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      • Sunrise at the track
        09/29/06

        So there I was...at the motorcycle/atv track east of Bismarck this morning, when this glorious sunrise took place. These late September mornings can be brisk, and I wouldn't have them any other way.

        One other characteristic of fall in North Dakota is the elevation of the sun a

      • Them Dakota Roads
        09/28/06

        I've been on the road a lot lately, trying to cram in some North Dakota sights while the weather's cooperative. You'll see the fruits of that in upcoming posts as time allows. Of course I try to keep things on this blog related to Bismarck-Mandan, but I also want to share with

      • Hey, Baby!
        09/27/06

        No, I'm not being fresh. I wanted to introduce you to Baby, one of the friendly faces at The Birdhouse! I can't actually claim to know whether Baby is male or female, but I guess that's hardly important. All I know is that this is one talkative bird! I caught Baby in mid-"h

      • Is the dragonfly season over?
        09/26/06

        I honestly don't know. This is the time of year when we get those dangerously low overnight temperatures, so it's quite possible that we won't be seeing dragonflies or damselflies around until next year. I captured this little guy's picture several days ago, and we've

      • Maybe UND reads BismarckMandanBlog.com!
        09/25/06

        In a recent letter to the NCAA regarding their outrageous decision against the University of North Dakota's use of the "Fighting Sioux" nickname, President Charles Kupchella writes:

        "We are concerned that even if we were to cave in and change our name, you might

      • New Dakota Beacon issue
        09/25/06

        The latest edition of the Dakota Beacon is available! Mine showed up in the mailbox a couple of days ago. In addition to articles by my favorite local authors, there are also selections from national authors as well. Former ND Governor Ed Schafer has a vintage car column on the back cover ever

      • Close bunny call
        09/25/06

        We're fortunate in Bismarck-Mandan to have wildlife thriving among us. It's not uncommon to see all sorts of creatures in our yards and on our streets. Back in my law enforcement days, I even remember a call about a deer running up and down Collins Avenue! While urban sprawl may be a

      • $@*#&%: Behind the scenes at U-Mary homecoming
        09/23/06

        Normally, being part of a video crew has its ups and downs. For instance, we don't have the luxury of actually WATCHING the game...that's a bummer. We do, however, get closer looks at some of the action or the behind-the-scenes inner workings at a lot of events. That was the case tod

      • I'm on the fence for this one
        09/22/06

        How long do you suppose it takes for a fence such as this one, on a hill just outside of Bismarck, to lean at such an angle? The hill has gradually shifted, causing the fence posts along its ridge line to lean and sag toward the road below.

        Sometimes I get a bit jealous of my friend

      • Fallen Farm #10
        09/21/06

        As I've said nine times before, abandoned homes and buildings like this one hold a special attraction for me. Perhaps, as a history buff (what does one have to do to become a buff?) I'm curious about who lived or worked there; what it looked like when new; what the area was like that

      • Couch pilot
        09/20/06

        A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. --Proverbs 17:17

        I'd like to point out that a bird is also born for adversity. I'm down for the count with that nasty crud that's going around. Having tried to fight it off, I finally gave up last nigh

      • Now if I could just find a way to bolt it to my motorcycle
        09/18/06

        I wonder if they make a Suzuki or Kawasaki interface kit? This engine is on display at the Fargo Air Museum, which I visited after a freelance job recently. I believe this particular engine may have come from an F-4, but that's just a guess. When I went to NDSU they flew F-4s in Fargo, an

      • Kudos to the Bismarck Public Works department
        09/18/06

        We all have our pet causes, and regular readers of this site are sure to recognize this as one of mine. I've been critical of the use of chip-seal gravel in Bismarck-Mandan over the years, especially when patches of it have not been marked by signage, endangering motorcyclists in particul

      • Revival meetin'
        09/17/06

        We all drive past that little white church on the corner whenever we drive down 7th Street, across from Bismarck High School. Open Door Baptist Church will have its doors open Sunday at 5pm and Monday thru Wednesday at 7pm for a revival meeting. All are invited regardless of denomination.
      • Mornin' bridge
        09/16/06

        It's dreary out, so I thought I would put up this nice sunny picture of the railroad bridge crossing the Missouri River. This was taken this week on a little walk with my beautiful wife, probably one of the last few walks we'll get in while everything is nice and green. The view of

      • Downtowners Association sabotages non-profits during Folkfest...again
        09/16/06

        There was a dark cloud over today's Folkfest celebration in downtown Bismarck. No, I'm not talking about the one that dumped a torrential downpour on the event just after my wife and I got into the truck... I'm talking about the heavy-handed tactics employed by the Downtowners A

      • Now THAT looks like Folkfest Fun
        09/16/06

        These kids were pounding on each other in the kiddie fun part of the Folkfest tonight. While the rest of the celebration was certainly enjoyable, this looks like the most fun anyone could ever hope to have at the Folkfest celebration!

