No place like home

 This week, Rick Seely, a classmate from Christian Academy in Japan, where I went to high school in Tokyo, came to visit.  I contacted a couple others in town who also were MK's (missionary kids) from Japan and we all met together at Back Alley for pizza.

Rick pulled out a map he made of the U.S. and showed us where he had been so far.  He is traveling all across the United States, visiting friends and relatives....people who stayed in touch and encouraged him and his wife while she was suffering from brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme).  Rick and Lois both grew up as MKs in Japan and attended CAJ.  After college, they married and in 1988 they joined SEND International as missionaries and began to work full-time at CAJ.  He was the Business Manager and Lois was the elementary ed art teacher and librarian.  She passed away in August 2018.

(my husband was standing under a pink light!)

We enjoyed hearing of his travels and the people he met.   Rick spent the night at our home.  Before retiring for the night, I drug out our yearbook from CAJ and also a photo album.  Rick pointed to the various people we knew, where they lived now, who he planned to visit yet.  

In the morning, we went to the Breadbasket for breakfast because his missionary friend who is from this area told him he should try it.  And we went to Norms for coffee (picture at top of page), then I took him to see the Sky Sculpture. 

Phil Epp is a well known painter from here who does landscapes of the plains. 

 He loves to do clouds and Newton has used his paintings for many of the signs here and a water tower.

When Rick was headed to our place from Texas, he posted this picture on his Facebook page.

In the comments, someone stated "pretty boring state".   I think Kansas gets a pretty bad rap.  There is so much beauty in our state! 

In the Bible, there are some books that people gravitate more to - Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels.  There are others like Leviticus that, well, unless you dig deep enough to find treasures, study and seek those out, you may often ignore. 

Our nation has many states people naturally want to travel to, like Colorado!  But, Kansas, if you look closer, has such wonderful places!  Rick titled to his post, "No place like home".   Let me share with you my home state and some of its' treasures!

Kansas has the Gypsum Hills.  We went with our friends, Rich and Carolyn.  

 Buster's is in Sun City, KS where people come from far away for their steaks.

They have a reenactment of the Peace treaty of the western Native American tribes of the region with the United States government in October 1867.  It will take place this year on Sept 27-29 in Medicine Lodge.

When we went on that trip, we stopped at a cemetery by Harper and found this cemetery.  

Kansas has some unusual cemeteries

Other places of interest in Kansas are Scott State park.  

 We have a  GIANT  Van Gogh!

 There are the Arikaree breaks - we've not been, but that is something we hope to do this year.

 Monument Rocks  and New Jerusalem

  


Quivira Wildlife Refuge where many water birds stop on migration path.

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge

 

How about the Stratica, the underground salt mines?  That is pretty cool!

You can ride a little tram that takes you all over to see how the mine operates.

 Hollywood film stored here for preservation.

You can see the Laura Ingalls Wilder home

You can see Big Brutus, a real steam shovel that was operational!

  It's BIG!

 We enjoy seeing old buildings from past times.

 

Wilson Lake

 Tall Grass Preserve

 

 

Flint Hill country is so pretty!

There is so much more to our State.  This is the tip of the iceberg.  I haven't even touched the unique towns like Lindsborg (Little Sweden) or Ellinwood  (with its underground tunnels) and cities like Wichita with the Botanical Gardens, the awesome zoo, Museum of  World Treasures, and so forth and so on.  Or Lawrence. Or Kansas City.  

I remember when I moved to the States.  To Kansas.  What a culture shock.  Wide open spaces.  Where we lived was so FLAT!  But, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I have come to love this place and appreciate my "home"!

Why not come and explore?!

And you know what else is in Kansas?

Us!  

You can come visit us!