Fireflies

I saw the first fireflies of the season tonight. Brought back lots of memories. How long has it been since you slept with a jar of fireflies beside your bed? It has been way too long for me. I intend to rectify that this summer.

Addie Lee Hunnicutt Lister at Devil's Den State Park

This morning I met Addie Lee Hunnicutt Lister, and my life is richer for it.

Addie Lee was another guest at the Sky-Vue Lodge in Winslow, Arkansas. This morning at breakfast there were two tables of guests. Everyone at one table left except her, so, I said, "Come join us." She came over, limping slightly, saying she had broken her pelvis a couple of years ago and was still using a walker when on rougher ground.

Kris and I started talking to her and learned that she spends every June in Winslow, volunteering at Devil's Den State Park, talking about when it was built as a CCC project. That is the Civilian Conservation Corp, which was the equivelant of the WPA for 18-21 year olds.



Addie Lee met her husband when he was working at Devil's Den Park as a young man. Devil's Den is known for the extraordinary rock work, which Addie Lee says was built on the strong backs of young men.



She and her husband had quite a life together, until he died in 2002. He eventually became a pharmacist and they had a son together.

Devil's Den State Park wanted to add a statue to commemorate the CCC, and Addie Lee and her son made the final necessary contribution to make it possible.



Addie Lee was asked to write the plaque that is below that statue.



In the visitor's center - our first stop after arriving in the park - we found Addie Lee is mentioned in the information there.



If you're lucky, and you come in June, you'll get the chance to visit with Addie Lee at the park. Or at Sky-Vue Lodge over a delcious breakfast. But, you might want to visit soon. Addie Lee says she will turn 92 on July 4 and she's just not sure she'll be able to come next year.



However, I gotta tell you, I'm betting on Addie Lee.
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Funerals

I attended the funeral service today of Greg's aunt, who was a nun. Gathered together were her family of blood and her family of choice, as well as many others who's lives she touched over the years she served in schools and hospitals.

She was 89, and her mind had started to slip in the last few years. I didn't know her well enough to say for certain but I'm guessing she was aware that was happening early on and it must have been terrifying. But of course that's the perspective of someone outside her belief system. Maybe with her faith she simply accepted it without question and with grace.

The beautiful St. Peters in Joplin was filled with people who remembered her from the many years she worked there. The breast care center at St. John's hospital where she served was named after her some years ago. There's a garden there dedicated to the memory of her mother.

She was the last of her generation, The last of a family of five brothers and two sisters.

I am so proud of Greg and how he conducted himself the last week and a half. When he got word she was nearing the end he took off to Omaha, where her order has a retirement facility. Greg was by her side for the days and nights, holding her hand and talking to her about anything pleasant, and assuring her of the love of her family, mentioning people by name. Greg was with her when she died.

It is an honor to attend the dying, but it is not easy. Some are more equipped to deal with such things than others. But it's not easy for anyone. Greg simply knew it was a gift to be able to be present for those you love in times of need.

Sister lived her life such that many gathered today to celebrate it. Who among us could expect the same?

Consuming Content and Creating Content

I remember reading a statistic once that an adult in 1900 was exposed to the same amount of information in their lifetime that is contained in one Sunday edition of the New York Times today. Can you imagine that? It seems impossible, and yet it's obvious we are all processing information at a tremendous pace.

Below is just a sampling of what has crossed my path today. One was from Twitter, one from Facebook and one from email. I didn't plan it that way, but realize that's the case.

Why NPR is doing better than other Mainstream Media outlets
Literal Video Version of Total Eclipse of the Heart (not work safe)
Executive of SPJ wrote blog post for his wife to put up after his death at 45

In addition to these things, today I learned a friend will have his documentary shown on PBS (congrats, Nathan!), Marci wrote about the grand reopening of the 1905 Weaver Hotel in Waterville, a town of 664, and another friend sent a note to not miss Steve Earle on Letterman tonight.

I love knowing these details about the world around me, but I confess I have a hard time keeping up with everything sometimes. I know I miss details. But, it's fascinating to be able to peek into other people's worlds.

There are podcasts, you tube and blogs to supplement the connections made on facebook, twitter and other sites. Everywhere I turn there is content coming at me - and much of it is very useful, interesting content. When I'm not consuming content I'm creating it. It's a cycle I'm not sure we can maintain forever. Unless we figure out how to put more hours in the day.

