Yesterday was spent hiking in the beautiful Konza Prairie with Tanner, stopping only to stalk hidden wild turkeys and photograph wild flowers. I'm amazed at how Native Americans (the Konza Tribe--you can guess where Kansas's name comes from) and the European settlers were able to tame this wonderful wilderness.
Our apartment is on the 2nd floor of a house built in the 1850s, one the very first homes in this city. It's located in, of
course, the old area of town, within walking distance to plenty of shopping, the University, and most importantly, Starbucks. Our landlord Dave did a knock-up job of restoring this house, using the original wooden framework, vents, and even door hinges! Most interesting are the tops of the door frames: the family who first lived here wanted the state of Kansas to secede from
the United States and become its own country! They were, after all, on the edge of the wilderness. Hence, the engraved sunflowers topped with a royal crown to mark the state's sovereignty as a nation. Little did these people know that half the country was yet to be discovered.
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