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  The journey out to Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge is relatively short and worth at least one visit to Eagle Days.  This year was the first time we actually made it out there for the event, which offered an up-close look at few different live eagles, including that shown in the photo above, the Harpy Eagle from South America.  The event is held there annually, on or about the first Saturday in December.  There are usually free guided bus tours along the 10-mile route around the wetlands, a few live eagle programs, snacks and the chance to simply enjoy a little northern Missouri winter weather. 

  Almost entirely on a whim, along with a lot of prodding by continual advertising on the airwaves, we made our way out to have a look at Guitars & Cadillacs. We had not been to anything of the sort since PBR Big Sky downtown, which proved to be crowded and lacking in space to do anything beyond drink entirely too much. Guitars and Cadillacs stands apart, reminiscent of the Beaumont in Westport, though a little cleaner.  Live music and a huge dance floor were enough.  An accommodating staff and a friendly crowd ranging in age from 21 to 85 rounded out a recipe for a fun evening dancing and having a good time.  Regular return trips are definitely planned, as long as this holds out.

Setting off on the latest post-holiday adventure, our crew landed in Silver Dollar City without incident.  The remainder of the day would remain in question.  The mass of people joining this expedition proved astounding.  Later inspection of statistics outlined an amusement park at 97% capacity.  It was too much. From the moment of entry, the masses insisted on forward movement.  It did not matter in which direction, so long as it was away from the front gates.  Resistance proved futile.  We persevered though, riding rode the crest to discover the most welcoming place of sustenance that did not already host an hour or more wait. We plunged back into the fray, satisfied and in a better frame of mind to handle the obtuse situation.  Inspecting the variety of offerings brought no real sense of joy.  Silver Dollar City has long since sold out to commercialism.  Very little is actually ma...

An intimate evening with Bob Walkenhorst, formerly of The Rainmakers, performing at a birthday party for a close friend, got love wrapping around us all on this evening. Good friends. Good music. Good times. . . .  further reading BobWalkenhorst.com

Joining colleagues on their rooftop offered up a high-level view of the NKC High School Homecoming parade passing through on this date.  If only the phone had been charged, there might have been more than just this shot. . . . further reading North Kansas City High School (nkcschools.org)

The annual Chalk & Walk Festival returned from the pandemic this year.  A multitude of visitors turned out for the festivities as well.  The works proved as fantastic as ever, if not more so.  It seems some folks have had a lot of time to practice these past few years. . . .  further reading Kansas City Chalk and Walk (kcchalkandwalk.org)

image borrowed from KATV A beautiful weekend unfolded in north central Arkansas for the Fourth of July holiday.  The promise of mostly clear skies, hot and steamy weather, and yet another edition of the World Championship Cardboard Boat Races ensured a good time for all involved. While many delayed their journey until that Friday afternoon, we got a jump on things and made it down Thursday evening.  This offered up the opportunity to squeeze in a little hiking about, visiting with family and friends, and general relaxation, prior to the main event. It also enabled us to catch a late evening performance at Sandy Beach by a couple of stars from "The Voice."  Cory Jackson and Marybeth Byrd took the stage, aka flatbed semi-trailer, in the parking lot overlooking the beach and a fantastic sunset at 7 pm. Cory led off with a string of well known tunes mixed in with a few of his own.  He has got a voice that pairs well with the tunes he chose to croon, never missing a beat....

A field trip with a syndicate of 4th graders discovered new a few new aspects of this local sports museum that were not uncovered on the last visit.  With that group in attendance, along with 100 others from another school, the court and the activities felt much different than on awards night with The Firm several years ago. The upstairs was basketball chaos for quite a while.  Taking a cue from the staff, the crew started their adventure with the basketball activities littering the ground floor, until they could properly add their statement to the mix upstairs.  Some were found enjoying a feature documentary on the sport and the teams, while others searched for their favorite stars in the Hall of Fame, when they weren't passing the ball, slam-dunking in the short court, shooting one free throw after another, or taking a stab at television broadcast journalism. The Hall provided other bits of intrigue for them too, with banners, posters, medals, and the Ferris Mowers NABC...

Looking to catch up with a local point of interest, we headed to the south part of town to look in on the Overland Park Arboretum this Mother's Day.  It was a perfect morning for the excursion.  Temperatures lingered in the teens Celsius with overcast skies, until sometime around 1 pm.  The sun finally began to breakthrough about then, for a more steamy afternoon. A friend had recommended this spot a few years ago.  Living very close by, he enjoyed walking there every evening and encouraged us to come for a visit.  The whole masked hysteria began shortly thereafter and it fell of the radar. The walk around the grounds proved quite interesting, with a variety of trails for every taste.  A diverse selection of plants littered the air in all directions, just beginning to show their colors. The first of June should manifest a spectacular display. A massive model railroad display reflected the history of the area and old Overland Park, before boom times.  I...

