Green Thumb

With enough water and gardeners, you can make flowers flourish even in this hellish weather. This is in the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden.

Before the Slicing

Blocks of goats milk soap at Indigo Wild, makers of Zum products. Stacy and I visited the factory and we may carry the aroma of all those essential oils with us for awhile. These giant blocks are cut into slices that are sold as bar soap.

Brush Creek Art Walk

This artist was part of the art walk that has artists painting along the four-miles of Brush Creek. Winners will have their work in the UMKC Gallery of Art in August. Interesting except for the incredible amount of goose poop in the grass and long the walkways.

Just a Little Flair

The eagle solemnly watches, sporting just a touch of bling.

Secret Garden

The Chinese Garden of Friendship at Darling Harbor in Sydney. Stacy and I visited it as it was just a short walk from her apartment but once in it, you wouldn't know the city was right outside.

Unidentified Substance

An unusual wetness fell from the sky. We are guessing it's rain but it's been so long we aren't sure.

Something Flourishes

This house, which I check in on periodically, is flourishing in this weather. Almost a year ago, it was flooding. Not a problem this year.

Cooling Off

The old fashioned way in 1957.

Dinner Plate Blooms

I can't seem to do this bloom justice but it was HUGE!

Happy Birthday Taylor!

My nephew Taylor is 22 today. It's an especially great birthday considering his recovery from a severe head injury on July 3.

Share Table

While we were working at the Kids' Café in Rosedale, this table was created for the food the children didn't want, in this case peas. Kid’s Café is a national program from Harvesters developed to help combat childhood hunger. The basic requirement is that every child has to take all of the food for the meal to qualify for federal support. The corndogs and grapes were eaten quickly. The peas did disappear after the director said she would give graham crackers to those who ate ALL of their peas.

We Know

This note was taped to my office door. However, there was no noise so I don't know what it referred to, nor did anyone else. Very curious.

Think Cool

These folks decided to help people feel cooler. A little Christmas in July.

Still Life

...or so it seemed until the Clown of God juggling began. See below.

Notice the apple has a bite out of it. He was able to take a bite and keep juggling it and the other fruit. It was all part of the sermon and quite entertaining.

Brass Impact

This was one of the contestants in the Kansas City Drum Corps International event last night in Olathe. Very impressive folks in the eight bands.

Chew the Rainbow

Gumball color.

Glowing

With glowing accessories in place, we prepared for the run.

  After the run, the glow is much more impressive.

Stacy and I await the start.

A Cooling Mist

Although it wasn't really needed, you could cool off at the Royals game. 14 innings later, and 9 Royals pitchers and 8 White Sox pitchers, it might have felt refreshing.

Spoon Flower

Something to do with unneeded silverware.

In Case You Were Wondering

This is our cool volunteer apparel when working with shuttle buses.

Home Run for Kansas City

Stacy and I worked outside the stadium directing people as they got off the shuttles. This was our view of the game. It was fun to be out there and people commented on what a nice city we have. And the weather couldn't have been better. I'd say the All-Star Game was a home run for Kansas City.

Field of Dreams

At the All-Star FanFest at Bartle Hall, you can put yourself in the field of dreams.

Everyone a Champion

The 5K Sunday was an officially timed event but there were also a lot of folks participating for fun. Stacy and I worked a water station by Union Station.

The last man in was Kyle and his mother. His dad said he insisted on walking the whole 5K so the end escort followed him in.

Baseball Lights

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is celebrating the All Star Game.

All Star GameTakes Over Kansas City - Part 1

Stacy models our MLB All Star Game volunteer apparel in front of the fountains at Barney Allis Plaza. We worked our first shift downtown.

Need to Build a Church?

Habitat ReStore has a few pews you can use. Apparently this means a church somewhere has disbanded?

Night Magic

Spectacular fireworks provided by the City of Leawood.

Happy 4th of July!

Stacy and Ray reviewing the fireworks in 1986.

The fireworks preshow presented by Stacy, Holly, Frances, Kelly, Hayden and Morgan. Always a 4th of July highlight.

Pie Is Ready

Notice the apple on the left so you can appreciate how huge this pie is. I don't know if it was tasty but it was large.

Legally Blonde

The very pink set of Legally Blonde at Theater in the Park.

Color Run

In the beginning and ...

... in the end. Great fun although really hot. Lisa Donnelly and her sister Sarah Smart joined Hayden, Stacy and I on a team.