Black Hills Bagels Blog

“The Committee” held it’s monthly meeting Tuesday night. The Committee was formed nearly 22 years ago. I am a founding member – actually we are all founding members. It remains my favorite and most worthwhile committee. The meetings are generally 3 hours and usually over dinner. The food and beverages are always beyond gourmet. Ask Joan Martin for her Lemon Drop Martini recipe! The meetings are filled with the hot topics of the day. Sometimes we break into small two or three person groups but most of the discussion is while we are all gathered around a table enjoying the food and the evening. Everyone participates in the discussion and all views are acknowledged and appreciated . We’re like a high profile, PHD level Think Tank – except we are low profile and no one has a PHD. I think someone in our group has a Masters but I could be wrong.
The discussion always includes our family, work and community events and functions in which we are involved. A big portion of our meeting involves politics – local and national. The Committee members are well read, attend many meetings and forums and interact personally and professionally with all levels of government. (Okay…none of us personally knows the current President. ) Tuesday night’s political discussion centered around Rapid City Council and Mayor. We discussed the pros and cons of various decisions including the Downtown Destination DID, billboard moratorium and even council junkets. We made decisions and solved most problems including whether to buy a Kendall or a book! Julie Annicchiarico gives kudos to the library when it comes to downloading books for the computer. We set the date and place for our next meeting and were adjourned by 9:30. Perhaps families could take a que from The Committee…or maybe The Committee took a que from our own families growing up. I would love to hear from you –
debra

I really mean it — I hope you are having a wonderful and Blessed Easter with family and friends. We are closed today. one of four Holidays we are closed – we are open 361 days a year . I slept in till 5a.m. this morning. Jack and I went to Mass – it was practically standing room only and in a few minutes we head to a sister’s house for a big family dinner. This Easter our Niece Cydni and her friend Jericho are visiting from college. Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter Minnesota is a relatively small private college about 10 or so miles from Mankota. Cheryl and Cheree (twins) are making prime rib for dinner — should be interesting. The trick is time and temp. I’ll let you know how they do. I’ll take some good wine and great coffee just to be on the safe side.
debra

I stole that word from Jill Swank. She works at Noah’s Ark Vet Clinic on Mt. Rushmore Road. Jill is a long time actress. She and her husband were the execs at the Black Hills Playhouse for many years. Anyway, Jill is also a comic writer. At least her emails always make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud. Oh, she is also the Secretary for the Mount Rushmore Road Group so we converse through the internet often. Anyway, today was the day for taking down the Wilson Park Christmas Lights. I know, I know…but this was the day we got around to it. Jill calls it the delighting. She, Rose Stewart, Mary Roth and Sue Knutson were all on the committee. Hope you thought Wilson Park looked grand this year. First ever lighting. The committee promises even bigger things next year. Somehow it’s always a lot more fun to put up the lights than take them down. Thank goodness for six wonderful people today. We got them down in an hour and they are safely stored away thanks to Lisa Modrick’s garage. But as I’m thinking about todays delighting I am thinking next year we need to take them down in january (on a nice day ofcourse) and make it a really fun time – perhaps some hot chocolate, maybe a skating party. If you have any ideas let me know and I willl pass them on to the committee. Because quite frankly none of us enjoyed taking the lights down – but we had a ball putting them up.
debra

I wonder if I am the only one who does not like Daylight Savings Time. Yes, ofcourse it’s great in the summer when it’s still light outside at 9 oclock. But these first several weeks – till about May are torture for those of us who have to be to work at 4 or 5 a.m. It means we’re getting up IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! Right now it’s 6:45 am and pitch black – no sign of sunrise. Fortunately for me I have the day off to adjust. Larry, our baker who is even more reliable than the postman (remember through rain, sleet, snow or dark of night?) is always there early. He doesn’t mind the change in time. What a great guy! He is underpaid. Somebody needs to give him a raise.
debra

I have not watched the Oscars in several years…however, Jack and I were invited (actually we invited ourselves ) to Greg and Pam Hansen’s house. They have a huge HD tv! We dont! Anyway we had a fabulous meal and watched and commented on the outfits, the hair, and ofcourse the acceptance speeches. I discovered I am not as out of touch as I thought. I know and enjoy Sandra Bullock movies and have always liked Jeff Bridges. I like him even more after seeing him in “Crazy Heart”. Any musician who has been on the road can relate to that movie. As Jack and I watched the movie we smiled to ourselves and glanced at one another during the movie. You see Jack is a musician, has travelled with bands and by himself since he was 15. In the 60′s and 70′s teenage bands could play in bars. You know that song, “Mama don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys” should be changed to musicians! It’s a tough life on the road whether you travel in a 1978 broken down pickup truck or a Prevost motorhome.
Fortunately for me and for Jack he completely turned his life around a year before he met me. And most of his musician friends that are still alive did the same – Jack still travels but instead of reaching for “A little help from his friends” he reaches for a higher power. And a caffeine free diet coke!
“Crazy Heart” focuses on the life of a musician but really it’s about Agony and Ecstacy and inner struggle. Too many of us succumb but Jeff Bridges character and Jack have overcome.
Go see the movie and tell me what you think?
Debra