Maybe I should go google that. Or should I bing it instead? Are we saying that yet? I guess bing hasn't yet earned the right to be a verb. Let me rephrase... maybe I should go check bing.

By the way, thank you for reading along here and consuming the content on this blog. I'm continually flattered that you share my life and thoughts.
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Ch-ch-ch-changes...

I've made some changes to the blog layout. Overall they're minor, but hopefully give a cleaner look and address problems some people have had viewing it in Firefox.

Often I cannot see the problems people are having, so please let me know if something looks weird on your end.

It seems it has been a very long time since I first went to Wichita with Anthony and the folks at what was then Southwind gave me a thirty minute lesson on how to design webpages. We came back to Hutch and I was turned loose to make something. Amazingly enough, I got something online in just a few hours. Over the next few days I learned a lot of things about html.

That was back in the "dark ages" - 10 or 12 years ago maybe - before we had programs to do much of the work for us. Then you had to know or look up the code for any little trick you wanted to do. I learned the value of the word "tutorial" in searches. I used it liberally and still do when I'm learning some new thing.

Now I have dreamweaver and the world of options it offers. But, I often find it easier to experiment to get whatever effect I'm after. I always intend to teach myself more, but it's hard to find the time to do that when there are dozens of other things demanding attention.

I am thankful I know some basics. I would hate to be completely at the mercy of someone for every little bit of web design I wanted done. I have a couple of things I'd like to do with the blog that I have to figure out how to do. We'll see when I have time to get to that. I don't expect it to be anytime soon.

But, in the meantime, let me know if you experience any problems viewing it. Thanks.
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Planning

I've never thought of myself as a planner. If you plan everything out, you're not likely to go beyond the plans. And, generally, I think people don't dream big enough. So, a plan can hold you back.

That said, I am a list maker. I realize this is a sort of plan. It's a roadmap of the day/week/month and what needs to happen. I also like to have some idea of where I'm headed in the next day/week/month/year if there are things happening that require some lead time. And how many things don't require some lead time? So, in that sense I suppose I'm a planner. I just like to leave room for those happy surprises that come along.

I'm also an obsessive calendar person. If you tell me about something that's happening next February, I'm going to get it on the calendar so nothing gets scheduled over it. I have never understood how some folks never seem to have anything on their calendars. You'll be talking about getting together for something and you'll suggest a date and people will just say, "Okay, that's fine," without consulting a calendar. How do people do that? It just amazes me they can remember their schedule like that, and/or that they don't have anything on their calendar.

I've always got things on my calendar - from the downtown art walk to lectures to work-related events. How is it that others don't have to keep a schedule? How does that work? Inquiring minds want to know. It seems quite wonderful to be able to just let the wind take you where it will on any given day.

Today has been one of those days where my list/plan for the day was completely tossed out, destroyed, and overridden by noon. It was a good day - just not the day I had planned for.

It caused me to joke on twitter that planning is obviously a waste of my time. Then as I thought about that in the back of my mind this afternoon I started to consider if that's a joke or a universal truth I've stumbled upon. Maybe those folks who never have to look at their calendar have figured out something that has eluded me. I need to cozy up to one of them and learn their secrets.

Maybe I, too, can be one of those people without a single worry when someone suggests brunch on the 23rd. I can effortlessly say, "sure, that sounds perfect." Now, I just have to get someone to start suggesting brunch. I'll pencil that in on my to-do list.
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Thinking

I had my first salad out of the garden today. It was a small salad, but good, with some arugula, sorrel and salad burnet, combined with some feta cheese and pine nuts. I needed to do something grounding today so worked in the garden a little bit.

This has been a weird day for those of us who live near Wichita. Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed in his church this morning. He has been targeted by abortion opponents for years, and been a victim of attempted murder, but it's a shock nonetheless.

I found out about this shortly after Greg called to tell me his Aunt died this morning She was a nun in retirement in Omaha. I'm so very proud of Greg for heading to Omaha when she started fading. He was with her when she passed and I'm so glad he was there. I know he will be glad he went. It is an honor to attend the dying.

Tonight, there was a shooting in a small town north of here. Details are sketchy but it appears two people are dead in that incident.

