WS21 Oko 13
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 20, to Sunday, May 26, 2024: high 87, low 42, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.13"
Wednesday afternoon i mowed the trails and around the facilities for the first time this year. This picture doesn’t capture it clearly, but the sanctuary is encouraging the growth of an abundance...
WS21 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 13, to Sunday, May 19, 2024: high 87, low 42, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.13"
Friday early evening while walking on the road through the prairie dog town toward 226th Avenue the killdeers were loudly chattering. And it continued on my way back. Then i saw the reason: baby...
WS21 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 6, to Sunday, May 12, 2024: high 77, low 40, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.24"
Wednesday afternoon guests were Eric and Milt (R-L) from Badlands National Park. Enjoyed visiting them and showing them around Wingsprings.
WS21 Oko 10
Oko Wikchemna
Monday, Apr 29, to Sunday, May 5, 2024: high 69, low 29, gust 43 mph, moisture 1.12"
The serviceberry tree in the hochoka sure is blooming this week! Soon after Mom and i planted it, its trunk began bending toward the southeast. A year ago this month i saw a YouTube video on how...
WS21 Oko 9
Oko Napchinyunka
Monday, Apr 22, to Sunday, Apr 28, 2024: high 75, low 34, gust 39 mph, moisture 2.36"
Mom’s cairn. It is on the Wingsprings west-east axis, north of the road to the house and west of Dad’s windsock. Each year on her birthday we will restack its rocks and trim around its perimeter....
WS21 Oko 8
Oko Shagloghan
Monday, Apr 15, to Sunday, Apr 21, 2024: high 81, low 19, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.58"
Thursday afternoon visitors (L-R) were Colleen and Ron, cousin Anita, brother Kent, and Anita’s husband, Scott. We enjoyed lots of conversation and of course some eats. There also was a tour of...
WS21 Oko 7
Oko Shakowin
Monday, Apr 8, to Sunday, Apr 14, 2024: high 87, low 28, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.01"
The picture above was taken from the cockpit at 7:22 Wednesday evening as the sun was setting beyond the western horizon. In the foreground is the roof ridge which is on the Wingsprings west-east...
WS21 Oko 6
Oko Shakpe
Monday, Apr 1, to Sunday, Apr 7, 2024: high 66, low 21, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.78"
No joke—awoke Monday morning, April 1, to snow! Quite a bit of it. After lunch, walked to the road and on the way back trekked over for a view of Wazi Ishnala, Lone Pine. That is him in the background...
WS21 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 25, to Sunday, Mar 31, 2024: high 66, low -2, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.57"
This week started work on remodeling the library. First was to add the three columns (from left to middle of the picture) and then to build the two curved walls. The far one, in the library’s east...
WS21 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 18, to Sunday, Mar 24, 2024: high 66, low 9, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Monday was Dad’s 90th birthday. So as has been done for the past 8 years, we removed the old windsock and replaced it with a new one in memory of him. Happy Birthday, Dad!
WS21 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 11, to Sunday, Mar 17, 2024: high 66, low 16, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Am not sure what this buck had in mind when he stuck his tongue out while eye-balling one of the trail cameras. Tuesday morning, the camera captured over a dozen pictures of him stretching his neck,...
WS21 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 4, to Sunday, Mar 10, 2024: high 66, low 22, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Saturday morning a trail camera captured this image of a mule deer doe. Her coloring sure blends in with that of the sanctuary. The next morning, from the house, i watched two does in tall willows just...
WS21 Oko 1
Oko Wanchi
Monday, Feb 26, to Sunday, Mar 3, 2024: high 69, low 0, gust 50 mph, moisture 0.00"
Happy (Wingsprings) New Year! Thursday late afternoon at Mom’s cairn; approaching overhead a V of geese flying north. They might be from the Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge not too far south and a...
WS20 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 19, to Sunday, Feb 25, 2024: high 63, low 25, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Sunday midafternoon picture in the sancturary looking southeast. Lately have been working on IDing seedlings that might be transplanted to the hochoka this spring. The first choices...
WS20 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 12, to Sunday, Feb 18, 2024: high 41, low -3, gust 26 mph, moisture 0.00"
Thursday afternoon picture of the fresh snow. It started yesterday and continued through Friday. The stars of the image are the four little pine seedlings that Jordan and i transplanted...
WS20 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 5, to Sunday, Feb 11, 2024: high 64, low 21, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.05"
Sunday afternoon i walked a lot of the Wingsprings land that borders the sanctuary. During the walkabout, i checked on Wazi Ishnala and discovered that a portion of the fence encompassing...
WS20 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyuka
Monday, Jan 29, to Sunday, Feb 4, 2024: high 44, low 33, gust 18 mph, moisture 0.18"
Lots of fog this week. This Sunday morning, though, it was overcast and wet. By mid afternoon when this picture was taken, the western sky (off farther to the right of the photo)...
WS20 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sagloghan
Monday, Jan 22, to Sunday, Jan 28, 2024: high 55, low 14, gust 16 mph, moisture 0.00"
Saturday afternoon weather was nice so took the side by side to get wood for the sauna. Cut the lengths from a tree that had fallen onto the south fence of the sanctuary a few...
WS20 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 15, to Sunday, Jan 21, 2024: high 46, low -15, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.00"
Wednesday late afternoon was sitting in the rocker reading when peripheral movement caught my attention so looked up and there were deers walking by right outside the “point” window...
WS20 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 8, to Sunday, Jan 14, 2024: high 37, low -28, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
It was cold and snowy most of this week. Wednesday at 1pm the outdoor temperature topped at 37 degrees, then steadily feel to 28 below zero at 4:41am this Sunday morning. With the...
WS20 Oko 45
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Jan 1, to Sunday, Jan 7, 2024: high 42, low 10, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.00"
Scott, Aris, and cousin Anita spent Friday afternoon helping me. Aris is one of their grand-daughters.
WS20 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 25, to Sunday, Dec 31, 2023: high 45, low 8, gust 45 mph, moisture 0.01"
Took this picture early afternoon on New Year’s Eve day. Had emailed Chuck in the morning telling him i was looking forward to walking along the springs this afternoon. In response,...
WS20 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 18, to Sunday, Dec 24, 2023: high 63, low 16, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.00"
Wednesday late afternoon decided to try to bake gingerbread men using Grandma Smith’s recipe. With some new techniques, was able to have more success than in the past. It still is...
WS20 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 11, to Sunday, Dec 17, 2023: high 53, low 17, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.00"
Saturday morning got into the holiday spirit after hanging up this holiday wreath from Kent.
WS20 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 4, to Sunday, Dec 10, 2023: high 66, low 20, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.05"
Nailing up the 4’x5’ sheets of plywood soffit on Tuesday by myself meant that i had to devise a way to lift it into place and then hold it there while i marked it and then lowered...
WS20 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 27, to Sunday, Dec 3, 2023: high 54, low 18, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Late Wednesday morning looking south out of the south low wall of the gallery. Had framed the area above the wall and after lunch screwed the sheet of plexiglass (in the lower right of the image)...
WS20 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 20, to Sunday, Nov 26, 2023: high 65, low 11, gust 38 mph, moisture 0.12"
Another image from the archives. It was taken four years ago on the afternoon of November 21, 2019, while setting in place railroad ties to serve as footings for the sauna....
WS20 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 13, to Sunday, Nov 19, 2023: high 73, low 24, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.00"
This Sunday morning there were four elks just south of the sanctuary. They hung around about an hour then seemingly decided to leave and hurredly headed west toward Bear In The...
WS20 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 6, to Sunday, Nov 12, 2023: high 65, low 19, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.00"
An image from the archives from a year ago this week. Teresa and Ron, co-owners of Badlands Observatory, came to Wingsprings on November 11, 2022, to discuss upcoming collaborative...
WS20 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 30, to Sunday, Nov 5, 2023: high 77, low 7, gust 38 mph, moisture 0.07"
This early morning rainbow in the west is a rare sight. Typically, rain and sunlight are the two required variables to create a rainbow. In this case, the sun was just rising and instead...
WS20 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 23, to Sunday, Oct 29, 2023: high 72, low 9, gust 30 mph, moisture 0.00"
Snow! It began Friday night, continued until yesterday afternoon, and was still here this Sunday morning.
WS20 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 16, to Sunday, Oct 22, 2023: high 81, low 31, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.01"
Kent came all the way from southern California to help with Wingsprings projects. The main one was to repair the damaged columns at the porch. It is great having him here since he...
WS20 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 9, to Sunday, Oct 15, 2023: high 73, low 30, gust 46 mph, moisture 2.10"
The prairie dogs are arrogant and unafraid. They also dig holes directly in the road.
WS20 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Oct 2, to Sunday, Oct 8, 2023: high 87, low 31, gust 51 mph, moisture 1.04"
A group of women from Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Rapid City visited today. After a tour of the facilities, we enjoyed lunch and then caravanned to Wounded Knee to talk about the...
WS20 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 25, to Sunday, Oct 1, 2023: high 86, low 45, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.00"
Text Tuesday was a perfect day to paint the soffit panels. It was sunny and warm with a slight breeze. The plywood panels are primed white and then painted with two coats of red.
WS20 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 18, to Sunday, Sep 24, 2023: high 89, low 45, gust 31 mph, moisture 1.20"
Painting more siding boards that will be nailed onto the “outside” walls of the gallery. The gallery’s outside walls are straight segments whereas its inside walls are curved “drum” walls.
WS20 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 11, to Sunday, Sep 17, 2023: high 87, low 43, gust 26 mph, moisture 0.05"
Cutting siding and nailing it onto the south gable end of the gallery on Saturday.
WS20 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 4, to Sunday, Sep 10, 2023: high 97, low 41, gust 46 mph, moisture 1.39"
One of Wednesday’s task was to nail up the frieze panels facing the hochoka. Hopefully in the future we will install decorative elements onto the frieze beneath the eaves of the...
WS20 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 28, to Sunday, Sep 3, 2023: high 101, low 54, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.00”
Friday morning just before sunrise. Beautiful beginning on Kent’s birthday.
WS20 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 21, to Sunday, Aug 27, 2023: high 99, low 48, gust 25 mph, moisture 0.02"
On Saturday, Ryan painted the siding that we will nail onto the outside wall of the gallery, which can be seen beyond the boards behind him.
WS20 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 14, to Sunday, Aug 20, 2023: high 99, low 49, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.00"
Tuesday late afternoon Split Ear posed for a picture in the hochoka. She is identificable by her distinctive right ear which gives her her name.
WS20 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 7, to Sunday, Aug 13, 2023: high 86, low 54, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.97"
Smoke from the chimney means that there is going to be a sauna! The picture was taken Wednesday evening at a quarter after eight.
WS20 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 31, to Sunday, Aug 6, 2023: high 91, low 58, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.43"
Looking south from the balcony on Friday evening at 8 o’clock. The siding on the south wall (facing the camera) of the upper deck is a huge improvement over the old unpainted stucco....
WS20 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 24, to Sunday, Jul 30, 2023: high 98, low 58, gust 43 mph, moisture 2.26"
Mid Sunday morning Tyler was ready to depart for Ohio after a weeklong visit. It was great to have him back again.
WS20 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 17, to Sunday, Jul 23, 2023: high 97, low 52, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.75"
Tuesday evening sky at 6:28. The Butte can barely be seen on the distant horizon line.
WS20 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 10, to Sunday, Jul 16, 2023: high 89, low 56, gust 56 mph, moisture 0.36"
This summer a pair of doves (pretty sure that they are mourning doves instead of turtle doves) have raised a few broods of babies. Their nest is in a tail end of a gallery truss. At some point,...
WS20 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jul 3, to Sunday, Jul 9, 2023: high 89, low 46, gust 41 mph, moisture 1.64"
Sunday morning Evangeline was showing a couple of baby toads to Rosemari. Due to all the moisture that has fallen, there is an abundance of baby toads.
WS20 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 26, to Sunday, Jul 2, 2023: high 90, low 51, gust 33 mph, moisture 1.29"
Wednesday Jay and Keenan (R-L) were shingling the new roof connecting the bathhouse (beyond and beneath them) to the gallery (for right of the photo).
WS20 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 19, to Sunday, Jun 25, 2023: high 95, low 53, gust 45 mph, moisture 1.46"
A few years ago the tree that is fastened to the tractor fell over the trail and thereby blocked the tractor passing under it. We could still walk under the fallen tree, but we could not drive...
WS20 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 12, to Sunday, Jun 18, 2023: high 86, low 46, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.06"
8:15 pm on Mom’s birthday. Last year when she and i swapped in a new windsock on Dad’s birthday i told her that beginning this year, 2023, we would mow a semi-circular path from the driveway to...
WS20 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 5, to Sunday, Jun 11, 2023: high 88, low 52, gust 26 mph, moisture 1.57"
Guess what? Yet another week featuring an image from the same trail camera. This is the fourth in a row. The fascinating thing here is that the camera caught a butterfly! Time: Sunday evening at...
WS20 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 29, to Sunday, Jun 4, 2023: high 86, low 51, gust 38 mph, moisture 1.24"
Third week in a row featuring an image from the same trail camera. This one is of a doe and her fawn this Sunday morning at 6:33.
WS20 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 22, to Sunday, May 28, 2023: high 83, low 51, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.39"
The same trail camera that snapped the picture of an elk last week caught the eye of this young buck this week. He curiously nuzzled the camera, maybe captivated by its small red light? According...
WS20 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 15, to Sunday, May 21, 2023: high 79, low 37, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.39"
A trail camera captured this image of an elk at 1:12am Wednesday.
WS20 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 8, to Sunday, May 14, 2023: high 78, low 41, gust 45 mph, moisture 2.35"
A wonderful surpise Monday afternoon: Randy and Beth, who worked with Mom and Dad in Rapid City thirty years or so ago, decided on a whim to stop by. They kept in touch with Mom all these years...
WS20 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, May 1, to Sunday, May 7, 2023: high 84, low 26, gust 39 mph, moisture 1.15"
We hosted a group of students and faculty from Washington and Lee University on Saturday. The educational offering included a presentation on Lakotan history and culture, a hand-on experiential exercise...
WS20 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 24, to Sunday, Apr 30, 2023: high 70, low 25, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.08"
A view from the southwest. The facilities seem to be emerging out of the landscape.
WS20 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 17, to Sunday, Apr 23, 2023: high 73, low 24, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.02"
Wazi Ishnala on Sunday midafternoon. Jordan and i put the fence around the sole pine in Wingsprings in hopes of protecting fallen seeds from being trampled, thereby enabling them to germinate and...
WS20 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 10, to Sunday, Apr 16, 2023: high 88, low 27, gust 38 mph, moisture 1.13"
Late last fall we planted a native prairie mix of grasses and covered the area with a synthetic mesh woven with straw. Hoped for the best but wasnt counting on the seeds germinating and growing....
WS20 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 3, to Sunday, Apr 9, 2023: high 67, low 12, gust 30 mph, moisture 0.12"
Mid Wednesday morning winds were whipping fresh snow into intriguing patterns.
WS20 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 27, to Sunday, Apr 2, 2023: high 56, low 15, gust 53 mph, moisture 0.00"
Wednesday afternoon from the southeast bank of Turtle Pond. Can you see the two turtle shells? One is in the upper-right on shore whereas the other is in the lower-left and partially submerged.
WS20 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 20, to Sunday, Mar 26, 2023: high 55, low 17, gust 26 mph, moisture 0.01"
This Sunday morning there was frost clinging to plants, such as this tree, and to the wire cages around it and the other trees in the hochoka. The question is: is it rime ice or hoar frost? Reading...
WS20 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 13, to Sunday, Mar 19, 2023: high 61, low 6, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.00"
Dad and Mom. Dad died twenty-two years ago last month. His birthday is this week. Mom died last week. Her birthday is in June.
WS20 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 6, to Sunday, Mar 12, 2023: high 42, low 4, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.01"
This is a photo from two years ago this week, March 11, 2021. Those are jackrabbit tracks in the trail. I measure them with a tape rule and it was thirteen feet from the back of this first set to the...
WS20 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 27, to Sunday, Mar 5, 2023: high 46, low 19, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.08"
Sunrise Wednesday at 6:36. Tuesday morning was when the sun rose directly on the Wingsprings west-east axis, bu it was cloudy so could not take a picture. The axis runs from the Butte (over a mile and...
WS19 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 20, to Sunday, Feb 26, 2023: high 49, low -16, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.04"
It was four degrees below zero this afternoon when i walked down to the springs and saw this porcupine watching me. Looking closely, you can see where she has been eating the bark...
WS19 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 13, to Sunday, Feb 19, 2023: high 51, low 9, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.00"
Dan and Travis (R-L) closing in the gallery by nailing between each truss a piece of OSB from the top of the wall to the bottom of the roof.
WS19 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 6, to Sunday, Feb 12, 2023: high 50, low 18, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.00"
An image from the archive: February 10, 2018, 4:16pm. Five years ago this week the late afternoon sun casting long shadows from the snow fence up near 226th Avenue.
WS19 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 30, to Sunday, Feb 5, 2023: high 50, low -14, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.00"
Monday’s late afternoon slanting sunshine creates deep and long shadows. On the distant horizon line, toward the left side of the picture, is the Butte. In the foreground is...
WS19 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 23, to Sunday, Jan 29, 2023: high 39, low -5, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.01"
This is a photo from two years ago this week, January 26, 2021, at 8:18 am. Now that the gallery walls and roof are built, the view from this point is a lot different.
WS19 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 16, to Sunday, Jan 22, 2023: high 36, low 13, gust 22 mph, moisture 0.03"
Thursday early afternoon tracks in the snow that look like an abstract modern painting.
WS19 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 9, to Sunday, Jan 15, 2023: high 56, low 17, gust 30 mph, moisture 0.08"
Big moon over Wingsprings at 8:22 Monday morning. The moon is days past full, waning for the next eleven to twelve days until the new moon.
WS19 Oko 45
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Jan 2, to Sunday, Jan 8, 2023: high 39, low 11, gust 30 mph, moisture 0.04"
Tuesday late afternoon pushing the snow off of the road with the bobcat. Am using the bucket, but should be using the blade, which i will do going forward.
WS19 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 26, 2022 to Sunday, Jan 1, 2023: high 56, low 1, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.00"
While walking just west of the house at 3:17 the afternoon after Christmas, this shell caught my eye. It is the exoskeleton of a large grasshopper. There were many of these living...
WS19 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 19, to Sunday, Dec 25, 2022: high 43, low -19, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.00"
This week brought more snow and high winds, but also bitterly cold temperatures that combined for “feels like” temperatures that sank to around 40 degrees below zero for a couple...
WS19 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 12, to Sunday, Dec 18, 2022: high 36, low -2, gust 59 mph, moisture 0.01"
A huge snow storm blew in Monday night and kept blowing and snowing until Friday afternoon. Snow typically drifts into the hochoka, but this time the drift moved up against the library...
WS19 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 5, to Sunday, Dec 11, 2022: high 44, low 9, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.03"
It is neat to see Wingsprings from the air! It always reminds me of flying with Dad. This photo was taken around nine o’clock Wednesday morning from a drone. The primary image is of...
WS19 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 28, to Sunday, Dec 4, 2022: high 60, low 2, gust 45 mph, moisture 0.00"
This is a photo from the archives. It was taken by a trail camera on December 1, 2013 at 11:37 PM. This prickly-tailed porcupine was heading away from the camera.
WS19 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 21, to Sunday, Nov 27, 2022: high 65, low 18, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.00"
This photo above was taken a quarter after eight this morning from the kitchen window. Minutes early these three rabbits were all on the other far side of the little snow drift,...
WS19 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 14, to Sunday, Nov 20, 2022: high 52, low -1, gust 59 mph, moisture 0.00"
The photo above was taken at 5:37 Thursday evening by one of the trail cameras. It is hard to see, but in the foreground is a coyote, and behind her are two does. The trail camera...
WS19 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 7, to Sunday, Nov 13, 2022: high 59, low -1, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.00"
Wednesday mid afternoon the entire landscrape is still coated in ice from yesterdays freezing rain. This photo was taken from directly on the Wingsprings west-east axis, standing...
WS19 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 31, to Sunday, Nov 6, 2022: high 77, low 19, gust 45 mph, moisture 0.06"
As you can see in the lower-right of the photo, it did snow this Thursday night. This photo was taken Friday afternoon at 5. You can see that the trusses are installed between the...
WS19 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 24, to Sunday, Oct 30, 2022: high 66, low 24, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.02"
Here’s a drone photo from late this afternoon. You can see that the six bays of the gallery roof are sheathed with different colors of OSB panels. We have been fortunate weather-wise,...
WS19 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 17, to Sunday, Oct 23, 2022: high 81, low 21, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.00"
The gallery trusses are all in place! This photo was taken at quitting time on Wednesday, looking beneath the arm of the tele-handler and standing directly on the Wingsprings west-east...
WS19 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 10, to Sunday, Oct 16, 2022: high 83, low 33, gust 51 mph, moisture 0.00"
The photo above was Tuesday morning before 8. There was a deer nibbling on the ornamental tree branches, so i opened a library window and suggested that she move out of the hochoka....
WS19 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Oct 3, to Sunday, Oct 9, 2022: high 73, low 32, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.20"
The weather is going to have to remain pleasant for us to get the new roof connected from the garage (far left in the image above) around to the bathhouse (far right above). The OSB...
WS19 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 26, to Sunday, Oct 2, 2022: high 90, low 37, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.02"
Fall must be here since the leaves are turning! Around 6 o’clock Tuesday evening i took this picture from the side-by-side You can see its rollbar and my hat in the shadow.
WS19 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 19, to Sunday, Sep 25, 2022: high 95, low 44, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.03"
This photo was taken by one of the trail cameras at 3:08 Friday afternoon.
WS19 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 12, to Sunday, Sep 18, 2022: high 94, low 48, gust 38 mph, moisture 0.24"
Friday early afternoon Keenan placed a mockup of a “cap” or “lid” for the cockpit that i put together with rolled paper, cardboard, and tape. It adds a finishing touch! The...
WS19 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 5, to Sunday, Sep 11, 2022: high 100, low 44, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.18"
Kristin and Craig stopped by to visit on late Wednesday afternoon on their way from the Black Hills to Sioux Falls. The color of the sky is due mostly to dust and smoke particles...
WS19 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 29, to Sunday, Sep 4, 2022: high 99, low 49, gust 26 mph, moisture 0.00"
The photo above was taken midmorning today by one of the trail cameras. Mom and i were checking the cameras and also collecting plants to make a sanctuary bouquet…which turned out...
