By Spokesfield
The mere fact that one could look as far as the eye could reach in every direction for miles and miles and know that there was no habitation beyond, especially when the terrible prairie fires or fierce blizzards were raging‑ left a strange feeling and a peculiar fascination akin to the courting of danger which will never again be felt or realized by anyone.
Mirages, rainbows, northern lights, sundogs, and halos were some of the beautiful sights we often witnessed.
The mirage is an optical effect sometimes seen on the ocean but more often on land, especially in desert regions, and is due to total reflection of light at the surface common to two currents or air differently heated.
The reflected image is commonly seen in an inverted position while the real object may or may not be visible. When the surface is horizontal and below, the appearance is that of a sheet of water in which the object is seen reflected. When the reflected surface is above the eye the object is seen reflected against the sky. From our old farm near Cathay I have often seen the Coteaus south of Heaton, and Bowdon came up in one of these mirages so they appeared only a mile or so away, although they were about 15 miles distant. At other times I have seen the towns of Carrington, New Rockford, and Sheyenne reflected so that we could actually distinguish different buildings in the towns and even see smoke coming out of the chimneys. New Rockford especially often appeared clear and distinct and not far distant.
The hills along the Sheyenne River in the northeast corner of the county seemed to appear bold and clear and beyond these hills Sheyenne appeared at the horizon. This strange phenomenon was usually seen on a clear and frosty morning before nine o'clock when the weather had suddenly moderated from extreme cold to the beginning of a bright warm day. In the summer one would often pass over a small hill or ridge when driving and see what appeared to be a lake at a distance of a mile or so but which would later suddenly disappear and on reaching the spot he would find it absolutely bone‑dry.
We saw the most beautiful rainbows in Wells County in the early days. The rainbow is caused by refraction and reflection of the sun's rays on drops of falling rain. The density of the green fields and the prairies blended with the hues of the sky so that every prismatic color and tinge was brought out in its most beautiful manner and with the Coteaus for a background made a most beautiful sight.
Sun‑dogs were usually indicative of extreme cold weather, while halos around the sun or moon were apt to warn of approaching storms.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 130