All of this makes me think about how important it is to live fully every day. I'm guessing Dr. Tiller wasn't thinking it could be his last day on Earth when he was getting ready for church this morning. None of us ever know. In "The Geography of Bliss," someone gives the author the advice to contemplate his own death 10 minutes every day. I assume the idea is that you will then be aware of its possibility and live more fully.

I haven't been out of my house today other than to my backyard. It has just been a day when I didn't want to mix with other folks very much. I have to try to make sense of things on my own, I guess. So I've worked around the house and read and thought.

I'm working on making new dreams for myself, just as I suggested to a friend. It seems so easy, and yet there are so many layers to it. But it's definitely time for me to be doing that, too. So much to think about.
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Dr. George Tiller Shot and Killed in Wichita

Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed at his church this morning in Wichita. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to news reports from KAKE. Dr. Tiller, who performed abortions, was a controversial figure in the abortion debate and had been a victim of attempts on his life before.

I will never understand why anyone with an "all life is precious" belief thinks murder is an appropriate way to demonstrate that.

When you whip people into a frenzy over any topic, some of them will go too far with it.  I don't think there has ever been a case of a person with a pro-choice mindset killing someone with a pro-life mindset because of their beliefs. What is happening in the pro-life movement that results in this dramatic reaction?

My sympathies to the family and friends of Dr. Tiller.
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Make New Dreams

"Make new dreams" is the advice I gave to a friend a few years ago, and repeated the other night, in response to a question she asked. It sounds so simple. It's three words. How complex can it be? Right?

Well, maybe...

Dreams are tricky. They often come true. And only then do you realize they're not all they're cracked up to be. Anyone who has fallen out of love can attest to that. It's a shock when we get something we've wanted and discover what we've been dreaming about doesn't hold up in reality.

So... what to do? Make new dreams.

I honestly can't think of any other option. Without a dream you just pass through the days without really experiencing them.

I'm busy making new dreams, myself, lately. They're just taking shape now, but I'll keep you posted as they develop.
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Appreciating Disappearing Scenes

I took a long drive yesterday. I was out and about anyway and I just needed some time to think. There's something magic about the steering wheel. It seems to engage different parts of the brain and I can think things through as the miles pass.

Yesterday I was thinking about things that are disappearing from our world. One of those is cattle grazing in a field. It's becoming rare. They're almost always crammed into a feed lot where a particular diet can quickly fatten them up for slaughter.

I'm not sure when that change happened, exactly. I just became aware that it had - past tense. It makes me wonder what I'll be longing to see again five years from now that is commonplace today. I hope I'm appreciating whatever it is.

I guess that's always the trick - to be appreciating what is right in front of us.
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Rural Tourism Training

I took the day off today to work with Marci and WenDee at a training for rural tourism folks. It was such a  cool experience to be involved in a Kansas Sampler project.

My part of the day was to show folks how to blog, and a quick overview of Facebook and Twitter. It was so incredibly cool to see folks willing to jump in and give things a go. There's so much potential for rural Kansas to use these tools to tell people what there is to see and do.

Marci refers to folks who are willing to "do dirt" to see what's on the backroads as having an "explorer" mindset. Explorer types want to experience the local culture, whatever it is. I can't imagine traveling any other way, myself.

I was so jazzed that after the event, I did a little exploring myself where I caught this little bit of nature.


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Curtis Cafe in Stafford Kansas

The Curtis Cafe in Stafford, Kansas, is well worth a stop. In fact, it's worth making a special trip for.



Ruth is the third generation to run the place, and her sons are learning the business now so hopefully it will be four generations.

Her mother's presence is still very much alive in the Curtis Cafe. The walls in both rooms are covered with puzzles she put together.



Ruth told me there are more than 400 of them on the walls, and her mother always told people that she never bought one. People would give them to her so the subject matter varies dramatically.

The puzzles are interspersed with other tidbits, including some needlework and some newspaper clippings. Occasionally you'll see a poster tacked up over a puzzle, as if the puzzle is the wallpaper.



Ruth said her mother kept a puzzle table set up and she would invite customers to add a piece - particularly strangers that might happen upon the cafe.

It's a place well worth a visit. My breakfast total was $5.05 with tax. It included bacon - real bacon fried in a pan, hash browns - that had something to do with a potato in their recent past, and toast. I had them hold the eggs since I don't like eggs, so they reduced my ticket to compensate for that. But, the meal complete with eggs is still a bargain - $5.45 before tax.





