It is four in the morning of January 30th…

dan Cheyenne River Writings, Dan's Writings 58 Comments

… By Five o’clock I intend to close this computer and not open it again until the 8th of February. Jill and I are going on the first real vacation we have had in twelve years.  We travel separately quite a bit: I’m off doing a reading or teaching or looking at parts of the Great Plains for a book, Jill is cooking somewhere. We travel together too, but it has always been in conjunction with some event, some sort of work. This time it is a real vacation, just the two of us. We are off to a place that both of us have always wanted to see – Costa Rica.

The other thing that needs to be said is that we got married two nights ago. We have been living in sin for over a decade, but it was not so much a sin of commission as it was a sin of omission. We literarily were never able to find the time – or the right time – to do the deed. Over a year ago we let it be known among our families that we were going to get married. My brothers claim that it was a ploy to extort wedding presents from them – which we did and we are still enjoying them. It just took a little time to pull the trigger.

We were shocked and disappointed to learn that Pennington County, SD does not have Justices of the Peace. Somehow we had hoped for a kindhearted old man to marry us in this parlor with his lovely wife looking on as the witness. Not going to happen in Pennington County, SD. But it turned out even better. We finally got ourselves organized enough to meet at the court house to buy the marriage license. We got all those papers signed just in time to race to the Rapid City Public Library. The director of the library was a little shocked at our request but rallied nicely to dissuade us from getting married among the stacks. (Jill had lobbied for the Non-fiction section) She led us to a lovely reading room where one of our favorite sculptures by a good friend commanded the solarium windows. Jill’s daughter, Jilian was the Maid of Honor and Lucas, Jill’s son, was the best man. The presiding official was the newly appointed lay-minister from the Unitarian Universalist Church. She was perfect and confided that, “This is my first marriage ceremony,” she shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “For a two sex couple, that is.”

It only took a few minutes but in those few minutes all of us were reduced to serious tears. It was the best wedding I have ever seen. We went to dinner where I had Coco Vin and too much to drink. And now, in addition to a new layer of life, we are embarking on a trip to Costa Rica.

All last week the weather was excellent for a South Dakota January. The high temperatures reached the low sixties and I have to admit that I was saddened to think that we would have to leave a beautiful false spring to travel to Central America. After all, one of the great pleasures of such a trip is to leave all your friends in the jaws of a fierce winter. Moving around the ranch, preparing for the trip, in those “short sleeve days” was a little disheartening but last night the temperature plunged and the prediction is for several days of sub-zero weather. If the plane flies it will be a perfect escape.

And we can turn our full attention to Costa Rica. Last night I turned everything over to Gervase, Erney, and Justin. Jill and I have vowed, in addition to loving each other eternally, to truly leave the ranch and business and the politics of the world and the Great Plains behind. I’m going to try hard not to worry about any of that. (I’m not going to even think about what is happening in Egypt.) Already I am turning my attention to a country with no standing army and an amazing 5% of the world’s biodiversity. I swear that it is going to be a real vacation but already I’m trying to figure out how a country can have 25% of its land in National Parks – trying to understand how that works, what it might mean to the countries people and wildlife and food and contentment.

Comments 58

  1. Chris

    Congrats on the nuptials! Have fun in Costa Rica. We just returned from 8 days in Panama, and it was absolutely fantastic. The best part was no phone, email, internet, news, ANY of that for the entire time. I could really get used to that. . . .

  4. James

    Hey I’ve been intermittently following you guys since reading Buffalo for the Broken Heart a few years back and loving it. (I’ve been meaning to get out for a visit too but that’s another story.) Anyway, congratulations and best wishes!! Hope you’re enjoying Costa Rica. James

  12. mayfield mccloud

    Con-Grads. Hope you have a beautiful time, (take lots of pics)Love your books Dan, and your cooking ideas Jill…Thanks for a great website. But why, Costa Rica? From New Mexico,,,,Yee Ha..McCloud

  18. Teresa

    Congratulations Jill and Dan. Fantastic news, wish you a lifetime of happiness and a wonderful vacation/honeymoon!!! Have fun and enjoy your time away just the two of you. Love you both!!!

  19. Carol Johnson

    Congratulations Jill and Dan from Jack and Carol in New Jersey. We are up to our eyeballs in snow and ice here, so I can’t imagine how much bad weather you are missing in South Dakota. Enjoy Costa Rico!!!

