"I have come to believe that the people in western North Dakota, especially my relatives, don’t believe there is really drought out there. It is those of us who visit that part of our state who are shocked to see the rolling hills so brown with flat and stunted prairie grass.
For example, recently my relatives were having a big birthday party for my cousin-brother, Sidney. I haven’t seen the family since November, when we got the first snowfall. I don’t like driving on winter roads.
When my daughter, Karen, and I left Grand Forks early Saturday morning, I glanced in the rear-view mirror and the sun looked like a fiery red ball sitting on the rim of the horizon. I knew North Dakota was in for some good melting.
Eastern North Dakota, that is — because the snow-covered fields and banks of deep snow got thinner and thinner as we moved west. Right before Minot, the snow seemed to disappear. And by the time we made that familiar turn west off of U.S. Highway 83 toward White Shield, N.D., there was no snow at all. It looked like late August.
I could see how dry the area was, and the heat of summer hadn’t even started yet. My family is going to be surrounded by dust devils, and they’ll be breathing gritty wind."
Get the Story:Dorreen Yellow Bird: Western N.D. has oil, needs water (The Grand Forks Herald 3/19)
pwpwd More Dorreen Yellow Bird:
Yellow Bird: Grandchildren are the greatest gift (3/17)
Yellow Bird: UND powwow survives budget woes (3/10)
Yellow Bird: Stereotypes and Hillary Clinton (3/5)
Yellow Bird: Celebrating 125 years of UND history (3/3)
Yellow Bird: High hopes for Indian health bill (2/28)
Yellow Bird: More Plains foods that are good for you (2/25)
Yellow Bird: Chokecherries, the wonder fruit (2/20)
Yellow Bird: Sadness on a trip to Standing Rock (2/18)
Yellow Bird: It's time for a change in music (2/11)
Yellow Bird: 'Sioux' drives Indian students away (2/7)
Yellow Bird: Another cold January in North Dakota (1/30)
Yellow Bird: Tribal casinos should be alcohol free (1/28)
Yellow Bird: Race and gender in presidential race (1/23)
Yellow Bird: Barack Obama is my choice for 2008 (1/16)
Yellow Bird: Artman right on off-reservation gaming (1/9)
Yellow Bird: Barack Obama's big win in Iowa (1/7)