Make plans for a visit soon. I didn't get to sample it myself, but I understand there is homemade pie!



I was kind of sorry there wasn't a table where this stranger could add a puzzle piece, but I guess progress comes to every establishment and those days have passed.
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A day

Wow... This day has been a full one. I've barely stopped to breathe today and my new day starts in four and a half hours. But much was accomplished today. Now it's time for a little sleep. Yes even I need some time to snooze.

Strawberries Ripened on the Vine are Red Inside

This is a strawberry.
It is red inside, not white.

That's because it ripened on the vine.



This is my first official harvest from the garden, I guess.



It's not a huge harvest, admittedly. But it is a tasty one.



Say "no" to white strawberries. They're supposed to be red. And sweet. And juicy. This one was. Yum!

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The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band played in Hutchinson tonight as a fundraiser for New Beginnings. Greg, Sharon and I went to see them.

If you're going through the sound clips in your brain, trying to figure out what songs they're famous for, think "Mr. Bojangles." They've won a Grammy and been recognized by the Country Music Association.

Singer-guitarist Jeff Hanna formed the group in California in 1966. He and drummer/harmonica player Jimmy Fadden are constant members for the group. But John McEuen and Bob Carpenter have long histories with the band, too. That's quite astonishing when you consider it has been 43 years since the band was formed.

They wrote the Rascal Flatts hit, "Broken Road," and first released it on one of their albums, sung by piano player Carpenter, who has been with the band since 1977. Last night was the first time I had heard their original version and I like it better than the Rascal Flatts version. Very cool.

The opening act for them was The Cherokee Maidens, that did traditional country music.



A good time was had by all!



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Quote of the Day

"Many of us spend time and energy trying to be something that we are not. But this is a move against soul, because individuality rises out of the soul as water rises out of the depths of the earth."   
                                     --- Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul
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A Saturday With Friends

This morning Greg met me at the farmer's market. I needed more herbs. Fortunately, Dave Neff of Neff Family Farm was right there. Greg bought some very healthy looking onions.

I rushed home from the farmer's market with a flat full of goodies and arrived just as Jan was pulling into my driveway for our trip to Wichita. She, Teresa, Julie and I had planned to go tea in Wichita today. Unfortunately, Julie couldn't go at the last minute so it was just the three of us.

We arrived in Wichita in time to go to the Nifty Nut House before they closed at noon. Neither Teresa nor I had been there. Oh my. It's a giant candy store for all practical purposes. Teresa and I both bought some Grand Mariner Chocolate covered pecans because they're ones Martha had brought to Creative Sisterhood at Christmastime.

We made a quick trip to The Spice Merchant before time for our tea and then went to the tea place in Old Town. Irene's Teas used to be in Lindsborg and we had all visited there, but now she's in Wichita.



We opted for lunch, which was a delicious chicken salad served on a bed of lettuce. It was really wonderful. And she even brought us extra bread. That's something she does better than any other tea place I've been to - her bread is amazing. Some she makes on site and some she buys from a bakery. It's all terrific.



After lunch we hit some more shops, where I picked up a couple of little things, but nothing major.

Then we went to the Birkenstock store. Where I bought some shoes. Then we went back across town to the other Birkenstock store. Where I bought another pair of shoes. Actually, all three of us ended up buying shoes.



I don't wear anything but Birkenstocks if I'm going to be standing for any amount of time. They have great arch support and I need that. I had only one pair of sandals. Until today. Now I have more. And some of them are cute. Birks are not known for being cute, so that's worthy of note.

I hadn't expected to be in Wichita all day, but it was a really fun day. Tomorrow I must busy myself with work that needs to be done around here - including planting those new herbs.
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Carolyn's Essenhaus in Arlington Kansas

Tonight I wanted to have something different for dinner. Something fun. Something unusual. I called Greg and he was game for it, but didn't have any thoughts about what that something was.

I thought about Carolyn's Essenhaus in Arlington, Kansas - about a 25 minute drive from my house. I called and found out they were open until 8:30. So, I called Sharon to see if she wanted to go too, and the three of us headed off for dinner.

Nothing gets a holiday weekend off to such a good start as dinner somewhere cool with friends.



