We visited the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kansas.  This is a new interpretative museum that tells about the Flint Hills region: the history and geology, the grasses and wildflowers, the animals and inhabitants.

The Unity Village Fountains

Thursday April 5, 2012:  It was a beautiful afternoon at Unity Village for the spring event of turning on the fountains.  A group gathered near the bridge, and we were served sparkling cider.

Sitting in a Chair in the Sky

The picture doesn't do it justice, but this is why I like to get a window seat when I fly.  This is the Grand Canyon in early morning,  and the slanted rays of the sun brought out the stripes of color. The canyons were a deep blue violet color, and the red and yellow rock appeared to be floating in a surreal sea.


Someone, I can't remember his name right now, said about air travel something like this:  You ought not to complain about the inconveniences of flying.  Hey, you're sitting in a chair in the sky!

Keep Gate Closed

Tribute to John Denver

You fill up my senses...
What a powerful beginning for a love song.


John Denver has been a favorite of mine.  His luminous lyrics expressed his love for the mountains, of nature.  How fitting it is that he is memorialized at his beloved Aspen, Colorado, in a grouping of stones by the mountain river.

Visitors pause to read the song lyrics on the stones, and perhaps they sing softly.

Thanksgiving Visitors

We enjoyed a visit from Debbie and Jeff a few days before Thanksgiving.  We had a great visit.

Then on Thanksgiving Day, Cindy, John, Liam, and Miles came to visit.  Instead of going shopping the day after Thanksgiving, we did something much better.  We visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and later went to see a great movie, "Hugo."

The Climbing Kenny Men

We drove our Thanksgiving visitors up the wall.  Literally.  The Kenny men scaled the rock wall at the community center.
John went up first:

Miles ascended the wall:

Liam reached the top and rang the bell: