Kathleen League

Posted on: Jun 09, 2024 at 7:39 AM

One more “Kansas is great” post! Photos from a day-trip to ride the historic Central Branch Railroad from Waterville to Blue Rapids and over the Big Blue River. Here my youngest sis, 89-year-old mom, and I were just about to go over the metal trestle above the Big Blue River 85 feet below.

History of this railroad includes that it was built in the 1860s. It became part of the Orphan Train system at the turn of 20th century. (There’s a museum in Concordia about the Orphan Train).

When Union Pacific abandoned this 100-mile line in 1999, the citizens of Waterville approached UP asking what they could do to save their area’s tracks. UP, probably as a clever way of saying ‘no,’ quipped that if the citizens could raise $45,000 in 7 seven days, they could buy the 12 miles of tracks from Waterville to the Big Blue. The person relaying this to us asserted that UP clearly thought they were dealing with Kansas hicks who wouldn’t be able to raise that sum. The Waterville group successfully proved UP wrong: 17 citizens came up with the $45,000 and paid off Union Pacific. (Unfortunately, UP turned down other towns who tried to follow Waterville’s example.).

It’s an authentically noisy bumpy ride in an open sided car, and we were there on a rainy day, but it was fun and we learned some interesting history. 5-30-24.

Posted on: May 19, 2024 at 6:00 AM

At Monument Rocks, near Oakley, KS, on another windy Kansas day. 4-27-24.

Posted on: May 19, 2024 at 4:00 AM

With my sisters at Little Jerusalem State Park near Oakley, KS in Logan County, KS. May 11, 2024.

These badlands consist of Niobara chalk cliffs of 100 feet high, formed by sediment laid down 85 million years ago, when central North America was covered by the Western Interior Seaway. This area belonged to a private ranch until 2016, when it was sold to The Nature Conservancy. The Kansas Legislature established it as a state park in 2018.

Kansas is an amazing state, with a combination of subtle and dramatic beauty!

Posted on: Jan 09, 2024 at 11:59 PM

Snow day in Jerry Ivey park, Salina. 1-9-24.

Posted on: Nov 21, 2021 at 8:44 PM

At the Frank Lloyd Wright house in Wichita, for a guided tour. The only FLW house in Kansas available for tours. It is the last building designed by Wright in the Prairie Style, and he considered it one of his finest. It was designed in 1915 for Henry Allen, who was governor of Kansas from 1919-1923.

Posted on: Jul 07, 2020 at 4:18 AM

Old worn stone steps on the edge of Monteverde, Costa Rica, this past February 2020. Glad we were able to do some bursts of travel over the course of last year, including this last trip close to the wire. But little did we know then that almost all travel would soon grind to a long, indefinite halt. We were safely home by end of February. Costa Rica would soon close its borders in mid-March, to remain closed til August.

A little over a year ago: The medieval Westgate of Canterbury. Dates from 1380. At 60-foot high, this is the largest surviving city gate in England. Canterbury, England. June 2019.

A year ago: with friends at a Buddhist restaurant in Xiamen, China. July 2019.

A year ago: a rainy, sultry day in the height of summer, along the beautiful West Lake of Hangzhou, China. July 2019.

A year ago: Wudian, a restored ancient village near Quanzhou, China. The restored buildings are used for shops and museums. The combination of stone and brick creates striking patterns. July 2019.