A Maize Thing

I am pretty sure that when one thinks of a palace they imagine some formidable structure built with precious minerals and gems and not of brick, mortar and maize. Yes, I said maize as in corn.

Here in South Dakota though, corn is such a big part of life that we actually have a palace dedicated to the richness of the harvest and decorated with corn. The Corn Palace has been around since the late 1800's and boasts elaborately detailed murals all made from corn and grains. 

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On my last trip to the eastern part of the state I took a short detour into Mitchell to check out this years murals. Unfortunately it looked like they had just begun to change the murals. The street was fenced off to prevent traffic in front of the palace, but people were still allowed to go inside and even come out into the construction area.

This sign in one of the mural spots caught my attention. Wondering what the 'Next Generation Corn Palace' would mean I checked out the description on their website.

Hopefully I will get to stop in next week and see how the work is going on this years murals and capture some fun shots to share. Until then I come across this Pintrest Board that has a good amount of Corn Palace photos.

Across the street from the Corn Palace is a really cool building that looks like a castle. This use to be a Doll Museum. 

Now it is Valtiroty Shiloh's Tabernacle Center and houses a bible land tour/walk through, biblical artifacts, spiritual literature and services as well as a gift shop and convenience store. 

I hope you have enjoyed your virtual visit and will stop by again.

Happy Travels!

Fields of Sunshine

There is just something about the sunflower that makes a person want to smile. The day can be gloomy but look at a sunflower and suddenly you feel the sunshine. Now imagine driving along an open stretch of highway when before you stretches field after field of bright cheerful sunflowers. That is what awaits you when traveling west river along I-90 in South Dakota during the late summer and early Autumn.

Ever since the first time I traveled this stretch of road in late summer I have been wanting to capture the joy and beauty of the sunflower fields. During my last trip across the state I had my daughter snap a few photos of the fields. Unfortunately we did not have enough time to stop for better photos. Have you ever had the pleasure of seeing so many sunflowers in one spot?

 

Falling For Summer All Over Again

It doesn't seem to matter how many times I have seen the Falls in the past, they are always a refreshing sight for me, and one of the reasons to love Sioux Falls in the summertime.

Last weekend I had the chance to visit the Falls and was pleased to see that not only did the Big Sioux River have a good amount of water but the park was lush and green as ever.

It is always a pleasure to see and talk to people visiting the park. Many live locally and are just out to enjoy the beautiful summer weather, while others have traveled many miles and are awestruck by the beauty of this location.

Each time I see this spot I can't help but wonder how amazing it must have looked to the early settlers.

That is it for this week, I hope you have enjoyed my favorite South Dakota Park. Thank you for stopping by, I wish you well on your virtual travels.