Why do we put off doing something that is fun just because it’s a hassle getting ready. For the first time THIS Year Jack and I forced ourselves to pull the skis down from the rafters in the garage, squeeze into our ski outfits (his is 20 years old and mine is nearly 25 years old) and hit the slopes. We both love to ski but getting ready is such a hassle…until we actually get on the lift, look out over our beautiful black hills and see 50 miles of trees and snow and incredible blue skies! Yesterday (2/26) we went skiing at Terry Peak. The weekday is great because there are not too many people there but a few (our age of course) that were doing the same thing. I would name names but I don’t know whether they were playing hookey from work! Okay…I will….The Scheers. The great thing is that 50 and 60 year olds are still enjoying one of the greatest sports there is. (Certainly the best winter time sport). True Jack had knee braces on both legs and had to keep his bib (I told you they were old) ski pants partially unzipped. I didn’t dare fall because I don’t think I would have been able to get up again. We didn’t take any moguls but we did take a couple of black diamonds. We skiied for about 3 hours straight with NO wind and amazing South Dakota sun softening the snow just enough to slow my turns just the way I like them. I am all about form and Jack is all about speed. I told him if he would plant his poles he could parallel. His comment was “I don’t want to have to plant my poles every time!”. Oh well, we have a great time skiing together–he waits for me at the bottom of the slope and we talk with and to each other for the 6 minutes it takes to get to the top!
Love and it and hopefully we will do it again this week–now that we have our gear together. I don’t know what we’re going to do about ski clothes though – this weight thing is becoming a problem!
debra
p.s. I have been skiing for nearly 40 years – I learned in the days of poma lifts and binding straps.

80 years old! Wilson Elementary School recently celebrated it’s 80th birthday. The brick school next to Wilson Park on Mount Rushmore Road has a playground that may need some attention. A decade or so the parents planted grass and flowers and picnic tables for all to enjoy. But like so many things time passes, parents move on as their kids move up and one day no one is paying attention. Until a week ago when the school administration decided to just gravel over everything for mainteannce and cost concerns.
Last night a small meeting was held to discuss what to do. Representatives from teachers, school board, parents, PTA, historic, West Blvd, Mount Rushmore road etc were there. Through it all we discovered that Wilson Park may be on the “chopping” block within the next five years. I went to school in a four room, eight grade school. Black Hawk Elementary had four teachers! Except for the farm/ranch kids we all walked to school. Schools help define a neighborhood and give a sense of community. This is a big “heads up” for the surrounding community. On a more immediate scale, let’s restore the sweet park like setting to the playground!
debra

At Black Hills Bagels we know how to celebrate. Come in and show us your beads for 1/2 price lattes. Our Bourbon Street Bread Pudding is just $0.99 today only!!!

We can’t wait to see you!
-Heather and Bethany

Well sort of.  You may know by now we do our heart shaed strrawberry and cherry bagels in a long stem rose box and we call it a bagel bouquet for Valentines Day.  It’s a lot of fun and a lot of work.  All of the bagels have to be hand formed into hearts.  Norm is our Mixer.  he is a great guy!!! Actually a great human being.  I don’t know if he wants it told but he is a few years from retirement.  He is an engineer (I think) by education and worked for a long time with Caterpillar.  Now he putzes around our kitchen –let me explain. His lovely wife Linda has a full time job and Norm doesnt want to take care of the two dogs and three cats all day so he he works around 40 hours a week here.  He mixes all of our bagels from scratch. Anyway this time of year he makes HUNDREDS of heart shaped bagels.  It’s Saturday and he is making a few hundred more and well — let me say he is not feeling like Cupid today.  Hopefully he and Linda will have a great Valentines later. Watch the roads this morning.  They are a little dicey outside of Rapid City.  Ohhh…last night my Mom, her long time friend and my sis all went to It’s Complicated at the Elks last night.  It’s rated R but very cute.

debra

I know everyone is thinking about the Super Bowl today and normally I am too.  I am just not that interested this year.  I guess if Pepsi isn’t going to advertise it’s not worth watching!  I have actually been thinking about San Francisco.  A couple of weeks ago Penny and her daughter Lauren were at the Fancy Food Show and in the next day or so you’ll see some great pix from there!

debra