Summer Skies

The other day I received this gorgeous sky shot from Paula Grove of Sioux Falls. She told me that the picture did not quite do the scene justice as the suns rays were much more visible in person. With a slight enhancement of the original image I hope the edited version more closely captures what she saw when she was taking the photo.

Summer At Tut Hill Gardens

This photo was taken last July at Tut Hill Gardens in Sioux Falls. Each year during the spring and early summer months this place is overflowing with vivid colors.

Sergent Floyd Riverboat Museum and Welcome Center

Last summer on our way down to the Omaha zoo we stopped at the Sergeant Floyd Welcome Center. Although we were a little disappointed that the welcome center and museum were closed for repairs we still enjoyed the stop. The welcome center is off I-29 just inside Iowa about an hour and a half from Sioux Falls. 

How to Save Those Old Bridges

I am sad to say that this beautiful old bridge was torn down by the county last winter as it was no longer safe for vehicle traffic and upkeep was considered an unneeded expense.  Today over at Hartford Daily Photo Jack posted about a lovely old bridge in Simsbury that the community rallied around and repurposed in such a lovely way, I just had to share the idea. So please hop over to Jack's blog to see how they turned their bridge into a splendid garden. I wish the same could have been done with this old bridge but as it was located in a rural area with little to no traffic, so I can see where arousing such interest may not have been possible.

However, there are still a number of these lovely bridges in and around the city of Sioux Falls, and even more dotting the countryside. A few of these like this one along the bike trial are maintained for foot traffic and bicyclists. Others stand barricaded off and lonely. Wouldn't it be glorious to transform some of these bridges into gardens?

Photos by Niki: Falls Park

One of my favorite destinations in Sioux Falls whether it is for a fun family outing, quiet sunrise or sunset walk or just to capture a few photos of the magnificent scenery is Falls Park. I would like to thank Niki for sharing these two photos of the falls with us. I absolutely love the perspective in both photos.

Summer Sights

Pulling from my archives I would like to share some of the summer things around Sioux Falls that I have been missing since moving to Virginia. 

 Driving a short five minutes to photograph open pasture lands and beautiful horses.

 Spending a quiet afternoon at Arrowhead park.

Wild daisy's and long photo walks along the Big Sioux River.

Last but not least beautiful sunsets undisturbed by the city skyline.

To all my friends and family in Sioux Falls; I miss you all.

Open Invite: If you have a photo of the Sioux Falls area you would like shared here please email me with the photo and any description you would like included with the photo. Be sure to include your name so I can properly credit you.

Fawick Park Controversy

The other day Ms. Solitaire mentioned our outing to Fawick Park and reminded me of these photos. Tomorrow is her birthday and since I can not be there to help her celebrate I would like to share this as a sort of toast to my dear friend. I hope you enjoy these photos taken last June. 

View of down town from center of Fawick Park

Fawick Park sits on the edge of the Big Sioux River in down town. Although small the park has become home to a number of fun events especially throughout the summer months. Moonlit movies, Big Band and Jazz concerts are just a few of the event to be enjoyed at Fawick park. 

View of the Big Sioux River from the edge of Fawick Park

This park however was at the center of a great art controversy for a number of years. The cause of the controversy, a full size replica of Michelangelo's Statue of David. Donated by inventor Thomas Fawick to the city of Sioux Falls and Augstana College the statue was placed in Fawick park. Click here to learn more of this controversy. If you happen to be in Sioux Falls I just discovered that there is an exhibit of the first car invented by Thomas Fawick at the Old Court House Museum. Check out their Facebook page here for more info.

View of the 10th St overpass from the edge of the park along the Big Sioux River

Many felt that although this statue is a magnificent piece of artwork it did not belong in a public park near one of the busiest streets connecting down town to the east side of the city. The statue was actually removed for three years while the park was undergoing a needed clean up and renovation and many did not want it to return to the park but placed in a less conspicuous place. After much debate the statue was finally returned to Fawick park in 2000 where it still stands today.

My dear friend enjoying a lovely afternoon at Fawick Park

 Since this blog must abide by blogger TOS I have censored the next few photos.

 The size of this fabulous replica is staggering as you can see in this last photo.

I personally am not offended by the statue but understand that it does cause discomfort to some. What do you think?

Founded in 1993, B & G Milkyway has been an essential part of the Sioux Falls summer.  It's old style little cabin type appearance, faded picnic tables and excellent ice cream have made it a hometown favorite.  Whether it's a hot dog you're craving, cheese curds-you naughty one, or an avalanche with almost every type of candy selection imaginable; you will ease your cravings here.
Local teens in festive tie dyed B & G shirts wait on you with a smile and everyone's happy.  Who wouldn't be with ice cream so thick and creamy it bends their plastic spoons?

After a long day at a sports activity, you'll often find uniformed kids there having a treat.  But it's not unusual to see 60 year old people beside 6 year old kids that have the same expression of first anticipation, then satisfaction.  Summer in Sioux Falls...where would we be without B & G?

Hometown Walk  

Sioux Falls was hot and steamy on Saturday, but we decided to take a walk anyway.  We were tired of air conditioning and needed to stretch our legs.  We needed to see the views that only our downtown could provide.  This is the garden entrance to the Washington Pavillion.  It is now a haven for artists and musicians, but it was once a high school.  An old friend that attended school there told me that they've really improved the place significantly.

Up the street is this archaic Lutheran church that's architecture and surrounding shrubbery make it a charming place for weddings.  Many is the time I have seen a blushing bride and proud bridegroom on the steps at this entrance.  Today, it was quiet and peaceful.