WS19 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 22, to Sunday, Aug 28, 2022: high 91, low 57, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.18"
The photo above was taken around noon on Monday. From right to left, you can see Sage, Dan, Keenan, Jay and Andy. Jay and his crew are reshingling all the Wingsprings roofs. They...
WS19 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 15, to Sunday, Aug 21, 2022: high 91, low 52, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.29"
Saturday Dan came to help so we worked on preparing fascia boards to be used for the new shingling project and toward the end of the day we sheathed the north and west walls of...
WS19 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 8, to Sunday, Aug 14, 2022: high 101, low 55, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.31"
Overnight guests on Friday were Melissa and Brian who were en route from Minneapolis to Salem, Oregon. It was the first time Melissa was here, but Brian has been here a few times....
WS19 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Aug 1, to Sunday, Aug 7, 2022: high 107, low 58, gust 73 mph, moisture 0.37"
We had triple-digit temperatures during four of the seven days this week, the final one being Friday. The image above is a picture of the weather station’s indoor monitor screen....
WS19 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 25, to Sunday, Jul 31, 2022: high 97, low 55, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.21"
Thursday was a perfect day for the shingling crew of Andy, Keenan, and Jay (R-L) to begin the work of reshingling all the roofs of Wingsprings. As you can see in the photo above,...
WS19 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 18, to Sunday, Jul 24, 2022: high 109, low 55, gust 51 mph, moisture 0.00"
Was enjoying a cup of coffee early Friday morning, watching some young rabbits grazing grass west of the patio. One slowly worked her way closer, grazing and observing, until eventually...
WS19 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 11, to Sunday, Jul 17, 2022: high 100, low 53, gust 70 mph, moisture 0.43"
Friday afternoon, Kesha and Leo (R-L) stopped by on a warm day to visit on their way to Minnesota. They happened to have a rock with them so added it to the cairn up near the windsock.
WS19 Oko 19
Oko Ake Naciyunka
Monday, Jul 4, to Sunday, Jul 10, 2022: high 102, low 62, gust 45 mph, moisture 0.69"
Monday morning, Independence Day, Tyler and Jordan (R-L) enjoying coffee on the patio before breakfast. Jordan arrived June 18 and returned to St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Sunday, July 10. Tyler...
WS19 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 27, to Sunday, Jul 3, 2022: high 103, low 52, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.76"
Fee and Lori (R-L) planted sedum around the ornamental Spruce tree on Wednesday morning. The sedum is from Fee’s yard in Pierre. Mom is supervising the endeavor. While doing so, she noticed...
WS19 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 20, to Sunday, Jun 26, 2022: high 97, low 44, gust 51 mph, moisture 0.00"
Today was relatively pleasant weather-wise so made good progress on the curved wall of the gallery. The wall is part of the 48-foot “drum wall” that encircles the hochoka. The three segments...
WS19 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 13, to Sunday, Jun 19, 2022: high 100, low 44, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.05"
Tuesday was a beautiful day weather-wise. After lunch i weed whipped around the autogate just beyond where the road goes over the ridge in the background of the photo above. In the foreground...
WS19 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 6, to Sunday, Jun 12, 2022: high 89, low 45, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.18"
Sunday evening at 8:18 and the sun is just about ready to set. This is a beautiful place on the earth and it is a blessing to live here. Today was the high temperature for the week, and also the...
WS19 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 30, to Sunday, Jun 5, 2022: high 73, low 40, gust 32 mph, moisture 1.77"
Cousin John sent new solar lights for the sauna as the other ones had quit working quite a while ago. On Wednesday afternoon i removed the old ones and installed the new ones. They have a far sleeker...
WS19 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 23, to Sunday, May 29, 2022: high 91, low 39, gust 55 mph, moisture 1.27"
Thursday Dan and i built the curved wall in the foreground and bolted it into place. We then installed a header between it and the wall underneath the garage roof that we built on the 9th of last...
WS19 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 16, to Sunday, May 22, 2022: high 86, low 28, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.04"
Sandra, Reyna and Amber (R-L) stopped by today on their way from the State Arts Conference in Rapid City to their homes in Vermillion. We discussed the new CAIRNS exhibit and i gave them a tour...
WS19 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 9, to Sunday, May 15, 2022: high 78, low 38, gust 48 mph, moisture 0.85"
Saturday afternoon Mom and i took the side by side down to swap the disk in a trail camera. The plants are really greening up!
WS19 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, May 2, to Sunday, May 8, 2022: high 90, low 28, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.20"
Early Wednesday morning this mama rabbit is checking out the camera that i set up to watch her and her babies that live under the deck in front of the sauna door behind her. Late the previous afternoon...
WS19 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 25, to Sunday, May 1, 2022: high 71, low 26, gust 62 mph, moisture 1.08"
Tuesday late afternoon there were ducks on the pond in the middle ground of the photo above. Recorded audio and video of them flying off, but am still figuring out how to get the files onto this...
WS19 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 18, to Sunday, Apr 24, 2022: high 79, low 18, gust 50 mph, moisture 0.47"
Dan and i built headers on Wednesday morning, and installed one that connected the wall and header we had framed on the 9th after Scott, Cody and Wakan left. The header stretches the two bays from...
WS19 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 11, to Sunday, Apr 17, 2022: high 60, low 16, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.03"
This picture is from the archives, April 11, 2010, which is 12 years ago this week. The statuesque rabbit seems to be posing with the Butte in the distance west behind her. From the beginning, rabbits...
WS19 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 4, to Sunday, Apr 10, 2022: high 72, low 22, gust 55 mph, moisture 0.26"
Yesterday, Satuday, was a beautiful day weather-wise. Mid-morning Scott, Cody and Wakan showed up with half of the big trusses from up near the autogate and unloaded them onto pallets near the gallery....
WS19 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 28, to Sunday, Apr 3, 2022: high 76, low 17, gust 51 mph, moisture 0.06"
It was snowing and blowing all morning Wednesday and into the afternoon. So it was surprising to get an afternoon call from a delivery truck driver that he was in Kyle and would deliver the new trusses...
WS19 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 21, to Sunday, Mar 27, 2022: high 68, low 20, gust 51 mph, moisture 0.00"
What a surprising Saturday morning sight! A flock of at least 28 turkeys walking south at 8:30. The collective noun for a group of flock of turkeys is a rafter or a gaggle. Since we are still in the...
WS19 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 14, to Sunday, Mar 20, 2022: high 73, low 27, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.00"
Saturday morning the 19th, Mom and i removed last year’s windsock and put up this new one on Dad’s birthday. He would have been 88 years old today. The wood pole is on the Wingsprings west-east axis....
WS19 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 7, to Sunday, Mar 13, 2022: high 64, low -14, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.00"
Do you see the sharp-tailed grouse in the photo above? The trail camera caught images of a pair of grouses just a minute earlier walking westwardly (sort of parallel with the shadow) away from the...
WS19 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 28, to Sunday, Mar 6, 2022: high 68, low -4, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Happy New (Wingsprings) Year! This is the first week of the 19th Wingsprings year. That is why this is Oko Wanci, Week One. The new year begins the day the sun rises on the Wingsprings west-east axis...
WS18 Oko 53
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Yamni
Monday, Feb 21, to Sunday, Feb 27, 2022: high 53, low -16, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
A picture of the table where the new gallery trusses are being designed. Was hoping to have them designed and ordered by the beginning of this month, but will be happy if i can...
WS18 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 14, to Sunday, Feb 20, 2022: high 60, low 3, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.00"
Friday evening it was spitting snow, and a trail camera captured this image shortly after 6 pm. The temperature was 22 degrees. The high temp today was 52 at noon, and at midnight...
WS18 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 7, to Sunday, Feb 13, 2022: high 59, low 12, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.00"
A year ago this week, we built a storage rack in the shop for plywood and sheet material. It has three “bays” which almost was enough room for all of the plywood, plexiglass, and...
WS18 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Jan 31, to Sunday, Feb 6, 2022: high 59, low -4, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.00"
Tuesday morning, Dan and i worked on the new library wall where the French doors used to be. We cut and installed scrap plywood over the insulation, and got the first two tongue & groove boards...
WS18 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 24, to Sunday, Jan 30, 2022: high 55, low 6, gust 30 mph, moisture 0.00"
Saturday was a pleasant day to stockpile some wood for the sauna heater. A battery-powered chainsaw simplified the work. You can see the cut-up trunk of a dead tree that had...
WS18 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 17, to Sunday, Jan 23, 2022: high 57, low -7, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.03"
This picture was taken around 11:30 Monday morning. The temperature was 54 degrees! It was so nice that i decided to “shoot” the radial points in order to begin laying out and...
WS18 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 10, to Sunday, Jan 16, 2022: high 55, low 19, gust 50 mph, moisture 0.00"
New storage shelves were built along the north wall of the east end of the garage this week. Am slowly getting this end of the garage organized so we can begin building walls for...
WS18 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 3, to Sunday, Jan 9, 2022: high 50, low -16, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.00"
A little after 7 o'clock Sunday morning, just before the sun clears the east ridge. It was 19 days since the winter solstice. The rising sun is now on its trek north. Though it probably...
WS18 Oko 45
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 27 to Sunday, Jan 2, 2021: high 42, low -12, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
A photo of the southeast corner of the future Wingsprings art gallery, taken the afternoon of the first day of 2022. The goal, and it is an ambitious one, is to have the roof of the...
WS18 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 20 to Sunday, Dec 26, 2021: high 53, low 16, gust 53 mph, moisture 0.00"
Sunday afternoon, Kent and i walked up to the gate, to Wazi Ishala, down by the apple trees and then into the sanctuary. From there we continued north to Turtle Pond where we found...
WS18 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 13 to Sunday, Dec 19, 2021: high 51, low -2, gust 51 mph, moisture 0.00"
Retribution? Just before daybreak one morning early this week, there were a half dozen or so does in the hocoka, and a young buck near the eastern entrance. One of the does was nipping...
WS18 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 6 to Sunday, Dec 12, 2021: high 58, low 1, gust 36 mph, moisture 0.00"
Thursday night and Friday it really snowed. The offical amount was 9.5” in Martin and 10” in Long Valley. The photo above was taken at 10:40 Saturday morning looking south out of a living...
WS18 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Nov 29 to Sunday, Dec 5, 2021: high 69, low 14, gust 45 mph, moisture 0.00"
This photo is from five years ago this week: November 30, 2016, at 10 o’clock in the morning. You can see that it was lightly snowing, and that it had snowed a lot over the previous...
WS18 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 22 to Sunday, Nov 28, 2021: high 69, low 11, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.00"
Wednesday was an exciting day because the new cabinets that i ordered in late August were finally delivered! Mom was here to help celebrate. Our celebration, however, ended upon opening the...
WS18 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 15 to Sunday, Nov 21, 2021: high 72, low 14, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.00"
Photo taken from the seat of the diesel tractor Monday morning, looking southeast across Turtle Pond toward the headquarters buildings. Mowed all of the trails using the belly...
WS18 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 8 to Sunday, Nov 14, 2021: high 63, low 23, gust 64 mph, moisture 0.05"
Another photo from the archive. It was taken two years ago today, November 14, 2019, at 3:10 pm. On the far distant horizon you can barely see the Butte. In the right-bottom foreground...
WS18 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 1 to Sunday, Nov 7, 2021: high 76, low 22, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.00"
This was a frosty Tuesday morning, just before 8 o’clock. The temperature was 27 degrees. Though it cannot be seen from this viewpoint, the cockpit soffit boards are installed, and...
WS18 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 25 to Sunday, Oct 31, 2021: high 70, low 32, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.30"
Friday afternoon i rolled the first coat of "Moroccan Red” paint onto these new soffit boards for the cockpit roof. The high temperature that afternoon was 70 degrees, which was the...
WS18 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 18 to Sunday, Oct 24, 2021: high 80, low 22, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.49"
This is a photo from this week last year, October 18, 2020. Snow! Not much, but still snow. This was before the fence was moved to the east; before the autogate was installed;...
WS18 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 11 to Sunday, Oct 17, 2021: high 77, low 30, gust 39 mph, moisture 1.33"
Monday afternoon the last tipi poles were hauled away from the wicoti. The roll cage of the side-by-side served as a good rack for transporting the poles to up by the hangar. The wood...
WS18 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 4 to Sunday, Oct 10, 2021: high 84, low 46, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.03"
It was a beautiful fall day today! Mostly clear sky with a high temperature of 68 degrees. The wind gusted to 24 mph during the day, but tapered off over the afternoon. Many of the...
WS18 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Sep 27 to Sunday, Oct 3, 2021: high 95, low 44, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.81"
This deer was very curious about the camera on Tuesday morning at 6:42. Wonder if she is the same one who observed the drone flying nearby last week?
WS18 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 20 to Sunday, Sep 26, 2021: high 91, low 39, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.20"
Apparently someone was flying a drone in Wingsprings airspace on Monday at 3:55p . The highly attentive behavior of the deer was a clue that something was going on. It took a while,...
WS18 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 13 to Sunday, Sep 19, 2021: high 94, low 41, gust 57 mph, moisture 0.30"
Mom was here this week, and on Thursday late afternoon we explored ideas for rings around the trees in the hocoka. She was busy studying the options, pulling weeds, and making sure i kept busy...
WS18 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 6 to Sunday, Sep 12, 2021: high 96, low 48, gust 38 mph, moisture 0.00"
Continued siding the cockpit as time permits while waiting for a new window to arrive. The window is a slider that will fit into the south window space where the OSB is in...
WS18 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Aug 30 to Sunday, Sep 5, 2021: high 89, low 51, gust 56 mph, moisture 2.07"
This pictures is from the drone, taken late Saturday morning. It was calm, clear and not quite 70 degrees. Excellent flying weather! The image is looking northwest across the sanctuary....
WS18 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 23 to Sunday, Aug 29, 2021: high 99, low 47, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.12"
From the image above, this evening apparently was a Wingsprings sunset day. Typically this late August Wingsprings sunset day is August 30th, as is noted on the Wingsprings website....
WS18 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 16 to Sunday, Aug 22, 2021: high 101, low 48, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.46"
It was windy Thursday afternoon when Shawnta, cousin Katie, and Dallas (R-L) were getting ready to return to their Thunder Valley CDC offices. They arrived mid-morning for a tour...
WS18 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 9 to Sunday, Aug 15, 2021: high 95, low 50, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Monday was exciting here at Wingsprings! A film crew comprised of staff from six states were here to conduct interviews with two leading Native intellectuals and activists. The film...
WS18 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 2 to Sunday, Aug 8, 2021: high 97, low 56, gust 72 mph, moisture 0.01"
Dan and i worked a couple mornings this week on the cockpit. About a month ago, we removed the north cockpit window and stored it in the garage. Then we moved the south cockpit window...
WS18 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 26 to Sunday, Aug 1, 2021: high 102, low 54, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.00"
Tuesday morning Dan and i finally installed “wings” or “A-frames” on the sides of the autogate. These prevent cattle from walking between the ends of the autogate and in this case,...
WS18 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 19 to Sunday, Jul 25, 2021: high 99, low 62, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.56"
Today, Sunday, late afternoon. A heavy rain shower is on its way to Wingsprings. The NOAA had a bulletin out saying this could be severe and include nickle-size hail, but in the end...
WS18 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 12 to Sunday, Jul 18, 2021: high 91, low 56, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.78"
Friday evening's forecast was for severe rainstorms, but fortunately they did not materialize. The photo above was made shortly after 8 pm Friday, looking west northwest after a rain...
WS18 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 5 to Sunday, Jul 11, 2021: high 99, low 54, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.27"
Saturday morning guests were Andrea, Jordan, Tyler and Dan (r-l). Andrea is a baker and an artist living in New Jersey who has created works for all six of the CAIRNS educational art exhibits....
WS18 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jun 28 to Sunday, Jul 4, 2021: high 98, low 50, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.27"
Saturday afternoon and evening a couple heavy rain storms passed nearby, but dropped only four-hundredths of an inch of moisture. One of them produced this fleeting double rainbow that was...
WS18 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 21 to Sunday, Jun 27, 2021: high 103, low 49, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.08"
Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the summer solstice, Jordan and i stood two rolls of old snow fence around the lone ponderosa pine tree in the Wingsprings land. He estimates the tree...
WS18 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 14 to Sunday, Jun 20, 2021: high 98, low 52, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.0"
Overnight guests on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights were Tal, Frances, Steve and Michael (r-l).
WS18 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 7 to Sunday, Jun 13, 2021: high 97, low 50, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.30"
Tuesday afternoon, Fee and Phyllis (r-l) arrived and spent a night. Then on Wednesday morning they planted a long arcing row of day lilies, a few of which are in front of them in the photo above....
WS18 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, May 31 to Sunday, Jun 6, 2021: high 96, low 44, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.0"
This morning, Jordan and i witnessed an amazing scene: a mother rabbit and her babies at their nest. In the photo above you can make out two of the baby rabbits, but there were four of them huddled...
WS18 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 24 to Sunday, May 30, 2021: high 77, low 39, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.46"
A fascinating cloud formation blew through Wednesday evening. The photo above was taken at 8:28 PM; the light was fading fast, and what little there was was behind the low, narrow, roiling, bank...
WS18 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 17 to Sunday, May 23, 2021: high 80, low 41, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.60"
This young whitetail buck investigated the trail camera Tuesday morning. His antlers are just coming in and are in their “velvet” phase. Based on the look of his hair and condition of his body,...
WS18 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 10 to Sunday, May 16, 2021: high 73, low 33, gust 27 mph, moisture 1.02"
Monday late afternoon started up the tractor and checked its fluids. Then decided to do a little mowing, which turned into mowing all of the trails. Turtle Pond is in the background of the photo...
WS18 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 3 to Sunday, May 9, 2021: high 68, low 32, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.57"
Kenny and his crew came out Thursday morning to install the new autogate along 226th Avenue. From right to left they are Harlan, Kenny and Travis. After they installed it and left, i got to looking...
WS18 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 26 to Sunday, May 2, 2021: high 85, low 34, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.10"
Thursday early evening, about a quarter after 6, found this snapper along the bank of Turtle Pond. He had been in that spot for quite a while, judging by the stick that is dried into the mud on top...
WS18 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 19 to Sunday, Apr 25, 2021: high 72, low 19, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.02"
This photo above was taken by one of the trail cameras as the strip at the bottom of it indicates. Its central images is a red tail hawk, though maybe it is another species. The opportunity to...
WS18 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 12 to Sunday, Apr 18, 2021: high 67, low 19, gust 44 mph, moisture 0.24"
Thursday afternoon, Abe stopped by on his cross-country jaunt from North Carolina to California. It was great to see him! He spent the night and on Friday morning he had to brush snow off of his...
WS18 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 5 to Sunday, Apr 11, 2021: high 78, low 23, gust 45 mph, moisture 0.56"
Today, April 11, is one of the two Wingsprings Sunset Days. On these days, the sun sets on the axis from the Butte to the center of the hocoka, what we call the Wingsprings west-east axis. The three...
WS18 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Mar 29 to Sunday, Apr 4, 2021: high 84, low 13, gust 53 mph, moisture 0.00"
This new kitchen countertop project began two weeks and two days ago. The intention was to remove the existing top of 2x boards screwed and glued together, with a new tiled countertop. But the old top...
WS18 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 22 to Sunday, Mar 28, 2021: high 70, low 23, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.06"
Monday early morning the trail camera at Turtle Pond caught this image of what appears to be a weasel in front of the entrance to someone's home. Other pictures show it or a close relative going into...
WS18 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 15 to Sunday, Mar 21, 2021: high 72, low 25, gust 41 mph, moisture 0.12"
Wednesday morning twenty-two elks jumped the south fence into the sanctuary. The spent the day lounging around, eating and drinking. Then late afternoon they meandered to the north beyond the Turtle...
WS18 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 8 to Sunday, Mar 14, 2021: high 71, low 18, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.03"
It snowed all day Wednesday, so Thursday morning Turtle Pond was frozen over with a thin layer of clear ice. Could see turtles in the water beneath the ice. Lots of snow and some very interesting tracks....
WS18 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 1 to Sunday, Mar 7, 2021: high 72, low 22, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.01"
This afternoon was sunny and the temp was in the low 60s. A beautiful day. Took a long walk along the springs. Saw little minnows flittering about through the water. Saw a few muskrats and some turtles,...
WS18 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 22 to Sunday, Feb 28, 2021: high 52, low 16 gust 41 mph, moisture 0.04"
Saturday night was the Wingsprings New Year’s Eve, the end of our 17th year here. Today, February 28, is the first day of the 18th Wingsprings year. The first day of the Wingsprings year was established...
WS17 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 15 to Sunday, Feb 21, 2021: high 43, low -25 gust 24 mph, moisture 0.00"
The official sunset time for Monday the 15th was 5:19 pm. The photo above was taken at 5:13 pm on that late afternoon. Three hours earlier, at 2:05 pm, the thermometer reached its...
WS17 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 8 to Sunday, Feb 14, 2021: high 8, low -22 gust 20 mph, moisture 0.00"
Saturday morning at a quarter to nine: this picture was taken from an east-facing cockpit window. It was calm and one degree below zero, which was the high temperature for the day....
WS17 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 1 to Sunday, Feb 7, 2021: high 64, low -7 gust 37 mph, moisture 0.00"
Myaing and Chris (R-L) were overnight guests on Monday night. The photo above was taken just before they departed Tuesday mid-morning. The temperature that day reached 61 degrees and on Wednesday...
WS17 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 25 to Sunday, Jan 31, 2021: high 55, low 1 gust 25 mph, moisture 0.01"
Corey helped out a couple days this week and we were able to finish sheeting the wall he is working on in the photo above. We also framed the south wall of the workshop up to the...
WS17 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 18 to Sunday, Jan 24, 2021: high 51, low 16 gust 51 mph, moisture 0.01"
Dan and i started building lumber racks on what is going to be the west wall of the woodshop. When the photo above was taken, he was nailing up the brackets for the third shelf....
WS17 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 11 to Sunday, Jan 17, 2021: high 55, low 18, gust 84 mph, moisture 0.01"
This afternoon the weather was so nice: sunny and just a slight breeze. Earlier this week the wind blew hard for two days and two nights, with gusts topping 84 mph! One of this afternoon's...
WS17 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 4 to Sunday, Jan 10, 2021: high 48, low 16, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.00"
Wednesday morning, just before 9 o’clock, 29 degrees with a 12 mph wind from WNW. In this picture you can see four deers, one of which is a buck. At the same time this picture was taken,...
