We’re only traveling a couple hundred miles and we’ll be back home in just two days. But I’m a little bit scared. Most of the drive is familiar – south on Hwy. 44 to Interior and into the Badlands. Then back up to the Interstate, east to Kadoka, on through Murdo and a turn north on Hwy. 83 toward Pierre. But Pierre isn’t my destination; I’m on a trek to a small unknown pond in the vast outback known as the Fort Pierre National Grasslands.

Hwy. 83 is a well-maintained and fairly well-traveled four-lane highway that connects South Dakota’s state capitol to its constituents via the state’s main east-west thoroughfare, Interstate 90.

It is also the only paved road through the Grasslands, a discovery I made while studying a large map of the area while planning our excursion. After studying the options – “gravel road, suitable for passenger car,” “dirt road, suitable for passenger car” and “road not maintained for passenger car” – I go with the conservative “gravel road, suitable for passenger car.”

So when my gravel road of choice turns out to be a stunning demonstration of the term “washboard driving,” I can only murmur “suitable for passenger car” when my husband Art, with a heavy sigh, asks the tiresome question I hear all too often: “What have you gotten us into?”

I study the map and cheerfully exclaim: “We’re already half way there!” Just a small white lie, but luckily the washboard smooths out, and after passing by an abandoned farmhouse we turn down a short dirt road – with ruts that are thankfully shallow – and in less than five minutes are parked on a grassy ridge above a fine little body of water ready for us to explore.

Out come the lawn chairs. Art gets his fishing pole outfitted while I put together a quick lunch. He soon wanders down the shoreline, and I begin to settle into what is is turning out to be a delightful afternoon. The South Dakota prairie is at its annual tipping point – there’s the finest gossamer of green gently waving in the branches of several clumps of trees along the pond’s distant edge. A still cool breeze ruffles the brown spikes of last year’s grass. Slowly what seems quiet becomes audible. Redwing blackbirds crisscross the pond, their unlovely cawing interspersed with the lilting song of the meadowlark. A greve floats by, its smooth journey disturbed as it upends itself searching for a fishy dinner. The wind sprints across the pond, stirring up a glitter of tiny ripples.

So peaceful. So restful. But it’s time to get moving. I climb the little knoll that leads to the dam and walk its flat surface. Art looks up from his fishing and points. A glimpse of one turtle widens into amazement – across the pond dozens of skinny black heads stretch into the warmth. With the sun on the water, I can see their bulky shells tipping back and forth as they pull down and swim in the shallows. And wafting out of the marshy swales below the dam is a cacophony of croaks and occasional booms. Deep in the thicket, the bull frogs are singing their love songs while the blackbirds build their nests in the juniper grove high above.

What a wonder it is to see life carrying out its timeless circle far away from the hectic human scene.We are visitors here. Yet this little lagoon is such a sturdy refuge, such a haven of abundance – that our presence seems irrelevant. Tomorrow we will be gone, yet all this purposeful activity will continue. Unseen, a day will unfold, and then the night will come.

Two – then three – deer dodge up out of the thickets and into the outlying fields. The sun is still high in the sky, but the afternoon is beginning to fade. I turn back towards our little grasslands outpost. Wide wisps of clouds form the horizon, but there will be no rain tonight. Hours of light are still ahead. I settle back, my head tilted towards the sky. The redwings, the meadowlarks, the frogs and the wind sing on.

Next week (April 8-14) is American Indian Awareness Week at Black Hills State University in Spearfish. Events include the Kevin Whirlwind Horse Memorial Walk/Run, a free buffalo feed, a roster of speakers and the week’s premiere event – the 30^th annual Lakota Omniciye Wacipi (pow wow). It’s all open to the public and offers many opportunities to learn about the area’s Lakota Sioux culture and get educated on artistic, cultural and economic initiatives presently underway across South Dakota’s Indian country.

But, of course, it’s the pow wow that’s the biggest draw. And attending any of the many pow wows that take place throughout South Dakota is undoubtedly the very best way to take an introductory course on just what sustains and nourishes the indigenous communities of the Northern Plains.

To call a pow wow a social event is an accurate description, but one that does not begin to describe the all-encompassing nature of a wacipi celebration. Here in South Dakota, the Lakota, Nakota and Dakota tribal peoples gather to participate in honorings, giveaways, good times with friends and families, camping, sharing meals and reconnecting with each other individually and as communities.

