Today’s Flyover People column as seen in The Emporia Gazette: WELL DONE, MANHATTAN ‘Take me back to the Cottonwood River,” Kelley Hunt sings. “Lead me on, lead me on to where the Flint Hills roll.” Growing up Emporia, the Flint Hills likely provided Kelley Hunt with a feeling of being grounded, and the open skies …
Catching your breath
A T-shirt for sale at the Flint Hills Discovery Center, quoting Emporia’s Jim Hoy.
Night of a Hundred Tornadoes
Today’s Flyover People column as seen in The Emporia Gazette: The Langley Tornado, 4.14.12. Photo by Stephen Locke, used with permission. NIGHT OF A HUNDRED TORNADOES “I can easily recall the pungent scent of this tornado path,” Stephen Locke wrote. “Violent winds strip bark, blend grass, open the earth and liberate a cacophony of volatile …
Saddle sore
I asked Erika Nelson what the nails on the saddles were for. She said, “Large drunk man deterrent.” More than once, she’s returned to her truck and found it either being climbed on or vandalized. The cage which was later constructed helps keep people out and the nails help, too, I’m sure.
Portrait of an Artist
Today’s Flyover People column as seen in The Emporia Gazette: PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST For a while now, I had been hoping to interview Erika Nelson – because she drives a vehicle with dinosaurs tarred onto the hood, has taxidermy forms in her living room, and because she seems like one of the coolest kids …
Ah, Kansas.
A gorgeous place, Pottawatomie County Ah, Kansas, I’ve missed you. The past few months, I’ve been incredibly busy. Lots of commitments, obligations, work to do. Plus, I’m trying to co-write a book. Lately, I’ve just been so tired of having something to do every minute of every day. I goof off 10 minutes here and …
Great Plains Dinner
Richard Porter and Jerilynn and Duane Henrickson talk with Erika Nelson of Lucas after her presentation on folk art this evening at the Friends of the Great Plains dinner at Emporia’s Granada Theatre. Erika Nelson is, among other things, the creator of the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest …
The Gallery at Pioneer Bluffs
Today’s Flyover People column as seen in The Emporia Gazette: THE GALLERY AT PIONEER BLUFFS Sitting in the shade on the spacious front porch at Pioneer Bluffs, it felt as if time had slowed to the small-town pace that I remembered from childhood. On the porch I visited with Matfield Green residents, Bill …
Lilacs at Pioneer Bluffs
Lilacs decorated picnic tables at Pioneer Bluffs on Saturday. It wasn’t a strong wind, but enough of a breeze to blow over the jars of water and lilacs, so Elaine Jones put rocks in the jars. These are things we have to do in Kansas. Saturday was the opening for an exhibit at the Gallery …
On grocery store shelves
Kuchera’s Mild Salsa is now available at Reeble’s South in Emporia. And at Gene’s Heartland Foods and Barleycorns in Wamego (Drew’s original hometown.) I first met Drew Kuchera last year at the Emporia Farmers’ Market and have been enjoying Kuchera’s salsa ever since. I don’t buy any other brand anymore. Kuchera’s is it. I’ve followed Drew …
Two Girls, Tulips and Rainbows
Today’s Flyover People column as seen in The Emporia Gazette: TWO GIRLS, TULIPS AND RAINBOWS Sitting in the March sun feels pretty much like falling in love. The chill of winter is gone and that sweet warm sun makes my skin smile. Birds, unseen, chirp in the trees around me. Cars drive past, a lone …