County Fair

Here's a few photos from the Crawford County Fair held outside of the county seat Girard Kansas. A week long celebration of all things rural with a carnival, rodeo and demolition derby thrown in for good measure.

Its the 92nd for the county. Lots of history here. 4 H clubs compete in everything from livestock to geology, vegetables, cooking, fashion, floral and rocketry to name a few.


Lots of prep time for the animals.
She might be thinking; "Someday Ill have a horse like that one or maybe that one"

Home made ice cream, it was delicious by the way.


Horses and livestock of all shapes and sizes.

These judges were trying to determine if cattail could be a legitimate contender in this floral event. I listened in for a moment to their debate, "well a weeds a weed", "well I think a weeds nothing more than a plant out of place so is this in place or not" and so it went.

I'm going to head back today for the horse show.

ABC Wednesday

B is for Bison. I watched these bison cows yesterday morning. They both rolled in a spot they had cleared of grass. As I watched they rubbed their faces in the dust.
Looking closer you can see why, these flies can be a irritant so by rubbing dust on their faces I think it helps.

To participate in ABC Wednesday and see other great photos go to;

http://mrsnesbittsplace.blogspot.com/

Afternoon Visitors

Ruby-throated hummingbird (female)
I am amazed at how these the tiniest of birds migrates as far as they do, can fly backwards, hover and can be so beautiful at the same time.
They seem to know that I fill the feeders and will buzz by and stare from a perch if I am sitting in the shade nearby. They seem to be saying , "well dude how about a refill?"

Mid Summer Prairie Walk

I went for a walk yesterday out on Prairie Park, I come here often. Its the largest area of native prairie in SW Missouri. The park is only a stones throw across the border in Missouri from where I live. With the heat wave we have been having its been difficult to get out lately to walk early in the morning. Most early mornings and evenings are spent around our place on chores in the garden and any repairs that involve real work. The afternoons are spent inside out of the sun doing whatever else needs done, catching up on reading , my wife paints. School starts here in Kansas early August so these quiet days at home are numbered. The Prairie is bursting with purple at this time of year. In particular this plant is everywhere. Known as Thickspike Gayfeather it is a member of the Asteracerae (Sunflower) Family. I'm amazed how many plants belong to that family that do not look at all like a sunflower.
I found a place where some deer or bison had bedded down last evening. The nights are thick with humidity. As I hiked along the trail down to a creek where small trees grew, the cicadas chorus rose and fell. The creek was full from last nights welcome rain. When I was here in early June the creek bottom was filled with the sounds of a full orchestra of birds due to the tropical migrants passing through. Today its more like a solo or small ensemble; dickcissels, joined by a few meadowlarks and sparrows. The mid summer orchestra now consists primarily of the insects led by the perfectly timed cicadas. I listened for a few minutes, a twitch of movement from a does tail gave her away across the creek and up the hill. Soon the heat of the day began to build so I hiked back to my car for a cool drink. I need to come back here in a few weeks to listen to any changes in the orchestra.

Skywatch Friday

Old Farmstead Near Beaumont Kansas

To participate in Skywatch Friday or just browse the great photos posted visit here

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Prairie Rose

Sedgwick County Kansas

These grow wild on the prairie, wild cousins to the cultivated roses in our gardens. We all need some wild cousins somewhere.

Snowy Egret and Falls on The Arkansas

Sedgwick County Kansas

Skywatch Friday

Keeper of the Plains

Wichita Kansas

According to the official website; " The Keeper of the Plains is a 44-foot tall steel sculpture standing at the point where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers join together in downtown Wichita. This land between the two rivers is sacred ground to the Native American people and is also home to the All-American Indian Center. The Indian Warrior sculpture was created by Wichitan and Native American artist Blackbear Bosin (1921-1980). This icon of Wichita was erected on May 18, 1974 to celebrate the United States Bi-centenial and has kept a watchful eye on the city ever since."

