June 14th, 2010 admin
Kathleen and Joel (my ex-business partners) said, “Let’s go to the Symphony in the Flint Hills” so we got six tickets and B&B reservations at The Cottage House in Council Grove and planned a great weekend. Storms before, almost during and after every happening…but amazingly lovely at the critical moments. Rod and I stopped in the Harveyville, KS cemetery to visit his great aunts and uncles who didn’t make it to adulthood. When Ben and Rod tried to find their grave sites last summer they discovered the five little ones were buried in three plots with no markers. Thanks to their efforts we now have a lovely “Wilson” bench to mark Rod’s grandfather’s siblings final resting place. It is a lovely, well kept cemetery and the sun shone beautifully while we were there. The next happening was the Symphony in the Flint Hills in Chase County, near Bazaar. 6,000 of our closest friends also were there. The sun didn’t quite shine, although it tried to. But the storm clouds stayed away long enough to guarantee a lovely afternoon and evening for all who attended. And the choreography with the cowboys and cattle on the adjoining hills was worth the price of the tickets. The last folks still enjoying the ambience of those amazing white tents were asked to leave about 10:30 pm as a storm was approaching. Lots of rain during the night with accompanying lightening and thunder. During the drive back to KC on Sunday we stopped at the best moment to catch the awesome black cloud spreading clear across the sky. And then – getting lost near Gardner while looking for the KCPL Wetlands (which we never found) we saw this amazing barn with its bouquet of daylilies blooming in the doorway.
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December 25th, 2009 admin
On the Kenyan coast we saw this finished house of the golden palm weaver. Lots more Kenyan pictures coming here… probably also some from Ecuador!!
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August 6th, 2009 admin
How do you decide which of the 80 pictures of lions are the best two or three? I’m knee-deep in digital photos from our July Kenyan Safari. I have already eliminated several hundred from the 4,140 pics I brought home.
My process now is to put in my Google Picasa Web Alums site one album for each location we went. Then the hard work begins. I’m determined to put together a safari presentation for friends and neighbors…and that will require peeling down to just a few pictures.
Two albums are on Picassa already…our time near Nairobi…and the animals, birds and village in Amboseli National Park. One highlight at Dame Daphne Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphange near Nairobi…our guide, Dave Richards, introduced me to Dame Sheldrick. What a lovely and dedicated lady. While in Amboseli we visited a Masai village … another wonderful treat. Amboseli has five swamp areas that are full of green and water. A big contrast to the surrounding almost desert areas.
One highlight in the Mara was celebrating grandson, Warren’s 11th birthday with the Masai men. Keep tuned for further adventures at Lake Nakuru and in the Masai Mara.
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July 31st, 2009 admin
Magic was in the air and we breathed it for two unforgettable weeks. “Jambo” and a smile as you meet each person brings a warm smiling “jambo” in return to welcome you to Kenya.
A safari in Kenya was our grandson Warren’s choice of destination for his eleven-year-old trip with Nani. A visit to Daphne Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage in the Nairobi Game Park started the safari off with giggles and awe. Many more elephants are orphaned these days because of increased poaching. The giggles exploded as we watched the youngest orphans slip and slide in their water/mud hole.
Click on thumbnails
The nearby Giraffe Centre, a research center designed to protect the endangered Rothschild Giraffe, furnished some up-close-and-personal time with the giraffes. Watching Warren hold a giraffe pellet in his teeth while the giraffe took it from him gave Nani her first big surprise of the trip.
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