WS17 Oko 45
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 28, 2020 to Sunday, Jan 3, 2021: high 47, low 10, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.00"
View from the drone on Monday morning, about a quarter after 8. In the bottom foreground you can see the shadows of the wing-walls on either side of the autogate. Beyond the...
WS17 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 21 to Sunday, Dec 27, 2020: high 70, low 15, gust 56 mph, moisture 0.04"
Wednesday morning the wind really blew, and it snowed. Wintry conditions. And the sky was pretty dramatic. This photo was taken around 12:30 as the clouds were beginning to break up....
WS17 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 14 to Sunday, Dec 20, 2020: high 53, low 10, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.00"
Thursday afternoon Kenny delivered a load of red rock that will provide an all-weather road surface. The load was a gift from Mom. As you can see, Kenny has a good technique for spreading...
WS17 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 7 to Sunday, Dec 13, 2020: high 67, low 10, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.00"
Sunset Tuesday, a photo that cannot be replicated because on Friday the gate braces and existing fence line were removed. Many of the posts and all of the barbed wire in the old fence...
WS17 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Nov 30 to Sunday, Dec 6, 2020: high 60, low 16, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.00"
Wednesday afternoon i was inside the sauna lighting the heater and heard some scratching-type of sound. So looked out the door and saw this rabbit nibbling on a gatorade bottle that...
WS17 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 23 to Sunday, Nov 29, 2020: high 63, low 12, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.00"
The day after Thanksgiving i worked on unloading the new autogate from the trailer and putting it into the road. It took me most of the day. In the picture above, i’m placing railroad ties in...
WS17 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 16 to Sunday, Nov 22, 2020: high 72, low 20, gust 56 mph, moisture 0.00"
Thursday morning the Rosane Concrete crew—Travis, Harlan, Ryan, and Kenny (R-L)—poured and finished the entry area of the new gallery, and an apron in front of the east garage...
WS17 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 9 to Sunday, Nov 15, 2020: high 57, low 19, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.01"
The photo above was taken at 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon. A few hours earlier, it was heavily snowing. The snow storm clouds are those in the background. The early morning was...
WS17 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 2 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2020: high 81, low 25, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.00"
What a wonderful week weather-wise here at Wingsprings! On Tuesday i painted the cockpit window frames and the bay bed window (which are in the center of the photo above) frame. On...
WS17 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 26 to Sunday, Nov 1, 2020: high 69, low 2, gust 48 mph, moisture 0.00"
It was a strange sight first thing Monday morning: a pin-tail grouse roosting in one of the small trees in the hocoka. Then a second one joined her. But before i could get the camera,...
WS17 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 19 to Sunday, Oct 25, 2020: high 51, low 9, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.10"
Merle called Monday morning to say they were turning heifers into the pasture, so i went down along the south fence of the Natural Library/Sanctuary to see about a tree that looked...
WS17 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 12 to Sunday, Oct 18, 2020: high 71, low 24, gust 53 mph, moisture 0.04"
Sunset sauna on Monday; the photo was taken at 5:54 PM. Monday was also one of the two annual Wingsprings Sunrise Days. These are the days when the sun rises on the Wingsprings west-east...
WS17 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 5 to Sunday, Oct 11, 2020: high 86, low 39, gust 71 mph, moisture 0.00"
Sunny and warm days this week feel like they might be the final ones of this year, so Dan and i removed all the cockpit windows and scraped and sanded their rails and stiles and then...
WS17 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Sep 28 to Sunday, Oct 4, 2020: high 80, low 30, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.00"
While on a conference call Monday afternoon in the house, i spotted a few elks down by the Turtle Pond. As soon as the call was over i told Dan about the elks, so he and i did the...
WS17 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 21 to Sunday, Sep 27, 2020: high 94, low 43, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.00"
Dan and i started backfilling around the gallery walls last week after we installed a rubberized sticky membrane onto a waterprooting we painted on the concrete walls. Then we filled...
WS17 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 14 to Sunday, Sep 20, 2020: high 92, low 37, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.00"
A drone picture from 5:43 this evening, looking north over the natural library, the trees and vegetation changing to their fall colors. You can see mowed trails along both sides of the springs....
WS17 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 7 to Sunday, Sep 13, 2020: high 91, low 32, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.70"
The first snowfall of this season fell Tuesday afternoon. The snow was heavy for a while, but the ground is still so warm that it melted and disappeared quickly. The photo above,...
WS17 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Aug 31 to Sunday, Sep 6, 2020: high 103, low 41, gust 44.5 mph, moisture 0.07"
Three indepedent filmmakers (Micah, Marie-Helene and Flora (R-L) with Four Corners Media visited Wingsprings Monday late afternoon. After an interview, we walked in the natural...
WS17 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 24 to Sunday, Aug 30, 2020: high 104, low 45, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.22"
Tuesday morning, Kenny, Ryan, Travis and Dan poured the walkway along the hocoka side of the bathhouse. This is a project that has been planned for about a decade, so it is really...
WS17 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 17 to Sunday, Aug 23, 2020: high 100, low 58, gust 27 mph, moisture 0.30"
Fee, the founder of the Tipi Sisters, returned to Wingsprings Thursday afternoon with two granddaughters, Ashley and Megan (R-L). They spent the night and posed for this photo in...
WS17 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 10 to Sunday, Aug 16, 2020: high 96, low 57, gust 55 mph, moisture 0.06"
It was hot and windy Saturday morning, but i hooked the tractor up to the pull-mower and mowed alongside the road up to the gate and back. The first pass was done with one side of...
WS17 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 3 to Sunday, Aug 9, 2020: high 101, low 52, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.22"
Early Thursday morning the trail camera caught these two mule deer bucks with their antlers in velvet.
WS17 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 27 to Sunday, Aug 2, 2020: high 94, low 49, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.43"
This picture was taken Monday evening, about a quarter after 7, looking west. At the bottom-right-center, protruding above the distant horizon line, is the Wingsprings cockpit with...
WS17 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 20 to Sunday, Jul 26, 2020: high 97, low 55, gust 35 mph,moisture 0.41"
Mom has been here since Saturday. On Tuesday, when this picture was taken, we finished pulling the forms from the new concrete walls, and then drove the side-by-side over to the apple...
WS17 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 13 to Sunday, Jul 19, 2020: high 102, low 55, gust 22 mph, moisture 0.43"
Wednesday morning was the big pour! Kenny and his crew were here to pour the concrete mud into the forms we built. Kenny, with his back to us, is vibrating the curved wall that will...
WS17 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 6 to Sunday, Jul 12, 2020: high 100, low 55, gust 57 mph, moisture 0.67"
Thursday evening cloud scape looking east northeast. Earlier this evening a storm blew through. The setting sun cast a warm glow onto the bottom of the striking clouds. In the bottom of the...
WS17 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jun 29 to Sunday, Jul 5, 2020: high 98, low 53, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.05"
The focus this week was cutting the 3/4” plywood interior forms to height, and then drilling 3/4” holes in them for the concrete ties to go through. Friday afternoon, when the photo above was...
WS17 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 22 to Sunday, Jun 28, 2020: high 93, low 50, gust 26 mph, moisture 0.46"
This week we got most of the exterior wall forms installed. The tall straight forms, which we are borrowing from Kenny, the concrete guy, are relatively easy to install. They are part of a fascinating...
WS17 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 15 to Sunday, Jun 21, 2020: high 96, low 46, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.29"
Kent and Dan (R-L) proudly standing beside the first wall forms we stood up and braced off. Brother Kent was here this whole week to help with Wingsprings maintenance, mowing and weed whipping...
WS17 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 8 to Sunday, Jun 14, 2020: high 95, low 42, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.54"
Friday evening after sunset this buck came up close to investigate the house. At this point he was probably seeing a reflection of himself in the half-bath window, which faces west. Notice that his...
WS17 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 1 to Sunday, Jun 7, 2020: high 92, low 53, gust 80 mph, moisture 0.70"
This week Dan and i started building the forms for the gallery’s curved concrete walls. These will be retaining walls. The one above is on the hocoka side of the entry. The gallery’s entry door will...
WS17 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 25 to Sunday, May 31, 2020: high 86, low 39, gust 27 mph, moisture 0.26"
View backward from the tractor seat, looking a little north of east toward the Wingsprings facilities. Monday afternoon i mowed the walking trails in the Sanctuary for the first time this year....
WS17 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 18 to Sunday, May 24, 2020: high 82, low 45, gust 40 mph, moisture 1.14"
Monday morning i was sitting in the pickup by the hydrant when this momma rabbit went running by with a clump of grass in her mouth. She was heading toward the gallery. Then within a minute she...
WS17 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 17, 2020: high 66, low 34, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.71"
Wednesday morning we poured the gallery slab and patio. The southern end of the gallery adjoins the eastern entry bay. Then on the south side of the entry bay are two more bays before the bathhouse....
WS17 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 4 to Sunday, May 10, 2020: high 62, low 28, gust 46 mph, moisture 0.94"
By late Friday morning, Kenny and his crew had the footings for the new “gallery” addition poured and finished. In the far lower right of the photo are the existing concrete steps immediately east...
WS17 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 27 to Sunday, May 3, 2020: high 88, low 37, gust 53 mph, moisture 0.22”
An exciting new construction phase began this Thursday afternoon. It was unexpected; but entirely welcomed. On Wednesday, Kenny, the concrete guy, said he his crew had a week or so between jobs so...
WS17 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 20 to Sunday, Apr 26, 2020: high 75, low 33, gust 38 mph, moisture 0.00"
It was a beautiful early spring Sunday afternoon. Mounted the two trail cameras as they have been in storage for more than three years. This one is mounted low on the tree trunk, aimed at a small...
WS17 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 13 to Sunday, Apr 19, 2020: high 63, low 8, gust 27 mph, moisture 0.00"
This afternoon, at the bottom of the west-facing face of the east ridge, this irridescent insect caught my eye. It is so brilliantly colored; and could fly, but didn’t go far. Also in the photo you...
WS17 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 6 to Sunday, Apr 12, 2020: high 79, low 13, gust 38 mph, moisture 0.12"
A snow storm blew in Saturday afternoon and continued through the night. This morning, when the photo above was taken, the snow was pretty much done and by mid afternoon the sun came out.
WS17 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Mar 30 to Sunday, Apr 5, 2020: high 70, low 4, gust 38 mph, moisture 0.00"
Cousin Glenn built these three tables and on Tuesday i got them unloaded here. The far one is for the compound miter saw that Kent gave me. The tops of the middle and nearest ones are gifts from Sandie...
WS17 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 23 to Sunday, Mar 29, 2020: high 52, low 36, gust 35 mph, moisture 0.36”
This afternoon, the 29th, took the drone for a quick flight, piloting it from the upper deck, as you can see in the photo. On the left side of the pic you can see the sauna, and beyond it, the southern...
WS17 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 16 to Sunday, Mar 22, 2020: high 64, low 7, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.08”
Was a day late this year. Instead of Thursday the 19th, Dad’s birthday, it was Friday afternoon when i finally got the new windsock installed. It is the fifth windsock. The first one was hung when we...
WS17 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 9 to Sunday, Mar 15, 2020: high 67, low 19, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.01”
Tuesday afternoon Scott, Drew, Dean and Kaitlyn (R-L) stopped by to visit. Kaitlyn, Dean and Drew were on Spring Break from SDSU in Brookings.
WS17 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 2 to Sunday, Mar 8, 2020: high 74, low 23, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.08”
Friday afternoon captured the first image of a turtle this year. Can you see it in the lower-middle of the photo? It could barely move, probably due to the temperature of the water.
WS17 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 24 to Sunday, Mar 1, 2020: high 57, low 5, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.01”
Cousin Glenn and i began installing the two sauna vents today. This one on the east wall is above the upper bench and located to function mostly as an exhaust. The one on the west wall is just above...
WS16 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 17 to Sunday, Feb 23, 2020: high 57, low 7, gust 29 mph, moisture 0.00"
This afternoon, along the northeast bank of the Turtle Pond, this turtle shell showed up. And right beside it was coyote scat. Haven’t been walking along the springs for a while,...
WS16 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 10 to Sunday, Feb 16, 2020: high 58, low -9, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.00"
Earlier this afternoon, Glenn and i enjoyed a coffee in the porch. The temperature was in the upper 40s, but the sunshine streaming through the windows warmed the porch to a pleasant...
WS16 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 3 to Sunday, Feb 9, 2020: high 44, low 13, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.01"
This photo was taken a little after 5pm from inside the sauna, looking southwest. The window, which is in the middle of the west wall of the sauna and is on axis with the Butte, sure makes sunset...
WS16 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 27 to Sunday, Feb 2, 2020: high 55, low 19, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.19"
Tuesday early afternoon view. In the background is the Wingsprings facilities; in the foreground is the road and beside it, the cut up barrow pit. The cuts are not that obvious,...
WS16 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 20 to Sunday, Jan 26, 2020: high 48, low 2, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.09"
Jerry and Theresa visited on Monday. We ate lunch and i gave them a tour of the Wingsprings facilities. It has been years since they were here. It is good to hear their responses...
WS16 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 13 to Sunday, Jan 19, 2020: high 44, low 0, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.00"
Looking through the kitchen window at the sauna with its fascia lights. When the lights are on, it means the sauna heater is lit.
WS16 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 6 to Sunday, Jan 12, 2020: high 41, low 3, gust 31 mph, moisture 0.00"
Glenn and Cheryl visited Wingsprings yesterday afternoon.
WS16 Oko 45 2020
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 30, 2019 to Sunday, Jan 5, 2020: high 50, low 16, gust 43 mph, moisture 0.01"
Tuesday afternoon we burned the memory sticks that had been stuck in the snow outside the South Dakota Art Museum a year ago on December 29th to commemmorate the victims of the...
WS16 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 23 to Sunday, Dec 29, 2019: high 50, low 21, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.00"
Dicksy created this wreath and sent it, then sent the red pickup. It reminds us of “Old Red,” the 1950s one-ton truck that we all associate with Dad. So today i wired the pickup onto...
WS16 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 16 to Sunday, Dec 22, 2019: high 54, low 11, gust 26 mph, moisture 0.01"
Dan and i worked on excavating the quilt on Tuesday that Andrea and Francine created for the Takuwe exhibit. It had been buried since August. Now it was frozen in place. So we used...
WS16 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 9 to Sunday, Dec 15, 2019: high 43, low 1, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.00"
This afternoon, Glenn helped install the stovepipe from the sauna heater to the ceiling. Then we lit a fire in the heater and kept it burning for a few hours to burn off all the shipping...
WS16 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 2 to Sunday, Dec 8, 2019: high 52, low 11, gust 40 mph, moisture 0.04"
Yesterday Glenn and i worked on the sauna. We nailed the drip edge on the roof, then shingled the roof. Cut a hole through the roof, ran the chimney through it, and installed a chimney...
WS16 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 25 to Sunday, Dec 1, 2019: high 42, low 14, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.02
Yesterday a snow storm blew all day. Late afternoon i took this photo. The sauna is enclosed (the door is hung and the window is installed), but there is still lots of work to do before it can...
WS16 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 18 to Sunday, Nov 24, 2019: high 61, low 15, gust 42 mph, moisture 0.03"
Friday afternoon Glenn and i used the bobcat with extensions on the forks to carry the sauna out of the garage and place it on the railroad tie foundation. That process went...
WS16 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 11 to Sunday, Nov 17, 2019: high 60, low -1, gust 33 mph, moisture 0.14"
On Friday, Glenn and i hung the two doors he built for under the deck. They really dress up that area, as you can see by comparing the photo above with the photo below.
WS16 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 4 to Sunday, Nov 10, 2019: high 70, low 9, gust 25 mph, moisture 0.03"
This caterpiller caught my eye Tuesday late afternoon on my walk to the gate. She was making her way across the road. Felt sorry for her because even though the high temperature that...
WS16 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 28 to Sunday, Nov 3, 2019: high 51, low 3, gust 39 mph, moisture 0.00"
An early afternoon view across the picnic area toward the Wingsprings facilities.
WS16 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 21 to Sunday, Oct 27, 2019: high 65, low 19, gust 47 mph, moisture 0.53"
This photo was taken Thursday afternoon, by Yonatan, from a helicopter he was piloting from Rapid City to Chicago.
WS16 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 14 to Sunday, Oct 20, 2019: high 81, low 27, gust 39, moisture 0.15"
This bright Saturday afternoon for Randal, Daisy, Jenny, Dwayne and Rayan (R-L). Randal and Dwayne came to Wingsprings to shoot footage for a film about Dwayne that Randal is creating....
WS16 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 7 to Sunday, Oct 13, 2019: high 82, low 20, gust 37 mph, moisture 0.00"
Tuesday morning Dan planted some new perrenial flowers that will add color to the hocoka.
WS16 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Sep 30 to Sunday, Oct 6, 2019: high 71, low 32, gust 48 mph, moisture 0.52"
Thursday afternoon i started this project on a whim. It involves enhancing or defining the shoulder of the road from the house to the gate. One hoped for benefit of this is that the...
WS16 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 23 to Sunday, Sep 29, 2019: high 85, low 43, gust 39, moisture 0.11"
From the archives: 25 September 2009. Just beginning to screw on the horizontal cedar board between the columns on the hocoka side of the bathhouse. The board is a fixed distance beneath...
WS16 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 16 to Sunday, Sep 22, 2019: high 88, low 44, gust 43, moisture 1.62"
From the archives: 16 September 2005. Kent “crowning” a floor joist for the cockpit. Along the right side of the photo you can see the Butte on hte horizon. Fourteen years ago!
WS16 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 9 to Sunday, Sep 15, 2019: high 93, low 44, gust 41 mph, moisture 1.25"
From the archives: 12 September 2010, nine years ago this week. The footings for the library and garage had been poured earlier. Along the right-center of the photo you can see...
WS16 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 2 to Sunday, Sep 8, 2019: high 94, low 50, gust 27 mph, moisture 0.00"
Another beautiful sunset, this time reflected in the porch windows on Tuesday.
WS16 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 26 to Sunday, Sep 1, 2019: high 87, low 46, gust 32 mph, moisture 0.11"
A beautiful sunset, walking back to the facilities from the gate at around 7:30. Many of the Wingsprings sunsets are spectacular. So many that sometims i almost forget to acknowledge...
WS16 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 19 to Sunday, Aug 25, 2019: high 91, low 59, gust 49 mph, moisture 0.65"
This is about as good as it gets for mowing at the gate: the side-by-side pulling the trailer with the mower on it. Very handy method of transporting the mower instead of riding it....
WS16 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 12 to Sunday, Aug 18, 2019: high 86, low 50, gust 34 mph, moisture 0.73"
Some regional Health staff who were participants on a Lakota Lands & Identities traveling seminar early this summer that got rained out from visiting Wingsprings, brought their families...
WS16 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 5 to Sunday, Aug 11, 2019: high 92 , low 60, gust 32 mph, moisture 1.39"
Lacy and Janet (R-L) spent most of Tuesday in the porch working on enhacing how the CAIRNS Lakota Lands & Identities traveling seminars are organized and conducted. They and Peri arrived...
WS16 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 29 to Sunday, Aug 4, 2019: high 90, low 55, gust 39, moisture 1.28"
Dalton and Joe, from Bomber Productions, arrived mid-afternoon to work on a film of the work that CAIRNS is doing. Soon after they arrived, however, a fast-moving storm appeared in the...
WS16 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 22 to Sunday, Jul 28, 2019: high 93, low 51, gust 27, moisture 1.11"
Kathleen and Ken arrived yesterday (Saturday) afternoon and continued on toward their St. Louis home this morning.
WS16 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 15 to Sunday, Jul 21, 2019: high 91, low 53, gust 42 mph, moisture 1.07"
Friday was the second of two days that students and faculty from Oglala Lakota College and Little Wound High School spent at Wingsprings under the leadership of botanists Mark Gabel...
WS16 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 8 to Sunday, Jul 14, 2019: high 94 , low 53, gust 62 mph, moisture 0.64"
Thursday was a hot day. After lunch, Andrea (center with shovel) and staff from the South Dakota Art Museum (R-L: Carolyne, Jodi, Taylor, Pam and Lynn) took the quilt that Andrea and her mother,...
WS16 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jul 1 to Sunday, Jul 7, 2019: high 90, low 52
Linda, Virginia, Mom and Dicksy (R-L) visited on Tuesday. They brought lunch, which we all ate. Then they returned to Rapid City.
WS16 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 24 to Sunday, Jun 30, 2019: high 99, low 43
Yesterday (Saturday) mid afternoon this tornado developed in minutes. Amazingly, Jordan and i watched the funnel cloud descend from the cloud and meet a funnel ascending from the ground! The photo above is just before the...
WS16 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 17 to Sunday, Jun 23, 2019: high 82, low 49
Can you see the rabbit hiding in the yellow clover? She is there! This was taken this morning just outside the gate up at 226th Avenue. The gate post is in the upper-left corner of the photo.
WS16 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 10 to Sunday, Jun 16, 2019: high 86, low 33
Dan and i installed the screen door above on Saturday, the latest upgrade to the porch. It has a built-in screen that “disappears” when the glass is slide all the way up. The porch is now enclosed with screen windows on the...
WS16 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 3 to Sunday, Jun 9, 2019: high 90, low 34
This Wednesday morning, Joni, Ellen, Wayne and Jordan (R-L) posed for a photo before Wayne and Joni and their daughter, Ellen, departed. They had arrived here on Saturday. Jordan arrived on Sunday and will be here for five to...
WS16 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 27 to Sunday, Jun 2, 2019: high 83, low 41
Saturday while mowing the “picnic area” near the northwest corner of the Wingsprings sanctuary, the commotion spooked a doe from her rest, but she didn’t leave. Instead, she stood not far away and kept watching. If you look closely,...
WS16 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 20 to Sunday, May 26, 2019: high 75, low 33
From the archives: Two Washington University students exploring the hilltop area west of the Wingsprings facilities. The point of view is looking north-northwest. In the foreground are the bones of a heifer that had been struck...
WS16 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 13 to Sunday, May 19, 2019: high 86, low 34
The trees are budding and doing good, and the hocoka grass is greening.
WS16 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 6 to Sunday, May 12, 2019: high 66, low 27
Thursday afternoon found this body along the walking trail. Appears to be a mole, but it was nearly impossible to determine if it was dead or just faking.
