Sunset

I haven't been out looking at sunsets lately.

This is from July,
but it's a very lovely thing to see at the end of the last day of September.

Today LP and I went to lunch at the Dutch Kitchen planning to get a hamburger. After looking at the menu, I switched to a pork tenderloin sandwich but LP stuck with the plan.
We were both very happy with our choices.

Sadly, no room for pie.

Designs in bricks

These openings - from the left - a wide window, a doorway, a small window and a boarded up window, all vary a little in design. The tile roofed building contains several small shops. When this was built (1920's?) I wonder if the masons were left to do their own thing. Each opening has a slightly different form of bricks.
The contrasting yellow paint makes me wonder if there will be more of it later or if the beige will take over.

Hen and Chicks

I forget that the hen and chicks bloom in the fall. L. got this shot of the flowers last week.

Later: An observant follwer (B.) mentioned this looks like the Live Forever plant. Good old Google confirms she is right. I guess we don't have any hen and chicks in our yard. May have to buy some!

Still Waiting

My friend, Barbara, posted a picture similar to this last July. We were at the post office early this morning and it is still in the same state of disrepair. What is the deal?

I am all for the stimulus. However, it looks like it didn't reach the U.S. Post Office in Hutchinson, KS.

At the car wash

Good advice - especially at the car wash.

Still no rain -

We are teased by clouds but no rain falls. The forecast the week of the fair was rain every day.
One morning there was a light shower that settled the dust but the rest of the ten days were beautiful if warm for fair goers.

Each day the weather forecast is for rain. I don't know what has happened to their skills but they are tapped out on reliable information.

A squirrel or two squirrels?

This squirrel has a very long tail or there is a second squirrel hidden behind the limb.
I'm betting on the latter.
All the squirrels are burying peanuts provided by L. They seem to moisten them in their mouths before they bury them.

Engineering Marvel

This large web was found in our open garage door Friday night. The large manufacturing spider was traveling around completing the inner area. I have never seen a web with the "rings" so close together. Sadly, he never was able to complete the job. We needed access and did not want M.'s face covered with web after he drove in on a Harley. (Click for larger view.)

We tasted it.

Last night was the tasting event. B. and I considered it a success although we only made it to five out of twelve locations. We showed great restraint but were stuffed after the wonderful varieties we sampled. The first place we went, Jillian's, had dessert which goes along with my theory - dessert first.
It was all good. Too bad we couldn't make all of the places listed.

Withdrawal and recovery

The computer crashed Monday. Got a recommendation for a repair shop. They pick up and deliver which is great! It was only in the computer "hospital" for about 24 hours. There was a great deal of dust inside.

Hope it hangs together for another three years.

Stamey/Landmark Hotel

In this town they have a record of changing the names of buildings that I grew up looking at.....

This was the Stamey hotel. On the main floor there was a drug store with a soda fountain and at the back was a pharmacy. As I remember it was raised from the main level and there was a window there with a half circle cut into the glass. Sometimes when we went in there would be a small lamb sitting half-way out. At other times it would be gone. The story told to me by other knowledgeable people was that if the lamb was out, you could get liquor from the bellboys. Those were the days of the dry state of Kansas. I have no personal experience with this theory because I was in junior high school. In the late '40's the vote was taken and we had liquor stores but no bars. I believe there were also private clubs where you had to BYOB. Other interesting laws stated the establishment had to have a certain percentage of their sales in food. . . a higher percent than the sales of demon rum. I don't think any of these laws did what they were intended to do - stop people from drinking!
Now this building is known as The Landmark Apartments. Rating unknown to me but I don't think it's four star.

9-11

Kansas State Fair

Tomorrow the fair opens. I don't believe you'll find me on the YOYO or the ferris wheel but we'll be there; walking and looking and eating.

Tickets - We have Tickets!

Last year we tried to buy tickets for this tasting event in downtown Hutchinson and they were sold out.

Today we heard the ad on the radio and we have the tickets! To prepare, Thursday, the 16th's meals will consist of light fruit, a few crackers and some water. Twelve restaurants to sample between 5:30 and 9:00 p.m. will be a challenge but I'm sure the samples will be small.

Can't wait.

Wally 2000 - 2010

Kids in Colorado, 1970

Yesterday was a good day for scanning slides. One more wheel transferred to the computer. Easy to do, but time consuming. The problem is organizing them in a group of slides instead of a mass group called "pictures."
The plan is to burn them to CDs for the grandkids so they can see their parents as kids!

Cool Air!

The weather liars have been forecasting rain for two days. I guess there was a drizzle this morning but NO RAIN. Who cares? The temperature was 68 at 5:00 p.m. and a possible low of 54 tonight. Sweat shirt weather!

Tree under Siege

This tree appears to be a pine. The growth around the trunk might be an ivy. Whatever it is, it looks like it's choking the tree.

Last week when we drove by on 30th Street, the tree is gone! I wonder why they removed it.