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:

Visiting the Farmstead

Herb and I had a great visit with our e-friend, Rhonda, in Homer, Alaska.  There's a wonderful view from the porch: the mountains across Kachemak Bay.  We met the dogs, Rocket Boy and Gwennie.

Photo below:  We also got acquainted with the geese, Baxter and Harry.  Baxter, closest to the camera, was the more sociable of the two.  Harry has suffered some unfortunate experiences from predatory animals and is understandably more cautious.

He's a Lumberjack and That's Okay

The Lumberjack Show at the Alaska State Fair was great!  We watched competition involving axes and saws, also balancing on a log, and a whole lot of clowning around.  It was fun, and we had a great time laughing and going "Yay" and "Boo" despite a chilly wind.

Below:  The guy in the black shirt really got soaked doing this.

Reindeer Kisses

The reindeer knows that my small yellow cup contains delicious reindeer food.  The next picture shows my hand with reindeer kisses on it.

Cooper Landing

It was raining when we stayed at Cooper Landing on the Kenai River in Alaska.  But still we took in the beauty of the tall green mountains and the aqua color of the Kenai River.  We stayed at Stevenson's Retreat, a beautiful bed-and-breakfast hidden away in the forest.

Kenai Fjords National Park

It is difficult to describe the size of the glacier.  This picture was taken from about 1/4 mile away, and it looked massive.  We watched it "calf"--hunks of ice fell into the sea, with a sound like thunder.  Its chill could be felt for some distance.

Fireweed in Bloom

Late August:  On Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, fireweed grows as tall or taller than I am, and it's in bloom.  It begins to bloom at the bottom of the stalk and works upward.  When the flowers reach the top and quit blooming, summer is over.  Then leaves will take on their fall color--bright red.

Homer, Alaska

Fishing boats in Kachemak Bay, as seen from Homer, Alaska--The end of the road, the cosmic hamlet by the sea.  Homer has a lot to offer: beautiful scenery, excellent seafood, an art community, friendly dogs, bald eagles, veggie-friendly cafes, and much more.

Turnagain Arm

The road to the Kenai Peninsula follows the shore of the estuary,Turnagain Arm.  Thin sunlight brightens the water a bit, but low clouds lurk at the base of the Chugach Mountains and the glaciers.

Going to Alaska to see the Broccoli

August 25:  Summer is almost over in Palmer, Alaska, but the flowers are blooming like crazy.  They must love the long daylight and cool summer.  Vegetables grow very well here, and sometimes grow quite large.  We haven't seen a moose or a bear yet, but we saw something we didn't expect to see in Alaska: broccoli.

Snow City Cafe

August 24:  We began this morning with a delicious breakfast at the Snow City Cafe in downtown Anchorage.  This place was highly recommended by Debbie, and it was great!  Beautiful artwork inside.  We both had veggie omelet, yogurt with fresh fruit, and multi grain toast.  Good service, friendly people.  That's Herb in the blue jacket.  Temperature: 52 degrees.

Sunday Morning on the Trail

I saw this little guy while out for an early morning walk.  Looks like the turtle had come up out of the muddy banks of the Little Blue.  A bicycle rider had just sped past, which gave him a bit of a fright, and then here I came with my camera...


I can relate to pulling in one's legs and head to hunker down for a while.  I do much the same when Jehovah's Witnesses are walking around the neighborhood.

New Growth

Three of the big old cottonwoods down near the Little Blue River were cut down this spring.  They had been there as long as I can remember, and at least this one bore a vertical scar from a lightning strike.


The trees aren't quite ready to give up, it seems.  Out of the stumps, there are little shoots with leaves.    

Above Albuquerque

I learned how to spell "Albuquerque" in 1987 while sitting behind a desk in Overland Park, Kansas.  I worked for an accountant, and my new-found skill was not of any particular value on my resume, but it was one thing I never forgot.


There is an excellent place to view Albuquerque on top of Sandia Mountain, and the easiest way to get to the top of the mountain is by way of the tram.  About a dozen or so people stand inside the car, and they ride, suspended above canyons and enjoy close encounters with rock formations.  It's thrilling and fun!