WS16 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 29 to Sunday, May 5, 2019: high 73, low 25
Anna and Don on Friday morning. Don arrived Thursday evening and departed shortly after this photo.
WS16 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 22 to Sunday, Apr 28, 2019: high 77, low 31
A photo from the archives: ten years ago this week a rabbit allowed me to take this photo. It was 23 April 2009. Note the big gash in her/his left ear.
WS16 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 15 to Sunday, Apr 21, 2019: high 85, low 27
We are starting to nail up the tongue & groove cedar siding on the north wall of the sauna. First though, we wrapped the entire inner walls and ceiling of the sauna with a reflective vapor barrier material. The photo above is...
WS16 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 8 to Sunday, Apr 14, 2019: high 74, low 9
Another spring snow storm blew in Tuesday night and finally stopped Thursday afternoon. The quickness with which it blew in, along with the sudden drop in temperature, resulted in some fascinating icicles evident in this 6:30...
WS16 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 1 to Sunday, Apr 7, 2019: high 76, low 25
Here’s an evening full moon photo from four years ago this week: 5 April 2015.
WS16 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 25 to Sunday, Mar 31, 2019: high 67, low 21
Today at cousin Glenn’s i sketched the above "construction drawing" that he will use to build the sauna window.
WS16 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 18 to Sunday, Mar 24, 2019: high 60, low 21
Thursday afternoon, the day after the spring equinox, Anne and i finished installing the west porch windows. They have build in screens and really change the look and feel of the porch.
WS16 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 11 to Sunday, Mar 17, 2019: high 54, low -1
Tuesday was warm and the snow really melted. But because the frost is still in the ground, the water cannot soak in and therefore runs on the surface, making the low area connecting the springs wild with water like a fast-running...
WS16 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 4 to Sunday, Mar 10, 2019: high 39, low -17
Monday morning Dan and i stood the north (the left one in the photo above) and east walls of the sauna and fastened them together and to the floor. There is not enough room in the garage to build the sauna roof in place, nor could...
WS16 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 25 to Sunday, Mar 3, 2019: high 30, low -7
After a couple days of snowing, the sky cleared and the sun shone.
WS15 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 18 to Sunday, Feb 24, 2019: high 33, low -13
Friday was a gray day with little color. This mid-morning photo through the window shows almost no shadows, though if you look closely at the rabbit (who might be looking back just as closely) there is a slight...
WS15 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 11 to Sunday, Feb 17, 2019: high 52, low -5
At noon on Monday, Dan and i framed and sheeted the north and east walls of the sauna. We are building the walls on the sauna floor, then leaning them against the wall on the left of the picture. It is incredibly...
WS15 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 4 to Sunday, Feb 10, 2019: high 33, low -25
Construction on the Wingsprings sauna began in earnest this week. On Wednesday, Dan and i framed its floor, then i worked until midnight cutting rigid insulation to fit into the spaces between the joists. That is when...
WS15 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 28 to Sunday, Feb 3, 2019: high 63, low 1
Cousin Glenn came out and helped install lighting in the library. This is a job that I’ve waited two years to get done. He and I did it in a few days after he got off work. Seems he can do just about anything....
WS15 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 21 to Sunday, Jan 27, 2019: high 53, low 9
Friday morning: more snow.
WS15 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 14 to Sunday, Jan 20, 2019: high 49, low 5
Friday afternoon I walked down to the hangar to check on the rabbit-proofing that cousin Glenn and I installed a couple weeks ago. It seems to be working. The rabbits are digging all along the door, but when...
WS15 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 7 to Sunday, Jan 13, 2019: high 54, low 11
On Saturday afternoon the bang bang bang bang of a woodpecker got my attention. Looking through the bathroom window, I could see the woodpecker. It is hard to see in the picture, but it is right on top of the corner...
WS15 Oko 45 2019
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 31, 2018 to Sunday, Jan 6, 2019: high 55, low -9
Cousin Glenn and I spent yesterday rabbit-proofing the hangar. This involved digging a shallow trench just inside the large sliding doors, putting down a thin layer of sand, and then placing 2-foot square...
WS15 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 24 to Sunday, Dec 30, 2018: high 47, low -9
Early Christmas afternoon, just before they departed ahead of an incoming storm, Harvey, Dicksy and Mom (r-l) posed for a picture. Dicksy & Harvey made it back to Pipestone that night, and Mom made it back to Rapid...
WS15 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 17 to Sunday, Dec 23, 2018: high 58, low 15
Yesterday I checked in on the little tractor in the hangar, and found a rabbit sitting on its running board. One more hop and she would be on the seat. Then one thing leads to another and the next thing we know...
WS15 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 10 to Sunday, Dec 16, 2018: high 51, low 3
In recognition of Bob’s hard work of boxing in the columns, this picture taken today conveys a sense of solidity that was only possible by the new dimensions of the columns. I like that they and their shadows have...
WS15 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 3 to Sunday, Dec 9, 2018: high 34, low -1
Another picture from the archives, this one looking west, taken December 5, 2014, of a sunset contrail over the cockpit.
WS15 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 26 to Sunday, Dec 2, 2018: high 48, low 11
From the archives, November 27 three years ago this week: looking west from the wicoti, past the tipi poles, toward the setting sun.
WS15 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 19 to Sunday, Nov 25, 2018: high 63, low 16
Saturday early afternoon another snow storm is just beginning to blow in.
WS15 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 12 to Sunday, Nov 18, 2018: high 67, low 5
Bob, Antonio and Chase (r-l), next to the latest column that Bob and Antonio boxed in. It has been a huge chore to box in the twisted and off-centered columns, but the final visual affect is stunning! Seeing...
WS15 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 5 to Sunday, Nov 11, 2018: high 52, low 8
Phil, Antonio and Bob (r-l), this morning before Phil left to return to Iowa. Antonio is going to stay a week and a half to help with Wingsprings and CAIRNS tasks. Bob arrived on Thursday and is going to work...
WS15 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 29 to Sunday Nov 4, 2018: high 80, low 20
Tuesday afternoon looking westward toward Wingsprings from the road to the gate. On the horizon, just to the left of the cockpit, is the distant Butte.
WS15 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 22 to Sunday, Oct 28, 2018: high 73, low 25
This afternoon I dismantled the garden fence, harvested the last of the carrots, and rolled up the soaker hose It is time to prepare for winter.
WS15 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 15 to Sunday, Oct 21, 2018: high 72, low 14
Friday afternoon we welcomed visitors from Rapid City, Minnesota and Colorado. From right to left, Mom, Dicksy, Roseanna, Dave and Chase.
WS15 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 8 to Sunday Oct 14, 2018: high 59, low 17
Midmorning Wednesday looking through a library door and its screen across the snow in the hocoka.
WS15 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Oct 1 to Sunday, Oct 7, 2018: high 83, low 21
Late Tuesday afternoon cloudscape looking west southwest past the “nose” of the house.
WS15 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 24 to Sunday, Sep 30, 2018: high 73, low 28
Pulled this image from the archives for this week last year. Its a drawing for the hangar. Basically it is what was built, except for the opening in the wing wall on the left. The drawing also didn’t account...
WS15 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 17 to Sunday, Sep 23, 2018: high 94, low 37
Steve and Sarah returned the Lakota Emergence exhibit this afternoon, then stayed to visit a little while before continuing on to the Black Hills. The exhibit had been at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo.
WS15 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 10 to Sunday, Sep 16, 2018: high 98, low 48
Saturday was the fifth Lakota Film Festival organized by CAIRNS. It was hosted at the historic Inland Theater on Main Street in Martin. Three students from South Dakota State University ⏤ Abigail, Ava and...
WS15 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 3 to Sunday, Sep 9, 2018: high 91, low 54
Five guests ⏤ Anne Siri, Jim, Jill, Marianne and Hank (r-l) ⏤ arrived Friday afternoon. They brought supper, visited, played guitars and sang. The photo above was taken Saturday morning just before they left....
WS15 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday Aug 27 to Sunday, Sep 2, 2018: high 94, low 43
Saturday’s sunset appears to have been just south of the Butte, which suggests that the Wingsprings sunset day was Friday the 31st. The sunset day is when the appears to set directly behind the Butte.
WS15 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 20 to Sunday, Aug 26, 2018: high 97, low 39
Overnight guests this week were Larry and Aviva (r-l), who traveled here all the way from Virginia.
WS15 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 13 to Sunday, Aug 19, 2018: high 91, low 47
This is an image from this week last year. Can you see the prairie dog just left of the center of the picture? In the upper-right is 226th Avenue, and in the upper-left is the windsock. It is uncommon for prairie...
WS15 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 6 to Sunday Aug 13, 2018: high 95, low 51
Attendees of the Satyagraha Institute visited on Thursday from their meeting place in the Black Hills. They even brought lunch!
WS15 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 30 to Sunday, Aug 5, 2018: high 96, low 49
Thursday’s guests came all the way from France! Celine (on the right) has been at Wingsprings previously, but her friends ⏤ “Igmu,” Celine and Jerome (r-l) ⏤ were visiting for the first time.
WS15 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 23 to Sunday, Jul 29, 2018: high 93, low 50
Wednesday, 6:58pm, looking west.
WS15 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 16 to Sunday, Jul 22, 2018: high 93, low 54
From the seat of the new diesel tractor, looking south. The tractor has a 60″ belly mower which is great in that it cuts the mowing time at least in half compared to the riding mower. With over a mile and a half...
WS15 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 9 to Sunday, Jul 15, 2018: high 99, low 60
Saturday’s late evening skyscape looking north. Wingsprings seemingly growing right out of the earth.
WS15 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jul 2 to Sunday, Jul 8, 2018: high 101, low 58
This windmill is in the south Bear Creek pasture, which is west of Wingsprings. The picture is taken looking north. The windmill pumps water into the smaller tank which, when full, overflows into the larger tank. Storage...
WS15 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 25 to Sunday, Jul 1, 2018: high 99, low 50
For the second Friday in a row, we hosted a Lakota Lands & Identities “workshop on wheels” traveling seminar. They were a great group, and the hosting crew did a wonderful job getting everyone fed a delicious meal.
WS15 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 18 to Sunday, Jun 24, 2018: high , low
Friday we hosted the Lakota Lands & Identities “workshop on wheels” traveling seminar. After lunch, Eldon (wearing a black t-shirt) and Marc (not in this picture) presented to the group. Mom, along with Marc, Eldon and their...
WS15 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 11 to Sunday, Jun 17, 2018: high 104, low 52
Late Wednesday afternoon, looking north. The bed of the side by side full of rocks that I picked up along the road from the gate to the house. Try to pick up the big ones so the mower doesn’t hit them. Earlier I had already...
WS15 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 4 to Sunday, Jun 10, 2018: high 100, low 57
Some gnarly looking clouds on Friday afternoon.
WS15 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 28 to Sunday, Jun 3, 2018: high 90, low 36
Tuesday morning I finished preparing the garden for planting.
WS15 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 21 to Sunday, May 27, 2018: high 93, low 41
Tuesday morning was foggy. On my walk to the gate and back, this prairie dog home caught my attention. The resident had been busy scraping gravel and dirt and grass from around her/his home. The pattern, though, is what stood...
WS15 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 14 to Sunday, May 20, 2018: high 88, low 34
With cousin Glenn’s help, we ran irrigation lines to the six new trees in the hocoka. If the trees are going to survive, they need a steady supply of water. The irrigation system will enable me to see that they get the water....
WS15 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 7 to Sunday, May 13, 2018: high 89, low 42
Wednesday, Mom and I planted six ornamental trees in the hocoka. This was the first. And just to be clear, she supervised while I did the digging! (That is her supervisor’s chair near the window.) The ground was so hard that...
WS15 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 30 to Sunday, May 6, 2018: high 81, low 33
Sort of a startling discovery this afternoon down in the Turtle Pond: a dead snapping turtle suspended in the water, its flesh decaying.
WS15 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 23 to Sunday, Apr 29, 2018: high 80, low 21
A beautiful skyscape today, Sunday, just before sunset. Left of center, below the skyline, you can see the sunlight illuminating the northern walls of the garage.
WS15 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 16 to Sunday Apr 22, 2018: high 68, low 26
This Sunday afternoon I finally replaced the windsock up near the road. It is replaced every year on Dad’s birthday, but I’m over a month late this year. The box on the side by side works as a good platform to work from to swap...
WS15 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 9 to Sunday, Apr 15, 2018: high , low
This picture was taken Friday late afternoon, looking north out the kitchen window toward the hangar. A blizzard was howling outside. Wednesday the temperature reached 80 degrees. Thursday the high was 65 degrees. Then the blizzard...
WS15 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 2 to Sunday, Apr 8, 2018: high 58, low 14
Brother and sister, Tom and Dee (r-l), drove down from Rapid City to visit on Thursday.
WS15 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 26 to Sunday, Apr 1, 2018: high 59, low 12
Thursday morning, looking directly on axis with where the sun sets on the winter solstice. The snow so heavy that the horizon line is not visible. But if you look closely under the roof near the left side of the image, you can...
WS15 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 19 to Sunday, Mar 25, 2018: high 64, low 21
Early this afternoon while Glenn and I were getting the water hooked up to the faucet near the hangar, these two rabbits started playing/fighting and I was able to capture some of their antics on video. This image is a screen grab...
WS15 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 12 to Sunday Mar 18, 2018: high , low
Tuesday evening looking west toward Wingsprings and on beyond to the wonderful colors of the sunset. At the horizon line you can see a silhouette of the upper part of the cockpit and, above it, the contrail of a jet heading northwest....
WS15 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 5 to Sunday, Mar 11, 2018: high 62, low 10
Saturday mid-morning the snow began.
WS15 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 26 to Sunday, Mar 4, 2018: high 65, low 9
Velma and Diane (r-l) spent time at Wingsprings this week. They were here to attend commemorations for the 45th anniversary of the 71-day Wounded Knee occupation in 1973.
WS14 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 19 to Sunday, Feb 25, 2018: high 28, low -23
Friday morning picture. In the foreground, beneath the rectangular area, is the quilt that Andrea and Francie made for the Takuwe exhibit and that will be excavated soon and displayed in the exhibit. In the...
WS14 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 12 to Sunday, Feb 18, 2018: high 49, low -2
Due to runoff from melting snow and frozen ground, the excess water flooded all around the ponds. Here you can see the ice in the mowed walking path and, beyond, the high ice all around the willow tree.
WS14 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 5 to Sunday, Feb 11, 2018: high 37, low -25
Early Saturday morning view from the cockpit, looking over the snow-covered roof of the library and garage. The low that day was twenty-five degrees below zero!
WS14 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 29 to Sunday, Feb 4, 2018: high 47, low -1
This photo is from the archives, during this week six years ago in 2012. It is of a pelvic bone from an old bull that died years ago in the draw south of Wingsprings. It has bleached out by the sun over a...
WS14 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 22 to Sunday, Jan 28, 2018: high 45, low 2
There now, after over a decade without one, is an oven at Wingsprings. In this case, its a combination conventional and microwave version, mounted in a cabinet. Cousin Glenn helped a lot in getting it installed,...
WS14 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 15 to Sunday, Jan 21, 2018: high 54, low -20
Saturday afternoon the guys from Rapid City delivered the kitchen oven ⏤ finally. Now the task is to get it installed.
WS14 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 8 to Sunday, Jan 14, 2018: high 59, low 2
Sunday morning sunrise illuminating the bottoms of the clouds, looking southeast from a cockpit window. The color of the Wingsprings drum walls mimics the color of these clouds. On the far right, two sets of tipi...
WS14 Oko 45 2018
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Jan 1 to Sunday, Jan 7, 2018: high 45, low -7
Thursday morning a number of deer walked right past the western windows of Wingsprings. By the look of these, they are wintering pretty good in this new year.
WS14 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 25 to Sunday, Dec 31, 2017: high 27, low -15
Early this Wednesday morning the temperature dipped to 15 degrees below zero! When this photo was taken around 1 o’clock in the afternoon, it had warmed all the way to 14 degrees above zero. In the picture, Francie...
WS14 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 18 to Sunday Dec 24, 2017: high 64, low -5
Friday morning, twenty minutes to eight, five degrees above zero. The picture taken on the Wingsprings west-east axis.
WS14 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 11 to Sunday, Dec 17, 2017: high 60, low 13
Nighttime picture of the hangar. Cousin Glenn is helping install LED lights which are so nice and useful.
WS14 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 4 to Sunday, Dec 10, 2017: high , low
A snow storm was huffing and puffing pretty seriously on Monday morning.
WS14 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 27 to Sunday, Dec 3, 2017: high 72, low 12
Jay and Randy (r-l) stopped by Friday afternoon to do their final inspection of the hangar. Randy served as the general contractor, and Jay’s company, Pioneer Buildings, erected it.
WS14 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 20 to Sunday, Nov 26, 2017: high 73, low 18
The week began with Tony winching the canister onto his tow truck Monday afternoon. Its going to be different here at Wingsprings without this canister. Its been here for 12 years, almost from the beginning...
WS14 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 13 to Sunday, Nov 19, 2017: high 77, low 16
Here’s the crew that is building the hangar. From right to left: Brad, Daryl and Cetan. By quitting time Tuesday, they had the hangar enclosed. Directly behind them are the two sliding doors. There is still...
WS14 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 6 to Sunday, Nov 12, 2017: high 55, low 13
Brother Kent suggested we call this “the hangar,” and so we will. It does look like one! The large 3-ply truss is clear-spanning 32 feet. Two 16-foot hanging doors will roll on the track behind the brown trim....
WS14 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 30 to Sunday, Nov 5, 2017: high 51, low 7
Awoke this Sunday morning to find a blanket of snow spread over the land. In the middle of the photo is the beginning of the new shed. The crew nailed up the first mono truss just before quitting time on Friday....
WS14 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 23 to Sunday, Oct 29, 2017: high 79, low 11
Am not sure if this rabbit was all the way on the upper deck, but this is where i caught her. She was on her way to the stairs, which she descended pretty gracefully. It makes me wonder about her curiosity;...
WS14 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 16 to Sunday, Oct 22, 2017: high 85, low 22
Saturday afternoon, Brad brought two loads of gravel from up in the badlands. His truck and trailer are at the far end of the windrow. The trailer is a center dump with two compartments. The end one is dumped...
WS14 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 9 to Sunday, Oct 15, 2017: high 78, low 20
Tuesday morning these rabbits “performed” for misun Jordan and me as we were beginning our walk to the gate and back. A third rabbit, which you can see in the background, joined the fracas. They jumped over each...
WS14 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Oct 2 to Sunday, Oct 8, 2017: high 80, low 28
The almost-full moon is rising over the Wingsprings west-east axis beyond the chalky ridge in the background. The shadow in the middle ground is confusing because the items casting them are not in the same plane....
WS14 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 25 to Sunday, Oct 1, 2017: high 80, low 29
Tuesday late afternoon i was trying to catch the sun peeking out from between clouds to shine brightly on the yellow leaves of the tree down near the wicoti. It was a beautiful fall day with pleasant temperature...
WS14 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 18 to Sunday, Sep 24, 2017: high 92, low 41
Thursday just before sunset did another harvest of the garden. This was the first time for tomatoes. As you can see, in addition to tomatoes there were peppers and beans as well. This harvest was on the last official day...
WS14 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 11 to Sunday, Sep 17, 2017: high 98, low 32
Tuesday’s early evening rain shower resulted in a nice complete rainbow arcing across the eastern sky; and then a fainter one above it. The upper one did not fully develop, but if you look close you can...
WS14 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 4 to Sunday, Sep 10, 2017: high 92, low 29
A feather from a red tailed hawk. Found it along the road yesterday late afternoon, near the cairn (which can be seen in the right background). Near here the day before on my way to town a red tailed hawk tried...
WS14 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 28 to Sunday, Sep 3, 2017: high 97, low 48
This evening was the first harvest from the garden. Lots of beans, a number of peppers, and a couple carrots that are still too small. Can’t see it in the cropped photo, but the setting sun was a dull red due...
WS14 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 21 to Sunday, Aug 27, 2017: high 94, low 42
See the five geese just above the horizon? They surprised me this evening as i was returning down the ridge as the sun was setting, flying by real low just off my right shoulder, heading south. Almost for sure...
WS14 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 14 to Sunday, Aug 20, 2017: high 97, low 49
Tuesday late afternoon a thunderstorm built to the northeast. Then a “finger” of clouds started extending from the main thunderhead toward Wingsprings. Eventually, the narrow row of thunderheads extended all...
WS14 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 7 to Sunday, Aug 13, 2017: high 85, low 44
Tuesday evening this long roll-cloud moved across the sky from west to east. It was long! And low. Its humbling to see the vast variety of clouds and weather patterns that exist right here in the Wingsprings vicinity....
WS14 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 31 to Sunday, Aug 6, 2017: high 94, low 49
Friday morning Kaitlin departed for her Boston home. She arrived and settled into the east cabin on July 3, and began her internship with CAIRNS on July 5. Its been nice having her in residence these past four...
WS14 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 24 to Sunday, Jul 30, 2017: high 103, low 58
Last week a bull snake crawled across the hocoka and we measured him at 4.5 feet long. This Tuesday around 5pm i opened the library door and right there in front of me, against the threshold, was a big snake....
WS14 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 17 to Sunday, Jul 23, 2017: high 103, low 59
Wednesday morning this bull snake crawled across the hocoka. Since Jacob and Kaitlin had not seen such a long snake before, we measured it: 4.5 feet. In the picture above, the snake is heading eastward. In particular,...
WS14 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 10 to Sunday, Jul 16, 2017: high 99, low 53
CAIRNS research fellow, Sandrine, and her parents stopped by Wingsprings Monday late afternoon. Their homes are in France! Jacques is a botanist interested in biodiversity at the landscape scale, so it was neat to hear...
WS14 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jul 3 to Sunday, Jul 9, 2017: high 104, low 56
Wednesday near sunset. The new soaker hose is working real good. The carrots and beans have sprouted and are growing. So far the fence is keeping the rabbits out. But there is so much green grass around that they probably...
WS14 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 26 to Sunday, Jul 2, 2017: high 93, low 39
Over 40 participants, and nearly ten staff, enjoyed lunch here on Friday. They were part of the Lakota Lands & Identities “workshop on wheels,” a 5-day seminar that travels to important sites in Lakota history. The seminar...
WS14 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 19 to Sunday, Jun 25, 2017: high 94, low 34
Fee and Phyllis (r-l), two of the Tipi Sisters, planted the garden Wednesday morning, less than ten hours after the summer solstice. Its a little late for planting, but we will see how things do. The first order of business...
