Category Archives: bookstore management

Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk and THE FALLS Park

Posted on by
3

Sioux Falls is highly underrated. If this city wore a t-shirt, it would say “Go by, mad world.” Laid back and getting on with itself, this place.

So Jack and I took it easy and slow. We idled along the sculpture walk and went to the Falls in daylight and at dusk, took in a farmer’s market, and ambled contentedly through the day.

Surrounded by Pokemon hunters. :] In the hotel, at the Falls, along the sculptures (which according to the hunters each had a critter). Pop over to my FB page to see an evening video of a group we came upon as we walked back to the hotel. I swear, it’s more fun to watch the hunters than hunt the creatures.

The sculpture walk has been going for about 13 years, and every year they have a people’s choice and a best of show. Jack and I voted in the people’s choice this year. The girl in the reading ring was a people’s choice from 2009. All the previous people’s choices are on display in permanent places. It’s really a gorgeous morning, wandering up and down the main and side streets taking them in.

Here are the photos we took in Sioux Falls at the Walk and at the Falls. It is lovely city and we’ve had a restful time.

sf1 sf2 sf3 sf4 sf5 sf6 sf7 sf8  sf10 sf11 sf12 sf13 sf14

I loved this one. If you've got curves, flaunt them like the sexy beast you are, and screw the media.

I loved this one. If you’ve got curves, flaunt them like the sexy beast you are, and screw the media.

At the library. Please note cat :]

At the library. Please note cat :]

The Pork Chopper, aka When Pigs Fly. One of my favorite quotes!

The Pork Chopper, aka When Pigs Fly. One of my favorite quotes!

Jack really liked this one, but I found it inaccessible, since it lacked an interpretive plaque.

Jack really liked this one, but I found it inaccessible, since it lacked an interpretive plaque.

AND THEN WE WENT TO THE FALLS. GLORIOUS!

Sioux Falls 093

 

Sioux Falls 096

 

Sioux Falls 108

Sioux Falls 109

You can just see the train starting across the tracks above the Falls in this one.

Sioux Falls 110

 

Sioux Falls 111

 

They light the Falls at night. It is unspeakably beautiful.Sioux Falls 117

 

Sioux Falls 119

 

Sioux Falls 121

 

Sioux Falls 125

 

Sioux Falls 127

 

 

Sioux Falls 129

 

St Joseph’s Cathedral across the river.

Sioux Falls 131Some people kayaked by as we were walking back to the hotel along the river. They were pokemon hunting and pulled over a couple of times to photo or race up the bank while the other one held the kayaks. Hysterical.

Sioux Falls 135

A peaceful ending to a happy day.

Sioux Falls 144

The Shelves his Dad Built

Posted on by
3

birch shelfSince our bookstore is in a 113-year-old house that has been a) a doctor’s office b) a boarding house c) a funeral parlor (yes, really) and d) a private home before it became e) The Little Bookstore of Big Stone, we’re used to people coming in and saying “Oh, my room was here,” or “I remember Dr. Taylor’s son” etc.

But the other day a nice couple came in for browse-and-lunch, and the husband’s eyes fell on a set of shelves we’ve had about five years, donated by someone at some point. He touched the shelves with a strange look on his face before going up to eat.

When they came back down, the guy went straight for the shelves, which hold local writers and Appalachian Fiction. He wasn’t looking at the books but touching the shelves. Nay, stroking them. There is no other word for it, like an animal lover pets a cat, he was patting the shelves.

He asked, not taking his eye from the wood, “Where’d you get these?”

I wasn’t sure, but told him all the shelves that weren’t handmade by my husband had been either donated by the local preschool director when she retired, given us by other friends, or bought in yard sales.

“These are from HeadStart,” he said. “My dad made them.” He then launched into his story: back when HeadStart was the program du jour to “save Appalachia from itself” money poured in. This man’s father, a carpenter by trade, had been given $100K to make furniture for all the local HeadStarts, to specifications required for small children. (Believe me, as a chair caner, I’ve sold a lot of antique chairs to preschool programs because they have lower seats than modern chairs.)

“He made them out of birch,” the gentleman continued, a smile made of memory on his face as he stroked the wood. “You don’t see that nowadays, shelves made out of particle board and crap. This is real craftsmanship. I’m glad to see they’re still being used. Ain’t seen any in a long time.”

There’s something so sweet about a house full of stories sliding around in time.

a close-up of the wood (plus kitten)

a close-up of the wood (plus kitten)

 

I always knew our books were portals for people to enter other worlds, but it’s great to know our furniture is, too.