Pow wows are participatory events, and visitors and tourists can join in some of the activities. Some dances are social and competitive, and some are religious and ceremonial. Dancing is the main activity, but hand games, pageants, fashion shows, drumming, singing and arts and crafts events are often part of the mix.

Very few experiences pack a greater thrill than a pow wow’s grand entry. Generally led by an honor guard, military veterans and elders in full regalia, all the generations enter the arena dressed either traditionally or in a contemporary Native style of choice. It’s both magnificent and moving – how often in modern America does an entire community celebrate its unity and pride, from infants to teenagers to young families to grandparents. Everyone knows that tribal populations across America face daunting social and economic issues. Pow wows are solid proof that Native American spirits remain strong.

Pow wows take place within a series of large circles, with rings of dancers moving clockwise in the dance arena. Contest dances are organized in categories, with some regional variation. General categories include men’s dances (divided into Fancy Dance, Traditional, Straight Dance and Grass Dance) and women’s dances (Traditional, Fancy Shawl and Jingle Dress).

Attending one of these breathtaking and brilliant events is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. Everyone is welcome! But if you are a first-timer, here are a few pointers about etiquette and respect:

• Listen to the emcee so that you understand the protocol for each dance. You can join the dance when you hear the emcee invite non-Indian visitors to do so.
• Stand for the Grand Entry and for the tribal flag songs. Remove your hat for these events and when an eagle feather is dropped or when a song is sung for the feather.
• NO drugs or alcohol!
• Bring a lawn chair or stool to sit on for outdoor events.
• Ask before taking pictures or recording individual dancers, and don’t touch costumes or accessories.

So, plan on attending a pow wow soon. It’s the best way to discover and appreciate South Dakota’s American Indians!

Lloyd Shelton is the Food & Beverage Director with Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc., the park concessionaire that operates the dining and shopping facilities at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Dining facilities at the Memorial include the Carver’s Café, Memorial Team Ice Cream, and a summer season outdoor kiosk.

Back in February, I spent part of a day enjoying the “family atmosphere” in the dining area at Mount Rushmore. I, along with several Xanterra employees, was waiting for the Washington Nationals’ Racing Presidents to show up for a small banquet event. Two little kids were having fun with a carpet sweeper while their mom sat at one of the tables doing paperwork. Kitchen staff members were setting up a couple of tables, but the pace was relaxed and convivial.

Lloyd was coming and going, making sure things were running smoothly in the nicest possible way. It was apparent that being a member of Lloyd Shelton’s team made it easy to enjoy working! Here is Lloyd’s story:

I came to Mount Rushmore in May 2008, after seven years at the Grand Canyon.

I started as a busboy at age 14. I’ve done pretty much everything you can do in a restaurant except be a chef.

It’s interesting any time you are working and get to meet 2 million people in a year. When people are on vacation, they are happy, exuberant. They see this massive monument, and some become reflective. Others are amazed at the work. By the time I see them, they have all seen the monument and are a little awestruck.

We do lots of banquets – upscale banquets. Last year, we took care of the Attorney General of the United States and one of the Supreme Court justices. These are official visits, but we get lots of unofficial visitors – some who are famous as actors, actresses and musicians. Every type of person in the world comes to Mount Rushmore.

Donny Osmond was in the park. I had to tweet my daughter, because when she was young she would go up to the TV screen and kiss it. She loved Donny Osmond.

There’s such a vast difference between winter and summer. In summer, we serve 500 people an hour. In 2012, we served over 500,000 meals. July 3-4 are the two busiest days without a doubt.

Buffalo stew, after ice cream, is the top-selling item. We feature five different buffalo items. Last year, we served over 50,000 pounds of buffalo, filets to hot dogs.

There’s sheer joy in doing the volume of business we do. There are days I can hardly walk at the end of the day. It’s exhilarating when you get through the day with your team. I did a pedometer during one summer, and was averaging 17-18 miles a day.

We’re very proud of our George S. Mickelson Great Service Award (2009). Last year, our employees received 64 individual customer service awards. Customers have to recognize an employee in writing, and we submit them. Ten employees were in the highest category. That means the person received three or more customer commendations.

