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| This page is especially for our Swedish and other international friends who would like to know more about where we come from in South Dakota. |
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Jon is from Nisland (population 200), which is the red arrow on the left and Emily is from Howard (population 800), the red arrow on the right. We go to South Dakota State University in Brookings, which is the blue circle to the right of Howard. It takes about 6 hours to drive from Brookings to Nisland. |
And just where is South Dakota? Right in the middle of the States. No, we aren't near California, Florida or New York, or any other place that's famous or warm all year. :-)
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Emily took this photo while moving back to Brookings after the summer. See Jon in the pickup with the contents of our house? To the left is Bear Butte, which is the core of an ancient volcano and sacred to the Native Americans. From the park's web site: Mato Paha or "Bear Mountain" is the Lakota name given to the unique formation at Bear Butte State Park. This formation is a lone mountain, not a flat-topped "butte" as its name implies. It is one of several intrusions of igneous rock that formed millions of years ago along the northern edge of the Black Hills. |
These are the Sioux Falls water falls. Sioux Falls (population
164,481) |
There's lots of prairie in South Dakota.... |
Aren't they cute? Both of our parents raise cattle and crops. |
This is Crazy Horse, which is still under construction. It was started by Korczak Ziolkowski and the work is carried on by his family now. |
Mount Rushmore - the biggest tourist attraction in the state! |
This is what the mountain will look like when it's finished. |
Badlands
National Park consists of 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes,
pinnacles and spires. |
Our friend Charity and Emily at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Half a million bikers on Harley's from all over the world take over this small town for two weeks in August. It's only 30 minutes from Nisland.
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Well, Devil's Tower is actually in Wyoming, not South Dakota, but it's pretty close to the border. The web site is definitely worth checking out. This is one version of the Native American legend of it's origin: One day seven little girls were playing at a distance from the village and were chased by some bears. The girls ran toward the village and when the bears were about to catch them, they jumped to a low rock about three feet in height. One of them prayed to the rock, "Rock, take pity on us--Rock, save us." The rock heard them and began to elongate itself upwards, pushing the children higher and higher out of reach of the bears., When the bears jumped at them they scratched the rock, broke their claws and fell back upon the ground. The rock continued to push the children upward into the sky while the bears jumped at them. The children are still in the sky, seven little stars in a group (the pleiades). According to the legend the marks of the bears' claws may be seen on the side of the rock. |
This is the offical South Dakota tourism web site. If you are really interested in South Dakota, you can order a free vacation guide online. (Yes, they'll ship internationally.) |
Mitchell, SD is home to the world's only corn palace. The outer walls of the Corn Palace are covered in designs made of corn, grain, grasses, wild oats, brome grass, blue grass, rye, straw and wheat. |
Combining soybeans on the Reisch Farm. |
Mural on machine shed painted by John's cousin Irene Colling. |
This is Emily's family-Brenda, her mom; John, her dad; and her brother Jared. |
This is Jon's family - Jenni, his mom; Leon, his dad; Chris, his brother and wife Marci, and his two nephews Caleb and Chance. |
Go to the home
page or sign the Guest Book and tell
us what you think of our photos! |
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