On Friday night they serve verenike - a German treat that generally we only have during the MCC sale.

Carolyn stopped by our booth and visited very briefly, but they were busy. Very busy. They're one of the 24 finalists for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine. I asked if they were so busy because of the holiday weekend or the content and she said probably some of both.



They served the verenike with your choice of ham or sausage, a trip to the salad bar, and a slice of their fresh baked bread. I didn't eat all the ham because then I wouldn't have had room for pie. And you gotta have pie...



Apparently you also gotta have more bread because I bought a loaf at check out. Along with a jar of sand hill plum jelly.

Guess what I'm having for breakfast.
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Third Thursday Plus

Tonight was the monthly Third Thursday art walk downtown. But, there was even more happening tonight, including a walk in the Houston Whiteside Historic District.



It was a walking tour conducted by Amy, who works for the city. That's her in the middle there, facing toward the camera. She was giving information about various homes, much of which would have been gathered by my dear, dear, friend, Pat Mitchell, who died eight years ago. I still miss her.



One of the homes is on the market and the very smart realtors had it open tonight so people on the tour could go in. This beautiful porch was enthralling to me.



This home is on Sherman, in an area where lots of the homes have been restored.



The flowers are just starting to bloom in places. This house is one of the neighbors.



Before the walking tour, we went to an event at City Hall where Steve Harmon and Steve Conard were giving a presentation about historic photos of Hutchinson.



The photos were taken by the Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe Railway. They, also, were drawing on information that Pat gathered.

Greg pointed out that he gets continually frustrated that she doesn't get the credit she deserves. I know what he means. She, single-handedly, preserved much of Hutchinson's history through her "Hutch Files," which her son gave to the local historical museum after her untimely death. She cataloged a tremendous amount of information about people, places and events in the community.

She was the one who wrote the original walking tours, and conducted them. She was the one who did the surveys of the homes - going through city directories and figuring out the history of the various spots. Yet, I never hear anyone mention her name or give her a modicum of credit. She was working on preservation before there was a Landmark's Commission, before there was a "movement," and before anyone else saw any need for it.

I did take time to go downtown for a little bit of the usual Third Thursday events, but just ran out of time to do much. There was music and art and running into folks, which is always nice. We're so fortunate to have this monthly event happening.
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Some Kind of Love sung by Jean Redpath

Just watched Jean Redpath on Letterman. She sang, "Some Kind of Love," a haunting tune I just adore. It's so true...

I think I've had a little too much of the love that comes too soon and the love that tears your heart. But I guess it's just the way it's meant to be.

Some Kind of Love
by John Stewart from his 1975 album, Wingless Angels

Some kind of love, some kind of love
Everyone's looking for some kind of love

Some kind of love is like gold
That kind is the hardest to hold
It catches the eye of each thief passing by
Some kind of love is like gold

Some kind of love tears your heart
Because you know it was wrong from the start
But try to explain a moth to a flame
Some kind of love tears your heart

Some kind of love, some kind of love
Everyone's looking for some kind of love

Some kind of love comes too soon
But that kind of love heals your wounds
When your wounds are all healed and you're back on your wheels
You say, That kind of love came too soon

Some kind of love starts as friends
And that kind of love never ends
It comes on so slow, like the flowers through snow
Some kind of love starts as friends

Some kind of love, some kind of love
Everyone's looking for some kind of love

Then some kind of love never dies
That kind is the hardest to find
Through laughter and rage it mellows with age
Some kind of love never dies

Some kind of love, some kind of love
Everyone's looking for some kind of love
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Ad Hoc Book Group Discusses The Geography of Bliss

I had folks over tonight for the "Ad Hoc Book Group" to discuss "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner. Trish, Teresa, Julie, Jan, Nancy and Martha were here. I think it's fair to say we all loved this book.

One of the things I enjoyed about it is the depth of knowledge he displays in it. He may be talking about "flow" on one page, and the "hedonic treadmill" on another. His use of language is amazing.

Of the countries he went to, I think his description of Iceland was my favorite. To tell you the truth, I imagined what it would be like to live there. This will be very odd to people who know me well, and know I'm one of those people who is always cold. So, why would I want to go to a place where it's cold all the time, and dark six months of the year?

