Why Not Make It Babies And Toddlers Week?

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Well, I may or may not have enough images. However, there were small children all over the place when we saw my wife's family last weekend, so maybe.

This is Cedric, niece Lisa's youngest child. The photo was taken at Elvira, my mother-in-law's, old home, where she lived for 30 years before moving into new seniors' housing, seen here a few days ago. It was just full of stuff. She took all that she wanted to her new apartment. The rest of it was set out at the old house; the family bid on anything of interest, the proceeds going to Elvira.

There were several shelves of 1940s and 50s women's hats. Someone put one on Cedric. I thought it looked like Rembrandt's beret in some of his self-portraits, an impression reinforced by the angle of the head and shoulders. Behold the young artist.

I bought a perfectly good banjo for $10. I do not play the banjo and have no idea what I'm going to do with it. But it was way cool and I couldn't resist.

If You Are Low On Material...

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... you can always post pictures of babies. A hit every time. This is niece-in-law, for want of a better term, Dr. Kristin Kruse, with daughter Marin, 1 year old. This was taken at a get-together on the old family farm.

Back Roads

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The rural roads in the part of Kansas where my wife grew up are dirt and gravel, straight and well-graded. They generally run at one mile intervals; the enclosed square mile is known as a section.

Above, northbound on 2nd Road, Marshall County. Below, a mile west, southbound on County Line Road, the border between Marshall and Washington Counties. My brother-in-law's farm is on the left in both shots.

Many people envision Kansas as deadly flat. Some of it is, but much is gently rolling, like this area. I love the subtle colors, even at this time of year.

Everyone Meets At Ricky's

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In the classic movie Casablanca, everyone meets at Rick's. (In fact, that was the original title.) In Hanover, Kansas, everyone meets at Ricky's.

Kermit Riekenberg, below, has owned the place to dine in Hanover for 47 years. Hearty, yummy country cooking at amazing prices. Several layers of my wife's family met there for breakfast yesterday morning. The lead picture sums up the atmosphere. We want to come back and taste the Supreme Potato Ole listed on the board. Heck, we just want to find out what it is.

The ham and cheese omelet is just enormous. My brother-in-law, Mel, put a dollar bill next to it just to show the scale. At the bottom, Mrs. C leaves, another satisfied customer.

Sorry again about the lack of recent comments. Limited WiFi access out here. The motel is supposed to have it but I can't get the signal at my end of the hall.

On The Farm

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My brother-in-law, Mel, and his wife, Pat, bought the old family farm from my wife's parents more than 30 years ago. With the way agriculture has changed, they both had day jobs while they grew corn and raised cattle (and children). Four generations were hanging around the place yesterday, from 93 year old Elvira to five month old Sydney. The number of great grandchildren is beyond my comprehension (none contributed by my division to date, though). Some of them played on the old tree swing while the boys went out to skeet shoot.

Marysville

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Keating Street in Marysville, Kansas, on a warm, sunny Thanksgiving afternoon. It's a new street and the new home of my mother-in-law, Elvira Kruse, 93 this weekend. Each unit has two townhomes for seniors, all spacious and well-built. Elvira had lived in the old family house in a town of 600 or so (and shrinking). This development is in the county seat of about 4,000 (and growing). She can live by herself and has new friends nearby. Altogether better for her.

But it's so quiet. The cornfields begin at the end of the street. I hear the horns of the trains passing by town.

Thursday Arch Series

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Of course I got some Arch pix from the helicopter. The light was so dull. I wasn't flying the aircraft (much to everyone's benefit) so I couldn't set up an angle I'd prefer. Still, a few were okay. I chose this image for today's post because I thought it was the most dramatic, the most unusual view for us groundlings. I may use others on the next couple of Thursdays.

It's very hard to comprehend from this photo, but remember that the Arch is exactly as wide as it is tall.

It's late Wednesday night at a Kansas City airport hotel as I write this. We drove here from St. Louis this afternoon. Up and out in the morning to get son Andy on an early flight from Chicago, then west into Kansas for Thanksgiving with Carolyn's family. Prairie pix to follow.