Little House Travels: Home Office in Brookings, SD

Look at those prairie grasses. 

Meet the Nissan I named Prince and Lady after Almanzo’s team of prized Morgan horses. Laura admired the team when they first met and he drove them while they were courting.

Playing cricket. Was it 20/20?

When I wrapped my judging duties up in Bismarck, it was time to start my Little House journey to South Dakota! But first I had to get there. I had a long commute across North Dakota and marveled at the landscape - farmland as far as the eye could see. And so many license plates - I think I covered a majority of the license plate game on I-94 from Bismarck to Fargo alone. I debated stopping in Fargo, but hadn't done any research on what I could do there on a Sunday afternoon. It was hot and dusty. 

I swung south. 

Dave helpfully booked me at the Holiday Inn not far from South Dakota State University, right on Highway 14/Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Highway, and I checked in around 4:30. I wanted to go out to eat, but there were leftovers from The Walrus to eat, you can’t let rib eye that had been refrigerating on the floorboards under the air conditioner go to waste. 

I love a bargain - $5!

Once I rested a bit, I wanted to go explore. But to where, and to do what on a Sunday evening? I found a Goodwill open, I had to try my luck. And did I score - a South Dakota State University Jackrabbits t-shirt and a swingy black dress. I resisted afghan rescue. I needed to resist buying too much, I had to get it all home somehow. 

Now that universities and higher education are my industry, I had to go run around campus and see what needed to be seen. I saw international students playing cricket in the quad, found the athletic facilities, and witnessed a lot of people wandering around with monster ice cream cones.   

It was meant to be. 

While driving, I stumbled upon a couple of little free libraries. Would I luck out and find Farmer Boy? I would not. But I did get Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! I also discovered a kid on a skateboard, wondering out loud what I was doing. Free books my man! He couldn’t believe it and looked through the stack and finding nothing, skated away. 

As I was driving around, I crossed the train tracks over and over again. At one time, I scowled to the east, knowing this was the line that figured prominently in The Long Winter. I muttered something about eating brown bread in solidarity, and that’s when Eating with the Ingalls became an inspiration. Where to start and what to do? Off to the Hy-Vee I went.

You’d think being thisclose to Laura’s stomping grounds that some sort of cottage industry would have popped up surrounding All Things Laura, and vanity cakes would be a staple in the local supermarket bakery. NO. So I shopped for an alternative in donut holes. 

Minnesota adventure awaits.