WS14 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 12 to Sunday, Jun 18, 2017: high 84, low 46
Brother Kent showing off his famous bareback bronc riding form. He spurred and spurred for the full eight seconds, but the mower didn’t move, and he rode to the bell without getting thrown.
WS14 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 5 to Sunday, Jun 11, 2017: high 93, low 51
Four fun faces sitting on the upper deck Thursday afternoon. Right to left: Peri is the VP of CAIRNS, Maria is the chef for this week, Richard is a science teacher at Todd County Achievement School, and Jacob is a CAIRNS intern...
WS14 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 29 to Sunday, Jun 4, 2017: high 85, low 34
Widening the walking paths with the new mower. It runs very nice! This was the second mowing of the season. If you look close, you can see a turtle scampering (well, it seems like it was moving pretty fast at the time!) into...
WS14 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 22 to Sunday, May 28, 2017: high 79, low 33
For some reason, this little baby turtle didn’t make it back to the pond alive. Obviously he wasn’t eaten; maybe he got onto his back and couldn’t right himself. They are so small! When alive, the bottom of their shell has...
WS14 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 15 to Sunday, May 21, 2017: high 76, low 32
Two elk bulls! This is the first instance of catching them on film here at Wingsprings. So even though this picture was taken by the trail camera on the 13th, its included in this week’s oko iyawapi because i just got the pictures...
WS14 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 8 to Sunday, May 14, 2017: high 73, low 38
Sunday a little while before sunset. Mothers Day. New patio furniture. In addition to this chair and side table, there are also a few more chairs for you and yours. So come visit. Sit down and relax. It would be good to see...
WS14 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, May 1 to Sunday, May 7, 2017: high 87, low 28
Monday afternoon Tyler’s parents (Mary and Bo) stopped by to visit and check out Wingsprings. They came all the way from northeastern Ohio to see their son, and where he worked. It was, after all, his next to last — penultimate...
WS14 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 24 to Sunday, Apr 30, 2017: high 65, low 21
Tuesday morning snow! Thats right, snow! Earlier in the morning, especially when it was really snowing, it was a lot whiter. But the ground was relatively warm so the snow melted rapidly. It is good and much needed moisture....
WS14 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 17 to Sunday, Apr 23, 2017: high 76, low 26
Sandrine, Rachel, Mike and Tyler (r-l) were here Wednesday morning. Sandrine, a CAIRNS Fellow, spent a few days in residence writing, whereas Rachel and Mike were here this morning to talk about food sovereignty. Tyler, of course,...
WS14 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 10 to Sunday, Apr 16, 2017: high 80, low 31
Walked to the trail camera and installed new batteries Saturday afternoon. On the way back, this doe in the picture above jumped up and startled me, but she didn’t run away. Instead, she stopped and stood watching me as i fumbled...
WS14 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 3 to Sunday, Apr 9, 2017: high 81, low 27
Saturday mid-afternoon. The grass is greening up, and is especially evident in the mowed areas. If you use your imagination, you can see turtle shells glistening along the far shore of the pond. There were lots of them, but as soon...
WS14 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 27 to Sunday, Apr 2, 2017: high 66, low 27
Dramatic coloring this Monday late afternoon. Its hard to see from this distance, but the interplay of sunlight and shadows was so remarkable. Especially liked the sunlit swale on the other side of the springs.
WS14 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 20 to Sunday, Mar 26, 2017: high 71, low 28
Thursday afternoon just after 5 o’clock. Spring shower in the west, illuminated by sunlight streaming through a “hole” in the clouds.
WS14 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 13 to Sunday, Mar 19, 2017: high 80, low 13
Today, Sunday, is Dad’s birthday. Mom was here for the first of what will be an annual changing of the windsock on March 19th. Last year we installed the windsock on March 29th (see Oko 6, 2016). The windsock is fastened to the...
WS14 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 6 to Sunday, Mar 12, 2017: high 61, low 15
Monday mid to late afternoon we received more snow, along with high winds! But by sundown, the snow had stopped and there was a beautiful sliver of sunset beneath the clouds and above the western horizon.
WS14 Oko 1
Oko Wanji
Monday, Feb 27 to Sunday, Mar 5, 2017: high 65, low 6
Tuesday this week was the first day of the Wingsprings new year. It is the day when the sun rises on the Wingsprings west-east axis, beyond the windsock, and causes the cockpit to cast a shadow on the hillside just beyond the springs,...
WS13 Oko 53
Oko Wikemna Zaptan ake Yamni
Monday, Feb 20 to Sunday, Feb 26, 2017: high 72, low 0
This is the final week of the current Wingsprings year. It has been rather tumultuous weather-wise. Sunny with an unseasonable high of 72 degrees on Tuesday, then a blowing snow storm Thursday with a low of zero...
WS13 Oko 52
Oko Wikemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 13 to Sunday, Feb 19, 2017: high 63, low 14
The geese are returning, and continuing on northward for the summer. All week they and other water fowl could be seen, and often heard, overhead. This picture was taken Monday at sundown as i was returning home...
WS13 Oko 51
Oko Wikemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 6 to Sunday, Feb 12, 2017: high 54, low 0
Wednesday just before sunset. Was on my way to the gate. Last night we got more snow. Was 2 degrees above zero this morning, with a high today of 12. It was a chilly mile-long jaunt this afternoon.
WS13 Oko 50
Oko Wikemna Zaptan
Monday, Jan 30 to Sunday, Feb 5, 2017: high 46, low -4
Woke up this morning and from the kitchen window could see the profile of a jackrabbit. In the picture below you can see that he was all frosty, even his whiskers. It was a little startling to see his eye watching me at...
WS13 Oko 49
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 23 to Sunday, Jan 29, 2017: high 44, low 4
Tuesday another snow storm blew all day. This was the view out of the bathroom window looking southeast across the hocoka toward the bathhouse that morning. Brrrrr outside, but toasty warm inside.
WS13 Oko 48
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 16 to Sunday, Jan 22, 2017: high 43, low -2
Wednesday we installed Dwayne Wilcox’s buffalo hide painting over the east wall in the library. It is the artwork he created for the Great Race exhibit that CAIRNS curated at the Journey Museum in Rapid City...
WS13 Oko 47
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 9 to Sunday, Jan 15, 2017: high 44, low -5
Thursday evening guests were Carol, Dyani and Daniel (top to bottom). They stopped by because Dyani is doing research for an upcoming exhibit she is curating. She also participated in the Lakota Emergence exhibit...
WS13 Oko 46
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 2 to Sunday, Jan 8, 2017: high 28, low -20
Tuesday afternoon this brand new herbarium-style cabinet was delivered. It is a gift from Mark G. He and Grace (in the photo below) are faculty at Black Hills State University and have been “botanizing” in and around...
WS13 Oko 45 2017
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 26, 2016 to Sunday, Jan 1, 2017: high 45, low -3
Yesterday, Saturday, was the last day of 2016. December 31st. And in some way, the cairn symbolized the fact that even though 2016 and 2017 are different years, they still are part of the uninterrupted continuum...
WS13 Oko 44
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 19 to Sunday, Dec 25, 2016: high 45, low -13
More snow this week. This picture was taken Tuesday morning from the road looking almost due west toward the house.
WS13 Oko 43
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 12 to Sunday, Dec 18, 2016: high 27, low -32
This week the temperature got bitter cold and we received a lot of snow. Unfortunately, no photos to represent it. The picture above was taken December 14 last year. It snowed then too, but the low temperature...
WS13 Oko 42
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 5 to Sunday, Dec 11, 2016: high 43, low -18
Stepped out the south door and snapped this photo a little before midnight tonight. Its too cold to be outside! It is amazing that this nighttime photo can be snapped just as easy as in the daytime. This new iPhone...
WS13 Oko 41
Oko Wikemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Nov 28 to Sunday, Dec 4, 2016: high 49, low 10
Am getting in the holiday spirit! Brother Kent and sister-in-law Sandie sent the beautiful wreath so hung it today. Actually have to screw its top and bottom onto the column as otherwise the wind would whip it around....
WS13 Oko 40
Oko Wikemna Topa
Monday, Nov 21 to Sunday, Nov 27, 2016: high 61, low 14
This week we worked a couple days on redoing the framing of the porch walls. The new sills (with slopes on them to encourage moisture to runoff instead of sit and soak and cause rotting) are painted and installed. The new...
WS13 Oko 39
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 14 to Sunday, Nov 20, 2016: high 69, low 6
This picture is of a leg of a prairie dog. Here’s the backstory. Cousin Glenn, his friend Marla and i were sitting in the house visiting and saw two bald eagles fly by over the springs heading north. It looked...
WS13 Oko 38
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 7 to Sunday, Nov 13, 2016: high 75, low 20
Around noon today i went back to check on the young buck that was dead in the pond, and that is described in Oko 34. Back then i wondered if the coyotes would drag the carcass out of the water and indeed they...
WS13 Oko 37
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Oct 31 to Sunday, Nov 6, 2016: high 76, low 24
Here’s a photo from two years ago this week. It was November 2, 2014, late afternoon. This is up near the gate, almost adjacent to the cairn. I was picking up large rocks from the fresh gravel that built the...
WS13 Oko 36
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 24 to Sunday, Oct 30, 2016: high 82, low 30
A group of 4th-graders from Crazy Horse School visited Wingsprings Wednesday morning for a couple hours. They brought rocks and put them on the cairn. After doing an activity exploring triangles, they reboarded...
WS13 Oko 35
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 17 to Sunday, Oct 23, 2016: high 82, low 27
Yesterday morning Claire painted the wall panels that had been covered with the new Total Wall material. Its a stucco-like finish material that trowels directly onto the existing stucco. It is sort of elastic...
WS13 Oko 34
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 10 to Sunday, Oct 16, 2016: high 85, low 29
Yesterday morning, from the house we noticed this carcass. So that afternoon we checked it out and discovered that it was a young buck. Not sure how he ended up dying, or why. Too bad his body is in the pond. Coyotes,...
WS13 Oko 33
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 3 to Sunday, Oct 9, 2016: high 82, low 21
Snow flurries blew through for a couple hours Thursday morning. At times the flurries seemed heavy, but the earth is still so warm that the snow did not stick, it melted immediately. The garden, though, is finished...
WS13 Oko 32
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Sep 26 to Sunday, Oct 2, 2016: high 86, low 32
The trail camera caught this flock of blackbirds in flight on Thursday morning. The birds are gathering together and preparing for their migration south for the winter. Nevertheless, the leaves of the willow tree...
WS13 Oko 31
Oko Wikemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 19 to Sunday, Sep 25, 2016: high 86, low 32
Wednesday morning awoke to fog and it hung around for a few hours. Really makes it feel fallish with the coloring of the leaves and grasses. Some leaves are still green as you can see in the background, but those...
WS13 Oko 30
Oko Wikemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 12 to Sunday, Sep 18, 2016: high 89, low 37
A Friday afternoon visitor is giving the trail camera a close inspection. She and two classmates from South Dakota State University were overnight guests here to help with the Lakota Film Festival that takes place at the...
WS13 Oko 29
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 5 to Sunday, Sep 11, 2016: high 91, low 31
This walkingstick insect was clinging absolutely still to one of the upright jambs of the porch, but the late afternoon sun reflected off of her/him and caught my eye. According to the internet, these are...
WS13 Oko 28
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Aug 29 to Sunday, Sep 4, 2016: high 90, low 51
Twenty-four students and two faculty from South Dakota State University’s Consumer Sciences Department spent Tuesday afternoon and evening at Wingsprings. They did an allotment exercise that included walking...
WS13 Oko 27
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 22 to Sunday, Aug 28, 2016: high 99, low 39
This unfortunate willow tree is being killed by some bug or worm or insect. Whatever it is, it has nearly encased the entire tree in a web. If you look close, you can see the webbing up and down the two main...
WS13 Oko 26
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 15 to Sunday, Aug 21, 2016: high 94, low 40
Corey (r) and Jeramie (l) were working on painting the drum walls on Wednesday. The color is called “chaps” and is pretty much some light shade of orange. This color is already on the drum walls inside the house...
WS13 Oko 25
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 8 to Sunday, Aug 14, 2016: high 99, low 53
This Sunday morning photo captures the two main projects we completed this week here at Wingsprings. In the foreground is the new foot door into the garage. This is something thats been planned for a few years....
WS13 Oko 24
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 1 to Sunday, Aug 7, 2016: high 99, low 48
Friday afternoon we hosted a training for a group of Teach for America teachers. The general topic was Lakota history and culture; the focus was on Pine Ridge Reservation since all of the participants will be teaching...
WS13 Oko 23
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 25 to Sunday, Jul 31, 2016: high 93, low 51
Friday lunch was a lot of fun with visitors from near and far away. Everyone gathered to celebrate Rosemary’s visit. She is seated front left. Next to her is Tyler, then on around the table: Leah, Mom, Corey,...
WS13 Oko 22
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 18 to Sunday, Jul 24, 2016: high 105, low 61
Here’s a picture from this week last year: July 22, 2015. We were cutting ridge vents into the library and garage roofs. The process was to cut the shingles, remove them, saw through the roof sheathing, nail...
WS13 Oko 21
Oko Wikemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 11 to Sunday, Jul 17, 2016: high 95, low 42
After a dozen years of construction, there finally is a set of stairs at Wingsprings! It goes from the walkway in front of the west cabin up to the lower deck. In the first two photos below you can see how we...
WS13 Oko 20
Oko Wikemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 4 to Sunday, Jul 10, 2016: high 99, low 54
Tuesday afternoon guests from Brookings were Wiyaka, Star and Ruth (r-l).
WS13 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jun 27 to Sunday, Jul 3, 2016: high 92, low 49
There is a hint of a double rainbow in this Sunday evening picture an hour or so before sunset. In the foreground is the garden. This is the first year with its new block walls on three sides. We installed the fence panels...
WS13 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 20 to Sunday, Jun 26, 2016: high 102, low 46
This summer’s solstice was Monday late afternoon. Early that morning, coincidentally, was a full moon. So that was pretty special. The picture above was taken Tuesday evening, the day after the solstice/full moon. That’s...
WS13 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 13 to Sunday, Jun 19, 2016: high 96, low 51
About half of the participants in the Lakota Lands & Identities traveling classroom, sponsored by Regional Health, are shown above eating lunch in the shade Friday. It was hot and windy, but almost everyone was able to eat...
WS13 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 6 to Sunday, Jun 12, 2016: high 102, low 43
CAIRNS’ Lakota Lands & Identities traveling classroom came to Wingsprings on Friday where we hosted a picnic lunch for them. This edition of the LL&I was hosted by the Indian Education Office of the Rapid City Area Schools,...
WS13 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, May 30 to Sunday, Jun 5, 2016: high 87, low 37
Monday morning we welcomed over 30 Teach for America corps members and staff for an all-day training. For many of the corps members this was their first full day in South Dakota. What an experience being here at Wingsprings...
WS13 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 23 to Sunday, May 29, 2016: high 80, low 35
Last night’s guests (r-l) included Nikki and Mo from Wingspan Media, and Ruth and Cora.
WS13 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 16 to Sunday, May 22, 2016: high 79, low 28
Wednesday morning Corey and Jeramie dug a path to connect the dead ends of two trails. The hillside between the trail ends was too sidling for the mower, but now they have notched a passageway into the slope that is wide enough...
WS13 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 9 to Sunday, May 15, 2016: high 70, low 27
A picture from the archives: 15 May 2011. Five years ago this week the plum trees south of the house were in full blossom. It was really greening up too. And if you look close, you can see the waxing moon rising. The 17th was...
WS13 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 2 to Sunday, May 8, 2016: high 86, low 25
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! Thats her, fourth from the right. She was here all week to cook for and feed the nine students and two professors from Washington & Lee University, and also guests on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. The...
WS13 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 25 to Sunday, May 1, 2016: high 62, low 29
Black currant blossoms blooming this afternoon down by the wicoti. Was a little surprised that they survived this week’s snow, and especially temperatures in the teens a couple weeks ago. Sure hope they make it as currants are...
WS13 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 18 to Sunday, Apr 24, 2016: high 79, low 31
Wednesday afternoon Corey is working on the library, roughing in the upper bookcases. He is making good progress, and would go faster if i would have the design completed ahead of time. Oh well. Things are changing daily...
WS13 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 11 to Sunday, Apr 17, 2016: high 82, low 18
Monday around noon eight students and a faculty member from South Dakota State University arrived and stayed until mid-Tuesday morning (R-L, Ruth, Marquette, Scott, Lauren, Alaina, Abbi, Ben and Nathan). Monday night was really...
WS13 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 4 to Sunday, Apr 10, 2016: high 81, low 21
This afternoon looking west over Wingsprings toward the Butte and beyond. The sun playing hide and seek with the spaces between clouds. Springtime evident everywhere: grass greening, meadowlarks chirping, grouse dancing, turtles...
WS13 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Mar 28 to Sunday, Apr 3, 2016: high 71, low 26
Took this picture this morning of the brand new windsock that Corey and i installed on Tuesday. If you look close, to the right of the road in the middle ground that curves over a slight ridge, you can see the cairn of rocks. That...
WS13 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 21 to Sunday, Mar 27, 2016: high 78, low 12
Friday night it snowed and blowed, and even with warmer temperatures and sunshine, Saturday afternoon the snow was still sticking. The view above was taken mid-afternoon looking northwest, a landscape that Chuck called “ancestral.”...
WS13 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 14 to Sunday, Mar 20, 2016: high 68, low 8
We are continuing to work in the library building shelves. Here Corey is installing a mid-span support bracket he cut, sanded and faced. The function of the unfinished “buttress” in the left-center has yet to be figured out. There...
WS13 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 7 to Sunday, Mar 13, 2016: high 76, low 18
Sure feels like spring arrived this week, especially this afternoon with the temperature in the low 70s, nearly a clear sky and lots of wind. Tuesday was the first day we heard Meadowlarks this year, and their return is always nice...
WS13 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Feb 29 to Sunday, Mar 6, 2016: high 72, low 18
Beautiful afternoon. Temperature around 70 degrees, no wind (thus the water’s smooth surface) and clear sky. Walked the outer trail of the reserve and noticed a number of turtles, particularly in the pond above which we aptly named...
WS13 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 22 to Sunday, Feb 28, 2016: high 70, low 13
Happy New Year! Thats right, February 28 is the beginning of the Wingsprings year. So this is Oko 1 for 2016. Unfortunately i was not able to verify that the sun indeed did rise on the Wingsprings west-east axis, but prior years...
WS12 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 15 to Sunday, Feb 21, 2016: high 73, low 22
Monday morning a couple deers nonchalantly walked past the trail camera. As you can see, most of the snow had already melted away–even before the temperature reached 73 degrees later in the week.
WS12 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 8 to Sunday, Feb 14, 2016: high 63, low 13
Here’s a picture from the archives: February 14, 2008. Eight years ago! Emile and i burned slash piles that evening since the conditions were favorable. The temperature was chilly but not bitterly cold. There...
WS12 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 1 to Sunday, Feb 7, 2016: high 47, low 10
Five years ago this week the melting snow created a small pond inside the curve of the first turn in the road to the gate. The trail that was our road was nearly impassable. Since then Mom has helped with grading the road...
WS12 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 25 to Sunday, Jan 31, 2016: high 53, low 11
Thursday was right in the middle of a relative heat wave–the temperature for a couple days was in the 50s! With sunshine and a breeze, the snow really melted. This picture was taken that day just after sunset....
WS12 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 18 to Sunday, Jan 24, 2016: high 46, low 2
Work on the library warmed up considerably by Thursday afternoon when Wayne and Harlan (r-l) turned on the new electric boiler they installed. The boiler heats a glycol solution that is pumped through around...
WS12 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 11 to Sunday, Jan 17, 2016: high 43, low -5
Yesterday Tyler, Corey, Jeramie and i hosted twenty TFA teachers for an all-day workshop. Even though the outdoor temperature was in the single digits and it snowed lightly all day, the teachers drove in from...
WS12 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 4 to Sunday, Jan 10, 2016: high 39, low -13
Took the picture above this afternoon up the south draw just a little ways. Three dead trees standing. Its the one on the right that is so fascinating because on it what appears to be writing, or at least drawings,...
WS12 Oko 45 2016
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 28, 2015 to Sunday, Jan 3, 2016: high 32, low -15
Yesterday afternoon snow shoed to the trail cameras and on the way back passed through the wicoti. That is where the picture above was taken. But the object on the tipi platform in the foreground caught...
WS12 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 21 to Sunday, Dec 27, 2015: high 44, low -15
This photo is from the archives: 21 December 2012. It was taken three years ago this week on the winter solstice. It illustrates that the winter solstice sunset is essentially on axis with the center of the Wingsprings...
WS12 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 14 to Sunday, Dec 20, 2015: high 41, low -5
This morning Wingsprings was enlivened by a visit from Katrina and Ruby (daughter and mother, r-l). Ruby was here in August with Regional Health’s Lakota Lands & Identities traveling seminar (see Oko 26, 2015)....
WS12 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 7 to Sunday, Dec 13, 2015: high 61, low 22
This morning absolutely calm with a deep blanket of new snow and thick fog that obscured the line between ground and sky, and muted the sun to a dull disk. Silence. All sound seemingly absorbed by both the fog...
WS12 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Nov 30 to Sunday, Dec 6, 2015: high 48, low 2
Five years ago this week i was removing the old west line of the fence that encircled the Wingsprings facilities, thereby integrating the facilities and the springs into what we now call the Wingsprings Reserve....
WS12 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 23 to Sunday, Nov 29, 2015: high 65, low 2
Yesterday afternoon it snowed again and because there wasn’t much breeze it covered everything with over an inch of powdery snow. Took this photo from one of the south windows of the cockpit looking south. In the center...
WS12 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 16 to Sunday, Nov 22, 2015: high 61, low 4
Awoke to wintery weather Friday morning–overnight snow on the ground and flurries off and on all day. It felt like winter was here. In the middle background is Wingsprings, barely visible through the flurries....
WS12 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 9 to Sunday, Nov 15, 2015: high 68, low 15
Took this photo mid afternoon today while walking along the path on the west side of the springs. Beautiful sunny fall day today and the temperature was the highest its been this week. As the water indicates,...
WS12 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 2 to Sunday, Nov 8, 2015: high 79, low 16
Wednesday we enjoyed a visit from Stella and Tawa (r-l). Even though the roads were wet and slick, they made their way here and back.
