After researching and reading about the Santa Fe Trail off and on for two years while writing Lila’s Journey, I was in a very sweet spot last week visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico. The purpose was a reunion with hometown girlfriends I’ve known since childhood, which is always special, so it was a win-win. The […]
WWI Liberty Memorial
I visited the WWI Liberty Memorial here in Kansas City yesterday. What a wonderful museum. If you’re ever in town or have a bucket list of great history museums, add this one. I was there an hour and a half and only scratched the surface. I can’t begin to do this museum justice in a […]
Andrew Carnegie: A Legacy of Libraries
I love libraries. After each move during my husband’s Air Force career, one of the first outings with our children was a trip to the local library. It was an attempt to smooth the transition of our move and make the unfamiliar seem familiar. Looking back I wonder how many of those libraries belong to […]
Madonna of the Trail and Other Delights
A steady drizzle fell as we pulled into Council Grove two weeks ago to visit once again this engaging town on the Santa Fe Trail. The gloomy sky suddenly brightened at the sight of a welcome sign in front of the Post Office Oak where our tour was to begin. Members from the Council Oak […]
Native American Treasures
Years ago, while digging through our old family trunk in the attic, I discovered photos my great-uncle had taken of Native Americans while he lived in Gordon, Nebraska. Unlike most of our family who are farmers and teachers, James Miller chose a different path and became a photographer with a studio in this sandhills town […]
Wrapped in Love: The Family Quilt
Family quilts hold special meaning, often because they were made by loved ones and handed down through the years. Although I don’t have the skill or equipment to create a genuinely quilted heirloom, I have wanted to sew quilts for each of our grandchildren. I decided high school graduation was the perfect occasion since I […]
Remembering the Civil War on Memorial Day
“Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.” General John A. Logan 1868 Memorial Day, the day we honor fallen service members, traces its roots back to the Civil War. Southern […]
Miners Hall Museum
What to do on a golden autumn day but jump in the car for a breezy drive to a small town in Southeast Kansas and visit the Miners Hall Museum. We were greeted by Operations Manager Donna Sue Pintar, who readily offered information and answered questions during our visit. To fully appreciate the museum, you […]
Theodore Clement Steele
Come along with me on this perfect August morning for a ride through the beautiful hills of Brown County, Indiana, to visit the home of artist Theodore Clement Steele. Our drive will take us down scenic Highway 46, then south, following the winding road up through the wooded hills to the top. T.C. Steele, an […]
Blooming Prairie by Candace Simar
The fourth and final book of the award winning Abercrombie Trail series is Blooming Prairie. To offset the loss of crops due to the Rocky Mountain locusts, Evan takes a job driving a mule train over the Wadsworth Trail. The author takes you along for the ride, describing in detail every jolt of the exhausting, […]