Tall Tales from Kansas

to sow we must open our fists

Given my love for murals, you would think this one from right here in Lawrence Kansas would have been featured previously.  I am rectifying the situation today.

It was created in 1996 by Dave Lowenstein, on what was at the time, The Community Mercantile.

It is located at 9th and Mississippi in what is now a liquor store - Cork and Barrel.  

Apparently it was almost removed in 2001, but that process was halted when the citizens of Lawrence spoke up.   It was restored completely in 2013 by Ashley Laird.

It is beautiful, vibrant, and with such a great message.  If you drive by to see it, there is also a lovely, small community garden right next door.

Just another recommendation for when you come to visit.  

in a row boat with a pillow and a blanket

These two books were recently added to the permanent collection at Tall Tales headquarters. Because they are beautiful in all the ways that books should be.  

No children live in this house, but that does not mean that children's books can not live here.  

This genre is my preferred before-bed reading material. Something to send me gently into dreamland. In a rowboat with a pillow and blanket.  

tasting the perfection of expertly made baclava

Moments I did not take for granted this week included but were not limited to oxalis watching, 

perusing the Sunday New York Times, 

evaluating the spectacularity (sp?) of the morning sun on these coneflowers, 

 

the evening light on the collection of things hanging from the fixture over the dining room table,

and tasting the perfection of expertly made baclava. 

my reverie is interrupted by serendipity

Sometimes, in the course of a day, when doing something as commonplace as getting out clean kitchen towels, while unloading a flower jar from the dishwasher, and setting it down so the bottom dries, in close proximity to this coffee cup, my reverie is interrupted by serendipity.  

The end.

the stomata in the leaves stay shut during the day

This is a story about succulents, teaching methods, and getting outside when you can.  

Last week when we walked outside on rounds at work (our patients are often in 3 or 4 different buildings - which I love), we noticed the landscaping people had added a bunch of succulents to some flower beds.  

Which triggered Brice to recall a lecture from his favorite class, taught by Dr. Craig Martin at KU, who did not use PowerPoint presentations, favoring colored chalk and a blackboard to illustrate his points.

Which clearly has merit, given that he recalled in detail the fact that succulents are CAM plants and have a unique method of photosynthesis that allows them to survive with very little water.  

He remembered that the stomata in the leaves stay shut during the day when it's so hot, but open at night to take in carbon dioxide.  Which is a good reason to choose them for your hot/sunny areas in Kansas.

Although I favor them for their beauty and wide array of colors and shapes. 

 
There will be more updates on the succulent pots as we move through the summer.

If Brice shares more of the science of succulents with me the next time we work together, I will of course pass that on as well.  

in this person's opinion anyway

Peonies are still available at my farmers market.  As long as they are there, they come home with me.  Here is this week's bunch.

I love nothing better than selecting my stems from the buckets, then coming home and picking out a vase. When I turn around after paying and see new relationships forming, that's pretty good too. These two had lots to discuss. 

Beets, swiss chard, cherries and fennel were just some of the things available this week.

I was most excited about the fennel because I recall last year looking for some later in the year, to make a soup, and learning it was more of a spring crop.  I have no idea what I did with that recipe that I was certain was going to be a winner.

Notebooks, computer files, and internet searches were done.  Cookbooks pulled out.  Different recipes selected.  

It seems like eons since I made soup to take for lunch at work. 

I liked how this future version of myself selected flowers to match her top. I wanted to follow her home and see what her post market routines are.  

Instead, I did my best to select a tablecloth that went with the peonies.

Then took pictures, and more pictures, and more pictures.  

Because you can't have too many photos of peonies in one post. In this person's opinion anyway.  

whichever of you is a turtle expert do tell me

The zinnia's were planted 5/30, the seeds germinated on 6/1, they survived the inch of rain that fell in a one hour time frame on 6/3, and this is what they looked like on 6/5 when I did my after work garden inspection rounds.  The larger one you see in the back is a volunteer that came up from last year.  I have about 6 or 7 of them too.  

Stuff like this excites me.  The red husker penstemon below are at their peak right now.  

Such a wonderful, reliable, care-free, flower that is easily spread but not overly invasive. 

Something else surprising and exciting this week was a turtle spotting in my yard. 

I have never noticed those bright orange markings on a turtle before.  Whichever of you is a turtle expert do tell me... is this common? Maybe I just haven't seen enough turtles yet in my life. In which case, I better start doing more looking.  

Thistles are blooming right now too.  

These are not in my garden, I pluck them as soon as I see them coming up there. But I certainly can appreciate them on a walk.  

Particularly when set against a nice blue sky.  

did you know they sleep up in trees?

The most exciting thing we saw at Henry's Plant Farm recently was not this peacock. Though he was impressive.

Nor this pot. Which was beautiful.

Nope, it was not this cat, which I spied when I was looking at the pot above. And, who was completely squishy and adorable.

Not the bee balm, not the squirrel, not the way the meadow beyond this greenhouse was framed in the doorway.  

No, to the goats, but they were certainly frisky.

It was not the geraniums, however amazing their leaves.  

It WAS this!

Two tiny brand new baby peacocks that hatched 2 days prior to our visit!  Suffice it so say we were excited to see them.  Only 2 days old and already up and walking and doing "peachick" things.   



More regular visits will be in order.  To check on their development and expand our general knowledge about peafowl.  For example, did you know they sleep up in trees? The things you can learn on a weekend, at a farm, in the country, in Kansas.  

and requested that I return daily at this time

Some of the things that I encountered on a morning walk recently.  Between the hours of 0647am and 0740am, around the vicinity of Tall Tales headquarters, in Lawrence, Kansas.

I figured out this tree is a "China Snow Lilac".  Thank goodness for arboretums with plant identification systems.  

Hollyhocks were blooming.

There was this sign of a potential baby bird snatching, by a larger bird that could not fit in the door, but who lost a feather trying.  

Peach and red roses were sniffed.  It was about this time that I encountered a mother and daughter walking a 7 week old Shepherd/Aussie mix that was "very smart, growing more everyday, and likes to play". I was too busy petting him to take his picture.

A horse went by.  With a rider.  In a hat.  

Two big, fluffy, gray cats approached me on the sidewalk, immediately sought my attention, and requested that I return daily at this same time so we could become better acquainted.  Walks do not get better than this.  

locally grown, red all the way through, strawberries

My farmers market basket was very heavy this week.  With lots of good stuff. 

Tonight for dinner we had our first BLT's of the season.  With these hydroponic tomatoes from Pendleton's.  As well as a generous spread of Duke's mayo - purchased when we were in Kentucky.  As Wilburn Ray Moss Sr, would say, "lip smacking good".  

Those of you from around the area know that Pendleton's was hit hard by the tornado last week.  When I saw these signs up on their booth at the farmers market this week, I got a little choked up.  I'm sappy that way.  It has been nice to see the community offer help to neighbors in need.  

Rhubarb and strawberries were on display this week.  Those lovely , locally grown,"red all the way through" strawberries.  The kind you just want to wash and eat the minute you bring them home.  

I used about 1/2 of this amazing purple cabbage to make this Thai/quinoa salad. I know 2 photos of a purple cabbage may seem like one to many, but seriously... it's so amazing.

It went as well with the chow mein Chris made last night, as it did with the BLT's tonight.  

I wanted to buy some of this purple broccoli but knew it could not get eaten this week.  Same for the carrots and beets below.

A sweet dog, soulful singing, and more peonies rounded out my Saturday morning at the market. 

Tonight I am sending you all virtual bundle of peonies, in blue mason jars, to help you through the week, should you need it.