Traveling down K-99 towards I-70 (also known as the Road to Oz) we veered off the Kansas Quilt Trail. But we still enjoyed the charm of billowing clouds, rural farm scenes and just the way wide open spaces rest my eyes.
I’d love to see the view from that hayloft!
Windy is a normal thing for Kansas and maybe you can tell by the clouds how turbulent the air was that day. But not in the tornadic sense of the word, thankfully. It was actually very good weather to be outdoors for a Midwest day in July.
How many bales of hay have passed through these barn doors over the years?!
The Kansas Quilt Trail (KQT) meanders through Dwight, Kansas and I have a quilt block close to my heart this week. I don’t know how many of you know of or have a history with 4-H, but it is the focus for this week’s block find.
But before we discovered the little quiet town of Dwight, we passed more farmland with barns and farm houses aplenty. Here’s one set of pics I hope gives you an idea of the scenery we drove by.
Kansas Farm/No quilt
I’d put one right there above those doors.
Dwight is definitely Rural America and I say that with great fondness! I had Ron driving around here quite a bit. Thankfully we weren’t stopped and questioned with all the photos I took. But it was clearly an old railroad town and understandably so with the grain elevators next to the tracks.
Old school house with grain elevator in background.
The last set of photos is an old Masonic Lodge which I looked up and it appears to have folded in the last few years. Lodge AF & AM No.374 was not on the roster of Kansas lodges. I do believe it may house a 4-H club though with the significant quilt block on the front to give me the huge clue. As a past 4-H’er and 4-H project leader of crochet, sewing, early childhood and cooking, I’m always thrilled to see the clubs alive and well! I hope you’ll encourage anyone interested if you have the opportunity. Great memories made there!
We drove a significant amount of miles covering the Kansas Quilt Trail, so the story continues this week.
Some Condensed History
Keeping it condensed because that’s my delivery style, but I plan on giving you a zoomed-in photo or 2 to see what the kiosk above had to say.
Wabaunsee County Museum
Ghost Town Location
19th Century -Schepp Barn extensively restored
I am back-tracking a bit with the museum photo above, but we’re still in Wabaunsee County so it’ll work out fine. The ghost town of Volland was off our planned route but I’d like to go back and see it in person someday. All pics included in the ‘doors’ category naturally.
Barn with “Curved Windmill” Quilt Block. I could have cropped more sky away but I like the wide open feel.
It has been such a wet spring, the farmers haven’t had any trouble at all getting an early hay crop. Some are predicting a very cold winter…. I’ll have my persimmon report in a few days. Hope you check back for the results.
A variation of the Pinwheel Quilt BlockSunburst Variation. So Kansas-appropriate!An Arrow Crown variety to the left and a Square in a Square to the right.
Geometric Pattern
A Rainbow Star block I believe
I thought it a good omen to find District #1 first.
Happy Holidays and welcome to my last Thursday Doors post of 2018. Our beloved Norm 2.0 has encouraged participants to choose some favorites of the past year for this final entry. I’ve decided to go with some favorites picked by You!-my faithful readers. So without further fuss, I’ll get started.
Dove Road, Pettis County, Missouri
From my first Thursday Doors post of 2018, this was the Readers Favorite of the year. These stone houses are pretty common around the state of Missouri. Maybe I will feature some more in the coming year?
Calvary Episcopal Church
FaceBook followers ‘liked’ Broadway and Ohio post the most. This church must resonate with our local hometown folks and with good reason. It has been a comforting fixture for the last 133 years.
-Trees can make the barn, or vice versa.
Instagram victory went to the Southwestern Pettis County entry. Who doesn’t love a barn in a setting like this? Makes me homesick everytime I look at it, but in a good way. Thankful that I’m not in a town that’s too big for me to escape once in awhile for a good old-fashioned country drive.
Special thanks to our Thursday Doors aficionado for all the encouragement through the year. As he takes a small, much deserved break until January, I’ll be stocking up on doors for your viewing enjoyment. As always, thanks to you all for reading, liking, browsing and sharing your thoughts through comments.
I was reminded of a memory by FaceBook of a Smilebox I’d created back in the early days of my membership to that social media site. Little did I know then that I’d captured several doors and some winter scenes to boot. I did you all a favor and removed the music. I find that it isn’t as appealing to everyone else’s taste. So you’re welcome 🙂
Hope you enjoy this slice of Missouri of February 2011.