WS12 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 26 to Sunday, Nov 1, 2015: high 65, low 13
Saturday afternoon was warm and sunny, which might have led these grasshoppers to act like it was springtime instead of the fall of the year.
WS12 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 19 to Sunday, Oct 25, 2015: high 76, low 24
On a warm Tuesday, Corey and i finished repairing the roof in the lower-center of the picture above. You can tell where the repair was made by the darker shingles–they are new and have not faded like those surrounding...
WS12 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 12 to Sunday, Oct 18, 2015: high 81, low 21
Thursday morning was busy here at Wingsprings. Overnight guests included (R-L) Rosemarie, Gabriel, Jordan, Miranda, Heather, Corey (well, okay, he was not an overnight guest), Rachel and Tyler (who also did not...
WS12 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 5 to Sunday, Oct 11, 2015: high 90, low 31
Eight years ago this week (October 7, 2007), things looked a whole lot different here at Wingsprings than they do now. We were building the outside slope of the bathhouse roof, shingling it as well as the inside...
WS12 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Sep 28 to Sunday, Oct 4, 2015: high 74, low 46
Friday afternoon students and faculty from South Dakota State University’s Department of Architecture arrived and spent the night. From right to left: Kyle, JoAllen, Jessica, Bret, Teresa, Dustin, Rachel, Emily,...
WS12 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 21 to Sunday, Sep 27, 2015: high 89, low 40
Took this picture from the road early this morning looking southwest toward the tipi frames in the wicoti. The tree leaves are turning quickly. It is fall. Tonight the full moon was completely eclipsed, an amazing...
WS12 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 14 to Sunday, Sep 20, 2015: high 95, low 33
There was a wonderful crew of Wingsprings guests this weekend. They are from Brookings, Chamberlain and Wagner, and were here for the Lakota Film Festival that CAIRNS hosted at the Inland Theater in Martin on Saturday....
WS12 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 7 to Sunday, Sep 13, 2015: high 94, low 40
Monday afternoon thunderheads began developing east of Wingsprings. By sunset, they were high and majestically colored. This picture is taken from the south porch looking across the hocoka toward the east-northeast...
WS12 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Aug 31 to Sunday, Sep 6, 2015: high 98, low 53
The photo above was snapped just before sunset this Sunday evening from the wicoti south of the headquarters building. It was a nice ending to a beautiful day. The fall-like temperatures of the past couple...
WS12 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 24 to Sunday, Aug 30, 2015: high 100, low 38
We worked on a new garden retaining wall this week. Friday Corey (above right, splitting a cap block) and Jeremy (above left, getting ready to set a block) finished setting the blocks. We will let the dirt...
WS12 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 17 to Sunday, Aug 23, 2015: high 88, low 39
In the photo above, Tyler is taking a group picture of participants in the latest edition of the CAIRNS Lakota Lands & Identities traveling seminar. Forty-five healthcare professionals arrived in a motor coach...
WS12 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 10 to Sunday, Aug 16, 2015: high 102, low 49
Monday late afternoon visitors were sisters Anne and Lou from North Carolina, and Jenny from Nevada (r-l).
WS12 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 3 to Sunday, Aug 9, 2015: high 93, low 53
Sunday afternoon we stopped on a ridge overlooking the deep draw in the south pasture. Evangeline (standing) was enjoying the off-road adventure, but her mom (Mabel) had tried to get out and walk a couple times...
WS12 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 27 to Sunday, Aug 2, 2015: high 95, low 39
Tuesday afternoon Kim and Madonna from Wild Horse Butte Community Development Corporation stopped by to visit. We ate lunch on the patio. Mom, Mabel and Evangeline were here too. And since it was a work day, Tyler...
WS12 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 20 to Sunday, Jul 26, 2015: high 98, low 53
The little rabbit above lives along the road to the gate that i walk to once or twice a day. At first she was very shy, but beginning this week she became more and more accustomed to me. For instance, she would...
WS12 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 13 to Sunday, Jul 19, 2015: high 90, low 52
Friday noon Tyler and Corey (r-l) relaxing on the pad in front of the library’s French doors, and under the roof frame that cousin Glenn built and helped install last year. Behind these two fine gentlemen are...
WS12 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 6 to Sunday, Jul 12, 2015: high 90, low 50
Took this picture moments before sunset today, Sunday. Wingsprings is located within a beautiful landscape and beneath a spectacular skyscape. Ever changing, both are sources of inspiration and contemplation. Following...
WS12 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jun 29 to Sunday, Jul 5, 2015: high 92, low 53
Monday evening dinner guests were cousins Glenn, Dean, Tim and Roseanna (r-l). Harvey was here too but didn’t make it into the picture. Dean and Tim were visiting from PA and CO, and Harvey from VA. Its always good to...
WS12 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 22 to Sunday, Jun 28, 2015: high 87, low 57
The Tipi Sisters (R-L: Phyllis, Susan, Mom, Fee, Carol and Megan) were in residence Monday to Wednesday for the sixth consecutive summer. As they departed on Wednesday morning, they placed rocks on the cairn up near the...
WS12 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 15 to Sunday, Jun 21, 2015: high 88, low 51
Tuesday was Mom’s birthday, and this rainbow picture was taken early that morning. The conditions, of course, have to be just right to see a rainbow: moisture in the air in front of you and the sun behind you. Its rare for...
WS12 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 8 to Sunday, Jun 14, 2015: high 93, low 52
Friday we hosted the Lakota Lands & Identities traveling classroom of over 40 participants from the Rapid City area. They arrived on the big bus in the background of the picture above. Premiere Wingsprings chef Corey grilled...
WS12 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 1 to Sunday, Jun 7, 2015: high 85, low 51
Monday afternoon Corey and i started preparing a seedbed for a garden. It is directly off the patio and will be a step or two lower. Not sure how to protect the seeds and plants from the rabbits, but we will have to figure something...
WS12 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 25 to Sunday, May 31, 2015: high 76, low 30
There are cute little rabbits running around Wingsprings these days. This photo from the archives–31 May 2009–shows a youngster hiding in a concrete block and her/his mother keeping a close watch on things through a half-closed...
WS12 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 18 to Sunday, May 24, 2015: high 62, low 24
This week a group of faculty and students from Black Hill State University spent a few days inventorying the botany of Wingsprings. In Grace’s terminology, they were “botanizing.” It was great to have them studying the plants...
WS12 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 17, 2015: high 74, low 31
This Sunday morning began with heavy rain showers that tapered off by mid morning and were replaced by high winds that did a good job of drying the road by mid afternoon. In the photo above you can see a snapping turtle in...
WS12 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 4 to Sunday, May 10, 2015: high 71, low 30
Friday mid afternoon. The mallard male chasing the hen. Spring time. Some things always remain the same. Incubation period of their eggs is 26 to 30 days, so lets see if we see ducklings in the ponds early next month.
WS12 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 27 to Sunday, May 3, 2015: high 82, low 34
Friday evening dinner table set for the Teach For America workshop participants who were in residence overnight for a end of year retreat. We enjoyed a fine meal outdoors and then the following afternoon soon after the last of...
WS12 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 20 to Sunday, Apr 26, 2015: high 75, low 24
Friday late afternoon this doe apparently was paying close attention to Wingsprings. Perhaps there was some commotion up at the facilities that caused her to raise her head and extend her ears. Typically just before 5 o’clock...
WS12 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 13 to Sunday, Apr 19, 2015: high 77, low 18
A great blue heron showing off its catch to the trail camera. Looks like the meal was a mouse. This image was captured Sunday afternoon, but i’m bending the rules slightly in order to include it in this week’s oko. Online sources...
WS12 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 6 to Sunday, Apr 12, 2015: high 77, low 18
Just before sunset i walked to the east ridge to take a picture from along the Wingsprings west-east axis of the house with the Butte in the background. Also, i wanted to see how close to the Butte the sun would set. Yesterday...
WS12 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Mar 30 to Sunday, Apr 5, 2015: high 79, low 11
Sunday sunrise and moonset. The pre-sunrise image above highlights the cairn against the eastern horizon. Below is that cairn, and looking west, you can see the moon near the horizon at the left-center of the image. It looked like...
WS12 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 23 to Sunday, Mar 29, 2015: high 82, low 17
Saturday’s early evening golden light illuminates one of the chalky banks along the ridge east of the house. The banks are pocked with holes such as on the right side of the image above. Some are obviously used by rabbits. As...
WS12 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 16 to Sunday, Mar 22, 2015: high 76, low 22
Corey finished installing tongue and groove boards onto the ceiling between the library and the house. In the photo above he is cyphering how to build the hatch door (which he is putting into place in the photo below) that provides...
WS12 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 9 to Sunday, Mar 15, 2015: high 82, low 20
Returning from the gate on this early Thursday morning as the sun is just rising, illuminating the far distant ridge, including Bear In The Lodge Butte. Closer, just beyond the turn in the foreground road, is the cairn on its ridge...
WS12 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 2 to Sunday, Mar 8, 2015: high 61, low -10
A dozen undergraduate students from Vanderbilt University visited Wingsprings late Monday morning. They are on spring break and doing volunteer work in the Pine Ridge Reservation.
WS12 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 23 to Sunday, Mar 1, 2015: high 53, low -8
Happy new [Wingsprings] year! This is the start of the seventh year of these oko iyawapis. Three hundred and thirteen weeks ago this series began on March 1, 2009. That first entry, Oko 1, 2009, explains why this is the beginning...
WS11 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 16 to Sunday, Feb 22, 2015: high 57, low -1
This week too we reach into the archives for a couple images. In this case, they are from 2011, February 21st. There had been a storm a few days earlier so the land was blanketed with snow. The late afternoon...
WS11 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 9 to Sunday, Feb 15, 2015: high 68, low 18
Foggy photo from the archives: February 9, 2013. Two years ago this week. The viewpoint is from along the road, looking west toward the house which is just visible through the fog. Usually when its foggy like...
WS11 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 2 to Sunday, Feb 8, 2015: high 71, low 11
Corey (R) and Beau (L) conditioned 8” tongue & groove boards, stained them, cut them and installed them on Tuesday as the ceiling in the library’s east entry. In the photo above, they have just nailed up the fifth of nine...
WS11 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 26 to Sunday, Feb 1, 2015: high 67, low 1
Tuesday morning we enjoyed our mid-morning break on the “lower deck,” basking in unseasonably warm temperature, clear sky and just a slight breeze. This summer there will be stairs leading up to the deck....
WS11 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 19 to Sunday, Jan 25, 2015: high 51, low 5
Toward the end of this week, Corey built the frame for a hidden door, then we installed it in the northeast corner of the library. In the photo above, he is about half way through the process of nailing tongue...
WS11 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 12 to Sunday, Jan 18, 2015: high 46, low -2
Saturday afternoon walking in the sanctuary, looking northeast toward the house. Lots of snow. Pleasant low 40s temperature with clear sky, though the breeze was a little biting, especially in the shadow of...
WS11 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 5 to Sunday, Jan 11, 2015: high 41, low -11
A view past the new patio wall and bench west-southwest across the southern springs toward the Monday afternoon winter cloud-filled sky.
WS11 Oko 45 2015
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 29, 2014 to Sunday, Jan 4, 2015: high 38, low -20
Saturday early morning before sunrise, this coyote was caught by the camera down near the wicoti. He looks healthy. Subsequent pictures indicate that he did not get the rabbit whose snow burrow the camera...
WS11 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 22 to Sunday, Dec 28, 2014: high 44, low -4
One good thing about the fresh snow this week is it is convenient for tracking–rabbits in this case. Yesterday afternoon followed some tracks from the house down the hill to the wicoti and beyond to the fence immediately...
WS11 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 15 to Sunday, Dec 21, 2014: high 50, low 6
A jet’s contrail heading toward Saturday’s setting sun.
WS11 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 8 to Sunday, Dec 14, 2014: high 68, low 15
We took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to complete a lingering outdoor construction project. The two corners of the short upper wall of the library/garage roof were never cut and installed. So Corey...
WS11 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 1 to Sunday, Dec 7, 2014: high 60, low 0
Abe and Corey beside the cairn after the three of us picked rocks from the newly graveled “driveway” and stacked them atop it. The cairn is on the Wingsprings west-east axis, and not too far from the road that is...
WS11 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 24 to Sunday, Nov 30, 2014: high 67, low -11
Clear cold day. Yesterday afternoon it was in the 60s, then suddenly dropped almost 30 degrees in an hour. Over a 12 hour period the temperature plunged to lower single digits overnight. The high today was 12 degrees....
WS11 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 17 to Sunday, Nov 23, 2014: high 54, low -11
Thursday morning was foggy and a frosty coat clung to blades of grass like tiny white spikes. The coyote tracks (left above) were fresher than the rabbit ones (right above). And whereas the rabbits were...
WS11 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 10 to Sunday, Nov 16, 2014: high 40, low -18
Early Monday morning the unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve enjoyed lately plummeted and this week the temperature has been unseasonably cold. The low Thursday night was 18 degrees below zero! Friday night’s...
WS11 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 3 to Sunday, Nov 9, 2014: high 65, low 22
Sunny, warm and just a slight breeze on Thursday afternoon, so hauled the ladder up onto the roof of the house and climbed up it to get onto the roof of the cockpit. The small flat surface–trapezoidal in shape–at...
WS11 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 27 to Sunday, Nov 2, 2014: high 67, low 17
Charlotte, Patty and Mom (r-l) visited Monday afternoon. They drove from Rapid City in the morning and returned there after this pic. Corey and Abe (not pictured) welcomed them to Wingsprings.
WS11 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 20 to Sunday, Oct 26, 2014: high 80, low 23
Yesterday was the third and final class meeting of the Oceti Sakowin Origins and Development course for TFA teachers. Holding their certificates of completion, from right to left, are Lindsey, Amy, Danielle,...
WS11 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 13 to Sunday, Oct 19, 2014: high 85, low 24
Cousin Glenn surveying the upper end of the west strut of the roof frame that he built. Its pretty neat. The roof is trapezoidal in shape. Its slope is such that its top surface planes exactly with the hocokab....
WS11 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 6 to Sunday, Oct 12, 2014: high 75, low 31
Fascinating week with regard to celestial events. Early Wednesday morning was a full moon. The picture above is of the full moon just before it set near the Butte. The two to three hours preceding the image were...
WS11 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Sep 29 to Sunday, Oct 5, 2014: high 69, low 26
A beautiful sunrise yesterday morning about twenty minutes to seven. In the left-foreground is a soapweed that was here prior to Kent and me beginning construction of Wingsprings over 10 years ago. For the past...
WS11 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 22 to Sunday, Sep 28, 2014: high 91, low 41
See the fog hovering in the upper reaches of the draws first thing Monday morning? Fog is such an evocative substance. Also note the color of the trees, particularly those along the left side of the image. Now...
WS11 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 15 to Sunday, Sep 21, 2014: high 90, low 28
See the fog hovering in the upper reaches of the draws first thing Monday morning? Fog is such an evocative substance. Also note the color of the trees, particularly those along the left side of the image. Now compare...
WS11 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 8 to Sunday, Sep 14, 2014: high 88, low 35
Tuesday 38 students and faculty from South Dakota State University’s Consumer Sciences department arrived after lunch and stayed until just before sundown. Angie, one of the instructors, is sharing woyaksape...
WS11 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 1 to Sunday, Sep 7, 2014: high 96, low 38
Tuesday 38 students and faculty from South Dakota State University’s Consumer Sciences department arrived after lunch and stayed until just before sundown. Angie, one of the instructors, is sharing woyaksape...
WS11 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 25 to Sunday, Aug 31, 2014: high 89, low 46
From Winnipeg, Greg, Tegwen, Bronwyn and Jennifer (r-l, bookended by Corey and Abe) arrived after dark in the rain Wednesday night. In a small, low-to-the-ground car. And they did not get stuck! Very good driving...
WS11 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 18 to Sunday, Aug 24, 2014: high 93, low 53
Tuesday evening a series of thunderstorms moved from the west to the south and on to the east. Constant lightening, much of it “sheet” lightening in which portions of the clouds light up but no lightening bolts...
WS11 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 11 to Sunday, Aug 17, 2014: high 94, low 49
Thursday night a wind and rain storm blew through, knocking over two of the sets of tipi poles in the wicoti, and causing huge amounts of water to run down the draws and gullies, and through the springs. In...
WS11 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 4 to Sunday, Aug 10, 2014: high 94, low 51
Thursday night a wind and rain storm blew through, knocking over two of the sets of tipi poles in the wicoti, and causing huge amounts of water to run down the draws and gullies, and through the springs. In the...
WS11 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 28 to Sunday, Aug 3, 2014: high 91, low 46
Here’s a photo from the archives (July 28, 2012) of a toad emerging from the earth in the hocoka near the south wall of the library. It had been a hot and dry summer, yet there the sleepy-eyed toad was nonchalantly...
WS11 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 21 to Sunday, Jul 27, 2014: high 99, low 53
This afternoon’s view from the southwest of the main facilities here at Wingsprings. Natural flowers in the foreground. Vine Deloria, Sr said that wild flowers are natural flowers; that wild fires are natural...
WS11 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 14 to Sunday, Jul 20, 2014: high 95, low 43
Here’s a photo from the archives: 18 July 2013. Its of Corey and Luis (r-l) during a much deserved water break. That afternoon was really hot and they were staining boards on the ground in the hocoka. They had...
WS11 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 7 to Sunday, Jul 13, 2014: high 90, low 46
Corey and Abe are tying up the cover of the west tipi in the wicoti. The tipi’s liner is unfolded on the floor of the platform beyond the butt end of the lift pole. It was drying out. The cover had been tied to the lift...
WS11 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jun 30 to Sunday, Jul 6, 2014: high 96, low 41
Doctoral students in education from Bellarmine University have been in residence since Saturday of last week, and will be departing Tuesday. What a great group! They have survived a number of encounters with the curious...
WS11 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 23 to Sunday, Jun 29, 2014: high 89, low 47
This is the same week as last year (Oko 18) that the Tipi Sisters visited Wingsprings. This year the sisterhood number reached six; four of the originals, plus two new ones, including Fee’s granddaughter, who represents...
WS11 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 16 to Sunday, Jun 22, 2014: high 88, low 50
This morning we wished Kayla safe travels on her return to Rapid City. It was just over a year ago that she–along with family and friends–was here (see Oko 13, 2013). Guests this weekend included Ruth, Phyllis, Kayla, Jordan,...
WS11 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 9 to Sunday, Jun 15, 2014: high 83, low 38
Lunch time in the library! Corey and Abe set up the library to accommodate 50 participants in the “Classroom on Wheels” seminar that CAIRNS conducted this week. The 5-day seminar began and ended each day in Rapid City. On Friday,...
WS11 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 2 to Sunday, Jun 8, 2014: high 79, low 43
A painted turtle came up from the springs Thursday afternoon. Perhaps to lay her eggs? If so, she didn’t do so while we watched. And speaking of watching, in the window you can see Abe. Though the photo may suggest otherwise,...
WS11 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 26 to Sunday, Jun 1, 2014: high 91, low 49
Corey and i encountered this “injured” killdeer in the wicoti Friday morning when we were mowing. She was gallantly faking being unable to fly, flapping her wings against the ground, squawking as if injured, and employing all...
WS11 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 19 to Sunday, May 25, 2014: high 78, low 48
Tuesday late afternoon students and faculty from College of DuPage graced Wingsprings with their presence for a few hours. Abe and Corey prepared the meal, then Corey cooked the burgers and brats. We all had a good time. Right...
WS11 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 12 to Sunday, May 18, 2014: high 76, low 21
This week students from South Dakota State University’s Honors College spent parts of four days at Wingsprings, along with the Honors College Dean. They were great. Right to left: Mara, Luke, Jordan, Morgan, Allyson, Tim, Casey,...
WS11 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 5 to Sunday, May 11, 2014: high 74, low 21
A very late spring snow storm blew in Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Abe left his vehicle up on the ridge above Wingsprings (barely visible in the middle of the picture above, far in the background). The slushy icy snow...
WS11 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 28 to Sunday, May 4, 2014: high 74, low 28
Students and faculty from the Department of Architecture at South Dakota State University spent the weekend here at Wingsprings. Saturday afternoon they walked all the trails–and even off the trails, as in the photo above. After...
WS11 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 21 to Sunday, Apr 27, 2014: high 80, low 30
Friday morning Corey and i installed the columns in the library. The columns consist of a 1×8 “face” board and a pair of 2×10 “flange” boards on either side and perpendicular to the 1×8. In the pic above, you can see a 2×10...
WS11 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 14 to Sunday, Apr 20, 2014: high 80, low 15
Saturday afternoon was warm and sunny with a slight breeze. Along the springs near the north fence of the sanctuary, the steep bank blocked the breeze. It was quiet. So quiet, in fact, that as i stood still, i thought i could...
WS11 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 7 to Sunday, Apr 13, 2014: high 78, low 20
This weekend Wingsprings hosted a three-day workshop for Teach For America. Five-sixths of the participants are in the photo: Dan, Julie, Abby, Brock and Reggie (r-l). Kearsten arrived a little later. Abe and Mabel cooked and...
WS11 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Mar 31 to Sunday, Apr 6, 2014: high 64, low -1
Saturday late morning these three does stopped and posed for a portrait. Other than the middle one, their coats look a little rough, but probably because they are shedding their winter ones. It is interesting to compare their coats...
WS11 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 24 to Sunday, Mar 30, 2014: high 75, low 8
Thursday we welcomed 13 students from Stanford University for lunch and a couple hours of conversation and work. They are a good group. From right to left in the first pane–Olivia, Tiarra, Kim, Abe, and Carly; in the middle pane–Isabel,...
WS11 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 17 to Sunday, Mar 23, 2014: high 67, low 7
From the archives: two years ago today, Sunday the 23rd of March. This is the Turtle Pond, with the cockpit of the house just visible above the horizon. In the forewater is a turtle shell floating upside down. Surrounding the pond...
WS11 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 10 to Sunday, Mar 16, 2014: high 69, low 22
This weekend Wingsprings hosted its first cold-season workshop. It was for Teach For America. A good group of dedicated individuals were in residence from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon: Olivia, Abe, Anna, Christopher, Natalie,...
WS11 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 3 to Sunday, Mar 9, 2014: high 65, low 4
Friday the 7th was our first official “Formal Friday” at Wingsprings. The intent is that it will be a weekly practice; that everyone who in on the Wingsprings premises on a Friday will have the opportunity to don a sport coat and...
