Kansas Adventures, October, Part 1

For our October Kansas Adventure, we hit the road going northwest. We like to take back roads whenever possible - highways we have never been on. We headed out toward Great Bend to pick up highways 156 and 4, part of the wetlands & wildlife scenic byway.

Since we were so close to Great Bend, we decided to stop in to see Al's brother who works at John Deere as a service writer.

He was telling us that it is not uncommon to write up repair bills for $20,000 - $40,000! The combine in background brand new would cost a farmer 1/2 million! These new machinery have GPS and can drive themselves. Pretty soon you'll be able to get rid of the farmer! Ha!


Growing up on a farm, Al had thought he would like to be a farmer one day. We tease that he thought he was going to "farm-acy" school. But Al's Dad did not encourage his boys to follow in his footsteps. It was hard and often Dad had to take on a second job. So he told them to go to college and pursue a different career.

Just northeast of Great Bend is the Cheyenne Bottoms wildlife area, a marsh habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds during migrational periods.

Sandhill cranes, whooping cranes, various duck and lots of other birds can be spotted. Bald eagles winter in the area.

We saw a big flock of white pelicans yesterday. They summer in Alberta, Canada and winter in Florida and Mexico.



We saw a few hunters. Hunting is regulated of course because of many endangered and protected birds.

We left the area and drove west on highway 4. Friendly locals would wave to us. Al said they aren't used to seeing humans around. There truly was so little traffic! We were the only ones on the road it seemed.

There are miles of stone fence posts. Farmers and ranchers quarried the abundance of rock to make fence posts since there were so few trees in the area.
Many barns and homes had seen better days. If only we could "hear" the stories they could tell us.

It was past 1:30 and we began to look for places to eat. We like to try those rural mom and pop restaurants - hole in the wall type places. Unfortunately, although many of these small towns had bars (this town had 3) we could not find a diner. So we had to settle for a bar that advertized that it served food too. I was wishing I'd packed a picnic.
The establishment was clean and not smokey at all due to laws. A little tacky perhaps. Check out the curtains made from bed sheets. And I've never had an ice tea or 7-up served up in Bud Light cups before! We just are not bar type people. Oh well, the hamburger and enchilada were decent enough.

We were refreshed and ready for the next part of the adventure!

Playdate

The young moms in our Tuesday morning Bible study along with their children came to my house this morning for a playdate. We visited and laughed while we had coffee, cherry coffee cake, hashbrown casserole and pumpkin cupcakes.




The kids played quite well - there might have been a few squabbles. Infact, I thought some child was about to be decked when I appeared with this camera. Then they were all smiles for Miss Debby for picture taking. Always glad to stop a fight!



A princess pirate?
Marin wearing this crown backwards cracked me up.

Luke is all boy. He wanted to see the garage to look at Mr. Allen's tools, lawnmower, saw blades, etc. Luke loves his lawnmowers and will ask anyone what color theirs is and how you start it up. And he does a great imitation of how to start a lawnmower by pulling the start thing. (I have no idea what it is called) But Luke probably would know.

A fun play time dear young friends! Come again!

Pumpkin Patch

Today we went to Papa's Pumpkin Patch north of town. Before going to the patch to pick out our pumpkins, there were other things to do!






















We got a hay rack ride out to the pumpkin patch.

The kids each picked out their very own pumpkins.

The burro watched the children pick their pumpkins.
More play time.

The children were given an educational time about how pumpkins are grown and the many types of pumpkins.
Long time ago children played "spin the top" with these little gourds.
Our time at Papa's Pumpkin Patch ended with some very delicious pumpkin cake!



Today was really our first quite chilly day. I could have had a jacket besides my sweater. I was freezing out there on the farm! Winter is around the corner, but I have to say I love pumpkin season!! Winter can wait just a little.

Taste of Home

When my children were still living at home and I did lots of cooking, I used to subscribe to the Taste of Home magazine. I LOVED it!

So when Carolyn Dewey suggested that we go to the Taste of Home Cooking School that had come to the area, I was excited to do just that! Last night several from my ladies' Bible study went. We arrived early so we could go around and visit all the booths.

Got a nice sampling of lipstick...
Got to taste wonderful cupcakes! and chocolates!

and for me the best was that I got a wonderful back massage!! (sorry, no picture of that)

We all got Walmart bags with goodies (coupons, wooden spoons, magazines, etc.)

What an entertaining and educational evening learning cooking hints and seeing the culinary specialist make all kinds of wonderful foods - pumpkin whoopie pies, agave chocolate cake, roast pork tenderloin sliders, groundnut stew, Chex pb and chocolate blast...

We were given lots of hints - like "never refrigerate tomotoes or sweet potatoes".

They gave away tons of prizes! All the food made was given away along with the pretty dishes they were served on. Lots of cookbooks were given as prizes. There were appliances given away. Even a tv and an overnight stay in KC. We were disappointed that no one in our group got one. We will have to go back next year and try again!

In the meantime, well, we shall try our hand at making these wonderful new recipes!

Stroke

On Sunday while sitting in our church service my phone vibrated. As the nursery director I thought it was probably a nursery worker calling to say they could not make it this morning. But it was my mother telling me that my dad had a stroke and she was at the hospital. Decisions needed to be made and she needed us to come. So I went back into the worship center and called Al out. Jill came too and we went to the hospital.

Mom told us that they were getting ready to go to church and were getting in the car when he told her "You drive". Well, Dad always drives when they are going somewhere together so Mom found this very unusual. As he got in the passenger seat, she asked if she should drive to the hospital and he nodded.

Dad was in Intensive Care. We decided that maybe we should transfer him on to Wichita because he was not getting better. We signed papers but then remarkably Dad began to get better! He began to speak fairly well and he could make movements fine. So after confiring with my brother (who is a physician in KC), we decided he should stay in town at the local hospital.

Dad was doing well physically, but his speech at times would be good, and at other times it was like he was speaking a foreign language. We could tell it was frustrating to him because he knew what he wanted to say but he just couldn't get it out! They call it aphasia. And how hard for a communicator like Dad - a missionary/pastor and one who loves to tell lots of jokes.

After only 1 night in the hospital the doctor released Dad! We were sort of surprised! But he is so happy to be home!

He tried to re-program the coffee maker (since Mom had unplugged it) and Mom said it took him about 1/2 hour to do so. But he was determined.

Today Mom wanted to go hear a speaker so I went to babysit Dad. Or maybe I should say Dad-sit. (Sophia and Hannah do not like me to say I am babysitting them. I am kid-sitting them!) So, I was Dad-sitting, just to keep him company and for Mom's reassurance.

I was amazed at Dad's improvement in speech! When I got there, he was on the computer and he was just responding to an e-mail I had sent him. I sent it, wondering how he would do on the computer. Dad looked at me and said "Oh, I just sent you a cucumber!" We laughed because we knew he didn't mean that.

We spent the next hour talking and although at times he would struggle with a word or two, for the most part he was speaking quite well! Maybe a little slower to make sure he had the right words. He told me he spent this morning reading a chapter in Ecclesiastes over and over and over. Then when Mom got up, he read it aloud to her. He feels that helped him with comprehension and speech.

He went to see a speech therapist this morning also and will do so for a while.

Mom said it is like when Jesus told the paralytic "Take up your mat and walk". We are getting Dad back and we are so happy!