  22. Dale Applequist

    Congratulations Dan and Jill. Costa Rica is on my bucket list…please give a critique upon your return. Dan you may remember me from our pheasant hunts with Hurrelbrink and Hust in Kimball,SD. Joyce and I spend much of the summer just down sprng creek road from you at Hart Ranch. Hope to see you both this summer.

  24. Ken Kasweck

    You guys were a lock from the time Jills daughter thought baby Coyotes would be great baby bufffalo recyclers! All the best.
    Ken
    If you like Costa, you’ll love Panama. Hope to see you down that way sometime!

  26. Bill Earls

    Jill (whom I don’t know) and Dan (whom I haven’t seen in too-many years; since the USD writers’ reunion),
    I wish you both the best. As a long-married guy – 45 years – I think matrimony has its good points; I hope you hit them all.

  27. Richard Voorhees

    Congratulation on the joining! For Costa Rican national parks see Sterling Evans, The Green Republic. Also: Alexander Skutch, A Naturalist in Costa Rica. His preserve is just south of San Isidro de General–Los Cusingos Bird Sanctuary.

  28. Julie and Greg

    Congratulations! We wish you both the best. Have a trip of a lifetime. I am married to a rancher too, and I know how hard it is to get them away without taking their worries with them.

  29. Gloria Shobe

    First off-CONGRATULATIONS!!Whoopee, Yahoo, Yeehah…. We’re looking out onto a fairyland of frosted trees and a balmy -8 SD morning, as we read this joyful news. We know you’re rushing to repack and get back here- as Costa Rica just cannot not compare!? Best wishes, keep warm and try to have a good time 🙂
    Glo and Frank

  30. karen (hirsimaki) filter

    Dan and Jill… CONGRATULATIONS! I hope you had a great trip to the “black sand” country (presuming your plane got out and hence; see this when you’re back. Yeehaw! -35 wind chill in CO last night, so gloat if you like….

  31. Peg Seljeskog

    CONGRATULATIONS! I think we all can use good news on any given day and this is truly heart warming news.

    Now you feel no rain
    for each of you will be shelter to the other.
    Now you will feel no cold
    for each of you will be warmth to the other.
    Now there will be no loneliness for you.

    Now you are two persons,
    but there is only one life before you.
    Go now to your dwelling place,
    to enter into the days of your togetherness.

    And may your days be good and long together.
    – Native American wedding blessing –

  32. danielle breton

    Felicitations, je me rejouis de la perennité de ce ranch de bisons, et espere pouvoir lire encore des livres de Dan…
    A propos, à votre repas de mariage, avez vous mangé du “coco vin” ou bien du “coq au vin”?
    Amitiés à tous les deux d’une française….

  34. Sue Jorgensen

    FANTASTIC. Congratulations, I am so happy for you guys. You deserve the best and you got it. I hope you are having a wonderful honeymoon and not thinking of anything in SD!

  35. Charlie & Judie Maxfield

    Many good wishes to you both on your new “adventure.” Enjoy each and every moment!! Can’t wait to see you in SD, perhaps this year? Blessings,
    Judie & Charlie

  39. Jean-Claude Beauchemin

    Bonjour du Québec!
    À mon tour d’ajouter mes félicitations pour cette sortie de “la vie dans le péché”!!! Ma femme et moi suivons vos expériences avec grand intérêt et admiration. Peut-être aurons-nous la chance d’arrêter visiter le ranch et vous saluer l’automne prochain. Mais simplement connaître votre existence et vos réalisations nous rend un peu plus heureux. Encore bravo!
    Jean-Claude B. Rouyn-Noranda, Québec

  48. Bobby F.

    Congratulations…Na Ke Akua Ho’omaika’i ‘oe me ke Aloha me Ka Hau’oli! (May God Bless you with Love & Happiness) Of course…we know that’s already happened can’t wati to hear about your trip…Aloha nui loa
    Bobby F

  51. Claude and Dom Ottavi

    Tous nos voeux de bonheur vous accompagnent !
    Longue vie à vous deux.
    Revenez vite ; nous aimons tellement vous imaginer dans votre ranch.
    A bientôt ….

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  55. Tammy Middaugh

    Congratulations to you two, as a newlywed the second time around I can assure you there will be much happiness and appreciation of your partner.
    I am a North Dakotan who is extremely saddened by the Wilder Ranch in South Dakota problems. I would like any insight that you could provide and assistance to help remedy the problems. Please comment on return from your vacation.

  58. Mary McManigle

    Woo Hoo!! Just read your blog. What a delightful story of your unconventional union. I hope your time in Costa Rica was bliss; we must get together again and have many more laughs over some great bottles of wine.

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