To read more about it and see some excellent video and slide shows visit this site;

http://www.360wichita.com/Attractions/KeeperofthePlains.html

To participate in Skywatch Friday visit Tom at Wiggers World for all of the details: http://womtig.blogspot.com/

Morning Walk

A few photos from a walk on our place Tuesday morning. The last raspberry. The rest have been frozen or mixed with the blackberries for a dozen recipes my wife creates.
The grapes are looking good at this point.
Purple cone flowers are in full bloom.

The morning webs were looking like they did their job last night.
Grape leaves.
A dickcissel warmed up for a days worth of singing.
The apples are surprisingly looking good.
Stinky the cat followed me as usual, even if the dew soaked our boots and claws.

Farmers Market

We spent this last weekend in Wichita. While there we hit the farmers market in Old Town. Its fantastic, there is something for everyone. The vendors had braved the rain storm that came through this morning waiting to set up and hope for a break in the skies. It came with cooler temps and a nice breeze.
Fresh vegetables are everywhere, almost all locally grown and most organic.

Lots of free samples of fresh breads, enchiladas, cookies, salsas and more.
The atmosphere is very relaxed and fun, all set to some live music from local musicians.
Berries, apples and peaches.
Sweet corn was flying out of the truck.
Arts and crafts from local talents filled out the bill.

I was reading in our local paper yesterday a review of Barbara Kingsolvers book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", the author states in the review that "If every U.S citizen ate just one meal (any meal) comprised of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our nation's oil consumption by more than 1.1 million barrels of oil every week". If you have a farmers market near to your town this is great advice or food for thought.

Leadenwood Walk

Last week my wife and I stopped in at Leadenwood Gardens in Grove Oklahoma. Its beautifully maintained by a group of local master gardeners.
The paths wind under tall oak trees through a series of gardens that are bursting with color at this time of year. Along the way are a few places to stop and take it all in.
A small creek with waterfalls winds beneath the understory.
The garden has an incredible collection of daylillies and an occasional fragrant Asiatic Lilly.

Its free, they do accept donations, do stop in if you are ever in North East Oklahoma.

Skywatch Friday

Taken on the 4th of July

Jefferson County, Kansas

To participate in Skywatch Friday visit Tom at Wiggers World for all of the details: http://womtig.blogspot.com/

ABC Wednesday - The Letter Y

Y is for the word Young. Young enough to still find the wonder in games like concentration.
Or to be young and riding the loud subway off to explore the great unknown in the city.

Two photos from our trip to New York earlier this month.

New House Gathering

We spent the 4th of July at relatives up in NE Kansas. My wife's youngest sister and her husband had just finished their new home. It is built on the original homestead that my wife's family started farming in the late 1850s when Kansas was as wild as could be. On a very cold day a year ago last February my mother in law (the artist quilter) and several of her nine children gathered to say goodbye to the old farm house and bulldoze it.






The barn and several outbuildings are still here. My mother in law was born in the old house, as were her brothers and sisters, but none of her children. They had outside plumbing until my wife was 12 years old. The new place has 2 bathrooms. My brother in law ( a contractor) used to joke "the only thing holding up the old house was the termites were all holding hands". So it was bittersweet but not all that bitter to see the old place go. Lots of memories.








We gathered at the new place, almost all of the siblings, my sister in law had promised cold beer, watermelon, hot pies, smoked turkey and lame fireworks (not really but she thinks so). She came through on all counts. Catching up on family news, bad jokes, and old stories we all agreed that we loved the new place and were glad someone in the family had decided to stay on the land. In the cool of the evening we sat and watched the next generation play a game of softball using rocks and buckets as bases, not much changes. The sun set on a beautiful day and the the fireworks began, we clapped and cheered.



Off in the distance above the trees we could see towns to the west and east shooting off their own fireworks. One by one families left, several stayed the night. Rising the next morning some of us slipped into the ancient berry patch out back to take a few pints home along with some new memories.