First Painting - Reliance, SD

Reliance, SD

Oil on black canvas, 10x10

I thought I wouldn't paint until I reached Wisdom, Montana, but today, the prairie was so beautiful, so full of color, and I was so itchy and need and full of longing that I decided to stop in Reliance, SD, and paint, and I think I'm just going to paint as I make my way out. Why not?  It was too windy to set up the easel, so I tucked myself into the open side door of the ban and stood, and sat, juggling the paints and canvas, paper towels and media and palette knives, while the cold wind blew winter onto the autumn plain. 

It's been a couple days of stopping and starting. On Monday morning, in Mauson, WI, one of my tires registered underinflated. I found a tire place, and they helped, but also pointed out that I needed an oil change, which had totally slipped my mind during all the brouhaha about the hurricane. 

After being turned away by one too-busy dealership in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, I made my way to Albert Lea, Minnesota, where Samantha was able to get me in. They changed my oil, and charged me for it, but gave me the tire rotation for free. Thanks, Samantha! 

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Scenes from the Road 

Reliance, SD, above, has a population of 191 - and at least a dozen 

ring-necked grouse I saw running into the grassland. 

The color of the Great Plains enchanted me. There was a lovely yellow-green, a whole lot of deep red-brown, enough yellow to keep me happy, and over it all, a huge, dramatic sky. 

 Lots of gorgeous farms throughout Minnesota and South Dakota. Many looked very prosperous, with small and large buildings clustered together, big farmhouses, and fresh paint.

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Camping in Sioux Falls

 I slept in the van at a KOA in Sioux Falls, SD. It was the last week of the season for the KOA, scheduled to close on Thursday. The night was chilly, and noisy with trucks and the highway and the nearby airport, but I got a good night's sleep.

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Dog of the Day

It's Mandy and her human, Nancy. I met them at a windy gas station somewhere in South Dakota. Nancy was driving back to Minneapolis from seeing her mom, and getting her mom's car, which was way newer than her car. She told me that she'd gotten Mandy after her Corgi passed. Mandy had been found wandering in Minneapolis, painted pink. She's a dear little dog, soft and sweet and cuddly. I held her in my arms while Nancy used the rest room, and we were both happy about it.