Morris County Youth Rodeo

Don't forget the Morris County Youth Rodeo on August 1, in Council Grove. See the link to get more details.


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Two Weeks of Baseball in Wichita

The 75th Annual NBC World Series will be played in Wichita Aug 1 -15.


The El Dorado Broncos, as winners of the 2009 Midwest Regionals, will be competing. See NBC Baseball online for all the details.


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Greenwood County Fair

The Greenwood County Fair for 2009 runs from July 31 through August 2 in Eureka at the Greenwood County Fairgrounds.

See exhibits ranging from photography to fruits and vegatables; from livestock to arts and crafts. There is pedal power tractor pull and more live entertainment.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

The 64th Annual Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo

It is time again for the 64th Annual Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo in Abilene and related events, July 29 through August 1, 2009: that is this upcoming weekend. Follow the link the the Rodeo website for detailed information for all ages and interests.


The events kick of on July 29 with the PRCA Bull Riding competition.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Flint Hills Traveling Exhibit Update

The Wichita Eagle reminds us that the Flint Hills Traveling Exhibit of Jim Richardson photos of the Kansas Flint Hills (April 2007 issue of National Geographic related photos) is now at the Santa Fe Trail Museum near Larned through Sep 3. If you are in that area, I urge you to stop in and visit.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Dexter, "In the Flint Hills" Kansas

The blog 'Dexter, "In the Flint Hills"' Kansas is worth stopping by. Today, it is publicizing the upcoming Hometown Cookout, on Wednesday, July 29. But, it has a lot more to offer. Check it out.

Also, be sure to read about the town's namesake, Dexter, the famous trotter. Neat blog!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Stop, Look and Listen, says TinaRae

The following is shared from the Chamber Chatter by TinaRae Scott, Executive Director, Council Grove/Morris County, Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, with permission:


Stop, look and listen. Yes, I know this is often associated with railroad
crossings but I see this terminology in a new light and I wanted to share.

I have spent a considerable amount of time recently with various media
contacts promoting this region. And what I have learned from them is to
stop, look and listen.

Stop. Many of us tend to take this area for granted. For a brief moment,
or longer if you can allow yourself the pleasure, just stop. Sit for a
spell alone, or with friends or family, maybe sit even longer with a
longtime friend you haven't visited with in a while. But just stop and
enjoy your surroundings.

Look. Has anyone noticed that we are nearing the end of July and the hills
are still gorgeous? The recent rains have helped keep the area in many
shades of green. New wildflowers are growing and we will continue to see
flowers into the late fall. The burr oaks are beginning to develop acorns.
Young wild animals are leaving the nests and the dens to venture out on
their own. The creeks and streams are running and are filled with tadpoles
and small fish. The walnuts are green and some are falling from the trees.
Yards are filled with wonderful colors and the lawns are green and lush.
Look at the grazing livestock. Look at the pools and parks filled with
people enjoying this area. Look for the fireflies in the evening hours.
The sights are endless.

Listen. How many different birds can you recognize from their call? Listen
to the sounds of the streams, rivers, and lakes. Listen to the children
laughing and train whistle in the distance. Listen to the leaves rustling
in the wind. Listen to the sounds of the person who just pulled in a large
fish or maybe even a stick on their line. Listen to the cattle and the
horses in the pastures. Listen to the cicadas. The sounds are endless.

I could go on and on. We live in a glorious, plush area that is one of a
kind for our country. We are blessed to live in the Tallgrass Region.
Visitors and media from around the world come to our region to experience
the beauty and the sights that we take for granted on a daily basis.
Please, just take the time to see through their eyes the breathless beauty
of this region.

Stop, look and listen. You won't be disappointed!


See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

National Day of the American Cowboy

If you can be near Abilene on Saturday, July 25, check out the National Day of the American Cowboy and Ice Cream Social at the Heritage Center. This is a day of celebration and recognition of the cowboy and our western heritage - a day to honor working cowboy and cowgirls and their ongoing contributions to our communities.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

The Flint Hills "Death Ride" has arrived

July 25 and 26 are the dates of the Flint Hills "Death Ride" - really a severe cycling event - based out of Madison, KS, in Greenwood County. The ride consists of "70ish miles of OFF ROAD racing" - the event is not for the weak of heart. Check out the website for registration and more warnings! ;-)

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

25th Annual Prairie Port Festival

The 25th Annual Prairie Port Festival will be held from 4 p.m. Jul 23 to 6 p.m. Jul 26 at various locations in El Dorado.
The cost for the ENTIRE weekend is a mere $4 and Festival buttons can be purchased at numeros retail and service locations throughout Butler County.

