CAPITOLETTER

June 3, 2024

Memorial Day was a little windy, but pretty nice for outdoor programs at Buffalo and Ekalaka. Spring at Capitol, and on Tie Creek, has been fairly cool, and even in the first days of June the night-time temperature dropped into the low thirties.

Karen Odell spent the holiday at home. On Tuesday, Jack Ovitz came to check out, and do some electrical work. That night, Tyler Wolff came with a new mower battery, and to take back a mower tire to be worked on. Then, Karen got a little mowing done, before the mower quit again, so there must be something else wrong with it. The millions of little grasshoppers may take care of the rest of the grass, and Karen’s birds are getting so fat they can hardly fly. Karen made a trip to Buffalo, on Wednesday, for business and some shopping.

On Friday, she went to Spearfish to meet Cody, Kylie, Kellan, Kenna and Carson Odell for lunch. They had spent time in the family cabin in the Black Hills, and had hiked Devil’s Tower that morning. Then, they visited some downtown Spearfish stores. Karen discovered Chancey Odell in Lueders. He had come to town on Friday, also. Karen got to see videos of grandson, Rowan Hinds, in his high school orchestra concert. It was absolutely a beautiful and precise concert, and very outstanding for a group of high school students. Then Karen got to watch videos of granddaughter, Kyia Smith, in her dance recital. There was ballet and jazz performances, and Karen was wishing she could join in and dance with them. Karen talked to her kids, granddaughter, Kenna, both her brothers, Ron Evans and Jim Evans, and sister-in-law Patsy Evans in Ohio. She visited online with college friend Jeanne Dineen, and on the phone with high school friend Bill Foulkes.

The Methodist Church in Camp Crook had moved it’s service time up to ten o’clock for the summer, but it seems most people remembered the change. We were very glad to have Alan Loken as guest speaker, this Sunday. Lynnette Wolff presented the children’s sermon, and Karen accompanied the hymns on the piano. The Wolff boys were bell ringers, and the Cordell girls were ushers. Karen had gotten about three-fourths of an inch of rain this week.

Erma Albert had physical therapy in Buffalo, on Wednesday. She and Dick went to the Senior Citizen chicken dinner, on Friday. Next Tuesday is election day in Buffalo at the Rec Center, and a couple of people who were running for office were visitors at the Senior Center. On Sunday, Dick and Erma went to church at the Catholic Church. Then they had lunch at Saloon Number Three with the Erk family, their daughter from Alaska, and Father Brian. They had heard about an earthquake in Pierre.

Junior and Shirley Melum were glad to have their daughter, Andrea, home for a visit. She left on Monday. Allan and Amy Draine came from Billings to visit for a few days. They participated in the day of Branding at Ernie and Rachel’s, on Monday. Junior and Shirley went down to Ernie’s for the day of branding, too. On Saturday, Junior and Shirley went to Belle Fourche for the sixtieth anniversary celebration, at the Branding Iron, for Roger and Judy Bonefield.

Dorothy Padden went to Ekalaka, on Memorial Day, for the service at the cemetery. It was cool and windy, but there were many people there to visit with, and enjoy the program. Bryce and Dawn Padden had visitors from Wisconsin, for the week. They had come to hunt prairie dogs, and spent evenings visiting around the outdoor fire pit.

Dorothy went back to Ekalaka, on Thursday, for a hair appointment. That evening, Dorothy, Brandon and Ashley had supper at Dawn and Bryce’s, and visited with the visitors from Wisconsin. Then, on Saturday, Bryce and Dorothy went to Belle Fourche for the Roger and Judy Bonefield Sixtieth Anniversary party, while Dawn went to Buffalo to take pictures at the Regional High School Rodeo. Dawn went back, on Sunday, for the second day of the rodeo. You can see many of her pictures in the Nation’s Center News, and others on Facebook.

Alan Loken and Steve Miller came from Whitewood to visit at Alvin and Marlee Cordell’s, on Tuesday. Steve was especially interested in the Jack Kennedy cabin in the Sheep Mountains, that was one of the earliest buildings in the area. On Friday, Dale Broom came from Wisconsin to visit for a few days. He had come with friends who were visiting at the Padden Ranch.

On Sunday, Alvin, Marlee, Ryan, Tawni and the kids went to church in Camp Crook. Alan Loken was the guest speaker for the service. Then Alan was invited home with them, for dinner, after church. On Wednesday, they had had half an inch of rain at the home place, while they measured an inch and three-fourths at the Horton place in the Sheep Mountains.

Waiting for you ship to come in is usually easier than having to unload it.