From the Black Hills, the Badlands and the Prairie of Western South Dakota

www.scatteredchristians.org

M & M Paulson
Kadoka, South Dakota

Pictures and Short Video Clips of Our New Life 
in Western South Dakota

   As my wife and I travel around the area, I thought I would try to make a few pictures and short video clips available for the family, whether it be for our personal family or our website family.  We all know how quiet and lonesome our days can be so maybe this is a small way for me to make available what goes on here in Kadoka for those who might be interested in life in western South Dakota.  I will add to these pages as we make our various journeys. This could be a good 'hobby' for me to get my mind off 'things' - if you know what  I mean!
   As I learn how to do thumbnails, etc. I will try to improve this page as time goes by...


Black Hills
   This page will eventually include Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park, Iron Mountain Road, Pig Tail Bridges, Tunnels, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake and other beautiful Lakes, Harney Peak Hiking Trail, Live Wild Buffalo, Mules, Great Eating Establishments, Quiet Countryside, Dinosaur Park, Spearfish Canyon in the Fall, Deadwood & Mt Moriah Cemetery, Beautiful Scenic Drives, Bike trails, Easy to Difficult Hiking and Climbing anywhere you want, and more as we re-discover our favorite part of our country!

Badlands
   You can find pics of the Badlands all over the internet so these will be pictures unique in that they will not be the normal postcard / tourist picture.  Different times of day present different colors - and so I will try to find some places that tourists know little about as well as my own personal little favorite shots..

Open Prairie
From open grasslands and miles and miles of nothing but marvelous nothing!  Such peace and quiet!

Wall Drug
   Located in Wall, South Dakota - it is the original roadside tourist main attraction for Western South Dakota which got it's start in 1937 giving away free ice water to travelers across the hot and dry prairie of South Dakota.  Visit their website for more pics and information.  It is a great all-day stop especially for kids interested in western life and true history, complete with thousands of pictures of the wild, wild west - which still exists in these parts, by the way!

Weather
   When we lived in the state of Washington, pastoring for 13 years, we learned that the Touchet/Walla Walla area was number 5 in the nation for 'no weather' changes to speak of.  In other words, the weather was very boring.  No hail other than a few pebbles here and there; no tornados; not really hot for a long time; not really cold for any length of time; very little snow; blizzards that were mere puffs of blowing snow; a high wind dust storms was about as 'weathery' as it ever got.
   Now we are back to South Dakota where we even have professional storm chasers out here just waiting for that storm cell to drop a few tornados.  We have the new world record 2 pound hail stone in these parts and roofs with hail holes through the roof AND ceiling of the houses.
   We can watch storms develop miles away.  We have town people who drive to the edge of town to watch the coming storms.  How's that for family entertainment!!!
   Here are a few pictures as I try to do my own 'unofficial storm chasing.'  Most of the pictures are of my own taking - but I may throw in a few other pics, as well, in case those thrilling picture opportunities do not arise for awhile.  The weather truly is exciting out here. The thunder will knock you out of your chair - the lightning will scare you to death, yet if you can brave the thrill you can watch it all in the dark night for miles around.  I can't imagine what the settlers and homesteaders did during those storms; it is no wonder they built their homes in the sides of hills!

Sunrises / Sunsets
   With all the surrounding prairie making the 'land' as unique as it is, we can also look to the wide-open sky for some gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. There are times I actually catch these gorgeous skies in the evening or in the early sunrise during the school year - so here are a few of them.

Mike Paulson
Trying to do the work of an evangelist online by teaching Paul's gospel of the Risen Saviour!
www.scatteredchristians.org


The entire King James Bible is written FOR us, but it is not all written TO us!
We learn from the "For" and we learn to apply the 'TO!"