Can’t tell you how proud I am of the team I am privileged to work with. Some of our staff are J1 students from around the world. That’s a visa program that allows students to work and experience the United States on their summer break. Of the 64 customer service award winners, at least 20 were international employees. That just says something.

“The Buffalo King,” an hour-long documentary by native South Dakotan Justin Koehler and Aaron Pendergast, is one of several dozen films that will be shown during the Black Hills Film Festival, scheduled for May 1-5 in Hill City. The film tells the life story of James “Scotty” Philip, a Fort Pierre area rancher in the late 1880s.

By that time, little more than 1,000 plains bison (commonly called buffalo) remained of the hundreds of thousands that had roamed the length and breadth of the vast grasslands from the Dakotas to Texas for thousands of years.

Fred Dupree, a former fur trader who later operated a successful ranch on the Cheyenne River reservation in north-central South Dakota, participated, along with his sons, in some of the last buffalo hunts on the Northern Plains. Aware of the rapidly dwindling numbers, the Dupree men captured seven calves in the spring of 1882, five of which survived to maturity at the family ranch.

By the time of Dupree’s death in 1898, he owned a herd of 57 buffalo. Scotty Philip, the Fort Pierre-area rancher credited with saving the buffalo, bought all 57 and by the time of Philip’s death in 1911, the herd exceeded 900 head. Custer State Park purchased 36 from the Philip Ranch.

The first Custer State Park Buffalo Auction occurred in 1965. Over the past 46 years, at least 17,000 park buffalo have gone to herds around the country. Many thousands of baby buffalo calves later, the bison population in America is estimated at around 500,000 head.

The Black Hills Film Festival attracts independent filmmakers from across the globe. Along with public showings of the films, the festival offers structured classes and forums led by notable film professionals.

All through the Hills, the ice is going out. On Spearfish Creek, Rapid Creek, Box Elder, Spring and Castle Creek, the cold, clear mountain water is bubbling through the cracks and over the thin sheen of spring ice. And in the deeper stream pockets, browns and brookies are stirring as newly hatched swarms of insects emerge into a warming sun.

April is almost here, and as local anglers know, it is a very good time to go fishing for trout. In fact, while the species is not native to the Black Hills, rainbow, brook and brown trout have found the region’s 800 miles of stream and 22 small lakes and reservoirs to be an ideal environment.

No matter what time of year, fishing pressure is generally low on Black Hills streams. Use an ultra-light to light action rod with spinning or pin cast type reel. You’ll need a 4-6 pound monofilament line. Although you will find a large selection of popular local flies, all-around good picks are woolly buggers, pheasant tails and elk hair caddis. You can go online and view the Black Hills Fishing Guide for great information about fish species, fishing equipment and lures and the major Black Hills watersheds, plus an index of area fishing locations.

If the fishing location you prefer is a lake, there are plenty of rainbows to be had at Pactola Reservoir, Sheridan Lake and Deerfield Lake. Pactola has a handicap-accessible fishing bridge, and there are always shore fishermen pulling in trout, as well as perch and bass, off Hwy. 385 at Sheridan Lake.  There are docks at all three lakes, although Deerfield is limited to no-wake boating. Small mountain lakes throughout the Hills, including Sylvan, Center, Legion, Bismarck and Stockade lakes in Custer State Park, all have good trout populations.

Smaller lakes with good shoreline access are Iron Creek Lake 10 miles south of Spearfish, Reausaw Lake 9 miles northwest of Nemo and Curlew Lake near New Underwood. Iron Creek and Reausaw are trout fisheries, but Curlew is a small prairie lake with walleye, largemouth bass, crappies and bluegills.

Speaking of walleye, there are plenty of local fishermen who strongly prefer jigging for walleye instead of casting for trout. The big prairie reservoirs – Angostura south of Hot Springs and Rocky Point north of Belle Fourche – have robust walleye populations.  You can contact area fishing guides for excursions on either lake.

If you are an expert fisherman yourself, here are some upcoming tournaments:

April 20-21: Angostura Iron Man. Teams of two anglers compete for over $4,000 in prizes. Rules meeting is 6:30 a.m. April 20 at the dock; start time is 7 a.m. Entry fee is $120 per boat. More info: 605-415-0207

April 27-28: 2013 Angostura Spring Walleye Classic. Cost is $110 a team; hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. A qualifier for Cabelas 2014 National Team Championship. More info: 605-381-9457.