The way he described Iceland made it seem like a place where a person could be accepted for who they are and dwell in the "twilight of half belief." In Iceland, the author meets Jared, who started over in Iceland, and has a long list of things he loves about it there. I have a feeling I'd like Jared. We share some attitudes, including no matter how bleak life seems, it will always work out.

One of the themes that keeps coming up in the book is the differences in cultures that appreciate the individual - like in the US, versus those who appreciate the collective - like in Japan. At one point he makes a reference to a Japanese saying about hammering in the nail that sticks out. But, of course, in the US, the nail that sticks out would become the American Idol, which oddly enough happened tonight while we were discussing this book.

I encourage you to give this book a try. I found it enthralling, and so did Martha. I think everyone really liked it. Martha and I were amazed at how often we had both noted the exact same parts of the book. There are many gems of wisdom in these pages, I think.
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Staging

I can't seem to stop watching those TV shows where they stage homes for sale. I'm amazed at all the work they do to create an illusion that you could walk right in and start living there, when in reality there would be no way you could spend any time there. There's nothing you would need for actual living.

Isn't it an interesting commentary that we have a whole industry devoted to creating this major illusion of something we should all be able to relate to - living? Do we have so little imagination we can't project what a couch would look like in  room? Are we all living lives that are so removed from the lives we want to have that we can't even dream of them?
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Fences as Metaphors

Life is full of twists and turns and ups and downs. This day has had some of all of it.

I remembered this photo from Cottonwood Falls and realized this fence is a graphic representation of life in a way. There are ups and downs, it's uneven in places, but it keeps on going. There are sharp curves and optional trees to climb. You can see them as obstacles, or a way to see further. And there are changes along the way.

But there's a solid foundation. And that is always the saving grace, I think - a solid foundation. Thank goodness I have a foundation that anchors me.

There's much going on in my life these days - work (the normal job), the other work I do on the side, and home. My personal life is taking a bit of a beating at the moment. If I owe you an email or a comment or a call or something else, I will get to it, but it may be this weekend at the earliest. I'm literally working on something every waking moment these days. Thanks for understanding.
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Sunday

I'm a tired pup. Jason and I worked in the yard four hours soild today plus I did a little more later. The tomatoes are all in although I had a couple of casualties while planting. Its coming along. Slowly. But its coming. I hope I can hold up until its done. Its gonna be a close call.

Saturday

This is Dave Neff of Neff Family Farms. I met him this morning at the Farmer's Market while I was looking at the herbs he had for sale. He had red leafed basil, people! Now so do I.

Frankly, he might as well be known as my dealer from this day forward because I know I'll be buying many more things from him. He has herbs I've never heard of, but now believe myself incapable of living without. I need them, people!

He conveniently provided me with a printout of things they offer, along with a phone number and email address, and told me he and his wife could bring whatever I wanted next week. Whatever I want, people!

Sorry, I'm still a bit overly excited by the whole thing.

I was reasonable today. I only bought some red basil and a lemon verbena plant. But, I've looked over the list multiple times and starred some things I want to get. They have white sage, red ruffled basil and chocolate mint. Chocolate mint, people!

I stopped at the Farmer's Market on my way to Roy's. I started looking at the herb list while I was eating my barbecue. The following photo is just for Matthew, who is wanting some Roy's in a major way.



Fortunately, due to the miracle of Facebook, Anne popped on today to let Matthew know that Smith's Market will ship him some sauce. I was about to box up some for him but Smith's came to the rescue.

I got a lot of things done in the yard today. I planted more things and figured out where some other things are going to go. Late in the day Greg and Sharon brought over some "Holmes Tomato Master 5000" tomato cages. They stopped by Greg's house in Sharon's box truck and hauled them over to my house. I'm so thankful to have them. I'm hoping to get tomatoes in the ground tomorrow. I hope.



I'm sitting in my house with a light jacket on tonight because I'm just not going to turn the heat back on after I've switched between heat and AC at least a half dozen times already. However, I may be sleeping under the electric blanket tonight. We'll see. It's a little chilly, but certainly not freezing for plants.

All in all a productive day. I also got some writing done, some laundry done and some other household chores done. I know - my life is so darned exciting it's hard to keep track. What can I say?
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All text and photos on this website are copyright Patsy Terrell, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. None are to be used without permission. Thank you.

Hail Unpredicted

Yesterday I planted.

