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Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast(click above link)
. . . offering hospitalitythat shows you are on our minds.


Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Happy NEW Year from the Black Hills!

Black Hills on facebook recently asked how you would describe the BLACK HILLS in five words or less. My response was,

"God's joyful nature visibly expressed."

This didn't just pop into my head. After reading many of the descriptions offered by other Black Hills devotees, and noticing that some of them said "God's country", I gazed out the window and asked God if He would like to give His own different description in five words or less for the Black Hills, one of His unique beautiful creations.

Hill City Night Lights

As you leave the Old Year,

please celebrate going into the 2011 New Year responsibly.

The car you drive or ride in has aspirations

to one day be a parading Antique model!

_____________________

Forgive us, Lord, for failures past,

Then help us start anew

With strength and courage to obey

And closely follow You. -Sper

❤♫❤♫❤.•*¨`*•..¸♥☼♥ ¸.•*¨`*•.♫❤♫❤♫❤

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* ░H░A░P░P░Y░* ░N░E░W░ * ░Y░E░A░R░ *

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❤♫❤♫❤.•*¨`*•..¸♥☼♥ ¸.•*¨`*•.♫❤♫❤♫❤

Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

DECK the HALLS...

☆ click... with Boughs of Holly ...link ☆

and have a very

☆ Merry Christmas!☆

Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast

bed and breakfast hospitality lodging
hill city, central black hills, south dakota
near

mount rushmore - 1880 train - custer state park
- wind cave national park - jewel cave national monument
- mountain lakes - harney peak - norbeck scenic byway
- george s. mickelson trail - the centennial trail
- historic downtown hill city - antiques
- all things bright and beautiful

Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Harvest Time!

Black Hills Wild Black Currants

September 23 marked the last opportunity for harvesting the exotic Black Hills Wild Black Currant. To punctuate the event, Sam and Linda (Mountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast, Hill City, SD) packed up a truckload of overnight gear.

And off they went, anticipating a full moon to wind down with after a happy time of picking. And the picking was indeed happy. Since Sam could find no more chokecherries, he dove into the bushes and helped Linda glean currants. (Did I say bushes? I meant...jungle!...with no over-the-top view.) They called to each other now and then, especially when something rustled in there, and, well, they were just checking to see if the sound was one of us.

They moved from jungle to jungle, too. Sam returned from a particular expedition and told Linda about his methods. He would leave the main trail when he found a cowpath which appeared to descend into a promising patch of currants. To avoid lugging around the flat of currants already picked, he set the box at the edge of the main trail against a bush where he would return for it later.

Sam and Linda picked together for awhile, but with the sun steadily going down, Sam thought it was time to look for a campground. He went off to get the flat of currants from alongside the main trail. Linda continued picking. In about 15 minutes, Sam returned and said, "Funny, I thought I knew right where I put the box."

Linda opened the truck and poured her currants into the flat she had been filling. They both went in search of Sam's currants. This felt like a BIG deal to both of them...since currants are a luxury fruit and scarce to find. Sam's currants were especially scarce to find. They searched even further down the trail than Sam thought he went, just in case...just in case. Back and forth, back and forth. Sam went ahead and Linda backtracked, slowly, carefully searching every nook and bushy cranny.

One path Linda hadn't noticed before led into a small open space at the bottom, with both sides of the space not visible—so, she started down. Suddenly her feet were caught and she found herself flying through the air in too many directions and landing in the clearing soundly on both knees, and flat forward in the next instant, the calf muscle of one leg twisting and seeming to pop loose. She grabbed the muscle and squeezed, at the same time turning, while straightening her legs and managing to sit upright.

How long is a heartbeat?...it only took a few. Her knees throbbed. She rubbed them. "Thank God, nothing is broken." She felt grateful for that, and grateful, too, that the muscle wasn't torn. She sat there for a few minutes, musing and wondering over how she could possibly have come out of that wild fall intact...hands, wrists and elbows unscathed...head still there and unabused. It did seem miraculous, perhaps angels? Anyway, "Thank God!" Somewhat stiffly, she rose to her feet, moved around the clearing, gingerly, looking for Sam's currants. She heard herself say aloud, "They certainly aren't worth getting hurt over."

