Kansas Capital Visit

We fit in a visit to the state capital building. My Mother wasn't sure she had been inside before.   

 

 

The dome...

 

The foundation and basement... 

Wichita Art Museum - Prairielike

Along with the paintings and other art, this Prairie installation at the Wichita Art Museum was more of an audio experience.   It has speakers at the tops of those vertical wires.  They emit different clicks and sounds at different intervals.  The wires also move a little due to small motors at their base. 

 

Overall, it sounds like the insects, rain and grasses moving in the breeze on the prairie!

 

Liza Lou's Gather (one million).  Made with 9 million beads on 1 million wires, arranges in mini wheat shocks. 

 

Coffee Choices in Har-Ber Village

In between rain showers, my mother, brother and I visited Har-Ber Village in Grove, OK. 

 

 

In the mid 1800 - early 1900, there were a lot of coffee choices!

 

 

It's a pretty spot on Grand Lake with lots to see and gardens to wander.

 

Side Trip to Arkansas

I took a break from my OK trip to have lunch with a friend in Bentonville, AR. Afterward, I stopped at the square and visited the Walmart Museum at the first Walton's.

Sam Walton's office...

Alternative Skies

The blue skies in NE Oklahoma are a treat but the clouds bring a nice alternative too 

Baseball with 4th Graders

Caught two games during my visit.

A KS Garden Visit

 

  

Pensacola Dam Stop

Grand River Project 1940

Long, narrow road across the dam. Lots of water on one side and a long drop on the other. 

Lunch Stop

Vinita, OK and Clantons cafe. The place to be for lunch (and a piece of pie to go).

Overhead OK

Grove, Oklahoma and Grand Lake.

Earlier in the day...

Here is my 4th rental SUV for these family visits to Oklahoma, Kansas & surrounding states.  Escapes here and here and a Jeep (that one came with waves from other Jeep drivers).   Fun for the drives, and, no, it's not all flat!

 

Let's Go With...

Our friend is 4 days into his hike of the Appalachian Trail.  We spent an hour hiking "with" him in spirit today.  He will cover more of the 2,180 miles than we will, that's for sure.

 

 

Through the woods and around the pond /swamp.
 



 Petunia's cousin was out on the trail near the pond.   The AT hiker is likely to see snakes and skunk cabbage too.

Yes, one geocache stop.  This is a fitting travel bug as tree frog singing season is in full force.

 

Back home, I see we have our own critter trail on the east side of the property.

 

Piece by Piece

A close up of my friend's mosaic at the Regional Mosaic Art Exhibition at the Tacoma Public Library through April 26.   The show has art of many styles, colors and materials.  Visit the library to see how amazingly the pieces come together.

Another Impression...

 

...from my Saturday excursion.   This is how it came off of my phone.  I like it. 

Cup o' Sun

 

Local coffee table , during the first excursion for the day.

 

 

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

Today, I had an excursion to Tucson to see some of my family. Also to visit the Mission San Xavier del Bac.

At the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, we were warmly greeted by some ducks (they didn't like bright blue sneakers but were pleased by other footwear and jeans).

A happy last day of 2012.

Happy Halloween

I'd go trick or treating in Pike Place Market.   I bet there are ghosts to be encountered there, too. 

This was during our recent excursion.

One More Trip

DH took me on an excursion to downtown Seattle.

 

 

First we had to go through the Pike Place Market, past the flowers, fish, and vegetables.

 

 

And the performers.

 

 

To the place behind the well known Public Market sign (we noticed this when we left). 

 

Place Pigalle restaurant.  We were early, but soon others arrived.  We had a delicious lunch, starting with warm soup.

 

That is part of the market, seen through this pumpkin's window.

 

Other windows show some downtown home gardens.

 

The market supplies both meal and decoration ingredients.