May 4-5: Center of the Nation Walleye Tournament, Belle Fourche. Two-person teams from across the region compete. Details are not set, but check www.gfp.sd.gov as event approaches.

For those who just want to enjoy a day fishing or watching fish:

May 10-12: Booth Weekend: The official summer season opener at DC Booth Historic Fish Hatchery in Spearfish. The Von Bayer Museum, the Railcar and the Booth House welcome visitors, and guided tours through the historic buildings are available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. You can walk the grounds and feed the trout all year round, plus view the big lunkers through underwater windows.

May 17-19: State Parks Open House & Free Fishing Weekend. Custer State Park is the most popular destination for this annual spring event, but you can visit any state park, campground or recreation area. There is a free fishing derby, with prizes, at Custer State Park. Most state parks loan fishing equipment; stop by visitor centers and ask.

Fishing education is offered at Outdoor Campus West in Rapid City. Classes fill up quickly, so register by visiting www.outdoorcampus.org, calling 605-394-2310 or e-mailing tocwest@state.sd.us

May 2, 4: Fishing Basics. Kids 8-12 years old will learn how to cast and rig a pole, identify common game fish, get introduced to South Dakota fishing regulations, plus try their luck catching fish on the adjacent pond using provided materials and poles.

May 7: Catch, Clean and Cook a Trout: Chef Jeff Olson will provide the expertise, plus there will be taste testing of recipes from 6-8 p.m.

May 16: Family Fishing Basics: It’s fishing basics with furnished equipment from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Campus pond.

Nothing better than the smell of the awakening forest, as the pines begin to scent the air and translucent pasque flowers shyly show themselves in the sunlit nooks and crannies along the trail. In fits and starts, spring is coming to the Black Hills.

And while every season in the Black Hills is beautiful, spring has something the other three seasons don’t have: baby animals!

Spring is barely sprung before bouncing baby buffalo calves are kicking up their heels and aggravating their elders in Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park and Badlands National Park in western South Dakota. Calves are born in April and May. Newborns are anywhere from 30 to 70 pounds and have reddish-brown fur. It takes only a few months before they begin to turn brown and their humps and horns begin to develop. They roam with the herd, often grouping together in “nurseries” that are protected by the adults.

By May, it’s the deer little ones: whitetail and mule deer fawns, plus elk calves. Elk are a large species of deer, and unlike their smaller relations, are more “herd-centered” in their behavior. If you find a tiny fawn seemingly abandoned in dense vegetation, don’t worry. Its mother is likely nearby. Lying still and quiet is how these infants survive their first few weeks before they are sturdy enough to keep up with Mom. Does often have twins and sometimes triplets, but cow elk give birth to a single calf. Mom keeps her baby at a distance until it is able to keep up with the herd, usually in one or two weeks. Early morning and dusk are the best times to look for herds feeding in the mountain meadows.

By late May, you may be lucky enough to spot a Bighorn Sheep lamb, a Mountain Goat kid or a Pronghorn calf. Lambs – generally just one but occasionally two –weigh from 8-10 pounds and can walk within hours. Mountain goat kids come one at a time and are weaned within a month. But they get to stay with their nanny at least a year or until the next kid comes along. Twins are common among the pronghorns. The babies spend the first few weeks hidden in the grass. Then, like buffalo, they join the herd’s “nursery,” spending less than an hour a day with Mom.

May is when prairie dogs give birth to an annual litter of five to 10 tiny blind, hairless pups. In six weeks, they emerge from their underground burrows, generally sticking close to home for safety until they are fully grown at about five months.

Coyotes, a major prairie dog predator, also give birth to 5-10 blind and helpless pups in May. Both the mother and siblings from the previous year care for them. By three weeks, the pups are playful and ready to learn how to be a coyote – a process that take about a year. Coyotes are most easily seen in the morning and around sunset.

Coming upon any animal baby is one of the unplanned pleasures of a Black Hills spring vacation, but it’s even easier if you plan a day of wildlife viewing at one of our parks or wildlife attractions:

Custer State Park: It’s called the Wildlife Loop Road because that’s where you will find the free-roaming buffalo herd, the wild burros, lots of deer, antelope and a wide-ranging assortment of lesser known animals and birds living the good life. Early morning or late afternoon drives offer the best viewing opportunities.

