Feed them and they will come.

Friday we were up early and departed Bismark for the l-o-n-g ride home, the bus was pretty quiet as most people, including me, slept off and on. No spectacular sunrises to chronicle, we had a couple 'comfort' breaks before arriving in Watertown S.D. for lunch.

From there we went to the Terry Redlin Art Center, an impressive three story brick building surrounded by walking paths that wind around over a small creek.

 

Bruce and I went inside for awhile, of course it is full of all his original paintings, what a talented man. The sad thing is, at the age of 71, Terry Redlin is in a care center with Alzheimer's, such a cruel disease.

 

We both wanted to do some walking so went outside to explore the grounds, the path winds back and forth, over bridges and small gazebo's. We found this beautiful building, it is empty, I'm thinking people rent it for wedding receptions and such.

 

One path took us to this larger, more impressive gazebo.

 

 

And where there is water, there will be ducks and geese, and there will be a well-placed corn dispenser for gullible tourists to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a little bit of corn. Bruce was appalled that I would fall for it, he wants the contract to supply corn for these machines.

 

If you feed them, they will come, from here.....

 

 

...and here....

 

 

...and this excited guy..."YIPPEE! Some gullible person bought corn!"

 

 

Bruce doled out the corn, kernel by kernel.

 

 

This guy was cranky and kept hissing at us, he'd eat our corn but showed his distain.

 

 

They definitely have their pecking order, this little mallard hen tried in vain to get a kernel but was constantly chased away. I was tempted to throw rocks at the pursuers.

 

 

We discovered one of their favorite food is the crawdad but they drew the line at eating the claw, several were lying here and there on the sidewalk, along with goose poop. It would behoove the walker to look down as they walked. 

 

 

Back on the bus for the final leg, landing at the NIPCO building at promptly 5:30 P.M., we were so amazed at how they kept to the schedule that each one of us had. As if we hadn't had ENOUGH food, they served us supper!! It was a great trip, I recommend anyone who is on rural electric to look into going next year.

 

For me, I was happy to get home and find all was well and I'm ready to stay put for awhile, I'm not much of a traveler. Bruce had hay to bale and beans to walk, I'll try to appear busy when he comes in.