WS11 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 24 to Sunday, Mar 2, 2014: high 36, low -11
Happy New Year! Friday was supposedly the Wingsprings winter sunrise day. But travel kept me from being able to take a picture that sunrise morning. The image above was taken on Thursday morning and appears to indicate that indeed...
WS10 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 17 to Sunday, Feb 23, 2014: high 56, low 17
This week Corey and Nick installed engineered flooring in the three cabins. Their major challenge was to cut the 53’ arc out of the first pair of boards in such a way that the straight uncut edge of those boards...
WS10 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 10 to Sunday, Feb 16, 2014: high 63, low -6
This papered wall is the end wall of the mechanical room. It was a stuccoed exterior wall up until the library/garage addition was constructed, at which time it became an interior wall. Likewise, the painted...
WS10 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 3 to Sunday, Feb 9, 2014: high 28, low -21
Following the latest snowfall earlier today, it was easy to see the tracks of others besides myself here in the Wingsprings reserve. Rabbit tracks, of course, were everywhere around the facilities. A coyote also had been...
WS10 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 27 to Sunday, Feb 2, 2014: high 52, low -9
Early Monday morning (1:27am) a trail camera caught these two raccoons heading west to points unknown. This camera has captured images of raccoons, porcupines, and a badger (see Oko 39, 2013). Yet for all...
WS10 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 20 to Sunday, Jan 26, 2014: high 54, low -8
He-Myong and Brandie visited on a chilly and windy Thursday. He from NYC, she from the west side of the reservation.
WS10 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 13 to Sunday, Jan 19, 2014: high 56, low 11
Wednesday morning visitors were Bonnie, Ren, and Courtney (r-l). They came all the way from Montana, Maine, and California. It was windy and chilly outside, but they warmed Wingsprings with their presence.
WS10 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 6 to Sunday, Jan 12, 2014: high 49, low -16
Saturday was spent with members of Native American Advocacy Program, which is located near Herrick, SD. Good group of young–and slightly older–women and men. Members are Gabrielle, Mackenzie (in cradle), Tara,...
WS10 Oko 45 2014
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 30, 2013 to Sunday, Jan 5, 2014: high 47, low -15
Down by the turtle pond, on Saturday, found another shell. Strange. Pretty sure the turtle didn’t perished recently, but on the other hand, just the top of the shell was frozen down, suggesting that it...
WS10 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 23 to Sunday, Dec 29, 2013: high 49, low -9
Single digit temperature Saturday afternoon with high winds made the trek to the trail camera a chilling experience especially for southern California residents Sandie and Kent. They almost didn’t have enough warm...
WS10 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 16 to Sunday, Dec 22, 2013: high 52, low 1
Winter solstice late afternoon as a gaggle of geese line out southward. Seems they are a little late in flying toward warmer climes. This afternoon’s sunset is the northernmost point of the sun’s arc along the...
WS10 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 9 to Sunday, Dec 15, 2013: high 45, low -11
This fine group of young men, Corey, Luis, Abe, and Dan (r-l) constitutes the Monday crew here at Wingsprings. They worked in the library all day installing T&G on the trusses and upper end walls. They started...
WS10 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 2 to Sunday, Dec 8, 2013: high 53, low -28
By Wednesday afternoon this fall’s third snowstorm was on the ground. The wind was blowing and the temperature was falling seemingly as fast as the sun was setting. The daytime high reached only 11 degrees. A mule...
WS10 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 25 to Sunday, Dec 1, 2013: high 55, low 14
Beautiful sunset sky on the last day of November. The temperature reached into the low 50s for the second day in a row, and the forecast is similar for Sunday and Monday. Unseasonably pleasant. Terms for November in Lakota...
WS10 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 18 to Sunday, Nov 24, 2013: high 66, low -4
Wednesday morning early one of the trail cameras caught this image of a badger. The camera shoots color pictures during daylight hours, but uses infrared to shoot black and white images during darkness....
WS10 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 11 to Sunday, Nov 17, 2013: high 65, low 14
Looking through the windshield of the bobcat, over a bucket full of dirt, at Luis and Corey. Corey is fastening the new drain pipe extension that we just installed to two steel posts. Behind Luis is the dirt...
WS10 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 4 to Sunday, Nov 10, 2013: high 57, low 4
Reached back into the archives to retrieve this photo of the house under construction eight years ago this week. Kent is cutting the rafters that extend from the fascia against which a ladder is leaned, to the...
WS10 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 28 to Sunday, Nov 3, 2013: high 64, low 19
Sunset photo taken six years ago this week, October 28th. Jutting up from the skyline on the right side is the Butte which is about two and a half miles west northwest. In the middle of the picture is the cockpit...
WS10 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 21 to Sunday, Oct 27, 2013: high 70, low 27
Weather-wise today was one of those days best summed up with the phrase, “its a good day to be alive.” The temperature reached 70 degrees, the high for this week. There were no clouds, and just a hint of a breeze....
WS10 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 14 to Sunday, Oct 20, 2013: high 61, low 23
Three years ago this week we were setting fence posts to establish the boundary of the Wingsprings reserve. The 64-acre reserve encompasses a nearly half-mile long series of natural springs, along with the Wingsprings...
WS10 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 7 to Sunday, Oct 13, 2013: high 65, low 25
Saturday morning just after sunrise. The arrow-shaped shadow from the cockpit is pointing north of the Butte, suggesting that the Wingsprings sunrise day was Friday the 11th. The snow is what remains from the...
WS10 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Sep 30 to Sunday, Oct 6, 2013: high 86, low 18
Two years ago this week we were sheathing the roof of the new addition. Travis is sitting on the first sheet of OSB on the southeast corner of the garage roof. Behind him you can see the 2×8 purlins spanning between...
WS10 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 23 to Sunday, Sep 29, 2013: high 84, low 33
A spider web of some sort? Fascinating design: the fairly dense web is anchored at countless ground-level points with a single hole penetrating through it. The hole is like a culvert connecting to a hole in the...
WS10 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 16 to Sunday, Sep 22, 2013: high 94, low 29
Saturday afternoon Dean and cousin Glenn stopped by to visit. They drove their Teryx 4. Dean’s protective matte-black helmet and reflective goggles are almost scary in their other-worldly appearance.
WS10 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 9 to Sunday, Sep 15, 2013: high 85, low 46
Thursday evening and Friday morning Troy and his crew delivered six semi loads of pit-run gravel that they graded to an approximate four to six inch depth. This is the first gravel on the road, and it runs...
WS10 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 2 to Sunday, Sep 8, 2013: high 99, low 56
This week began with Cory and Luis staining the 2×8 tongue & groove pine boards. The first step is to apply a coat of conditioner, then the initial coat of stain–colonial maple in this case. Finally, a second...
WS10 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 26 to Sunday, Sep 1, 2013: high 100, low 55
The temperature hit triple digits on Wednesday afternoon. That morning Luis power washed the cockpit walls which were in dire need of a deep cleaning. All of the dirt and most of the old stain was washed away....
WS10 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 19 to Sunday, Aug 25, 2013: high 97, low 51
A fun group of visitors from Washington, DC by way of Mission, SD visited Friday for a few hours. From right to left: Pete, Emily, Robin, Kelly, Rebecca, Steve, Sarah, and Jill.
WS10 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 12 to Sunday, Aug 18, 2013: high 89, low 51
Dan (in the background), Corey, Luis and i started sheathing the north wall of the garage on Friday. We are using 7/16” OSB. It takes parts of four 4’ x 8’ sheets per bay. The two bays above are the eastern...
WS10 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 5 to Sunday, Aug 11, 2013: high 89, low 52
Eight years ago Thursday night we installed the two main trusses that span the house and support the cockpit and roofs. Cousin Glenn operated the boom truck, Kent was atop the walls to fasten the trusses into place,...
WS10 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 29 to Sunday, Aug 4, 2013: high 93, low 58
Six years ago Tuesday we were busy installing the two parallel curved headers from the south porch to the bathhouse. These headers support the roof trusses, which once in place, connected the bathhouse to the...
WS10 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 22 to Sunday, Jul 28, 2013: high 89, low 51
Friday afternoon’s light felt like right out of a painting. This picture is looking toward the north from just inside the gate at the gravel road (226th Avenue). The barbed wire fence is the eastern boundary...
WS10 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 15 to Sunday, Jul 21, 2013: high 98, low 57
Enjoyed a good visit today with Kel and Sherri from Iowa. They stopped by on their way to Cheyenne Frontier Days.
WS10 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 8 to Sunday, Jul 14, 2013: high 98, low 55
Bellarmine University students were in residence from July 1 until their departure this Wednesday. This picture was taken just before they left. Good group. From right to left: Seth, Heather, Patrick, Nona, and Natalie.
WS10 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jul 1 to Sunday, Jul 7, 2013: high 92, low 55
Luis and Corey prepared the wicoti and then we set up a tipi and both wall tents. We intended to set up all four tipis, but the canvas covers of the first three tore in the process. One tear was small enough that we could...
WS10 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 24 to Sunday, Jun 30, 2013: high 94, low 49
Four of the seven Tipi Sisters (r-l: Mom, Ann, Phyllis, and Fee) convened here for a few days this week, marking their fourth annual retreat. They are fascinating and talented individuals.
WS10 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 17 to Sunday, Jun 23, 2013: high 85, low 48
This painted turtle crawled up toward the house Saturday evening. She pulled her legs into her shell whenever we walked nearby, but she didn’t turn around and leave. Instead, she seemed focused on reaching the house, and...
WS10 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 10 to Sunday, Jun 16, 2013: high 87, low 46
Saturday morning this deer was munching on leaves of the big tree by the north fence. In the bottom right corner of the image is a portion of the pile of brush and branches that Corey and Luis stacked in preparation for burning...
WS10 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 3 to Sunday, Jun 9, 2013: high 82, low 35
Thursday afternoon a good group of friends crossed paths here at Wingsprings for a couple hours. From right to left: Peri, Ann, Abe, Janet, Antoine, and Paul. In the background you can see the greenness. This spring we have...
WS10 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 27 to Sunday, Jun 2, 2013: high 78, low 37
There seems to be a good crop of mushrooms this spring. They are everywhere. They even burst through the packed road surface, as seen above. In the center of the picture a ‘shroom is almost fully erupted. Beside it to the right...
WS10 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 20 to Sunday, May 26, 2013: high 82, low 43
Foggy Sunday morning. Enjoyed the company of eight overnight guests from New York, Colorado, South Dakota, Minnesota and California. Seven of them were still around mid-morning for this photo (r-l): Louis, Rachel, Michael,...
WS10 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 13 to Sunday, May 19, 2013: high 70, low 40
Cousin John and I flew over Wingsprings Friday morning to take some pictures. The one above shows the relationship between the house and the wicoti, or camp, in the south draw. From right to left, the “house” consists of the...
WS10 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 6 to Sunday, May 12, 2013: high 75, low 26
It took parts of Wednesday and Thursday, but we did get a hydrant installed along the southern perimeter of the hocoka. Lynda, Bobbie and Corey (r-l) contributed to the successful installation. As you can see, the hydrant is...
WS10 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 29 to Sunday, May 5, 2013: high 76, low 18
Corey worked all day harrowing the “ditches” on both sides of the grade from Wingsprings to the east gate. He used the new side-by-side to pull the harrow. It was an old harrow when as a young kid i watched Dad use it to prepare...
WS10 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 22 to Sunday, Apr 28, 2013: high 78, low 12
Saturday afternoon after retrieving the disk from the south Trail Camera, i smelled death on a gentle breeze from the north-northwest. The scent led to this dead snapping turtle beside the pond where so many other turtles...
WS10 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 15 to Sunday, Apr 21, 2013: high 59, low 18
Apparently one of these deer triggered the Trail Camera Tuesday afternoon at 3:26. The camera recorded that the temperature was 51 degrees at that moment. Another spring storm Sunday and Monday left a fresh 6-8 inches of snow...
WS10 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 8 to Sunday, Apr 14, 2013: high 52, low 10
Monday night a spring storm blew in, and by Wednesday morning it had deposited around 2 feet of snow. The peaks of this drift were around 5 feet high. Radio reports suggest that the snowfall resulted in about an inch of moisture....
WS10 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 1 to Sunday, Apr 7, 2013: high 78, low 22
Tuesday afternoon i pulled a lot of empty turtle shells from one of the ponds. The large one on the right above belonged to a snapping turtle.
Thursday afternoon i went back to that pond and saw a snapping turtle near the pond’s...
WS10 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 25 to Sunday, Mar 31, 2013: high 71, low 5
This action photo was captured by one of the Trail Cameras last year, March 27, 2012. Interestingly, i believe that one of this buck’s antlers was shed in a draw toward the north side of the Wingsprings reserve. It is still there...
WS10 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 18 to Sunday, Mar 24, 2013: high 43, low 6
This week was the vernal equinox, but i was away on travel Typically on equinoxes and solstices i climb atop the cockpit roof and take 360 degree panorama pictures. To do so, i have to carry a ladder onto the house roof, and climb...
WS10 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 11 to Sunday, Mar 17, 2013: high 73, low 19
Saturday afternoon we received a light cover of snow that accentuated the fence line between the Wingsprings “reserve” and the grazing pasture beyond. The reserve has not been grazed in 27 months, so the covering plants are taller...
WS10 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 4 to Sunday, Mar 10, 2013: high 65, low 7
Tuesday we enjoyed a noontime visit with Julia and Rochelle (r-l). They are with U.S. Senator Tim Johnson’s office in Rapid City. Rochelle is Tribal Liaison/Staff Assistant and Julia is an intern.
WS10 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 25 to Sunday, Mar 3, 2013: high 62, low 13
Sunday afternoon the ice is completely off some of the ponds, but entirely covers others. Here between ponds the receding ice is inches above the water level. Its openings are like Rorschach cut-outs. The new Wingsprings year begins...
WS9 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 18 to Sunday, Feb 24, 2013: high 49, low 3
Monday afternoon Ashley waits impatiently for me to take this picture. The wind is blowing and the temperature is chilly. Her’s is another picture in an ongoing project of capturing images of Wingsprings visitors...
WS9 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 11 to Sunday, Feb 17, 2013: high 55, low 11
The ground was blanketed in snow five years ago Valentine’s evening, so Emile and i burned wood debris that we had gathered into “slash” piles during the fall and early winter. It was fascinating to watch the...
WS9 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Feb 4 to Sunday, Feb 10, 2013: high 54, low 14
Cousins Tim, Dean and Glenn (r-l) took me 4-wheeling over to Bear Creek on Friday afternoon. The weather was pleasantly warm for a second day in a row, but the forecast was for a winter blizzard to blow in Saturday evening....
WS9 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 28, to Sunday, Feb 3, 2013: high 44, low 2
This archived photo from January 30, 2011 was taken on a overcast wintry day. Frost covered grasses with a small herd of deer trotting northeastward, Wingsprings in the western background but the Butte obscured...
WS9 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 21, to Sunday, Jan 27, 2013: high 52, low 4
Monday morning Aaron delivered LP gas. Bob’s Gas, the local LP delivery company that Aaron works for, swings into Wingsprings whenever making deliveries in the area if they think the tank level is running low....
WS9 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 14, to Sunday, Jan 20, 2013: high 45, low -18
It is quite possible that this mastincala (rabbit) lived here at Wingsprings before we started construction on the facilities. This portrait was snapped on January 19, 2008, five years ago this week. I wonder...
WS9 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 7, to Sunday, Jan 13, 2013: high 50, low -9
Mid Monday morning the north trail cam caught this buck and a herd of companions moving northwestward toward Bear Creek.
WS9 Oko 45 2013
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 31, 2012 to Sunday, Jan 6, 2013: high 42, low -7
Another archived photo, this one from January 6, 2008, of Wingsprings from the southwest. Notice the white headers for the roof trusses that would eventually connect the south porch on the left to the bathhouse...
WS9 Oko 44
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 24 to Sunday, Dec 30 2012: high 27, low -17
An archived photo taken while we were building the roof of the cockpit on December 28, 2005. Dan is standing beside the roof ridge that is on the Wingsprings west-east axis. Striking a classic pose, he is pointing...
WS9 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 17 to Sunday, Dec 23 2012: high 52, low 4
Saturday was the day after the solstice. Glenn and Dean helped me haul dirt from along the road to a few places around the facilities. Here they are dumping a load of dirt on the spot where the camping trailer used...
WS9 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 10 to Sunday, Dec 16 2012: high 49, low 3
This late afternoon photo of a gnarly tree was taken five years ago this week, December 15, 2007. The tree is up the draw south of the springs, not too far from the south fence of the reserve.
WS9 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 3 to Sunday, Dec 9 2012: high 59, low 3
Started grading the hocoka Wednesday. The major goal is to contour the terrain so that moisture will run to the two main drains in the hocoka, one of which is in the foreground above. The other is in front of the...
WS9 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 26 to Sunday, Dec 2 2012: high 65, low 7
Thursday mid-afternoon driving home, even in the far distance the bright red of this doe’s blood caught my eye. Stopped the car to get a better look, and noticed a coyote running away from it. The kill site is on the east...
WS9 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 19 to Sunday, Nov 25 2012: high 73, low 7
Cousin Glenn and his son Dean helped get the “Little A” started on Friday. The last time the tractor ran was probably seven years or more ago. Four years ago on Thanksgiving day 2008, i brought the Little...
WS9 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 12 to Sunday, Nov 18 2012: high 76, low 2
Another trail cam picture, this one from late Monday morning. By comparing the antlers in this picture with those in last weeks Oko, we can see that the two images are of two different bucks. The snow fell on...
WS9 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 5 to Sunday, Nov 11 2012: high 68, low 10
This is an image from one of the trail cameras that were explained in Oko 44, 2011. From left to right along the bottom of the image, the camera records the temperature (30 degrees Fahrenheit), the date (November...
WS9 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 29 to Sunday, Nov 4 2012: high 71, low 21
The forecast was for warm temperatures early this week, and no moisture, so Tuesday morning i used the power washer in the foreground to clean off the dirt and old stain from the northeast wall of the bathroom....
WS9 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 22 to Sunday, Oct 28 2012: high 72, low 19
Wednesday afternoon it started snowing so i decided to tentatively lay out walking trails on the west side of the springs. North of the Frog Pond stumbled onto this skeleton of a infant raccoon that apparently...
WS9 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 15 to Sunday, Oct 21 2012: high 80, low 15
Beginning Tuesday evening and then continuing through Thursday, the wind blew extremely hard. It was relentless. It blew down the set of tipi poles in the left middle ground, and it blew down those poles that were...
WS9 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 8 to Sunday, Oct 14 2012: high 73, low 17
Late this afternoon watched two muskrats playfully swimming in the Turtle Pond. Cousin Merle said that they are most likely responsible for the underwater “canals” that became visible this summer when the water...
WS9 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Oct 1 to Sunday, Oct 7 2012: high 86, low 13
Walked down along the springs today and discovered an interesting situation: apparently coyotes have established a bathroom in the crotch where a limb branches off from the trunk of the tree along the Turtle Pond....
WS9 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 24 to Sunday, Sep 30 2012: high 84, low 34
Here is a picture from the archives: September 30th, 2005. Seven years ago. The walls of the cockpit are framed up, but none of the roof is on. Far in the background on the horizon, just above and to the right...
WS9 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 17 to Sunday, Sep 23 2012: high 82, low 30
Kenny, Harlan and Travis are finishing the fresh concrete along the south wall of the garage. In the background you can see the patio slab in front of the French doors that we also poured on Friday. This pour completes...
WS9 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 10 to Sunday, Sep 16 2012: high 99, low 34
Seven years ago today, Sunday the 16th of September, brother Kent was joisting the floor of the cockpit. The main power tools of his trade are hanging from the rim joists in the foreground: an air nailer...
WS9 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 3 to Sunday, Sep 9 2012: high 95, low 39
A dozen interior design and apparel merchandising students and two of their faculty members from South Dakota State University visited Wingsprings on Thursday afternoon. From right to left, they are Jane, Angie,...
WS9 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 27 to Sunday, Sep 2 2012: high 108, low 56
The “tipi sisters” returned this week for their third annual workshop here at Wingsprings. Friday was Kate’s birthday, so we celebrated with cake and ice cream that morning before they departed. The sisters,...
WS9 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 20 to Sunday, Aug 26 2012: high 96, low 44
Thursday morning Kenny and his crew poured the five stair-stepped pads of concrete in front of the bathhouse doors. It was hot and windy, causing the concrete to set up fast. But Kenny and his crew–as always–did...
WS9 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 13 to Sunday, Aug 19 2012: high 96, low 40
Visitors this week were (r-l) Lou and Benjamin from North Carolina, and Harvey from Virginia. This was Lou & Benjamin’s first time at Wingsprings, whereas Harvey has been here often over the past seven years,...
WS9 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 6 to Sunday, Aug 12 2012: high 101, low 51
The Honors College at South Dakota State University sponsored a five-day seminar at Wingsprings titled Pine Ridge Immersion Experience. They arrived on Monday afternoon and headed back to Brookings on Friday morning,...
WS9 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Jul 30 to Sunday, Aug 5 2012: high 101, low 46
Amanda, Hannah, Lanice and Stephen, AmeriCorps members, spent this morning setting up the four tipis in the wicoti. They were great help. Its amazing that they volunteer on their days off to help organizations...
WS9 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 23 to Sunday, Jul 29, 2012: high 100, low 53
Dan is running a bead of caulk just below the top edge of a board of siding, which will seal against the next board when we nail it up. After five more boards, we turned our attention to installing the header...
WS9 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 16 to Sunday, Jul 22, 2012: high 107, low 62
Jean and Adel stopped by Tuesday for a couple hours en route from their home near Peterborough, Ontario to Rapid City and points south. They are building their Canadian home, and are progressing at a far faster...
WS9 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 9 to Sunday, Jul 15, 2012: high 102, low 50
On the ridge road east of the house this morning a desiccated rattle snake, its tail still raised and its rattle fluttering in the hot dry wind. Apparently its central back was broken, perhaps by someone driving over it....
WS9 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jul 2 to Sunday, Jul 8, 2012: high 102, low 60
This colorful native plant was in full bloom Saturday early afternoon, but just a few hours later the flowering petals were all dried up. Though only in bloom a short time, the plant excelled in its exuberance.
WS9 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 25 to Sunday, Jul 1, 2012: high 105, low 54
Friday morning group photo of participants in the second and final of this summer’s Approaches to Teaching Lakota Culture workshops. Sunwise beginning at the right front: Dan, Harvey, JoAnne, Jameson, Tracy, Deanna, and...