Wind Cave National Park: From Custer State Park, take the backroads (Forest Service Roads 5 & 6) into Wind Cave National Park. These gravel-road drives are two of the best-kept secrets in the Black Hills, with wide-open ranges where buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, coyotes and prairie dogs are surprisingly common sights.

Badlands National Park: It’s not uncommon to find a small Bighorn sheep herd hanging out near the entrance the Badlands on the Badlands Loop Road. The pull-off area is apparently one of their favorite places. Travel in to the Sage Creek area and you’ll often find the park’s buffalo herd grazing the surrounding prairie. Eagles, coyotes, antelope and, of course, prairie dogs, are easy to spot as you tour through the awesome spires and crevasses of the Badlands.

Bear Country USA: The cuteness factor of baby bear cubs highlights the annual CubFest, set for April 20-21 at the Bear Country reserve along Hwy. 16 on the way to Mount Rushmore. It is a rare opportunity to pet the cubs, plus other baby animals are on display in this drive-through wildlife park. CubFest tickets are $15 each, with children 4 and younger free. During the summer season, there are Critter Camps for kids ages 5-12, where kids observe the animals and get some safe hands-on experience with Bear Country staff.

Reptile Gardens: OK, the critters might not be quite so cute at this nationally recognized attraction known as the largest reptile zoo in the world. If you prefer all things creepy and crawly, you’ll be enthralled by the snakes, amphibians, bugs and large toothy reptiles that call Reptile Gardens home. Exotic and rare plants are also part of the mix.

Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary: Beginning June 1, guided walking tours are offered every day except Mondays at this sanctuary for unwanted, neglected and abused animals located near Spearfish. There are bears, bobcats, coyotes, large cats, domestic farm animals, domestic pets, birds and more.

A few weeks ago, I visited Dave Geisler out in Murdo, whose Pioneer Auto Show I consider a phenomenon particularly attune to the South Dakota way of life. There’s something about living under our vast prairie skies that brings out the exceptional side of human nature. Dave’s roadside attraction of 42 buildings filled with remarkable automobiles, motorcycles, tractors and every sort of collectible from old typewriters, to corncob pipes, to lunch boxes and more is a tribute to a side of the American character that has lost some ground over the past several decades. I’m talking about the old-fashioned individualism that allowed for the eccentric, curious, odd, peculiar, singular and offbeat.

In Dave’s case, a more apt label might be “car-centric.” One of the more unusual items in Dave’s collection is the 20^th Century Unlimited wood car on display not far from the entrance to the Auto Show. The car was glued together (with five gallons of Elmer’s Exterior Glue) by Jerry Nickel of Apache Junction, Ariz. The labor of love took 41/2 years, during which Jerry assembled and glued 4,183 individual pieces of mahogany, 64 pieces of oak and 312 pieces of other wood. Proof that there is at least one “car-centric” individual living in Apache Junction.

Another “car-centric” individual lives in Hermosa, and – believe it or not – he has the wooden car to prove it. I met Doug Hewitt this past weekend at the annual Counts Car Club Car Show in Rapid City. He built his wooden car mostly out of cottonwood, with a little walnut trim. The frame is a 1920 Jaguar Speedster, with a conspicuous brass grill that he fashioned from some other piece of salvaged automobilia. According to Doug, it took only about 3-1/2 months to put his new ride together, and he drives it regularly. The huge chunks of cottonwood were freebies salvaged from the City of Rapid City, and he chain-sawed, power-sawed, sanded and varnished the chunks down to fashion his one-of-a-kind automobile.

Building, beautifying and babying automobiles is a hugely popular pastime for thousands of folks across the nation. Here’s the schedule for car-loving vacationers who find themselves in western South Dakota, beginning with Murdo in May, hosted each year by South Dakota’s most notable car-centric, Pioneer Auto Show’s Dave Geisler:

May 10-12: Murdo in May at the Pioneer Auto Show: This annual event attracts hundreds of enthusiasts to its mega antique auction of furniture, collectibles and classic signs. Automobiles are on the block, too, with a swap meet and car corral. And there is a downtown parade and live music for everyone’s entertainment. 605-669-2691, www.pioneerautoshow.com

May 24-26: Dakota Spring Fling, Central States Fairgrounds, Rapid City. 1980s & older classics, hot rods, rat rods, custom cars, muscle cars & pickups. Vendor booths, public show & shine, indoor swap meet. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $2 or 2 cans of food. 605-399-9679.