Today we got hail.

From a thunderstorm that was not predicted, that blew up suddenly, and brought rain, thunder, lightning and hail.

The northern part of town got hail about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Ours was pea and occasionally marble sized. In this instance living on the wrong side of the tracks is a good thing.

Conveniently, I live in the part of town where I wanted to live. It just happens to be the older part, and south of "the tracks." Nice that where I wanted to live happened to be a part of town I could afford.

The hail was an unpleasant end to a day that was not going all that smoothly up till then. However, I'm just hoping that today will be seen as a blessing in disguise in a very short amount of time.

Time for a good night's sleep so I can get up and spend the rest of the weekend working on things that get passed over during the work week. I'm hoping to plant more. Like the old adage about don't let the bastards get you down, you have to have that attitude about the weather when it dumps frozen water out of the sky on your delicate little plants. You can't let it get you down. You have to just assume tomorrow will be a brighter, sunnier day and act accordingly.
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All text and photos on this website are copyright Patsy Terrell, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. None are to be used without permission. Thank you.

Travel and Tourism Week - What to see in Hutchinson Kansas

May 9-17 is National Travel and Tourism Week. If you've traveled in Kansas this week you may have spotted these bright shirts commemorating the occasion. This is Britany, who was my server at the Grand Central Hotel and Grill in Cottonwood Falls on Monday.

If you think tourism doesn't matter to you, you might want to reconsider that. In Kansas alone, the economic impact of travel and tourism is 5 billion dollars. That's billion - with a B. I'm sure the figures for your state/country are significant too.

In honor of this week, I thought I'd give you a suggested itinerary of what you could do in Hutchinson, Kansas for a weekend visit. These are some of my top "cool things" in town, and things you might not find unless you have a local direct you.

Friday night at the Anchor
Arrive Friday night in time to go to the Anchor Inn for dinner. Friday night at the Anchor is a local institution. They're at B and Main Street and have been around since the 70s. They make their own tortillas. Their guacamole is fabulous. I recommend the buffet, which has piles of good stuff - my fave is cheese enchiladas and guacamole. The one thing you can't get on the buffet that's really wonderful is a basket of their chips, made on site and worth the cholesterol.

Hotel suggestions:
The nicest hotel in town is the Hampton Inn. If you want the "best" as far as new and maintained, that's the choice to go with. If you're traveling with kids who want to play in the water, the Grand Prairie is the best choice. If you want a B and B, then Prairie Moon on Main Street is the way to go - all the rooms there are nicely decorated so any choice you make will be good. There are a number of other standard hotels to choose from.

Saturday morning Breakfast at The Dutch Kitchen
Sleep in for goodness sake - it's Saturday! Or, get up and be industrious, but make your way to the Dutch Kitchen for breakfast. They open very early, so if you're not a late sleeper, they can accommodate you. It's about five miles outside of town and worth the drive. They make cinnamon rolls that cover your whole saucer. Their coffee cake is also wonderful. The oatmeal is real oatmeal, as opposed to instant. They're famous for their homemade pie, but I think the cinnamon roll is way under appreciated. The pie's good too, don't get me wrong, but you can't get a huge homemade cinnamon roll for under a dollar just anywhere. Yes, it's eighty cents.

You might want to make a quick stop at Glenn's Bulk Foods as you head back into town. They have some unusual things.

Saturday morning at the zoo
After breakfast, head to Carey Park. You can walk the Martinez Trail if you feel the need to work off that cinnamon roll, and then head to the zoo. We have a terrific zoo that features native animals.

In addition to seeing the critters, you can ride the train, too. The zoo is free. The optional train ride costs $1.50 per person.

My favorite animals are the river otters, Kyra and Willie, who are so darned cute they redefine cute.



Saturday lunch at Roy's Barbecue
This will be your only opportunity to have Roy's this weekend. They're closed Sunday and Monday. Roy's is a local institution and amazing stuff. It's on west 5th street. You'll think you're headed out of town, but go over a little bridge and you'll see a yellow building on the right. You've arrived.

Prepare for some of the best, melt in your mouth, barbecue you've ever tasted. You choose beef, pork, turkey, ham, links or ribs, and then you help yourself to the beans and salad bar. Tell Anne and Ryan you read about it here and they'll treat you extra nice. Okay, really, they'll treat you nice regardless so that's not really necessary. I just wanted to say it.

