Final Post

As September 2009 comes to an end, this is also the final post of this blog. It has been a great honor to have created the following this blog has generated. It is the Kansas Flint Hills, of course, that is the great attraction that has drawn folks to these posts.

Changes in priorities, in my private life, in my retirement, and in my relationship with ESU have brought us to this point.

**** I NOW HAVE A NEW BLOG, Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories that I invite you to check out. See you there, sometime...

I encourage each of you who read this to continue to follow the events posted at the Kansas Flint Hills website regularly, and to visit often.

Thank you, again, for your support!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Near Hillsboro, Florence or Marion this weekend?

The Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair is celebrating 40 years of supporting hand made arts and crafts; visit this Saturday, September 19. This annual festival is juried and takes place on the third Saturday each year in downtown Hillsboro. About 400 artists and craftspersons display and sell their one of a kind creations each year.

Also on Saturday, September 19, Florence, just down the road from Hillsboro, holds their Antique and Arts Fair and Marion, in the same general area, holds their Marion's Art in the Park. This is a Free Fair for shoppers with free parking close to downtown and no admission. There are plenty of local food vendors, as well.

Something for everyone this weekend, in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Fall RIver Barbeque

Don't miss the Fall River Barbeque on Sept 18 and 19, in Downtown Fall River. Free barbeque and many, many activities for the whole family... even a Miss Fall River contest. Rodeo performances and a parade, church arts and crafts fair, pony pull, kid's games and a dance.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Tallgrass Express by Flyover People

I assume you all read Cheryl Unruh's Flyover People blog and column regularly, but if you don't, here is a good one to start with: Tallgrass Express, discussing a concert by the Tallgrass Express String Band performance in Cottonwood Falls. She puts so much meaning is so few words. Think that is called great writing! ;-)

See you in the Kansas Flint Hils! ;-)

Prairie Talk at Pioneer Bluffs - Falcons and Prairie Chickens

Lynn Smith shares the latest program announcement from Pioneer Bluffs - looks like another fascinating program:

Tim Hickok will discuss prairie flora and fauna, along with his passion for the pursuit of prairie-chickens with trained raptors, in a Prairie Talk at Pioneer Bluffs on Saturday, September 19 at 2:00 pm.

Hickok and his hunting partner, Zero, a peregrine falcon, appeared with David Letterman and Jack Hanna on “The Late Show with David Letterman” in May, 2008, He will bring one of his falcons to Pioneer Bluffs.

Hickok is a Chase County rancher with a wildlife biology degree from Kansas State University.

We hope you'll be able to attend this fascinating Prairie Talk! Lynn

Lynn Smith
Executive Director
Pioneer Bluffs Foundation
620.753.3484 office
785.393.1569 cell
www.pioneerbluffs.org

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Kansas beauty from the air

Kansas Prairie from Above on Flikr was brought to our attention, again, by Flint Hills,Tall Grass on Facebook.

Beautiful photo! What more can you say... Hike the trails, I guess would be great idea!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Buffalo Burgers at Alcove Spring

Buffalo Burgers at Alcove Spring is a celebration of the local heritage on Saturday, Sept 12, all day, 9 am to 9 pm in 6 and 1/2 miles north of Blue Rapids, Kansas.

Check out the long list of activities and heritage learning experiences.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Hope Heritage Festival

"Hope is Where the Heart is"

The Hope Heritage Festival will be held in Hope, Kansas, on Main Street, on Saturday and Sunday, Sept 12 and 13. Please stop by and join the many festivities. It is a neat little town. I've been there several times.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

The Setting is the Kansas Flint Hills

Just read another nice review of Deborah Vogts book set in the Kansas Flint Hills. The Deweys blog speaks to both the book and the Kansas Flint Hills.

Country at Heart is Deborah's blog, of course, always to the lower right, here. It currently has the latest information on her second book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series: Seeds of Summer. I understand you can advance order it on Amazon now.

Happy reading!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

The Prairie's Plight

See the Emporia Gazette Online for a disturbing article, "The Prairie's Plight," to better understand the concerns of many folks with widely varied interests. Give it some thought. Do what you can, individually, to help out.

Thanks again to Flint Hills, Tall Grass on Facebook for bringing this article to our attention.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Zack Barnes Art Exhibit

Be sure to check out the Zack Barnes ( a Flint Hills native son ) Art Exhibit at the Erman B. White Gallery at Butler Community College. See a great article about it entitled: Painting with the spirit of the Flint Hills in the El Dorado Times online.

Thanks to Flint Hills, Tall Grass on Facebook for bringing it to my attention.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Abilene Bluegrass Concert

Passing along a note from Abilene:

Howdy All:

This is just a reminder of the 3^rd Annual Downtown Abilene Bluegrass Concert with will be held at Little Ike Park in Downtown Abilene on Saturday, September 12 beginning at 4:30 p.m. This year’s concert features Deadman Flats (Lawrence) and The Brushy Creek Boys (Dallas, Texas). The concert is put on by the Dickinson County Arts Council and a number of sponsors.

Attached is the radio advertisement from the Rocking M stations and the poster/flyer.

Deadman Flats – www.deadmanflats.com

The Brushy Creek Boys – www.thebrushycreekboys.com

The concert if FREE and bringing a lawn chair is encouraged. Hope to see you there.

Looks like fun!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow

Come to the Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow at Lake Shawnee to celebrate the Native American culture with a weekend full of traditional ritual dancing, food and arts and crafts. Sept 4, 10 am to Sept 6, 10 pm.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Burdick Annual Labor Day Celebration

Check out the Burdick Annual Labor Day Celebration on September 6, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Burdick, Kansas, in western Morris County.

Food, fellowship, a fun run and other events for the whole family.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Longford Rodeo

Be sure to check out the Longford Rodeo this weekend, Sept 4 and 5, 2009. This is the 54nd Annual PRCA Rodeo to be held in Longford, KS, at the Longford Rodeo Grounds.


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

New York Times Travel Section Article

Got this from Flint Hill, Tall Grass and from Linda at Flint Hills Tourism Coalition, as well, but I wanted to also thank Linda Hanney, a blogger from Berryton, KS, (Linda's Backroad Musings and wildlife wildflowers and waterfalls) for this link from the New York Times Travel section. If you haven't seen it yet, this link should be interesting to all: http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/travel/30roadtrip.html

I add my thanks to all who made this travel writer's visit worthy of this report!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)