June 1-2: Back to the Past Car Show, Gillette, Wyo. All cars & trucks with show, awards ceremony, displays & enclosed trailer raffle. Tickets: $5 adults, kids free. 307-680-9511.

June 14-15: 26^th annual Center of the Nation All-Car Rally, Belle Fourche.  Show & shine, vendors, live music, demos, block party, demos & more in Herrmann Park. 605-892-5980; www.allcarrally.com

 June 27-30: Sturgis Camaro Rally in downtown Sturgis. Thursday is the Poker Run & 6 p.m. mixer. Friday includes autocross, poker run, pub crawl and 9 p.m. street dance. Saturday is show & shine, poker walk, auto show, Bondurant school, Loud Pipes Contest, parade and drag races. Sunday is autocross, social & banquet. 406-891-1372; www.SturgisCamaroRally.com

June 29: Whitewood Cruisin’, Hale Hall in Whitewood. Games, food, prizes scheduled from noon to 5 p.m., but no judging. “If you love it, bring it!” Includes Wild Bill Decker’s “Thunderstruck” jet dragster and “mini Indy” cars designed by SDSM&T students. 605-269-2168.

 July 10-12: Black Hills Rod Run, Hill City. Show & shine, poker run, parade and more based in Hill City’s Memorial Park. 605-342-8775; www.hillcitysd.com

July 19-20: 42^nd annual Black Hills Corvette Classic, Spearfish. Touring, 1880 Train ride, autocross, style show, seminars, poker run, Spearfish Canyon Cruise, Vette Street USA, Deadwood casino crawl, banquet, drag races, entertainment and more. 605-759-4530; www.blackhillscorvetteclassic.com

 July 20: Mustang & Ford Club of the Black Hills Car Show, Rapid City. Held in conjunction with the Heritage Festival at Wilson Park. Show & judging 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.rapidmustangford.org

July 22-27: Northern Lights Impala Assoc. Convention, Spearfish. Impala enthusiasts will gather at Holiday Inn Spearfish, with tours, shows, vendors and more. www.facebook.com/NorthernLightsImpalaAssociation

Aug. 17: 10^th annual Devils Tower Car Show: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Devils Tower KOA Campground just outside the Park entrance. Cars, trucks & teen division (open to ages 13-19 who work on their vehicles). Door prizes, awards and auction. Contact: 307-756-9526; www.texastrailcruisers.com

August 22-25: Kool Deadwood Nites, Deadwood. Car lovers enjoy four days full of classic cars and music, with a sock hop, parades, show & shines, competition and free concerts featuring nationally-known rock n’ rollers. www.deadwood.org

 Aug. 28-Sept. 1: 7^th annual Sturgis Mustang Rally, downtown Sturgis: Autocross, drag racing, show & shine, poker run, parade, dice roll, Mustang rodeo & barrel racing, entertainment, Launch Box competition & more. www.SturgisMustangRally.com

I’m sure there are some more car-centric events around the region. If you have one, e-mail laura@blackhillsbadlands.com and it will be posted on our calendar of events.

Flowers are romantic, and so is candlelight. Love notes, dancing, long walks together, snuggling in front of the fire, eyes meeting across a crowded room, weak knees and racing pulses. Oh, forget it.

Not saying I won’t probably receive some flowers from my sweetie, but staring into each other’s eyes and heaving soulful sighs? Not going to happen.

What is going to happen is my choice of one of the many fine events on the Black Hills’ Valentine’s Day roster. So get ready, darlin’, cause here’s the list I’m looking over:

* Do you have a heart as big as Texas? It’s love Texas-style with Rex’s Exes, on stage Feb. 14-17 (and Feb. 21-24) at Matthews Opera House in Spearfish. The heart-rending drama: Gaynelle Verdeen is in hate with her upcoming rendezvous with the big 5-0, but cousins Peaches and Jimmie Wyvette nevertheless plan a surprise birthday party. Lots of surprises ensue: the birthday bash turns into a family funeral, Peaches’ supposedly dead husband returns – followed by a Cajun bounty hunter, a jilted bride holds the three cousins hostage with a loaded paintball gun and more. It’s a birthday, it’s a funeral, it’s a wedding – it’s a hot-blooded, redneck tour de force for Valentine’s Day.

