… 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.
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. . . .
Congratulations Dan and Jill Esther and I wish you the best
Bob
Congratulations Jill and Dan!!!! I hope your journey to Costa Rica will be full of fun and happy surprises.
Love,
Ruth and Brian
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
Congratulations! Have a great time in what sounds like a fantastic country!
Congratulation on your marriage
You did it right!! All the best always,
much love, Fee & Jerry
Yee Haw!
We wish you many more years of happiness & love!
Kathy & Bill
Congratulations…you’re married! It’s not a vaction, it’s a honeymoon! Enjoy.
Congratulations! Have a wonderful time in Costa Rica.
Congrats Jill and Dan!! Enjoy Costa Rica and relax! Everything will be there when you get back.
Graham & Sharon
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
My Sincere Congratulations and Best Wishes for a long life of love and happiness.
Lan
Congratulations! Looks good on you. Wishing you happiness and health.
Well, heck, I celebrated your happiness by ordering some bison….
Congratulations! Good timing to get out of S.D.! Be warm and happy!
Courtney
Congratulations! I hope you have a lovely trip. Wish I was going to Costa Rica, too!
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!!!
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!!!
Congratulations and all the best!
Les deseo todo lo mejor! You will love Costa Rica. The zip lines through the rainforest are awesome, as are the volcanoes.
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.
Awesome! Congratulations and wishing you the very best forever.
Paul
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!
What great good news! Wish you could swing by Baja on your way home from Costa Rica. But we’ll have a beach toast to you this week, and hug you properly when we get back in May! CONGRATULATIONS!!
Jon and Gail
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.
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.
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.
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
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….
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 -
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….
Congratulations!!! Enjoy the time created for just the two of you.
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!
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
So glad to hear that HAPPY finally curled up, nestled in and made a permanent home between you two!!!
Couldn’t have found a better place.
That Is the best news yet! Congratulations!!! Love you both & wish you all of the happiness, good health & peace possible. You be warm & sunny now!
Congratulations for your wedding , enjoy it a long long time and ever,
and thanks for what you are doing in your ranch for mother-nature,
and your writings.
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
Congratulations Dan & Jill!!!!!!
It is good to be married.
Ken
Best wishes. Miss seeing you on the Dec. Pheasant hunt.
Very best wishes to you both always and continue to enjoy life and each other! Commitment, God Bless You , Cynthia
Congratulations! So happy for you both. Hope your having a great honeymoon!!
Love, Susan
I’ve been hoping you guys would get married someday and I am sooo happy for you! Hope to see you again someday!
What a “Wild Idea” getting married. Congratulations! When and where is the reception? So happy for you. Ann and Gene
Happy Happy!
Congratulations! Wishing you the best!
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
Congratulations. great shot of the library and you both look great.
Francie and Allan
I love you guys so much…
CONGRATSSSSSS!
Tous nos voeux de bonheur vous accompagnent !
Longue vie à vous deux.
Revenez vite ; nous aimons tellement vous imaginer dans votre ranch.
A bientôt ….
Finally you did it ! Congrats guyz ! Wish you luck and love and happiness, all sorts of sweet things that we’re some to think you both deserve. Loads of love from Paris, France…
Aha, I see why you are posting on twitter once again. Nowadays, seems that I vote for living in sin, Howsomever, Congratulations and best wishes.
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.
Par-ty! Part-y! Part-y! This calls for a celebration! We can host
Finally getting to emails. What a nice surprise. Congratulations. IT’s JUST A PIECE OF ALWAYS!
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.