Contented Days

We h ad a great time with Curt and Barb here in the Black Hills. They left early Monday morning to start their journey back home. They arrived back in Omaha last night and today is Barb's birthday! On Saturday the three of them hiked to the top of Harney Peak. We have read that it is the highest point eastward between the Rockies and the Swiss Alps. The hike is a little over 6 miles round trip and includes climbing over boulders and rough trails. 

This was at the top of the mountain. It was so windy up there that Dennis and Barb sat behind the wall to eat their lunch. 

This one was taken while climbing upwards.  Barb, Dennis and Curt.

The Lookout tower at the top of Harney Peak, or as it's now called Black Elk Peak.

And finally, the view from the very top! Isn't it stunning? It was a beautiful day although it looks pretty cloudy. Zoey and I stayed behind to do laundry. There is no way in the world that I would have made it up that mountain.

That same night we took a drive on the Wildlife Loop Road. It's one of our favorite things to do. Sorry for the blurry photo. We saw many large groups of buffalo. The annual buffalo round-up will be held at the end of September. There they will sell some of the herd to the highest bidders. They have to keep the numbers down to what the park can sustain. Custer State Park bison are known for the quality of their meat because of the wonderful grazing land. There is a lottery every year that people join in order to ride in the round-up. Dennis's cousin Chuck has been chosen in past years. It's quite an honor. You ride your own horse and help to round up the buffalo. Thousands of people gather that weekend to watch this annual event. We've been told it's an amazing sight to see thousands of buffalo running across the prairie.

And of course, the famous begging burros made an appearance. There were six of them up on the road, begging for handouts and another couple of dozen down in the trees finding the coolness of the shade.

We saw a lot of antelope. I think they're beautiful. This one turned around and almost posed for the photo.

In Custer City, which is really a very small town, we wandered through the tourist shops and found painted buffalo on nearly every corner. We particularly liked this one with the mountain goats climbing all over it. Here are Curt and Barb saying hello to him.

And then we took our turn with the same buffalo. Much better than trying to get close to a real one!

I finished the Virus baby blanket. I would have liked to make it a little bit larger, but I ran completely out of yarn. It's yarn I bought from Amazon marketplace and I don't think I can get any more of it.  I need to be happy with the size it is. It turned out to be about 31 inches square. but hasn't been blocked yet.

We will be here two more nights. Friday morning we will leave and drive to Buffalo, Wyoming to spend the night. Then on Saturday, we will go to Helena, Montana to see our son and our granddaughter, Kyleigh. She is in her fourth year in Bozeman at university. We're very proud of her. We can't wait to be with them. We usually only get to see them once a year now that we've moved, and we look forward to it every year. Our grandson Caleb is working in Oregon and we're hoping to see him at some point during this trip too. He's doing very well in his work as a lineman. I try not to think about how dangerous it is because he's very happy.

I hope and pray that you are all well and enjoying our little trip with us. Take care and may God bless each one of you.

Blessings and love,

Betsy

The Solid Rock

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.