* If you are lovelorn and lonesome, you might be a cowboy. Fine guitar picking and cowboy humor are the ingredients for “Romance on the Range,” with long-time area showman Gordy Pratt. This Heritage of the American West Performance is set for Feb. 14 at Spearfish Convention Center, with tickets available at the door for $13. Gordy will play heartfelt tunes by such legends as Jimmy Rodgers, Bob Wills and Guy Clark. There will be a wine and beer bar at 6 p.m. before the 7 p.m. show, and one lucky chocolate lover will get a box of Chubby Chipmunk truffles to take home.

* Whether or not you have a beau, a swain, a paramour, a suitor or just an admirer, consider purchasing a Victorian Valentine treat to help restore the historic Valentine McGillycuddy House in Rapid City. Piece of Cake Bakery and Café at 901 Mount Rushmore Road is selling specially decorated petit fours (4/$4 or 9/$20) for the holiday, and if you mention the McGillycuddy House, 20 percent of your purchase will go towards the restoration. When fully restored, the McGillycuddy House will hopefully be a tourist destination for Rapid City like the Adams House is for Deadwood.

* If you’d rather stage your true romance in the Great Outdoors, plan a heart-pounding episode this Saturday, Jan. 16, by going on the Lovers’ Leap Snowshoe Hike in Custer State Park. It’s a guided three-mile hike along Grace Coolidge Creek, with both a 9 a.m. and a 1 p.m. start from Peter Norbeck Visitor Center. The hike is considered moderate to strenuous. Call ahead to reserve snowshoes; a limited number are available.

* You can enjoy the urban outdoors in downtown Rapid City on Feb. 14 during Love is in the Squ-air at Main Street Square. There’s two for the price of one open ice-skating from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., along with free horse-drawn carriage rides. And if you want to know of your love life is going to be rocky or smooth, Joan Pillen will be giving love fortunes and Tarot card readings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Of course, there will also be lots of sweet and soulful music all afternoon long.

* You are likely to see lots of long-time lovers gazing into each other’s eyes as they twirl around the floor at the Valentine’s Day Dance from 2-4 p.m. at the State Vets Home in Hot Springs. Miss South Dakota and the Ellsworth Sergeant’s Association will be in attendance; music is by Herb & Friends; and refreshments will be served. Plus, it’s free!

* Sticking with the traditional “dinner for two”? You will find special Valentine’s Day dinner deals at many area restaurants, including Aught Six Grill at Deadwood Mountain Grand, Buglin’ Bull in Hot Springs, Laughing Water Restaurant at Crazy Horse Memorial and Bayleaf Café in Spearfish. If your choice is the overnight Sweetheart Special in the Canyon at Spearfish Canyon Lodge, stop at the new lookout at Bridal Veil Falls on your way to dinner. If you are like me, what better time and place to say “thanks for the lovely flowers” and give your golden oldie from 1955 a big “forever and always” kiss!

It’s February in the Black Hills. The glow of the Christmas holidays has faded, and we still have a solid two – maybe three and, Lord help us, let it not be more – months of winter ahead. Of course, snowmobilers are just getting revved up, but what about the rest of us? If you are looking for an excuse to cut loose, Deadwood’s Mardi Gras weekend should be your party destination this upcoming Friday and Saturday.

Historically, Mardi Gras is the last blast before Lent, the approximately 40 days before Easter when Christian believers repent, pray, fast and otherwise practice self-denial before celebrating the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. In fact, Mardi Gras translates to “Fat Tuesday,” set for Feb. 12 this year, which precedes Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Fat Tuesday is the last day for eating rich, fatty foods.

Rich, fatty foods will be on hand in Deadwood on Saturday, when the Cajun Cook-Off takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at various locations throughout Deadwood.

But the party actually begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, with a masquerade ball and the coronation of the 2013 Mardi Gras King and Queen at Deadwood Mountain Grand. The high jinks continue with Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble taking the stage at 10 p.m.

