Groundhog Day

I know the photo is poor quality but this is two groundhogs along the Turkey Creek Streamway Trail in Merriam. Stacy and I walked seven miles along it yesterday and saw at least 15 groundhogs from small to quite large. But you can't get close to them so this is zoomed with my phone. Most were on the opposite side of the creek.

KC Thunder Ride

KC Thunder gathered at the Mission Hy-Vee in preparation for a ride to the National Cemetery in Ft. Scott to lay wreaths on graves for Memorial Day. The Thunder Ride is annual event to honor troops and raise funds for veterans. About 250 cyclists were participating.

Cowgirl Princess

At a bridal shower given by her cousins.

Gritty Ice

The ice rink at the Carriage Club has been transformed for sand volleyball.

Commemorating My Birthday

... or rather the Streetcar grand opening. But since we celebrated together, it's only appropriate that I have new art decorating my office.

Cindy Buys a House

Hayden and Stacy came to see Cindy's new house. I believe this was 1983.

Diversity

Mizzou, Marquette, Notre Dame, KU - This house seems to have great diversity in collegiate loyalty.

Nose Cone Update

You may have noticed the nose of a plane in a glass box behind a home on Ward Parkway as shown in my blog in 2010. I have finally learned the story. It's the 24-foot nose cone used for testing a supersonic Concorde jet prototype in the 1960s. Still not sure why he felt the need to box it in his backyard. The home belongs Farhad Azima of Aviation Leasing Group. You can read about him here.

The Water Is High

Creeks running high during the supposed intermittent showers yesterday. The marker showed it at 1.5 feet at this spot. The showers were not intermittent. It was a deluge.

Urban Golf

These fellows, with one channeling Caddy Shack, were participating in the inaugural Downtown Open Urban Golf Tournament. It started at Washington Park but there were also holes close to streetcar stops - at the River Market, the library, the Kauffman Center, etc. It looked like they were going to have quite a turn out, many in costume.

All in the Family

The 1971 Rolls Royce on the left and the 1960 Metropolitan belong to a husband wife. The escort for the cars, part of the Heart of Ameica Concours d'Elegance at Crown Center, said the husband had the Rolls Royce and decided to buy the Metropolitan for his wife for her birthday. The show was primarily for owners of Jaguar, Austin Healey, Rolls-Royce and Triumph vehicles.

Beep Goes the Weasel

David Cedillo played vegetables as part of a group called Beep Goes the Weasel, an interactive project involving vegetables that make sounds when you tap them. They are attached to a synthesizer(?) and each makes a unique sound. I tried it. It was amazing. The idea of the project is to engage people (who may never think of themselves as remotely musical) in playing electronic instruments. The group is funded by a Rocket Grant from the Charlotte Street Foundation in Kansas City. He demonstrated during Third Fridays in Overland Park.  

Blazing a Trail

It appears that they are cutting a road from Nall into the former Meadowbrook Country Club. First sign that the development is proceeding.

Graduation Day

Another graduation day. Hayden is not at all sure she should be hanging around with Uncle Scott and Kathleen. Scott is graduating from law school and Kathleen earned her bachelor's degree.

Feng Shui Pizza

A New Coffee Treat

Cindy gave me this French press for my birthday. This is midway through my first attempt at using it. It was delicious.

The Best Of

The Colonial Choir presented its Best of concert last night. Delightful!

Construction Philosopher

"Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction." - Pablo Picasso. This construction project has taken a philosophical approach. They tore a building down "see what destruction hath wrought" to build this one at Town Center Plaza.

Hi Tech Book Club

My book group was discussing "Boys in the Boat" and our hostess was showing us a video of the 1936 Berlin Olympic race. We did have an 80-inch TV behind her but we couldn't get it to play the video so we gathered around the tablet.

Stays Pink All Season

I'm intrigued by this tree, which I believe is a Tri-color Beech. It has these pink tinted, variegated leaves all growing season. I pass one on my way to work and noticed last year that it stayed pink after the spring flowering season which I thought was odd. Now I know it's not blooming, it's the color of the leaves.

Susan Earns a B.S.

A little fuzzy but that's probably a good thing. Doesn't look too much like the '70s! Minis to maxis.

Flat Blossoms

My peonies start each day with tight buds and then the blossoms flatten out. So different from most I walk by that have multiple layers of petals. Probably my deft green thumb causing this. I don't think they used to do that.

Memory Cakes

I say that because they remind me of my childhood and college (when sometimes they were my lunch at the Student Union). It was so exciting the first time I got to eat both cakes in the package. Thankfully these are individually wrapped so I have more self control. And thanks to my good friend, Cheri, for treating me for my birthday. They taste just as good as I remember.

Happy Mother's Day

Enjoying my reasons for celebrating.

Tablecloth Art

At her bridal shower yesterday, Hayden is modeling the apron I made from pieces of Mom's tablecloths. She is wearing a Kentucky Derby hat that hostess Kathy let her use as the Kentucky Derby was running at the same time.

Riding the Rails

Beautiful night to ride the new streetcars. Nice of them to celebrate my birthday with the kickoff.

Left Behind

This vintage sign continues to adorn a strip center on Shawnee Mission Parkway but the business itself is gone. I like that Missionhill is one word. Interesting that no one has bothered to take down the sign.

A Birthday Smile

On my 4th birthday. Gotta love the bangs (or the lack of them) but my shoes are fashionable.

We Don't Guarantee Nothin

This garden center is taking a realist's view of people.

In Its Place

Last night while at the Royals game we saw Bill Rose's painting in its new home at Kauffman Stadium.

What Is This?

Cindy, Susan and I were looking at Mom's recipes and found one for Tomato Vegetable Salad and this is it. It involved tomato soup, lemon jello, cottage cheese, Miracle Whip, green pepper etc. and sounded awful so Cindy decided to make it. You could actually eat it but I wouldn't seek it out and it looks disgusting. None of us remember Mom ever making it so don't know why it was in with her special recipes. We did get a good laugh out of it.

At Least It Didn't Rain

The aftermath of the Independence Park Trot 5K Saturday morning in Waterfall Park. It rained on us all the way there but just a mist now and then on the run. I ran the whole route! Stacy ran much faster so we met back up at the finish line. No photo of me as I looked like a drowned rat by the end.