The YMCA was busy with people enjoying the activities indoors on such a hot day.  But as you can see the sun on the trees made it a lovely day outdoors, as well.

We ended our steamy walk with a slushy, but I couldn't help but pick this shot of the stone monument on the corner of 14th and Minnesota.  They've expanded it and it almost looks like a stone garden.  It would be peaceful, were it not located on such a busy corner.  But I enjoyed it almost as much as my slushy!

Sunset

This lovely sunset photo comes to us from Nicole Burgess and shows the beauty of sunset as seen on the north west edge of Sioux Falls.

Places of beauty are filled with a variety of memories.  Both good and bad.  In Sioux Falls, the whole city was named for its picturesque waterfalls.  These are photos of a bittersweet goodbye, for now, with this blog's author, Anita Davis and her beautiful daughter, Melissa.

Miss Nita is the one that sees the photo frame in the smallest detail.  She inspired me to go out and find local adventure wherever we could.  We'd follow her red hair and wonder whether it would be cupcakes, photo shots in front of a nude David, or window shopping for things we could never possibly afford.

Today's adventure was at the Falls.    The Falls were beautiful that day.  We stayed at the upper deck, getting completely drenched and loving every minute of it.

Another of Anita's great accomplishments are four amazing kids.  One of whom is pictured below.  Miss Melissa is independent, realistic, and yet optimistic.  How does she do it?  I will never know.  Oh, and above all, she is a fashion queen.

My favorite time was being the amatuer french photographer at a modelling show, screaming loudly, "Love the Buffalo, be the Buffalo!  And as you can see below, she truly was a great object of art that day.

Bittersweet, holds a twinge of love and promise.  We are still friends and we communicate almost daily.  I know right now she'll probably want to hit me when she sees this, yet it was sweet of her to give me this opportunity to develop of photographic eye. 

The Little Things

copyright Nicole Burgess

Very few people will argue that it is the little things in life that add to the quality of ones life. I find that is also true of where one lives. It is the little things that we often take for granted that make our communities so special.

Coming originally from Southern California where life is lived at a much faster pace, one of the first things that shocked me and at the same time gave me a very good feeling about moving to the Midwest was the grocery store. It wasn't so much the physical store but the kindness with which one is met in the grocery store. 

People smile, say hello and on occasion strike up conversations with complete strangers. When I first moved to South Dakota Sunshine and HyVee, the two larger grocery stores in eastern South Dakota both provided their customers with a service that completely shocked me. The 'sacker' not only bagged your groceries but they then would push the full shopping cart to your car and load the groceries into your car. While they don't all do this now they do offer drive up service where you can leave your shopping cart with the clerk and drive to the drive up where store personnel will then load the groceries into your car. Now that is service!

Then when I found out HyVee was open 24 hours a day. I was in heaven! Ok, so maybe most people don't like to go grocery shopping at 2am. But when you are a night owl and tend to get the munchies at 2am for anything that ISN'T in your house, an all night grocery store is heaven sent. 

When Nicole contributed this photograph  I was immediately reminded of how special it was to live near a HyVee grocery store. Being away from the Midwest now for two whole months I am shocked at how much I had come to take these things for granted, after 18 years in the Midwest.

Today's photograph comes to us from Shannon Hillock of Yankton, SD. In her photograph she captures the sun setting over cattle in the sale barn of the Yankton Land & Cattle Company. Yankton is a picturesque town on the banks of the Missouri River approximately ninety minutes southwest of Sioux Falls.

copyright Shannon Hillock

A big thanks to Shannon for sharing this with us on Sioux Falls Photo.

Falls Park 2002

Photos taken in 2002-3 with a my first digital camera.

This beautiful old building is now home to the Overlook Cafe.

I hope you have enjoyed today's look back.

Over the next few weeks I will be digging deep into my archives and sharing some of my first digital shots of the Sioux Falls area.
May your week ahead be blessed!

Nita

Good News

I am happy to say that I will NOT be ending this blog! After a lot of thought I have decided to open the blog up to share photos sent in by other Sioux Falls residence. I am also inviting others to become guest bloggers here on Sioux Falls Daily Photo. So If you are in the Sioux Falls area and have photos you would like shared or would like to become a guest blogger click here to let me know.

With that said here is a shot I took last year while enjoying a walk down town.

Early Spring at Falls Park

The week before we left Sioux Falls a few friends and I decided to go to the falls for a pick nick lunch. Here are a few of the shots I took that day.

 It was such a beautiful day we were not the only ones with the idea.

The ruins of the old Queen Bee Mill

 I noticed another group enjoying the beautiful afternoon.

 And this last one of my dear friends son. He has such a big heart and is a wonderful artist as well. Eventually I hope to be sharing some of his artwork on my art blog.

New City, New Home, New Life

My life has definitely turned upside down. For years I figured I would most likely spend the rest of my life in the quaint city of Sioux Falls. Yet in a matter of just a few months after the death of my husband, everything in my life has changed. For 19 years  South Dakota has been our home and now my youngest daughter and I have packed up and moved all the way to Norfolk, Virginia to live with my oldest daughter and her family.

Leaving behind family, good friends and all that we had become accustom to has been difficult. The major redeeming factor is that we are now with family that for the last four years we only saw for short visits once or twice a year. Although I am sad to be leaving behind some very dear friends and most importantly three of my wonderful grandchildren, I am happy to have the chance to spend time with my other three grandchildren. I also find myself rather excited for the new adventures that are sure to be found.

I am not sure if I will be keeping this blog and asking the many friends back in Sioux Falls to help supply photos for the blog or if I will be closing this blog. All I can say for now is that I will be taking lots of photos of the Sioux Falls area each year when I return to visit family and friends.