!

Oh, and we did see one skunk.

It was dead

 on the side of the road.

Patrick didn't want to stop to take a picture of it.

Where is his sense of adventure?

Here are the deer we spotted. . .

I think we counted a couple dozen all together.  Nice.

Our Wildlife drive ended in Wall. 
They have a Dairy Queen.
We went there AFTER going to "open gym."
We did.
I know you think we just went to the Dairy Queen. 
I am telling you the truth. 
WE WENT TO OPEN GYM.
Seriously.
Patrick played buckets.
I rode the recumbent bike, while reading my Kindle.

I had to work off those funnel cakes.
Well, that ONE funnel cake I ate.
For my birthday.
After all, it was my birthday(s) and I could do whatever I wanted!

I hope you enjoyed the drive.

from the range, peace,

kathleen

the handy girl

P.S. I posted black and white photos because my camera

was not cooperating, AND I thought it looked kind of retro.

What do you think?