      • Wade out to the dock
        09/15/06

        In an effort to correct one of their many mistakes on the upper Missour River, the US Army Corps of Engineers has throttled up releases from Lake Sakakawea to try to cover up the water shortages in the Oahe basin. As a result, we've got a very high river. So high, in fact, that it's

      • Allergies bad lately? This may be why
        09/14/06

        If you've tried to see the horizon lately, you're likely aware of the fact that it's hardly visible at times. The reason for that isn't just because it's been really windy and a lot of dust is getting kicked up - I suspect it has a lot to do with all the forest fires n

      • Spike
        09/12/06

        This little crawler was sitting on a park bench I wanted to use along the Missouri River, along the walking path on the Mandan side of the river. I refer to him as Spike because of that protrusion on his posterior. I imagine it's intended as a deterrent to any bird who might think of swal

      • President Bush sure makes me mad some days
        09/12/06

        I watched the Presidential Address tonight while working in the garage (see next post) and heard something again that really ticked me off. Again, he referred to the terrorists as practicing a perverted, radical form of Islam. I sure hope he knows better... and that someday he'll just com

      • Path to 9/11
        09/12/06

        I watched the latter part of the ABC docudrama last night as well as the finale tonight, in the garage while putting up new garage doors. There's been so much buzz about this movie on both sides; conservatives say it's finally time to highlight the fact that terrorists do want to str

      • Missouri whirlpool
        09/11/06

        If you've lived in Bismarck-Mandan for a while, you've probably been told that the Missouri River can be a treacherous place to swim. There are dangerous undercurrents and other such hazards like this whirlpool I spotted today. The way this picture is framed, it's hard to determ

      • Blue
        09/09/06

        It isn't abstract...it's a view through a piece of stained glass in a piece of artwork at Five Nations Arts in Mandan. I was in there today on other business and really liked the blue swirls in this piece. There were other colors in this piece too (no, there wasn't any Kawasaki

      • ANOTHER amazing sunset!
        09/09/06

        This time I was in a little better position to share it with my lovely wife! Tonight we were able to enjoy another deep red sunset along with some deep red (non-alcoholic) champagne, cheese, and crackers at one of our favorite vantage points. It was at this particular place that she had given

      • Thursday night sunset
        09/07/06

        It must have been a lovely night for a ride on the Lewis and Clark riverboat. My wife and I enjoyed an impromptu picnic on the shores of the Missouri tonight, with non-alcoholic champagne, a Spyro Gyra CD on the boom box, and her favorite snacks. The sun was so very red tonight, it was breatht

      • Thursday night moon
        09/07/06


        On our way back from a nice romantic time by the river, my wife and I spotted an ENORMOUS looking moon overhead. Near Zonta park I snapped this shot as the moon peeked over the treetops. Have you ever wondered why the moon looks so large while near the horizon and smaller when high in t

      • Get your sweety a bouquet of these
        09/07/06

        You could fit a whole bouquet in a thimble! I'm not sure what type of wildflower these are, just that they're very small. My wife loves daisies...I could get her hundreds of these daisy-looking plants and not have a problem carrying them!

        From what little knowledge I

      • Kristin Hedger is lying to you.
        09/06/06
        On the news tonight I was surprised to see the Democrat candidate for ND Secretary of State trying to propagate more lies that somewhat involve work I've done. I sat quiet the first time, but this time I'm calling her on it.

        Tonight's ballyhoo was about how the Secretary of

      • Make the best of what you've got
        09/06/06

        Somewhere downtown, far from a patch of grass in any direction, sits this little alley oasis. Nestled between two old buildings, this area provides someone with a nice cozy place to relax. There's a nice mountainous water scene painted on the backdrop, a comfy bench...not bad for a makes

      • Don't blink! Hensler
        09/06/06

        Some say it's north of Mandan. Others say it's west of Washburn. Yet other don't know what in the world I'm talking about. The little community of Hensler isn't offended; rather, they have quite a sense of humor about it. This sign sits along highway 200 between Washb

      • CUTE ALERT: baby squirrel
        09/06/06

        I was walking alongside one of the labs at NDSU where I studied as a chemistry major in college, when this baby squirrel dashed across the lawn in front of me. In a deft reflexive move, I swung the backpack containing my camera to the grass and extracted the Canon. My newfound subject had dart

      • For sale: one slightly used cow, rear wheel drive, $500
        09/05/06

        "Interesting trades considered?" No, I didn't see that on the sign...it's just that I'm a Seinfeld fan, and have to put that in there. This interesting item was parked along the highway and merited a second look. I'm not sure if it's a two-seater or what kind

      • Those aren't Crunchberries™
        09/05/06

        I caught this bird hanging out atop a bush full of food along the river north of Bismarck. There are a lot of places to pick juneberries, chokecherries, and other natural treats. Of course, for a bird it's much easier to get to those places and eat freely. That's what this bird was u

      • Prairie Pothole Sunset
        09/04/06

        One thing the recent rains have been good for is the Prairie Pothole region in central and east-central North Dakota. The little lakes looked somewhat replenished after the recent series of rains that have swept through the area. That'll be a relief as migratory bird season approaches!
      • Labor Day Lights...the Northern kind
        09/04/06

        This weekend was a working weekend, but it was one I'd been anticipating for a while. Friday and Saturday were spent working as a graphics, animation, and CG guy for a college football game on NBC in Fargo. What made it special was that my wife came with. She got to spend time with the cr

      • So much for the dam tour
        09/02/06

        Chalk it up to Homeland Security, I suppose. If you go up to the Garrison Dam and try to get the dam tour (isn't that ALWAYS funny?) you'll see these gates staring you in the face. Accessibility is no longer a key feature in the dam.

        As you can see from the sign above, you

      • Rode the Suzuki to the bay, but the bay was dry.
        09/01/06

        I no longer fish and I don't own a boat, but even I know of a nice little place south of Bismarck that used to be really good for both: Beaver Bay, where Beaver Creek meets the once-mighty Missouri. A few days ago I had an opportunity to blast down there on the motorcycle, so I paid the p

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