Wandering north to the small town of Lawson found larger than life kites flying.  The event was to have been under a partly cloudy sky, but the weather proved itself uncooperative.  Steel gray skies dominated the day, with a cold wind keeping things at a barely tolerable state. The lake was choppy, though scenic in its simplicity and, the 2.5 km hike around the lake, refreshing. The event likely would have drawn many more to the space on a sunny day.    Food trucks stood at the ready for the throngs, ultimately left patiently waiting in the cold. Kite-building activities could not be located, though a variety were available for purchase at what seemed much higher than market value.  Future dates under more copacetic conditions will likely amass a more excited event. . . . further reading Kite Day at Lawson Lake

The birthday of a friend offered up the opportunity to see Bob Walkenhorst of The Rainmakers perform in an intimate setting.  It had been a long time since catching this act and it was no less enjoyable than ever.  Fun music!  Fun times. . . .  further reading Bob Walkenhorst

  An entirely random invitation piqued interest in this event, held at Staley High School in the northland of Kansas City. Friendly faces and tasty treats were made available, but the main event proved to be the dancing.  Nearly every nation was represented through small presentations of song, dance, and cultural display. The Germans were one of the loudest, and for many, the most fun.  Children duplicated their stomping rhythm and swinging motions below the stage, giggling the entire way.  . . . further reading Northland Ethnic Festival (eeckc.org)

An morning adventure out to the Kansas City found one of the new monuments as part of the Kansas City Parade of Hearts, identified as one of the most endangered species in the town.  While that is highly unlikely, it is probably close enough to the truth. The penguins were found doing their usual thing in the grand auditorium built for them.  The crew found quite a lot of amusement here, watching their regular feeding and established swimming acrobatics, surrounded by a display of jellyfish.  The day proved perfect for them, with a few periods of light snow and a little graupel here and there. A trip down to Africa found only a solitary example of the school mascot pacing anxiously.  The cheetah seemed not very impressed with the cooler than usual temperatures on this temporary savanna.  The young explorers did not seem to mind much, as the lack of other population in that part of the zoo meant they could get away with a bit more running and shouting than would ...

An afternoon to burn found an old campground of the Sante Fe, Oregon, and California trails in Raytown, Missouri.  The quiet little spot at the corner of Gregory and Blue Ridge Boulevards, known as Cave Spring at Barnes Enclosure, offers a slice of the variety in the history of the Kansas City metro area. The interpretive center stood closed on this Sunday afternoon. A playground for children stands a brief distance down the trail and a myriad of paths crisscross the area beyond that point. The first encounter with the namesake occurs almost immediately.  A few old boards and other neglected items littered the entrance to the minor hollow in the earth, from which water trickles downstream to join with a small cascade further down the path. Aside from identification by the Daughters of the American Revolution as an important camp site for the Sante Fe Trail, history extends beyond that single commercial use.  This spot and surrounding lands were once owned by the grandfath...

Cloudy skies and cool temperatures cloaked the first day out on this particular adventure. The only immediate goal, an overnight in Berryville, enabled delaying departure until afternoon and a relatively easy path southward. The following day did not look much different.  The northern edge of the Boston Mountains stood shrouded in low flying clouds, encapsulated by an over-saturated air mass.  It promised to clear later in the day, and the cool, overcast morning would undoubtedly prove an advantage on the trail. Arriving at the road leading to the trailhead, access appeared questionable, at first. A friendly road grader passing through assured no difficulty though.  He had only just littered the road with new gravel through to the site in question. This early Tuesday morning hosted only one other soul, who had departed on their journey earlier in the day.  Another man and his son were only just embarking, quickly disappearing into the misty morning.  After a few...

Temperatures near zero do not usually enable the best of hiking conditions, unless appropriately attired, and clear, sunny skies prevail.  On this particular day, all qualifications were met and an outing to a new location unfolded. The set of trails in Smithville were often ignored in favor of more remote places, always assuming they were overly populated.  This investigation turned out a wonderfully solitary and peaceful lakeside journey, wandering the paths accessible from the Smoke & Davey Trailhead. The area appears mostly tailored to mountain biking, but on this cold and frozen day, few seemed attracted to the endeavor.  The trail stood mostly empty and hardly used.  Alone with the muffled sound of footsteps on frozen earth, interrupted only by a few spots of mud and the rustle of leaves, mingled with the crunch of snow, enabling an opportunity to think clearly. Occasionally a squirrel will scamper through, or a flock of geese raise a ruckus overhead, but n...