Tall Tales from Kansas

it says something about the core values of the department

Every year the Lawrence Police Department has a memorial service to honor those officers who died in the line of duty.   There have been three.  Officer Allen Moore in 1901, Officer Wilson Pringle in 1909, and Officer Melvin Howe in 1931. 

I don't have any connection to those 3 officers, but somehow the remembrance by those who today protect and serve my community touches me.  It also says something about the core values of the department.   Something I like.

Thanks Chris for letting me use your pictures. 

a population outbreak

We are having a "population outbreak" of butterflies around here.  I read about it in the paper yesterday and told Chris to grab his camera and his net because we were going on a field trip. 

Apparently male Hackberry Emperor butterflies need to consume salt to complete their sexual development (that's what I read in the paper anyway).  As soon as we arrived at the Fitch Natural History Reservation they began to land on us.  

A swarm of butterflies is not annoying like a fly buzzing your head or a bunch of gnats trying to get into your eyes and ears.  

We walked around for an hour or so marveling at the site. 

Me:  Wow!  have you ever seen so many butterflies in the same spot?

Chris:  No.

Me:  Geez can you believe all these butterflies?

Chris:  No.

Me:  Isn't this amazing?

Chris:  Yes. 

On the way home we stopped at Sonic for a chocolate shake.  It's important to replenish yourself after a salt donation. 

for ankles it's best to stick to one

The prize for the best collection of hats under one tent at the Farmers Market went to this group this morning.   Fedora + knitted + straw + ball cap = headgear diversity. 

I also discovered a new accessory trend that I wanted to pass on so you all won't be left behind when it takes off like wildfire.

These girls explained to me that a different color for each extremity is best, and it is permissable to wear multiple coils on your wrists but for ankles it's best to stick to one. 

Meanwhile back at iPad central I am finding myself being drawn into a vortex.  How is it possible to find so many things to explore on one little device?  Flipboard.  Instagram.  Facetime.  Holy Cow!

a hearty hibiscus to try in a pot on the back deck

This is just my way of saying that in addition to the animals, there were also PLANTS at Henry's Plant farm.  I don't think you can buy a donkey or an alpaca or a peacock but you can talk them out of some plants.  Very healthy looking ones at that.   They had some tiny Zinnia's that will be perfect for inside flower arrangements.  I also got a hardy hibiscus to try in a pot on the back deck for something different.   There will have to be another trip made very soon to get more of the rich, dark, potting soil they had as well.   What can I say?  I made friends out there.  I'm going to have to visit often. 

2 ears + 2 ears = bring me to my knees cuteness

Did you know that Peacocks can get on top of trucks?

Or that they make a REALLY loud screeching kind of yelling sound if you get too close to them? 

Did you know that pigs really do like to lounge around in the dirt and mud in a shady spot?

What about alpaca's?  Do you know anything about them?

Things like they are really good at staring contests, and have very interesting teeth.   

You probably did already know that 2 ears + 2 ears = bring me to my knees cuteness.  But I am going to show you anyway.     

It also goes without saying that every little girl loves baby kitty cats and will do anything to hold one.   Her very gentle grip won me over.    

All these things I saw at The Henry's Plant Farm just outside of Lawrence, Kansas this past weekend.  You can wander around to your heart's content and if you're like me, make a list of things to look up when you get home.  It's also free and another one of those uniquely Lawrence Kansas things it's my duty to tell you about. 

love at the farmers market

I found love today at the farmers market.  Flower love, 

cinnamon roll love,

and love love.  

Under the spell of all that love, I surrendered to the call of the flowers.   I don't have any peonies in my garden.  That is something I should remedy.  

if you get a parking ticket

I've told you once, I've told you twice, I've told you at least 10 times... but this bears repeating.  If you live within 100 miles of Lawrence Kansas you must come and spend the day.  If you want to spend the night too, that's your business, but you gotta spend a day.  Four of my friends came for lunch this week. 

There was coffee.  Some walking downtown.  A little bit of shopping.  A lot of laughing, and after all that we went to Pachamamas for lunch.   I am going to INSIST that you try it. 

The baked brie and blackberry jam on a crostini (perfect on a summer day with a nice chilled sauvignon blanc) was our starter.  It was warm and melty and sweet and savory and crunchy.  All my favorite taste sensations wrapped up in one perfect appetizer.  I am not going to try and describe each of our lunches, but I will tell you that every one was delicious.  Yes, I tried them all.  It was my duty to do so.  How else could I tell you they were all good?  Lunch with wine was $19.00.   I can not think of a better way to spend a double sawbuck. 

P.S.  If you get a parking ticket dowtown the price has gone up from $2.00 to $3.00.  Not that I got one today.  I'm just saying. 

those baby cats were not the main reason we went out there

This past Sunday was the last day of asparagus picking at Pendleton's Country market in Lawrence.  Thank goodness my friend Nancy told me about it so I could check it out.  I would have hated to have missed this.

Oh wait a minute.   Those baby cats were NOT the main reason we went out there.  We went for the fresh asparagus.

It was slim picking at first.

But then I changed my strategy, jumped the rows of kale and purple cabbage, and headed for the patch by the silo out there. 

Within 15 minutes I had enough for Chris, myself, and 8 of my closest friends.

Isn't it pretty?  Tasted good too.  Little olive oil, sprinkle of sea salt, 425 degree oven, 5-6 minutes later (depending on the freshness and diameter of the stalk) they are done.  I could eat the whole 2 pounds, but I stopped before that.  I won't say how much before that. 

P.S.  thanks Chris for documenting the outing so I could concentrate on picking. 

we did a dress rehearsal the night before

Here in Lawrence Kansas we were ready for the whole supermoon thing.  We got the tripod out.  We checked our facts regarding what time the moon would rise.  We scouted locations to find a suitable vantage point.  We did a dress rehearsal the night before. 

Sometimes even the best laid plans don't yield a great photo.   Instead we will remember the supermoon of 2012 as the night we made our houseguests drive with us to the Miller Mart parking lot so we could be at the proper vantage point to get THE great photo of the moon  eaten up by bugs.

P.S.  Chris took some of these photos.  I'll be darned if I know who took which ones.  We only took a combined 247 shots. 

you can not ride a bike with wet feet in crocs

On days when you don't have to work do you ever tell yourself to get up at the time you normally get up to go to work, so you can enjoy the feeling of not having to be up?  So you won't miss a single second of your day off.  Driving around to see what's happening in your town.  Mixing it up with the early morning crowd at your coffee place.  You might even spot a kindred spirit out for a spin on her bike.

She is headed to Wheatfields for a chai tea latte.  There's a notebook in that backpack ifor jotting down a few lines to the song she started writing in her dream last night.  The guitar had to come along in case she wants to pick out a melody in the park this afternoon.  On the handlebars is a jar of kool-aid and 1/2 of a tuna sandwich for lunch.  Last but not least is the blanket in the saddle bag on the back for an after lunch nap.  I am pretty sure there is a towel in there too.   In case it gets hot and she wants to dip her feet in the river.   You can not ride a bike with wet feet in crocs.  That would be dangerous.