Saturday evening, the jinks get even higher as thousands of spectators line Deadwood’s Main Street with hopes of catching some of the 100,000 strings of beads tossed out during the annual Mardi Gras Parade of Lights. The Mardi Gras royalty lead the procession of floats and marchers.  Then there’s a Cajun music finale at 9 p.m. with another appearance of Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble at Deadwood Mountain Grand.

It’s all free to the public. More info: www.deadwood.org or www.facebook.com/historicdeadwood.

Photo courtesy of Ken Petersen of Milestone Entertainment
www.kensmilestones.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ken-Petersens-Milestone-Event-Entertainment-Services/6564778444

Eating 12 grapes; a feast of boiled cod, stewed kale and cured saddle of pork; fortune telling by tossing melted tin or lead into cold water; neighborhood bonfires; red underwear and lentil stew; gifts of whiskey, lumps of coal or bread and cheese; men dressing as women; fireworks and singing Auld Lang Syne. Such are some of the customary ways to celebrate the New Year around the world.

But is it a Happy New Year for folks around the world? You might find some answers to that question by starting your celebrations at “Happy,” a feature length documentary that leads viewers on a journey across five continents in search of the keys to happiness. Show is at 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at the Elks Theatre in downtown Rapid City. Cost is $7.

Whatever you discover about world happiness, you are sure to find at least a little individual happiness by celebrating in the Black Hills:

* Downtown Countdown at Main Street Square: There will be horse-drawn carriage rides beginning at 1 p.m., a Black Hills Figure Skating performance at 2:10 pm., children’s entertainment and games from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., an ice cream eating contest at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 7 p.m. Over at the Hotel Alex Johnson, you can enjoy a New Year’s Eve Party while waiting for the annual ball drop at midnight.

* “Symphony’s Got Talent, performed by the Black Hills Symphony, begins at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Theatre at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. It’s a showcase of musical rarities and traditional classical favorites. Hockey fans can cheer on the Rapid City Rush as they battle the Denver Cutthroats at 7:05 p.m. in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Ice Arena. Then it’s a short walk to the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn, where there’s a live DJ, 60-foot indoor ball drop, balloon drop, champagne toast and party favors all free to the public.

* And New Year’s Eve is your final chance to enjoy a Holiday Light Tour – by limousine or open top maxi-van – or to stroll through the Storybook Island Christmas Light Display.

* Of course, for lots of folks it’s a New Year’s Eve tradition to head to Deadwood. Deadwood Mountain Grand has both free and ticketed concerts, champagne toasts and appetizers, a breakfast buffet beginning at midnight and more. You can catch a round-trip bus from a good number of Spearfish motels to Deadwood’s Four Aces – check your hotel for a wristband that will get you into gaming money drawings, $7 in gaming money and discounts on a dinner buffet along with a free drink.

* The Lodge at Deadwood, Four Aces Casino, Silverado-Franklin Hotel & Gaming Complex, Cadillac Jack’s, Deadwood Gulch and Tin Lizzie’s are all planning big money play with lots of drawings included. Check your favorite establishment for other celebration specials.

* Enjoy a beautiful natural setting at Spearfish Canyon Lodge. There will be party favors and breakfast buffets for guests, plus you can hop on a bus to Deadwood.

* Hot Springs New Year’s Eve Family Bash begins at 7 p.m. with fireworks (weather permitting) near Mueller Center. Indoors are games such as cosmic bowling, pool, darts and a casino, along with food and beverages. Hot Springs’ first-ever ball drop will be at midnight at the flagpole behind Mueller Center.

On Tuesday, Jan. 1, you can turn over a new leaf with some brisk New Year’s Day Hikes:

* Creekside Stroll at 10 a.m. along Grace Coolidge Creek in Custer State Park. Meet at Peter Norbeck Visitor Center for this 2-hour adventure.

* Birdwatcher’s Hike is a 2-hour birding hike beginning at 1 p.m. along the Angostura Reservoir shoreline. Bring binoculars, a bird book and dress appropriately.

* First Day Snowshoe Hike will be a walk on the Mickelson Trail wherever the snow is at 1 p.m. Call 605-584-3896 for location information and for snowshoes provided by the Black Hills Trail Office in Lead. If there is no snow, it will be a regular hike.

* And last but not least, there’s an Antique/Firearms Auction at the Old Masonic Temple in Lead beginning at 10 a.m. Look for firearms, accessories, spurs, chaps, saddles, beadwork, artwork and antiques.