It was a beautiful day to spend outside watching the eclipse. Although we weren’t in the path of totality, we did get a bit darker and the breeze was a little cooler.
I took this photo with the sun shining through a colander during the eclipse. I saw this idea from the last eclipse in 2017.
Sponsored by America’s State Parks First Day Hikes occurs on the day of the New Year. It’s a time where all the State Parks are encouraging people to get out and enjoy what they have to offer. We have been spending a lot of time at Kanoplis State Park and enjoyed hiking on the first day of 2024.
Eagle nest above the trails. During nesting season the trails will be closed. We did see 3 eagles in the trees at the campgrounds. Also saw some pelicans that are still enjoying the winter in Kansas.
Didn’t see the beaver, but it’s been busy.
Wylie hunting deer
It was another beautiful winter day and that means we are out and about. We’ve been doing a lot of day trips to the local lakes but today we decided to go Lindsborg.
Our first stop a bakery – 350 Degrees. They really put out some wonderful baked goods. Rusk – made from cinnamon rolls that are sliced thin and rebaked in butter, cinnamon and sugar. That’s a dangerous treat!! So many wonderful pastries, bierocks, cinnamon rolls, bread pudding, so much more to choose from.
Next stop The White Peacock. The friendliest coffee shop around. I need to venture out and order something other than a Chi latte with oat milk, but it’s soooo good.
Time to hike it off.
Meadowlark Trail is a rail to trail. The trailhead at Lindsborg follows the old Union Pacific rail. The planned trail is a 13 mile rail to trail connecting Lindsborg and McPherson. The segment from Lindsborg is 4 miles, then the trail ends, with hopes of one day connecting to the trail that starts from the other end at McPherson.
A Christmas tree on the trail.
Smoky Hill River
This part of the trail is tree lined
I really enjoy any season at the lake, but winter is (right now anyway) my favorite season. The cold days aren’t bad if you’re bundled up! There certainly is a lot less people.
Kanopolis Lake
Bald eagle
White tail buck
White tail doe
Pelicans
It has been a wonderful autumn in Kansas. The days are warm, allowing us to been able to keep exploring a bit longer. One of our favorite places to be at is Bennington State Lake.
Migrating pelicans
The little van (Vincent VanGo) certainly makes for comfortable outings. Our days consist of hiking, snacking, napping – repeat!
Every Sunday we load up in the little RV to go have Sunday dinner. We like to patronize small town restaurants.
Today we went to the Historic Wolf Hotel in Ellingwood, KS. built in 1894 by John Wolf.
Nothing better for a Sunday dinner than fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. I also had one of the best coconut cream pies ever, sorry no photo, didn’t think about a picture until I was almost done. Trust me it was great!
There is a series of tunnels that run underneath the Wolf Hotel and other buildings. They give tours of the undergrounds – will certainly go back and take a tour!!
Finally the hot dry days of August are behind us. It’s okay that August went fast – it was too hot! Cooler days and nights in the 60’s, a good time to drive up to Bennington Lake for walking and day camping.
Leaves are starting to turn red and yellow. Sumac and probably poison ivy.
Me and my shadow. Wylie is such a wonderful companion.
Early morning walk in the moonshine from the super blue moon with Venus rising.
Lindsborg has the Dala horses, Wamego has Toto’s and Abilene has cowboy boots. In 2019 a group decided to install cowboy boots around the town, celebrating that the first cowboy boot was invented in Abilene in 1863.
Thank you to all the artists who designed these boots.
Wild Bill Hickok Cowboy Boot
Location Central Kansas Free Fair Grounds
Varsity Letter Cowboy Boot
Location Abilene High School Football Stadium
Sister City Cowboy Boot
Location Abilene Public Library
Ike’s Galaxy Cowboy Boot
Location Abilene City Hall
History of Farming In Dickinson County Cowboy Boot
Location Dickinson County Courthouse
Crazy Quilt Cowboy Boot
Location Arts Council Of Dickinson County
Mooooo Cowboy Boot
Location Old Abilene Town
Patriotism Cowboy Boot
Location Little Ike Park
Mud Creek Cowboy Boot
Location Abilene Senior Center
Rose Garden Cowboy Boot
Location Abilene Civic Center/Visitors Center
Abilene also has the world’s largest belt buckle, Designed by a local artist Jason Lahr, it measures 19’ 10 1/2” wide and 13’ 11 1/4” tall. Inlaid with a blue quartz longhorn it also features Dwight Eisenhower, Wild Bill Hickok, Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad, Seelye Mansion, C.W. Parker carousel horse, C.L. Brown telephone, and a racing Greyhound.
Thank you Wylie for being such a good sport and sitting for each photo. Time for a treat!
This Merci Boxcar is located in Hays, KS at the Veterans Memorial park.
France sent 49 boxcars to the United States as a thank you for the food and and other supplies that the US sent to France and Italy in 1947. The boxcars arrived February 3, 1949 in New Jersey, filled with thousands of gifts of gratitude that included a variety of toys, clothes, furniture, statues and ornamental items.
The boxcars were referred to as forty-and-eight. They hauled 40 men or eight horses to and from the front lines during WW 1.
The 49 boxcars were distributed among the 48 American states. The remaining boxcar was shared between Washington DC and Hawaii
Here is a link about the boxcars and you can look up the one for your State Merci America
We took off on the backroads to Lincoln county, one of our favorite places to go
Kansas is known for the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. We also have the Rim Man, a farmer really used his imagination to build this snowman out of tire rims.
Where’s Wylie? I always love to photograph him at the foot of a big old tree.
Beside the Post Rock Motel (which dates back to the 1950’s) is a wonderful Himalayan resturant. A tiny little building, with great food! It is definately worth a trip to Lincoln.
Farmer Days 