SharivilleLife stories from Shari

It’s not Sunday,  but this  is our day of rest from sightseeing.  The wind is blowing a gale outside with occasional brief showers mixed with occasional rays of sunshine.  Just looked at the weather channel and see it’s triple digits at home and here in SD its in the 50s. Jerry went into Rapid City this morning and bought an electric oil heater.  We left the one we had at home. Some of these RV parks have weaker breakers that won’t support our RVs  heat pump. Theres always a way around anything. Sure glad this is not a travel day.

We will do some badly needed house cleaning, vacuum and pickup and I’ll even cook dinner in today.  Hamburger steaks, baked potato and green beans.  Jerry will be thrilled.

I’m hoping this weather front moves on by tomorrow, we still have to do the day tour of Mt Rushmore and Wind Cave Natl Park. I can’t be this close to a Natl Park and skip it.  It’s so convenient to have this air card and not have to try to find places that have the Internet. This way I can send messages at 2 AM if I want to. Hope I don’t.

NOTE, some interesting stuff at least to me anyway, is the sad state of affairs with all these pine trees dying due to pine beetle infestation. All over this area while driving along we see bunches of red dead pines.  The forestry is now going in and stacking forest brush, what a job, and we see tee pee style stacks all thru the forest floor and they will burn these when the snow starts, that prevents spead of fire.  They are also thinning the pines so it’s not so dense and the trees aren’t so stressed and susceptible to the dastardly beetles.  Its a real serious problem here and the rangers are really concerned for the future of the trees.  Apparently south of Custer  State Park entire slopes are dead and only Aspens are left.  tomorrow is another day.       Hugs,     Shari and Jerry