Joy in Kansas

     My friend Phil and I went on another of our favorite adventures yesterday... a day trip to a new-to-us spot in Kansas. It was so nice to have time to visit during the drive and not be on any time agenda.
     We started out at Carriage Crossing in Yoder having a yummy breakfast. We held off on a morning piece of pie. Then we drove to Sterling so that Phil could see what a lovely town it is and so we could investigate the beautiful Sterling College.
     We backtracked a bit and went to Quivira Wildlife Refuge. While we didn't see any whooping cranes, we did see several varieties of waterfowl. I was most impressed, actually frightened, by how little water there was in this wetlands area. Water levels were really low and there were very large areas so dry that the ground was cracked. It reminded me not to take water for granted.
     Next we drove to Hudson to visit the Hudson Flour Mills, home of our favorite flour, Hudson Cream. While we were not there on a tour day, we were able to see the informational film about the history of the Mills and how they make the Cream flour. It's a very interesting and involved process.
     Our (late) lunch stop was in Stafford at The Gathering Place where we had an excellent lunch, including the day-trip-requisite pie, coconut cream (Phil) and peanut butter (me). Heaven! Then to our complete delight, right next to the restaurant was a Mercantile. Not only did it have most everything one could think of, but there was also an old-fashioned soda fountain at the back of the store. It was a trip back in time, like going to the old 5&10.
     Then we headed back to Wichita. I am so grateful I live here. The soil is fertile, the spaces wide open, the people friendly, the sky magnificent. We are blessed!
     Go explore your world, be it Kansas or some other state. You DO have time, and you'll be glad you did!
             Leta