Presently, Sandi and I are in northern North Dakota visiting our children after a 1,300 mile road trip to get here from Oregon. Neither of us had ever been to this part of our country before, so all the sights and experiences are new.
North Dakota contains lot of flat ground with few trees. The “mountains” are really small hills. Grain silos and derelict windmills are everywhere and often dominate the skyline punctuated by an occasional church steeple and cell phone tower. The vast prairie is littered with many old abandoned buildings indicating that life is hard in this country and not everyone made it.
Usually there is many feet of snow on the ground at this time of the year and the temperatures are in the subzero Fahrenheit range. However, this year has been extremely mild with temps in the teens and 20s at night and 30s to low 40s (Fahrenheit) during the day.
Please enjoy.
Nice photos. Although I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest from Alaska to Oregon for 64 years, I was born and spent my first three years in North Dakota and have many cousins there. My favorite part of the Dakota Territory are the Black Hills.
What do your children do there?
My son-in-law is an officer in the USAF stationed at Minot AFB. They’ve been here since July and have another three or so years to go. My daughter is working on her masters degree in social work-family counseling.
We leave tomorrow after a week here, and head for Roosevelt National Park and then to the Black Hills and then maybe to north Yellowstone as we work our way back to Oregon.
Where in OR do you live?
We live in Talent. You know us… Amanda and Glenn Miller. We’ve spent several Sukkots and a Shavuot with y’all. We were in Mesa, AZ about a year ago hoping to see you again.
While in north Yellowstone, about a mile or so down river (south) of Mammoth Hot Springs is are two small parking lots on both sides of the road. Park on the right side and bring your swimsuits and bath towels. There is an outhouse to change in and then a quarter mile walk up river on a trail where you will find hot water coming out of the bank of the Boiling River. It’s fantastic! One of only two places where you can actually bathe anywhere in that national park. We would drive a hundred miles out of our way to do it again.
Shabbat Shalom and thanks for sharing!
Shabbat Shalom thank you for sharing.
Shabbat Shalom. Born and raised on a farm in Nelson County ND. Graduated from one room country school house with one person in my class — me! Many wonderful memories.
Center Lutheran Church, the beginning of my spiritual journey was sadly burned last fall as it was no longer safe needing many repairs and few to no parishoners remaining in the area to care for it. Proud Scandinavian heritage. Not an uncommon occurance for many abondoned buildings across the great plaines these days.
I see you visted the Scandinavian Heritate Village in Minot. I have a similar picture taken with the Troll.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.
BTW were you able to visit Mystical Horizons which is near the Peace Garden?
Nathan:
How can I send you a picture?
Email. You can find it at our the Hoshana Rabbah website.
I remember going to ND and SD as a kid/teen. I grew up about 5 hours north of Minot in southern Saskatchewan Canada. I have fond memories of going down there, including going even further down south to the Black Hills and seeing Mnt Rushmore and Crazy Horse (they were still creating it when we went down last). Looks much like southern SK but warmer. Have Norwegian ancestors on my mothers side. Half of my grandfathers family were born in ND, other half ( my grandfather being the first) born in Saskatchewan.
I grew up in MN. More trees there, ha. Hey me and my husband live close to Cody WY. If you go through there on way home it would be fun for me and my husband to meet you there! (also Cody has the big Buffalo Bill Cody museum, you may like to see).
Great museum. We love Cody.
You guys sure do get around-thanks for sharing. You’re blessed and now you bless us!
Thank you for these lovely pictures. My husband was stationed in Minot. Travel mercies as you head home.