Kansas Sampler Barn

Hey, Peeps, I’ve been out here in Great Bend for a few days visiting family, so I’ve been a little disconnected from the virtual world.

I’ve made two trips to Mennonite Press in Newton to finalize the final details. Today, I approved the color corrections on the cover and the book is now ready to roll. As Major Astro would say, “All systems are go.” And if all goes as planned, I should have a book around the first of September. Woo-hoo!

On the way back from Newton today, I veered off the Interstate (I-135) and hit a few small towns. (But left no dents as far as I know.) Wandered through Hesston and Moundridge and Inman.

Since I was headed for Inman, I thought I’d stop in at the Kansas Sampler Ponderosa and see if anybody was home. Jackpot! Marci and WenDee were there. And Phoebe, the cat. (I think Phoebe’s the name.)

This was my first visit to the Kansas Sampler Foundation World Headquarters. And it is in a barn, or a barn is in it. Something like that.

Marci Penner and WenDee LaPlant are busy on a book themselves. They, too, have been visiting with Mennonite Press. Harland Schuster is doing the photography for the 8 Wonders book. Marci describes it as a coffee-table-book/guidebook. It will have a spiral binding so Kansans can keep it open to pages as they travel, hitting all the 216 Wonderous Sites of Kansas.

It’s going to be an awesome book. Everyone in the state will want one. It will be available in mid-April, 2011.

Hanging in the auditorium at the Foundation is the 8 Wonders map, noting locations of these favorite places.