Kansas' 150th Birthday parade

Although Kansas became a state January 29, 1861, celebrations have been going on all year. And since January really is a difficult month for parades - well, there was a big one today in downtown Wichita. So we went to this sesquicentennial birthday parade with the grandchildren. We knew that rain clouds were off to the west so we took umbrellas - just in case!
Messin' with Papa waiting for the parade to start.

Look Nana! My wite hand is ovoo my haht.
The Governor
I was just hoping these longhorns wouldn't get out of line and come at us!!


I am not sure what the Batmobile was doing in the Kansas parade. Any ideas? Maybe a Kansas guy bought it?

Miss Kansas
The cows and horses left a lot of evidence behind....
...luckily this street cleaner came along before all the marching bands and people came along.














The Pretty Prairie Bulldog marching band! I remember when I was on furlough in the 8th grade and got to march with them at Sterling College.

It was almost over when we began to feel drops of rain.
So we started to get ready to leave when it began to pour. Time to go! It almost rained on our parade! But glad it held out!
It was a fun and long parade and the kids got lots of candy thrown to them too. But we weren't done! We headed to Elbing, to Berean for their Country Fair. Kansas has so many country fairs in the month of October! We could have gone to several today.
Posing with Tante Hulda, who I painted probably 10 years ago when our kids went to school there. I painted her as an advertisement for the German food that they serve. Verenika, German sausage, New Year's cookies, zwiebach.

And now we are thanking God for the rain He has sent. So far about an inch, but we could get possibly up to 3 inches we are told. Great for the grass we planted and for the crops around here. An end to the draught perhaps.

Happy 150th Birthday, Kansas!