There is a section of central Kansas known as the Flint Hills. This area is the last large expanse of tallgrass prairie in the country. During the westward expansion in the 1800’s, the settlers found the land was not good for their traditional crops because of the outcroppings of limestone and flint. Cattle ranching became the main agricultural activity, so the land was not ploughed over and remained intact. Due to the abundant rainfall the past few months, everything is wonderfully green. The hills undulate and roll slowly across the countryside, and at sunset they take on a golden hue. It is an area where the horizon is a long way off, and one can revel in the beauty of the expanse in an almost 360 degree vista.
landscapes
End of the Trail in the Ozark Mountains
On our last night in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, we went to the Buffalo Bar at the Top of the Rock, near Ridgedale, Missouri. As the sun was setting after a warm summer-like day, it illuminated the clouds that were on the horizon and in the sky above, and all was reflected in Table Rock Lake. At the Top of the Rock is a water pool that has a statue of the End of the Trail, all at the precipice overlooking the lake. In researching the statue, I learned that the sculptor James Earle Fraser was originally from Winona, Minnesota, and the piece was first modeled in 1894. This area of the Ozarks had been home to the Osage Indians, and this evening’s sunset beauty seemed a fitting tribute to them and the area they loved.
A lush green spring in southern Missouri
We’ve just returned from a full week of traveling, bookmarked on each end with a graduation; one nephew’s college graduation and another nephew’s high school graduation (congrats to them both – I couldn’t be more proud!). The first part of the week found us in southern Missouri, south of Branson. With all the rain that has fallen (including while we were there), everything is a beautiful and lush green. The Ozark mountains were in their prime, and waterfalls were running full and fast. In other areas, flowers were in full bloom – iris and peonies, foxglove and phlox. We truly couldn’t have picked a better time for our trip. It was a great time to explore the area with its natural beauty – a wonderful relaxing time.
Wind and ice
We made a day trip south to Faribault Minnesota yesterday. The day dawned with a dusting of snow, and a front moving through, prompting strong northerly winds up to 45 mph. Not a problem for driving south….As we were following along the southern shore of Cannon Lake, I was amazed at the whitecaps rolling across the water. I have never seen that much wind blowing over the open water. But then my eye caught the southern shoreline where the wind-blown waves were crashing. Because of the cold temperatures, the water was freezing along the trees and bushes. Everything was coated in ice, and even some of the icicles were leaning towards the south because of the incessant winds. As cold and windy as yesterday was, the pendulum of spring swung the other way today and we enjoyed sunshine and 60’s, with no signs of ice.
Spring’s attempt is foiled again
Spring is not known for its consistency. After tulips had broken through the ground, ice has been off the lakes, and everyone’s thoughts were turning to warmer temperatures, we got a slap of snow. The temperatures dropped, the winds picked up, and winter came sweeping back into Minnesota. I headed out before dawn to the Como Golf Course. The white dusting left some wonderful patterns and allowed the shapes of the trees to stand out in the landscape. It was still dark enough that the street lights around the lake were lit and glowed a beautiful golden yellow to contrast with the white landscape. And on the green, the red flag fluttered in defiance of the winter weather. Undettered, spring will try again this week to get its foothold on our landscape.
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