Capitol

The clinic which I direct received its initial funding (for 2 years) from a Foundation.

In a few months, we're coming to the end of our grant.

I suppose the Foundation thought they might need to educate us 

about how to get replacement money before kicking us off the dole.

So they set up a 2 day workshop in our capitol 

and arranged for all their grant recipients

 to meet with a private consulting group, 

aka lobbyists.

I'll admit that as I drove deeper into the heart of Missouri,

past more campaign signs for He Who Must Not Be Named than I've seen before,

I wasn't optimistic about it being a good experience.

I was delighted to be proven wrong.

I'm embarrassed to admit that as often as I travel into rural areas of our state 

for poking around and antiquing 

and as much as I consider myself to be an informed citizen,

I have never been to Jefferson City before.

I'll just stand here quietly while you cast aspersions.

Our accommodations couldn't have been more comfortable;

 

 the town itself was very conducive to pedestrians,

is situated on the bluffs of the Missouri River

and is really lovely.

 Frankly, I think we went a little overboard in the house we gave the Governor.

 

I could be quite content in one of the condos directly across from him

or in his neighbors house behind the garden.

The buildings are meant to impress

(probably rubes like me)

and they do!

 

 

 

 I'd be assigned to the 'peanut  gallery'
which would be fine by me!

 

 

 

  

I found myself wondering how often any of the legislators

bother to look up here - 

let alone take in its message.

Nothing is politically right that is morally wrong.

 Let those that have ears hear!

I also was amused by this sculpture

depicting God only knows what ...

 do you remember 'back in the day' 

when your contempt for a colleague

could be expressed with nothing more 

than a sneer and look of disdain?

Ah, those were the days!

Definitely worth the visit;

and, in case you're wondering, 

yes, I even learned some things about lobbying

and approaching people with power for money;

not that I'll ever have to,

we have a whole department at the hospital to do that.

Trust me when I say,

the last thing they want is for me to be calling our state reps on my own.

At my age and with my experience,

my filters are pretty much shot to hell.

It was a fun two days though!

Rosebud Rodeo and Fair 2016

It would be unfair to overlook other elements of the celebration on Rosebud

just because they play a smaller part in our time while we're there.

Don't get me wrong.

I'm not a member of PETA 

and I appreciate the skill and stamina involved in a rodeo;

but, when you sit there and root for the animals,

maybe you don't belong in the stands.

 

 While some animals are running their assess off
and getting jerked around in the ring
this one was observing it all from the lap of luxury.
The contrast made me smile -
one of the few things that did.

So we quickly went back to the dancing where we belonged.

And this one,

sneaking a small smile at his auntie ...

won first place in his age category -
Grass Dancing!

SOO proud of him!

Sense of place

The only thing that rivals people watching in South Dakota

is observing the landscape

in all its grandeur.

 Maybe its just me

but I find the relatively reduced evidence 

of human 'footprint' on the land

very restful.

I was curious about why kids would need a play set

when there's so much natural beauty to explore;

maybe that's why it looks so unused!

 From sunrise

to sunset

 the vastness

delights my senses.

How Monet

When we go to the rez in June, 

it would be impossible to imagine that the fields 

filled with bright green shoots of new corn

would transform themselves later in the summer

into a second harvest and
acres of happiness.

I marvel at the tenacity of the small daisy like flowers 

we sometimes call 'sunflowers'

that pop up

 along the highway,

beside buildings,

in the most inhospitable of settings;

the random scattered seeds carried on the wind 

or in bird droppings;

beautiful survivors all.

 But these are positively puny in comparison to the variety of sunflowers
grown for crop and seed.

  

Hardy and majestic

 behemoths that occupy acre after acre
all across the reservation.

Frankly, it was inspiring ...

 and perfect for the game of "Where's Waldo?"

 Luckily I had friends who were willing to play along!

Don't worry,
no sunflowers were harmed while taking these images.
There was plenty of room between the rows. 

What fun!