9-22-10 The Junk Drawer

Do you have a junk drawer? You know, one drawer in your house, usually in the kitchen, that stores anything and everything that doesn't have a specific place to live? This is ours! I remember when we moved into the house 20 years ago, this was one of the first drawers I designated with a purpose. Oh, I clean it out from time to time, but nothing ever gets put back in any since of order. Just remember...if you can't find it, check the junk drawer!

9-20-10 Mountain Heart

This is another band at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival called "Mountain Heart". The band is from Tennessee. The festival has five "official" stages, and several "unofficial" stages located in the campgrounds that surround the fairgrounds. About a week or so before the festival starts, they have what is called the "Land Rush", which is where people stake out their campsites by putting up tents, setting up campers and RV's. We've never stayed out there, but I hear many people never make it to the actual fairgrounds due to all the "pickin' & grinnin' " going on in the campgrounds.

9-19-10 Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival

Yesterday, Tim & I went to the Walnut Valley Festival in Wellington, Kansas. If you like bluegrass, folk and rockabilly music, this is the place to go. The act on stage is "The Greencards". If you haven't heard of them, look them up on iTunes. Their music is great.

9-17-10 Black Eyed Susans

These black-eyed susan flowers grow wild all over the Flint Hills

9-16-10 Shimmering Lake

The sun was at the right angle when I spotted this shot. The tree framing it belongs to my neighbor and had blown down in a recent storm.

Hail! Ceasar....Hail!

Mother Nature's on the rampage tonight! Storms rolled in around 5:30p, with heavy rain and hail, eventually causing the tornado sirens to sound. I haven't seen hail like this in a long time. Glad we paid the extra to upgrade the shingles on our new roof last year.

9-14-10 Watch Out, Toto...

Looks like the Wicked Witch of the West is close by! This bicycle is part of someone's cabin marker at the lake. I love how they have made planters out of the baskets. So far, I haven't seen any flying monkeys!

9-13-10 Horse Shoe, Anyone?

There is a small park area down the road at the lake where three horse shoe pits were set up. Now by the looks of them, they have been there for quite a while. However, it gave us the inspiration to purchase a set and make our own pit. Many games were played over the Labor Day weekend.

9-12-10 Sailin' Away

The weather this weekend was great for sailing, or doing other things on the lake. We had warm days, but cool nights. (Sigh!) Weekends like this are numbered. We close things down the first of October.

9-7-10 View From Cabin

This is the view from our deck at the lake. The season is coming to a close. We only have a few more weekends before we have to close it down.

9-6-10 Mardi Gras (Council Grove Style)

This weekend was our big Labor Day Bash at the lake. This year's theme was "Mardi Gras." We had jambalya, Gumbo, red beans & rice, as well as other cajun-type dishes. Forty-two friends & family showed up for the event. Although the wind blew like crazy, everyone seemed to have a great time.

9-2-10 Impatients Being Patient

Captured these impatients blooming in a park flower garden. For as much hot, dry, weather we have had, they looked as healthy and refreshed.

9-1-10 Knocking Down the Old

This is part of the "Fairmont Creamery" building in Council Grove, KS. They are in the process of knocking down this building. I'm not sure what, if anything, will take it's place. In the mean time, it makes a good place to take pictures.

8-31-10 Tubular View

Was walking around a park in Valley Center the other day and noticed this view through some of the playground equipment.

8-30-10 The Fairmont Creamery Co.

This old warehouse building used to be the home of The Fairmont Creamery Co., located in Council Grove, Kansas. The best I can determine is that it was part of the Blue Valley Creamery Company, based out of Nebraska. This creamery has been shut down for years,

and is in the process of either being torn down or remade to house some other type of business.

8-29-10 Charlotte's Web

While taking pictures of something else, I found this great looking spider's web.

8-26-10 Put Money In the Box

Was on my way home from school and drove past this old wagon sitting out front at a farm. I'm assuming they had produce on the wagon to sell. Must be very trusting soles to leave the money box out there.

8-25-10 Water Fun

Went out to lunch today and discovered this park just down the street from the HS I am housed at. The green round thing (which from the other side looks like a frog, sprays water inside the circle; the orange, tall pipe with the snake head shoots out water from the mouth of the snake; there are jets in the concrete that shoot up water too! I'm sure this was a hit this summer.

8-24-10 Shimmering Pampass Grass

As the sun was coming up yesterday morning, and I was backing out of our drive, I noticed the flowering part of the pampass grass shimmering in the sunlight.

8-23-10 Morning Sun

As I was pulling out of the driveway this morning, I caught the sun trying to shake off the clouds.