Be sure to participate if you possibly can. Check it out!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Morris County 4-H Fair

The annual Morris County 4-H Fair will be held July 22 through July 28 at the Morris County Fairground in Council Grove. The Fair will feature livestock show and sale, 4-H projects, and open class events.

Be sure to stop by and check it out!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

My Flint Hills Childhood by Gail Martin

I have just become aware of a new book set in the Flint Hills of Kansas, "My Flint Hills Childhood" by Gail Lee Martin. You might want to check it out.

This is her story of a childhood on the Kansas prairies in the 1930s!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Marshall County Fair - Blue Rapids

The Marshall County Fair will run from July 17 through July 22 this year, at the Marshall County Fairgrounds, in Blue Rapids.

The Fair Parade is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 19 , on the square, in Blue Rapids.

For a detailed schedule, check their website: http://www.mscountyfair.com/

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Low German Conference - Marysville

The 14th Annual Low German Conference will be held in Marysville on Friday, July 17 to Sunday, July 19th. The conference is dedicated to the history and preservation of the Low German language.

You can check their website at: http://www.kansasplatt.org/ for more detailed information.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Kansas Veterans & Family Reunion - El Dorado

Annual event where veterans of all U.S. branches of the military get together for a weekend of memories, renewal of friendships, camaraderie and good times.

July 16 at 5:00 a.m. to July 18 at 12:00 p.m. gather at Veteran's Point, El Dorado Lake and State Park.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Butterfly Count - Arkansas City

On Saturday, July 11, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., The Chaplin Nature Center, in cooperation with the North American Butterfly Association will be conducting its annual butterfly count in the Arkansas City area.

Anyone interested in butterflies can participate in this count by following the count guidelines. Check with the Chaplin Nature Center for details.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Ladies Night Out - Council Grove

On Friday evening, for 5 to 9 p.m., the Council Grove Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual Ladies Night Out event where ladies are treated to gifts, drawings, pampering, in-store specials and goodies.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Pioneer Bluffs Workday, and more...

Following is the latest information from Lynn Smith at Pioneer Bluffs:

[I wish I could be there to help archive that historical collection - what an opportunity!!]

As the first Saturday in July is the 4^th, our monthly volunteer workday will be held the second Saturday, July 11.

More news… Do you know we have a collection of scrapbooks, photographs, and collectibles that was diligently saved throughout the 20^th century by Helen Rogler? Have you been anxiously waiting for the chance to be involved in archiving this unique historical collection? The adventure begins on July 11!

Mark your calendar for Saturday, July 11 – come for the morning, or the afternoon, or the whole day!

8:30 am – Coffee and chat in the barn at Pioneer Bluffs

9:00 am – Volunteer workday at Pioneer Bluffs – work in garden, spread wood chips, mow

Noon – Lunch at Pioneer Bluffs

Noon to 4:00 pm – Archive and identify photographs in the Helen Rogler scrapbook collection. This project will be done at the (air conditioned) Chase County Museum in downtown Cottonwood Falls.

And if you really want to have a full day of fun in Chase County, Cottonwood Falls stays open late on the Second Saturday of each month. From 5:00 to 8:00 pm, you can enjoy nostalgic shopping, live music, samples, and much more.

We hope everyone has an enjoyable Independence Day – then we’d love to see you at Pioneer Bluffs or at the Chase County Museum on July 11!

And in case you want a sneak peak at the kinds of pictures we'll be looking through in the archives during the afternoon at the Museum, I've attached a photo of Helen Rogler dancing the hula! 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! ;-)

4th of July Celebraion - Peabody

The 88th Annual July 4th Celebration and Fireworks Extravaganza will be in Peabody, Kansas on July 4 and 5, 2009. People come from all over the state, who travel here every year for the parade, festivities and the fireworks. The fireworks display includes the largest ground display of fireworks and set pieces in the state of Kansas.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

4th of July Ice Crean Social - Marysville

From 4 - 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, to benefit the Koester House Museum, come to the Ice Cream Social on the lawn - serving home made ice cream for $1.00 per scoop. Proceeds will benefit the upkeep for the Koester House Museum.



See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)