Linda turned to face the three strands of low-strung barbed wire that had been her downfall, and stepped over them carefully. Just as she reached the top of the path and pulled herself out onto the main trail, Sam called. He had turned around to ask her to drive the truck down the road a ways and pick him up, as he wanted to walk further to see if possibly someone had discovered the box while he and Linda were in the bushes; perhaps they carried it a bit, then sampled a currant, didn't like the taste and set the box down somewhere. (We were thinking a little strangely.)

Deciding to tell Sam later that she had fallen, Linda walked slowly toward the truck. Still examining the side of the trail in hopes of finding Sam's currants, her thoughts turned more gracious, more heavenward than before. It was nearly too dark to see shapes at this point. Passing an old post marker which Sam had made mention of earlier, Linda glanced into an open area without breaking stride, but then paused abruptly, leaned to see if the white spot she had glimpsed was a rock, about 10' back into the clearing, tucked nearly behind a bush. It was Sam's box!...tilted in such a way that the currants created a shadowy illusion making the box difficult to find. Linda was elated, knowing Sam would be relieved that the fruit of his labor had not been carried off or lost.

With no full moon visible due to complete cloud cover, and darkness imminent, Sam and Linda agreed on taking their picnic home, to relish while watching a movie. Camping could wait. They would select an alternate road home. Enough dusk light remained to allow the enjoyment of brilliant fall colors, which seemed also to light up the evening.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 KJV

To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate;

a time of war, and a time of peace.

What profit hath he that worketh

in that wherein he laboureth?

I have seen the travail, which God hath given

to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:

also he hath set the world in their heart,

so that no man can find out the work that God maketh

from the beginning to the end.

I know that there is no good in them,

but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

And also that every man should eat and drink,

and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

_____

A day may not end as you thought it would,

but give God a chance to tell you His version.

_____

Click the happy bear for something on the light side!

Brought to you by Smiling Bear ofMountains To Prairies Bed and Breakfast...looking forward already to spring flowers!


Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

John 8:32

The artwork is a collaborative joy-time

between granddaughters Shelby and Ava!

Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;
Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Set Your Sails

We cannot create the wind or set it in motion,but we can set our sails to catch it when it comes;we cannot control the Spirit,but we can so place ourselves before the Lord,and so do the things He has bidden us do,that we will come under the influence and powerof His mighty breath.-Selected, Unknown Author
When a great issue is in the balanceand the path is obscure,WAIT;but while waiting do the work that lies before you,for in that task may be the solution of your problem.-Unknown Author
BEFOREAFTERThe street shown in the before picture is Walnut Ave.It was paved not long after M2P opened.


Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Where does my help come from?

Photo-art credit goes to a friend who sees natureas God's second book...all to His credit.
It is nothing for God to seta rainbow or two across your sky;and the rainbow itself...now that is something, oh my!
Those who see the invisible(...are you lifting up your eyes?)can do the impossible.To God be the glory of this sight.
The greater works of God are yoursto do, not by your mightbut by the Rainbow Maker's. SourceHis power, not your fright.
Poem - Copyright (c) 04.24.10 - Linda L. Brown
The RAINBOW in the BIBLE (click)

Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

His Freshest of Air

Beautiful afternoon, Sunday. We indulged ourselvesin a rambling drive along Deerfield Road.After a few miles,we passed a stretch of greening slopes.I glanced over just in timeto see several clusters of WILD CROCUSES!!Yaaay!I nearly jumped out of the car (wanting to take pictures)but Sam was driving too fastand couldn't stop right away.I was sure we would see more up the road,so I urged him on.
Alas, miles and miles of no crocuses. :-(Beautiful scenery, but no crocuses.
Later, as we were returning(driving a loop known to locals),Sam expressed an interest intaking our walk-of-the-dayalong a forest road popular with both of us.He was about to pull in to park,but we saw someone else already driving the road.I used that as an excuse to not walk there...
- true confession - my real reason was...I was SURE there were no crocuses on this road(having walked it other springswith no satisfaction in the search).
Sensing, however, that Sam really wantedto walk on this particular road(his hopes being to possibly spot an elk herdthe like of which we had sitedseveral times, previously),I became ok with this walk, this place.
He turned in and pulled up to park...and right there, directly in my line of vision— a beautiful clump of crocuses!The late afternoon sun was shining on themand this gave me some very pretty pictures.
At the height of our serene walk,Sam pointed out another pasque flowerwhich led me to yet anotherclump of the fuzzy little beauties.As you can perhaps imagine,the happiest part of it all was...
GOD had provided where I least expected.
Although we didn't see any actual elk this time,we did see plenty of sign of them,including a nice rubwhich Sam wanted to be photographed by,so he could email the fun to a Florida friend.Sam also found a shed (antler),and was thrilled for it.I halfway tripped,in my vain effort to see the shed (building).
We did, too, see a shed of sorts,an old abandoned miner's cabincrumpled up on the ground (second pic).
The Lord blessed both of uswhile filling our lungs with His freshest of air.

Below is how the cabin may have appearedin its glory days.This cute thing is along a secondary road.It has a name-sign which reads...
Dear LodgeAs a fitting followup to our adventure,here is an expression by an unknown authorof the generosity of God...
We are profoundly impressed with the unlimited resources of the God of the Bible. He never does anything small, When He makes an ocean He makes it so deep that no man can fathom it. When He makes a mountain he makes it so large that no one can measure or weigh it. When He makes flowers, He scatters multiplied millions of them where there is no one to admire them but Himself. When He makes grace, He makes it without sides or bottom and leaves the top off. Instead of giving salvation with a medicine dropper, He pours it forth like a river.
When God sets out to do a thing for us, He does it with a prodigality of love-prompted abundance that fairly staggers one who reckons things by the coldly calculating standards of earth.
Whatever blessing is in our cup it is sure to run over. With Him the calf is always the fatted calf; the robe is always the best robe; the joy is unspeakable; the peace passeth understanding; the grace is so abundant that the recipient has all-sufficiency for all things, and abounds to every good work.
There is no grudging in God's benevolence; He does not measure out His goodness as the apothecary counts his drops and measures his drams, slowly and exactly, drop by drop. God's way is always characterized by multitudinous and overflowing bounty, like that in nature which is so profuse in beauty and life that every drop of the ocean, every square inch of the forest glade, every molecule of water, teems with marvels and defies the research and investigation of man. Well may we cry with the Apostle,"I have all and abound."
GENESIS 15:5


Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

The Season of Singing

Photo-art credit goes to a friend who sees natureas God's second book...all to His credit.
We have an awesome Creator!...says she, and I agree.
(The Pasque Flower or Wild Crocus is the South Dakota State Flower)


Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Happy Flox

What do you think?

If any man has a hundred sheep,

and one of them has gone astray,

does he not leave the ninety-nine

on the mountains and go and search

for the one that is straying?

Jesus via Matthew 8:12 NASB

The sheep of the Good Shepherd

are gathered together in

happy flox...

In His pasture they are safe,

but if they wander from Him...

they are not.

  -

...and the sheep hear His voice,and He calls His own sheep by nameand leads them out.John 10:3 (last part)
For He is our God;and we are the people of His pasture,and the sheep of His hand.Today if ye will hear His voice,harden not your heart, ...Psalm 95:7-8a
poem snippet: Copyright (c) 05.18.09 - Linda L. Brown


Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Finish The Course

Like an old painted fender

rusting in the obscure woods

we may lay crumpled with none

in the end who knows how we stood.

Time passes...

Then one who is younger finds,

and peers at the cracked lines, tender

toward the paint's sunned color,

sensing purpose and treasure there.

Copyright (c) 05.12.09 - Linda L. Brown

A life of Obedience is life well-lived.

- Whom to Obey -

...if anyone is God-fearing and does His will,

He hears him. -John 9:31b NASB

If anyone is willing to do His will,

he will know... -John 7:17a NASB

He answered, "The man who is called Jesus

made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me,

'Go to Siloam and wash';

so I went away and washed, and I received sight."

-John 9:11 NASB

Visit the BIBLE VERSE of the Day; In Touch Daily by Charles Stanley;Today's Reading in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers