an evening with little league.

a kid can learn so much in one game.

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behind the scenes of a play rehearsal.

These images are © 2010 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

holding on to his dream.

I followed bareback rider Scott Montague a few times two weeks ago. Montague has participated in several rodeo circuits over the past 15 years. Today he is beginning to settle down. While Montague still rides bareback broncs he has found other interests in life, including his family and fencing business.

These images are © 2010 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

in search of a natural economy

Dawn Hancy looks to the future while running her farm in Vershire, Vt. She does not use heavy machinery or other tools to make the chores easier. Instead, Hancy prefers to slow down the process, making her land as sustainable as possible for the community. Following the theories of permaculture, Hancy has spent nearly a decade developing her own, unique lifestyle to support her family, the community and future communities.

i did this story for the Valley News. It was published last month.

These images are © 2010 Valley News and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

seriously. i don't think i can get sick of this stuff.

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yet another rodeo post. i think i have myself a beat.

These images are © 2010 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

National Masters swimming champion Beth Eldridgeovercame a brain tumor to win three gold medals and a silver medal at the 2010 Short Course National Championships in Atlanta in May. Eldridge, although healthy now, suffered two brain tumors in the past four years. She first noticed the tumors in 2006 after blacking out on the final lap of the 100 meter butterfly competition at the national championships in Coral Springs, Fla. Eldridge still competed while undergoing treatment. "Competition really helped me," Eldridge said. "For me it was normal to go to swim practice. Swimming kept my mind off the treatment."

After Eldridge was diagnosed with her 2nd brain tumor, her swim team at Warrensburg High School in Warrensburg, Mo., held a secret fundraiser selling turquoise bracelets. The money helped fund Eldridge's first trip to Johns Hopkins University to see a neurological specialist. At the end of the school year, the swimmers presented Eldridge with two bracelets (one for her husband, Bill, and one for herself). Underneath the bracelets was a check to help Eldridge with travel expenses to Johns Hopkins University. "It is by far the coolest thing anyone has ever done for me," Eldridge said. "The gesture renewed my determination. I told my husband that night that I was going to do everything I could to make sure those girls took the bracelets off their wrists because I was healthy and not because something bad happened to me."

These images are © 2010 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

stars & stripes on july 4th.

These images are © 2010 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

rock on!

Kelsey Vrooman, left, shows her daughter, Tiana, center, a garnet at the Western Dakota Gem & Mineral Society Show at the Civic Center in Rapid City. Kelsey Vrooman has collected rocks for several years, while Tiana's interest is just starting.

This image is © 2010 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

rodeo. sunset setting.

These images are © 2010 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.