WS9 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 18 to Sunday, Jun 24, 2012: high 97, low 39
Thursday afternoon field exercise: allotment. Summer intern Kayla is on the right, then the five participants in the first of this summer’s Approaches to Teaching Lakota Culture workshops–Lea Ann, Curt, Kristi, Laurie, and...
WS9 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 11 to Sunday, Jun 17, 2012: high 97, low 41
Another photo from the archives. This one was taken on June 13, 2006. These are the first three tipis that were set up at Wingsprings. They are just east of the current wicoti.
WS9 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 4 to Sunday, Jun 10, 2012: high 95, low 53
Goldenish in color, these tiny spider eggs were discovered while dismantling the old “garage” on Friday. The eggs appear to have been in a silk cocoon fastened to the end of a 2×4 board. But when the cocoon was inadvertently...
WS9 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 28 to Sunday, Jun 3, 2012: high 90, low 34
This photo is from May 29, 2008. In it are the eleven Washington University students who were participants in the On Location: Pine Ridge, SD seminar that CAIRNS organized and hosted at Wingsprings that summer. Right to left,...
WS9 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 21 to Sunday, May 27, 2012: high 91, low 36
A damp and foggy Memorial Day weekend, brightened considerably by the fine crew above: Jean, Aimee, Jen, Hope, and Emily (r to l). They arrived Friday at noon and worked until Sunday morning. They also brought food and prepared...
WS9 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 14 to Sunday, May 20, 2012: high 91, low 36
Sunday lunch here at Wingsprings with four ladies from Rapid City: cousin Cheryl, Rosemary, Mom, and Patty (r to l). Enjoyed their presence and of course their laughter and stories.
WS9 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 7 to Sunday, May 13, 2012: high 91, low 25
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! From the beginning Mom has been here at Wingsprings, helping in every way imaginable to see the facilities come to fruition. These two pictures were taken June 17, 2004. Nearly 8 years ago, and just...
WS9 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, Apr 30 to Sunday, May 6, 2012: high 78, low 30
Kelly and Tammy Rundle, independent filmmakers and owners of Fourth Wall Films, visited on Tuesday afternoon. They are working on sequels to their 2007 documentary film, “Lost Nation: The Ioway.”
WS9 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 23 to Sunday, Apr 29, 2012: high 89, low 35
Created this stone circle Wednesday afternoon. The steel stake in its center sits directly atop the west-east Wingsprings axis. The circle is a short distance west of 226th Avenue and just north of the road from the 226th...
WS9 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 16 to Sunday, Apr 22, 2012: high 71, low 26
On the pallet are scraps of cement board that we use for soffit material. They are pretty heavy. But the high northwest winds this spring blew a few of the pieces off the stack and onto the ground. They laid there a number of...
WS9 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 9 to Sunday, Apr 15, 2012: high 65, low 18
Four years ago this week, April 15, 2008, we started building the connecting roof between the bathhouse (its roof is on the left above) and the house (far to the right beyond the picture frame). There are 10 bays between the bathhouse...
WS9 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 2 to Sunday, Apr 8, 2012: high 73, low 22
Another photo from the archives: April 7, 2008. April showers bring wet rabbits to Wingsprings.
WS9 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 26 to Sunday, Apr 1, 2012: high 87, low 25
A couple photos from the archives: March 31, 2008. Though it is sunny and warm with no snow cover this year, four years ago it was perfect weather for burning brush: calm and chilly, with snow all around. During the preceding fall...
WS9 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 19 to Sunday, Mar 25, 2012: high 74, low 19
Two turtles–dead–right alongside the pond this Monday afternoon. One is a snapper, the other a painted turtle. This is the first time i’ve found a snapping turtle carapace. Its size and shape is unsettling. What happened to it and...
WS9 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 12 to Sunday, Mar 18, 2012: high 85, low 32
Here’s a picture from the archives: March 15, 2011. Looking up through tipi poles at a line of geese flying northward.
WS9 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 5 to Sunday, Mar 11, 2012: high 77, low 23
Tuesday afternoon the temperature reminded me of last year when by chance i caught the turtles stretching out from their hibernation (see Oko 3, 2011). And incredibly, Tuesday there was a snapper just visible under the ice layer....
WS9 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 27 to Sunday, Mar 4, 2012: high 45, low 7
This new Wingsprings year began Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, but due to cloudy eastern skies all three mornings i could not verify which date was when the sun rose on the Wingsprings west-east axis. Wednesday morning did arrive...
WS8 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 20 to Sunday, Feb 26, 2012: high 50, low 16
A strong south wind on Saturday helped push the afternoon temperature up to 50 degrees. The day before there were heavy snow squalls all morning and into the afternoon, but the fresh snow withered away today...
WS8 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 13 to Sunday, Feb 19, 2012: high 51, low 11
This afternoon cousin Dean demonstrated his new compound bow that he received as a birthday gift earlier this week. The engineering and technological features of it are remarkable. The blue box took a lot of...
WS8 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Feb 6 to Sunday, Feb 12, 2012: high 56, low -8
That is Dan hamming it up in this February 11, 2006 photo from the archive. He is hanging on one of the two steel reinforcing frames that cousin Glenn welded for the bay bed. The frames are lag-screwed horizontally...
WS8 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 30 to Sunday, Feb 5, 2012: high 56, low 20
Bleached pelvic bone of probably a bull. Pieces of the skeleton are scattered along this drainage ditch in the draw south of the plum bushes. After big rainstorms or spring runoffs, this entire bottom is...
WS8 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 23 to Sunday, Jan 29, 2012: high 55, low 15
Monday afternoon Dan and i removed the two steel angle iron headers from above the garage doors and took them to town where cousin Glenn used a plasma cutter to narrow the width of the flange so that the doors...
WS8 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 16 to Sunday, Jan 22, 2012: high 45, low -6
This is just one of many fascinating patterns “etched” into the dead wood of a tree branch that apparently fell and is now leaning up against that tree’s trunk. The patterns are nearly symmetrical, but not quite....
WS8 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 9 to Sunday, Jan 15, 2012: high 59, low -1
Fresh spring water that is relatively warm has melted some of the ice off this pond. The direction of flow is from right to left, south to north. Today’s low 50s temperature made it feel like spring. Minnows were...
WS8 Oko 45
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Jan 2 to Sunday, Jan 8, 2012: high 69, low 11
Moonrise over the wicoti on this unseasonably pleasant Thursday late afternoon. January 5th. This is the day that Mom takes down her decorations. Here at Wingsprings the gibbous moon begins to climb the sky even...
WS8 Oko 44 2012
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Topa
Monday, Dec 26, 2011 to Sunday, Jan 1 2012: high 52, low 8
That’s a game camera that Dan is strapping to a tree just on the other side of the springs. In the background you can see the house. The camera has an infrared motion detector, so whenever there is sufficient...
WS8 Oko 43
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Yamni
Monday, Dec 19 to Sunday, Dec 25 2011: high 47, low 2
Sunrise winter solstice shadow. This Thursday morning is the farthest south that the sun rises over the course of a year. And consequently, the cockpit’s shadow at dawn is cast onto its farthest north trajectory....
WS8 Oko 42
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Nunpa
Monday, Dec 12 to Sunday, Dec 18 2011: high 61, low 5
This is one of three sites among the springs where water is collected and then tested in a Rapid City lab for suspended solids and E. coli. Wednesday morning i chopped through the ice to collect the two samples...
WS8 Oko 41
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Wanji
Monday, Dec 5 to Sunday, Dec 11 2011: high 49, low -9
Besides there being a brisk wind, the high temperature on Thursday was 25 degrees, so Dan and i worked inside instead of outside. We installed the last cabinet in the space under the kitchen counter in the picture...
WS8 Oko 40
Oko Wikcemna Topa
Monday, Nov 28 to Sunday, Dec 4, 2011: high 57, low 4
Sunday was cold, windy and scattered snow flurries. We have been fortunate this year so far in that there hasn’t been much snow. What snow has fallen has melted right away. And though there have been a few cold days, the...
WS8 Oko 39
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Nov 21 to Sunday, Nov 27 2011: high 71, low 11
Friday night the wind suddenly started howling out of the northwest at gusts up to 60 mph. It blew all night and continued until just before sundown on Saturday. Cousin Glenn came out to help protect the...
WS8 Oko 38
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Saglogan
Monday, Nov 14 to Sunday, Nov 20 2011: high 57, low 4
Monday sunset looking through the porch and patio bays. There are 40 bays around the perimeter of the hocoka; one of them is the patio whereas the porch occupies two of them. Twenty-eight of the 40 bays now...
WS8 Oko 37
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakowin
Monday, Nov 7 to Sunday, Nov 13 2011: high 61, low 10
The Veterans Day crew consisted of Bob, Berwyn and David (r-l). As can be seen in the background, we have been working on siding this week. The three gable ends (the two west-facing ones above, and the east-facing...
WS8 Oko 36
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Sakpe
Monday, Oct 31 to Sunday, Nov 6, 2011: high 70, low 10
Five years ago this week, in 2006, we were busy learning how to stucco. We started on the west-facing wall of the mechanical room, then moved to the north and then the east-facing wall, shown in the photo above....
WS8 Oko 35
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Zaptan
Monday, Oct 24 to Sunday, Oct 30, 2011: high 68, low 12
Spectacular pre-dawn light show against the bottom of the clouds in these archived photos from October 27, 2009.
WS8 Oko 34
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Topa
Monday, Oct 17 to Sunday, Oct 23, 2011: high 70, low 18
Berwyn (right) and David (left) sawing the panel for the library soffit. The late Saturday sun is shining through the patio and porch bays in the background and into the hocoka. We are putting in long days in...
WS8 Oko 33
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Yamni
Monday, Oct 10 to Sunday, Oct 16, 2011: high 81, low 26
Wednesday afternoon after a day of roofing, the crew (r-l): Berwyn, David, Zak, Dan and JJ. Today we built the roof that connected the existing mechanical room (its roof has the silver vent pipe rising out...
WS8 Oko 32
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Nunpa
Monday, Oct 3 to Sunday, Oct 9, 2011: high 94, low 45
A photo from the archives: six years ago this Friday, October 7th, the house was a long ways from being completed. The horizontal ridge beam that extends westward from the cockpit and that is on the Wingsprings...
WS8 Oko 31
Oko Wikcemna Yamni ake Wanji
Monday, Sep 26 to Sunday, Oct 2, 2011: high 91, low 35
Berwyn is nailing on the purlin hangers while standing on the ground, a change we made from this past weekend when we nailed them on after the trusses were swung into place atop the walls. This way is a lot quicker...
WS8 Oko 30
Oko Wikcemna Yamni
Monday, Sep 19 to Sunday, Sep 25, 2011: high 86, low 35
On Saturday we started the process of “swinging the trusses” onto the walls. Cousin Glenn operated the boom on the digger truck, while Berwyn and i nailed the trusses to the walls then added bracing to keep them in place....
WS8 Oko 29
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Sep 12 to Sunday, Sep 18, 2011: high 85, low 38
Laying on their sides are the seven 2-ply trusses that will span the garage and library addition to the north and east of the house. You can see the standing water and wet concrete in this midday Thursday...
WS8 Oko 28
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Saglogan
Monday, Sep 5 to Sunday, Sep 11, 2011: high 92, low 40
An engaging and inquisitive group of Interior Design students and faculty from South Dakota State University visited on Thursday afternoon. They had departed Brookings on Tuesday and were returning there on...
WS8 Oko 27
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakowin
Monday, Aug 29 to Sunday, Sep 4, 2011: high 98, low 35
Six years ago this week, on August 31, 2005, the house was a long way from being enclosed. The ground floor was framed up and sheathed, but the cockpit and roofs weren’t even begun. The two 3-ply trusses atop...
WS8 Oko 26
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Sakpe
Monday, Aug 22 to Sunday, Aug 28, 2011: high 104, low 47
This Sunday evening the wicoti is in its wintertime status. In the pre-sunset calm i removed the tipi covers and liners, and left the two resident rabbits wondering what happened to their four shelters. If you...
WS8 Oko 25
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Zaptan
Monday, Aug 15 to Sunday, Aug 21, 2011: high 95, low 41
Thursday evening Mom and i enjoyed supper with seven guests here at Wingsprings: Emma, Lucy, Kiki, Dana & Jonathan from New York, and Bob and Lee from Chicago. This was the first visit to Wingsprings for all...
WS8 Oko 24
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Topa
Monday, Aug 8 to Sunday, Aug 14, 2011: high 94, low 51
This week “the sisters” returned for their second Plains Experience workshop. Last August they graced Wingsprings with their presence, and before departing this week, they made tentative plans to return again next...
WS8 Oko 23
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Yamni
Monday, Aug 1 to Sunday, Aug 7, 2011: high 104, low 56
Three years ago, on August 3, 2008, the camping trailer that i lived in while building the house [in the background] was unhooked from electricity, LP gas, phone, septic and water service, and pulled to town by...
WS8 Oko 22
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Nunpa
Monday, Jul 25 to Sunday, Jul 31, 2011: high 102, low 61
Satement as of 8:06 PM MDT on July 27, 2011Severe Thunderstorm Warning
The National Weather Service in Rapid City has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for…Bennett County in southwestern South Dakota…Jackson...
WS8 Oko 21
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa ake Wanji
Monday, Jul 18 to Sunday, Jul 24, 2011: high 105, low 56
Due to the triple digit temperature, Dan and i got started framing on the north walls of the garage/shop early this Tuesday morning. It was really hot working on the concrete slab–and there was just a hint of...
WS8 Oko 20
Oko Wikcemna Nunpa
Monday, Jul 11 to Sunday, Jul 17, 2011: high 104, low 56
On Tuesday the 12th Dan and i began to frame the walls of the library/meeting room. In the middle ground of the picture above you can see that we had already framed in the inner drum wall beneath the existing curved header....
WS8 Oko 19
Oko Ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jul 4 to Sunday, Jul 10, 2011: high 94, low 56
The day after Independence Day, Dan and i began removing everything from below the kitchen counter in preparation for installing new cabinets. The sink had to be removed as well, as is evident by the hole in the counter...
WS8 Oko 18
Oko Ake Saglogan
Monday, Jun 27 to Sunday, Jul 3, 2011: high 96, low 50
The month of June closes with the fourth workshop on Lakota Winter Counts and Star Knowledge. The participants, beginning lower right and moving sunwise, were Eric, K.D. [under her blue hat], Leksi Harvey, Susan, Megan and...
WS8 Oko 17
Oko Ake Sakowin
Monday, Jun 20 to Sunday, Jun 26, 2011: high 83, low 48
The third Lakota Winter Counts and Star Knowledge workshop included participants Jordan, Jen, Amy and Rhonda [left to right, upper row]. Leksi Harvey’s smooth pate caught the attention of Rhonda, but did a good job of reflecting...
WS8 Oko 16
Oko Ake Sakpe
Monday, Jun 13 to Sunday, Jun 19, 2011: high 84, low 49
This week Wingsprings hosted the second of four teachers’ workshops on Lakota Winter Counts and Star Knowledge. The workshops are organized by CAIRNS and sponsored in part by the South Dakota Humanities Council. John, Scott,...
WS8 Oko 15
Oko Ake Zaptan
Monday, Jun 6 to Sunday, Jun 12, 2011: high 93, low 45
A fly-over by a crop-dusting spray plane, an activity that is expressly prohibited by the Federal Aviation Administration. These pictures were taken three years ago, June 10, 2008. But this year too a spray plane has flown...
WS8 Oko 14
Oko Ake Topa
Monday, May 30 to Sunday, Jun 5, 2011: high 88, low 39
Yep, that’s Brown heading back to 226th Avenue after delivering a brand new wall tent. It is amazing that UPS and FedEx deliver right to the Wingsprings door, and have been doing so for the past 6 years. The new graded road should...
WS8 Oko 13
Oko Ake Yamni
Monday, May 23 to Sunday, May 29, 2011: high 72, low 33
Seven ladies from Sioux Falls came to Wingsprings Friday evening with lots of delicious food to feed Mom and me and themselves, and generous hearts to help set up the four tipis and the wall tents on Saturday. Without their...
WS8 Oko 12
Oko Ake Nunpa
Monday, May 16 to Sunday, May 22, 2011: high 65, low 41
Mother and daughter visitors from Chicago this Saturday morning: Anne and Libby (r-l).
WS8 Oko 11
Oko Ake Wanji
Monday, May 9 to Sunday, May 15, 2011: high 69, low 35
An amazing confrontation between rabbit and bull snake this Monday morning. Apparently there were some baby rabbits around, because the adult, supposedly a female, kept pestering the bull snake. She had the snake so mad it was...
WS8 Oko 10
Oko Wikcemna
Monday, May 2 to Sunday, May 8, 2011: high 86, low 28
This weekend Nick graded up a road from the house to the gravel road, a distance of just under a mile. It ended up being a bigger project than intended, but the result is a road that will improve access to Wingsprings for years...
WS8 Oko 9
Oko Napcinyunka
Monday, Apr 25 to Sunday, May 1, 2011: high 66, low 30
An archived picture from three years ago: May 29, 2008. Dave is painting the 2x boards for a tipi platform. In the background you can see the black papered wall of the bathhouse, and the roof trusses that connect the bathhouse...
WS8 Oko 8
Oko Saglogan
Monday, Apr 18 to Sunday, Apr 24, 2011: high 62, low 23
Late this afternoon, these four horses, as well as the two in the background above the head of the paint, posed a conundrum: They were in the reserve pasture so i had to get them out, but i had to do so on foot. After a skittish...
WS8 Oko 7
Oko Sakowin
Monday, Apr 11 to Sunday, Apr 17, 2011: high 64, low 24
Monday was a beautiful spring day, made even more so by the visit of Aunt Marva, Uncle Ross, cousin Nancy, her daughter Stephanie, and Justin. They brought some of Uncle Ross’ birthday cake, which was delicious. Later, as is...
WS8 Oko 6
Oko Sakpe
Monday, Apr 4 to Sunday, Apr 10, 2011: high 72, low 24
Two bright breasted meadowlarks singing their melodious song last year on the 3rd of April at 4:06 pm. Nine minutes later, the sky was rapidly darkening as clouds quickly moved in.
Eleven minutes later, at 4:26 pm, a storm...
WS8 Oko 5
Oko Zaptan
Monday, Mar 28 to Sunday, Apr 3, 2011: high 79, low 31
Thursday afternoon a few of these flowers caught my eye. Not sure yet what their name is. Their brilliant yellow color contrasts sharply with the still dormant state of the rest of the landscape. But they are so small that they...
WS8 Oko 4
Oko Topa
Monday, Mar 21 to Sunday, Mar 27, 2011: high 60, low 17
Four years ago today, Sunday, students from Grinnell College on their spring break spent a night at Wingsprings. That afternoon, they read the instruction booklet for setting up a tipi, and in three teams, they went about setting...
WS8 Oko 3
Oko Yamni
Monday, Mar 14 to Sunday, Mar 20, 2011: high 69, low 28
The low temperature during this week was the highest in twenty weeks. And Monday afternoon, in the deepest of the springs, the turtles apparently were shrugging off the effects of their hibernations. Two large snappers (one is...
WS8 Oko 2
Oko Nunpa
Monday, Mar 7 to Sunday, Mar 13, 2011: high 55, low -4
A small herd of deer attentive, yet interestingly not typically flighty, this Saturday afternoon, blending in with the browns and burnt siennas of the late winter grasses. This is the month of “half days,” when it can blow snow...
WS8 Oko 1
Oko Wanci
Monday, Feb 28 to Sunday, Mar 6, 2011: high 46, low -1
Deer and rabbits, and even porcupines [though none have been seen] are gnawing the bark of trees and bushes. This is the lean time of year when food is scarce. The four-leggeds are after the soft sappier layer between the bark and...
WS7 Oko 53
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Yamni
Monday, Feb 21 to Sunday, Feb 27, 2011: high 46, low -5
Friday late afternoon and into the evening, burned dead branches and limbs down by the chokecherry trees. It was snowing and the temperature was right at zero degrees. Crackling hiss and low roar, wood smoke...
WS7 Oko 52
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Nunpa
Monday, Feb 14 to Sunday, Feb 20, 2011: high 68, low -3
Sunny and windy this Wednesday afternoon, walking down the south draw from the apple trees toward the house. In the shelter of the draw, the mid 60s temperature felt even warmer. Near the apple trees, two large...
WS7 Oko 51
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan ake Wanji
Monday, Feb 7 to Sunday, Feb 13, 2011: high 56, low -11
Another bitter cold night last night. These two hawks frolicked and soared this warming Wednesday, and swooped low to the ground and immediately over the ridges of the house wing. Perhaps scouting for rabbits?...
WS7 Oko 50
Oko Wikcemna Zaptan
Monday, Jan 31 to Sunday, Feb 6, 2011: high 45, low -15
This Thursday afternoon the sun was shining and the temperature reached into the 30s. Last night the thermometer bottomed out at 15 degrees below zero. Noticed this tree in the draw south of the house. The bark on the...
WS7 Oko 49
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Napcinyunka
Monday, Jan 24 to Sunday, Jan 30, 2011: high 55, low 3
Hoary frost clinging to the east and south surfaces of, in this case, barbed wire and fence posts. Intermittent fog with a low soupy overcast this entire Sunday. The southeasterly wind apparently driving...
WS7 Oko 48
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Saglogan
Monday, Jan 17 to Sunday, Jan 23, 2011: high 44, low -14
Here is a picture from the archives for this week three years ago: January 20, 2008. A lot of construction work has been done since then. For instance, the bathhouse roof at the left of the picture connects...
WS7 Oko 47
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakowin
Monday, Jan 17 to Sunday, Jan 23, 2011: high 44, low -14
Rough ice in the deepest and largest of the spring-fed pools. It was warm enough on this late Friday afternoon that the fresh spring water from up the draw was slowly flowing on top of the ice. The picture...
WS7 Oko 46
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Sakpe
Monday, Jan 3 to Sunday, Jan 9, 2011: high 44, low -6
Sunday sunset following a cold day. The pipe in the foreground, marked by the pinkish flag, marks the center of the hocoka. It is the point around which the entire Wingsprings facilities revolve. An axis from it...
WS7 Oko 45 2011
Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan
Monday, Dec 27, 2010 to Sunday, Jan 2, 2011: high 52, low -3
New Year’s day arrived with sunshine and a light breeze, nice contrasts to the howling winds, below zero temperatures, and blowing blizzard snows of the previous two days. Last year went out like a lion;...
