The road home- Sedan, Flint Hills abandoned home, Thee chapel

After a visit with the Perkins, I headed off for home.  Here is an unusual home I passed.

I took 75 north out of Bartlesville and was rather impressed with such a good road!  It was 4 lane until I got to Kansas.  We are coming upon summer - you can see bug schmutz on the window!

After Caney, Kansas, I turned west on 166.  My first stop was in the town of Sedan, just north of 166.  It boasts of having the longest yellow brick road in the world!  You may know about the "yellow brick road" from the Wizard of Oz.  The setting for that book is Kansas, however, no town is ever named.  Liberal, Kansas claims that title.  I did not see the movie until after I was married.  They showed it on the KU campus.  Every Kansan should see it, right?

My granddaughter, Hannah, had the opportunity to be in the play of Wizard the Oz!

The "city" of Sedan is the largest town of Chautauqua county with around 1,124 people.

I found the town charming.

I'd hoped to visit the Emmett Kelly museum, but it was closed.  I'll have to go again!  Do you know who Emmett Kelly is?  

A Google search says that "Emmett Leo Kelly was an American circus performer, who created the clown figure Weary Willie, based on the hobos of the Great Depression in the 1930s. According to Charles W. Carey, Jr.: Kelly’s creation of Weary Willie revolutionized professional clowning and made him the country’s most familiar clown."  He was born in 1898 in Sedan!

The younger generation think clowns are creepy.  I think there is a horror movie that persuaded them to think that.  I grew up knowing clowns from circuses and found them funny!  The uncle of a friend of mine was a professional clown.  Did you know there is such a thing as "clown school"?

I took 99 north, then west on 160 through a couple of little towns.

Flint Hills

Every spring, they burn the brush on the Flint Hills intentionally to provide better forage for the cattle.  It also helps preserve the tallgrass prairie and controls invasive plant species.

I saw this abandoned home off 160 and had to stop!

I wonder what the stories are about the family who lived here back when the prairie was settled?

The fires were still going....I sure didn't want the car to catch on fire, so hurried out of there.

East of Cambridge, I saw this chapel off to the north of the road.  There was a nice "welcome" sign, so I drove up to it.  It is called Thee Chapel.

It would be a cool place to get married if you just had a small group!

At Burden, I headed north.

Evidently, a prairie fire got out of control.

When Allen left Arkansas on Monday, he made it home without any stops in 4 1/2 hours.  It took me 12 hours.   BUT, who do you think had the most fun though?  

I will say it was good to get out of the car and stretch!!

The road home, Fayetteville to Bartlesville

Staci was slowly recovering from her surgery.  Lots of people were bringing her meals.  It was time for me to go back home to Kansas.

The day started out cloudy with a few rain showers. 

I was going to go home with a stop in Bartlesville, Oklahoma to visit some retired missionaries to Japan.  I went to school with their children in Tokyo.  Most people would probably have gone there via Tulsa, but I like a road less traveled, seeing places I have never been before!  Adventure, you know.  And yes, it was quite a curvy stretch of highway, just like the map showed.

This guy was painting a church sign.

This was unusual.  A fence post made from ironing boards; 2 knights in shining armor, and some bicycles in the trees.

I pulled in at Jay.

I decided to visit the museum.

I have some of that Frankoma pottery!

You can read about its history here.

A lady in town donated her doll collection.  

The Tiny Tears doll I have been wanting is there on the shelf.

But this is a museum, not a store.   Alas.

I arrived in Bartlesville and found the Perkins' home.  They are in their 90's but still live alone.  Their daughter lives close by.  

The first thing on the agenda was a visit to their church for communion, as it was Good Friday.

The Perkin's prayed in Japanese.  So sweet.

What a wonderful time of fellowship we had, talking about all the people we knew in common!   Mrs. Perkins had fixed a delicious lunch!

I didn't know this couple when we lived in Japan, but knew their son.  When I found out that his parents lived fairly close to me, I knew I needed to visit and make their acquaintance!  What a wonderful time we had.  We could have talked for hours!!  But by 3:00 I needed to continue on home.

Journey home to be continued...