They open at 11, and close when they run out of food, which is never past 2. On a Saturday things can be getting sparse by 1. Don't miss it.

Take some time downtown
We've got some really cool antique stores downtown you don't want to miss. Also, if you like thrift shopping, don't miss the Et Cetera shop on Main. We also have an amazing kitchen store called Apron Strings and on the same block is Smith's Market - one of my favorite places in town. Pop in there and pick up some treats to take with you. Edit 9/19/2011: Check out The Toy Depot, in the next block north. It's chock full of vintage toys and you'll find something from your childhood - whenever that was. Let the kids blow off some steam at Avenue A Park, at the other end of that block.

Saturday afternoon at the Salt Museum
Head to the Salt Museum where you'll ride an elevator 650 feet underground for a tour in the caverns of salt that are left after mining.


You'll take a tram through "the dark ride" and your guide will explain what you're seeing. Then you'll have the opportunity to see exhibits on the mining process, the oldest living thing on Earth (250 million years old) and Underground Vaults and Storage, famous for storing many Hollywood films. Don't miss the newspaper printed right after Lincoln's death. You'll have a chance to pick up some salt as a souvenir of your visit. The last tour starts at 4. Make reservations earlier in the day so you're assured of a spot.

Dinner at The Airport Steakhouse
The attraction at the Airport isn't just steak, it's getting to watch planes come in and take off. The wall facing the air strip is all glass you you have a clear view. I'm not really a steak person, but people tell me this is great steak. I'll have to take their word for it. It is cool to watch the planes come in and take off, but you never know when that will be happening. It's fun for the novelty factor, especially if you're an aviation fan.

Ice Cream at Dairy Queen on Third
If you have room for some dessert, I'd suggest ice cream at the Dairy Queen on Third Street. It's an old-fashioned, walk up Dairy Queen, with benches beside it where you can sit and enjoy your treat.

Sunday brunch at Skaets
Skaets is our local diner where you can get breakfast anytime. They have all the traditional breakfast things. I'm not an egg person, so breakfast is often lost on me. But, what isn't on the menu, is that they'll cook you a burger on the grill at any time of day. (After 5 p.m. you can get it charcoaled, which is my favorite.) So, head there for Sunday brunch - those who want breakfast can get it. Those who want to prepare for the afternoon ahead at the Cosmosphere can get a Moon Burger. The Moon Burger was created in 1969 in honor of the moon landing. In other parts it's known as a bacon cheeseburger, but at Skaets it's just "the moon." I like mine extra well done with grilled onions and extra pickles but they'll fix yours anyway you want it. I go often enough that they just write "Patsy" on the ticket and the cook knows just how I want it.

Sunday Afternoon at the Cosmosphere



The Cosmosphere is a world-class museum, right here on the prairie. It's at 11th and Plum, but you'll know you're getting close when you see the rockets jutting into the sky. They have some amazing exhibits that trace the history of space flight, with artifacts from NASA, as well as a huge collection of material from the Russian space program. You'll want to see Dr. Goddard's lab show, and spend some time in the gift shop where you'll find unique items.

That's a wrap up of what I think is cool to see in just a weekend. If you've got a little longer, come in on a Third Thursday night when downtown is hopping with live music and artists in lots of the stores.



For more outdoor time, walk the trails at Dillon Nature Center or Sandhills State Park. Both are great.

I also love Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, which is about a 35 minute drive from Hutchinson. I've never been there when the sunset isn't amazing. Maxwell Game Reserve is about 40 minutes north and also worth a visit.

More than 125,000 jobs in Kansas are created by travel & tourism activity. That's nearly 10% of total employment in the state. National Travel & Tourism Week is a collective effort to promote the power of travel. If you have a blog, take a few minutes and tell folks what to see in your town - the things that are must-sees and the things that the average tourist isn't likely to find.
 
See a local calendar of events online and contact me if you have questions about visiting here. Find more things to see and do in Kansas at www.travelks.com.
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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, cooking and more. Find me on Facebook, FriendFeed, Twitter, Plurk and other social media sites of your choosing.

All text and photos on this website are copyright Patsy Terrell, unless otherwise watermarked or noted. All rights reserved. None are to be used without permission. Thank you.