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;

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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

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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