Tall Tales from Kansas

the mind that imagined this and pulled it off

In addition to spending hours staring out at Beaver Lake from our Airbnb in Garfield, we also did some exploring. Here are two local spots you MUST NOT MISS if you are in the area. The good thing is they are close to each other. 

Whether your jam is dying, knitting, stitching, weaving, quilting, or just looking at beautiful things... get thee to hillfolk. The space is wonderfully open with lots of space for wandering from one lovely thing to another. 

The woman who helped us was friendly, helpful, nice... 

Inspiration was abundant. That topographic quilt of the area was museum quality. I love the mind that imagined this and pulled it off. 

After you settle on your purchases, take a drive a few blocks over to Airship Coffee and enjoy a "lumberjack" latte. It was the smoked salt in the description that hooked me and it did not disappoint. Lots of outdoor seating in addition to inside space - good tunes, good java. Alone or with a group, this place is perfect for whatever it is you need in a coffee shop.

Did I mention the mugs were ergonomically pleasing? 

Helpful links:

hillfolk shop

Airship coffee at 5th street

 

it might involve cars and the blessing of them

Before we get too far removed from Thanksgiving, I want to report that writing out things we were thankful for, on a pumpkin, with a sharpie, on turkey day, was a fun activity. Make yourself a note to get one next year for your gathering. I will also say that it's a tiny bit harder than it looks like it should be, what with the ridges and all to work around. 

If there would have been enough space, I would have added "the way the light looked on this grass head that has gone to seed", alas, there was not. So I just took a picture.

P.S. there is a good story that goes with the "holy water" notation on the pumpkin. A story that Angie would most definitely approve of. It might involve cars and the blessing of them before trips. 

there may be more people out there like me looking for the senior gap year

Dear New York Times:

While looking through your paper recently, I stumbled upon this advertisement for "Gap Year NYC". 

I am a high school graduate, and I did not defer college. At the tender age of 18 I jumped from high school to college to marriage to a career and never looked back. Now I am standing at the edge of a new frontier and wondering if you won't consider opening up a spot in this program for me? I want to deepen my understanding of the world and widen my horizons. I bring with me a wealth of experiences but I don't want to be tied to only what I know - I want to figure out how to create a future in retirement that will be a patchwork of applying my knowledge in a new way that will be meaningful, challenging, and still allow me the time to dream and create.

Actually, I think there may be more people out there like me looking for the senior gap year. What do you think? Shall we form a partnership?

With great sincerity,

Carol Mulvenon

P.S. Dear readers, doesn't this sound wonderful? To intentionally take the time to try and figure out how to be your best self in your retirement years? In reality, this is an endeavor one must do on their own (I think?). It would be nice to imagine enrolling in the Gap Year program but this will require some soul searching, hard thinking, and solitary considering. I am starting early and taking notes when I see patterns to emulate.