Ranch Rodeo

The Pawnee County Fair arrived and despite blistering temperatures, we had to go check it out.  It's a cute little fair and far more in touch with its roots than the Olmsted County Fair in Rochester, MN.  You won't find any rides (OK, there were a few inflatable jumpy things) or deep-fried spam curds here, just an exhibit hall (with crops, Republican candidate booths, & 4H crafts on display), a livestock pavillion, and the rodeo ring.

The special weekend events were a Ranch Rodeo and Demolition Derby.  I enjoyed the Greeley Stampede so much last year that heading the three blocks over to see the rodeo was a no-brainer.  We did, however, skip some of the other events, such as the Carcass Show at the end of the fair (although I'm still wondering if that's exactly what it sounds like).

It's really easy to see how the Ranch Rodeo concept got started.  You've got some neighbors.  You're all ranchers.  Someone throws out "I bet I can rope that calf faster than you".  You've got yourself a Ranch Rodeo!

This year, 15 teams of four people signed up to participate, each named for the ranch they worked on.  There were four events: Team Branding, Team Doctoring, Double Mugging, and Trailer Loading.  Everything except Trailer Loading was some variation of Team Roping, where two members need to rope a calf's head and back legs, then do something (either rope three legs together, stick a chalk mark on its head (symbolizing it's been "doctored"), or brand it - also using chalk).  My favorite event was the Trailer Loading simply because some teams were assigned uber-stubborn calves and it was really fun to watch them struggle through the motions.  Here's an example of a team that does it right:



The night was suppose to start off with Muttin Bustin - my favorite event (see the Greeley Stampede post for details), but it was too hot, so for the sake of the kids and sheep it was canceled.  Instead, half time was marked by an equally entertaining event: The Calf Scramble.  It goes like this:

1. Gather up hundreds of kids.
2. Tie a ribbon on a dozen calves' tails.
3. Release the kids, offering a prize for anyone that can retrieve the ribbon.
4. Chaos ensues in what can only be described as a hookworm epidemic waiting to happen.

It was a pretty fun time.  Not at all like the Greeley Stampede where roping took mere seconds, this was for fun and despite minutes wondering if they would EVER rope that calf, we did have a lot of fun.

Santa Fe Trail Ruts

Have I convinced you to come visit us in Kansas, yet?  If not, I'm sure this will get you here: we've got ruts!

Photo Credit: santafetrailresearch.com

Not far from Fort Larned National Historic Site is a plot of land run by the Park Service that has not been plowed over a million times.  There, you can climb up on a platform and view the actual wagon ruts of the Santa Fe trail and imagine what it would have been like to sit in a rickety wagon for 1,200 miles for the express purpose of bringing gold and other goodies back from the New Mexico territory.

 Ruts shown horizontally just over halfway up the photo

What can I say?  I'm in a rut.

Larned has its own chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association whose chapter meeting I'm missing today due to transportation issues and the 500-degree heat.  Rest-assured that if you come to town for the next meeting day, you will be enthusiastically invited to join the group by Professor Clapsaddle himself.  I sure hope to someday be another Santa Fe Trail enthusiast, but for now, I just enjoy the serenity of this 40 acre swath of preserved ruts and hope I don't step on a rattlesnake as I walk to the viewing platform.

It's Baby Time!

OK, it's not really baby time yet, but rather I'm within the period of uncomfortability and gestational viability that makes it seem like the baby should arrive any day.  In reality, we still have a month from yesterday until the due date (8/24).

 First pregnant shot taken in good ol' ND (April)

I haven't really posted much about the pregnancy along the way.  Partially because it would be just plain boring to report on kick counts and partially because I got teased by a friend for saying I "love, love, loved being a future mom" in this post back in April.  Turns out that friend was actually pregnant too and probably just jealous she couldn't let the cat out of the bag yet.  Parental obsession seems to manifest itself in different ways: I decided to blog it, she decided to buy a crib before her first trimester was over - I think we both have a problem holding in our excitement.

 Hiking (Effigy Mounds) not quite as fun as it used to be (May)

Photo Credit: Allan King

Anyway, things are going quite well for us.  We seem to be right on track with no apparent problems so far.  We haven't had (and probably won't have) an ultrasound since April.  The kid looked great back then, but we've given her enough time to sprout a few extra limbs and possibly some devil horns, so it'll be interesting to see what we actually get!

 Kid without tentacles (April)

I am starting to get a bit uncomfortable now and since my license to whine expires soon, I better take advantage of it.  People, the reason why pregnant ladies have such a bad reputation is because, well, we're in pain.  On most occasions, it's super-cool to be kicked from the inside out, but keep in mind that kicking includes surprisingly strong shots to the ribs and bladder.  I wouldn't be taking this kind of treatment from anyone else!  I really feel like I've had things pretty easy compared to some women, but the worst part for me is the lack of mobility.  Tying my shoes is very much a chore and I've actually had very pleasant conversations with 80-year-old women comparing our aches and pains.

 4th of July @ the Fort

Bottom line is I'm ready.  I'm ready to feel like myself again, I'm ready to see what this kid actually looks like, and I'm ready to get her out here and show her all of the amazing things I've found on this planet.  So, go ahead and tease me for being cheesy if you want, but when it's your turn, you'll understand.

Kansas Backyard Wildlife

I was entirely convinced that Kansas would be a pretty boring place to live, save the occasional rattlesnake that might show up in our backyard or the brown recluse spider in our shower.  Luckily, Larned is NOT prime rattlesnake territory (I haven't seen one yet) and after hours of research, I'm becoming less convinced that the spider in our shower was a brown recluse.

However, aside from the swarms of mosquitoes, it turns out we do have some exciting amphibians and birds here.  I enjoy seeing Nathan squirm as Kites fly overhead looking for sandwiches (see October 4th in this blog post).  There are a plethora of other birds that migrate over in the spring or summer including the rare whooping crane, so we're looking forward to them too. 

I have to give my uncle Tim credit for the best backyard find thusfar, though.  In our basement window well, he discovered what can only be described as a combination breeding ground and prison for toads!

There were dozens of toads (dozens!) in our window well, along with a thick, composting layer of leaves and garbage that only served as a hiding place for more toads.  Thinking they couldn't get out on their own, Tim and Nathan proceeded to release every toad they could.  They now live in our garden, yard, and probably all over Larned by now.

Assuming this wasn't an isolated incident, we checked the next window well.  It didn't have as many toads, but we found something even better: a large tiger salamander.

We left him alone, thinking he probably wanted to live there his entire life.  I hope he does, because I can't wait to show the new baby what we've got in the backyard. :)

July 4th

Despite the threat of rain all weekend, Larned Independence Day celebrations went on as planned - well, almost.  Fort Larned had another living history weekend complete with the Olde Time Fort Larned Band, watermelon, and potato sack races.

This guy's giving up after demonstrating one, measly time.

The town of Larned doesn't do anything on the 4th until 8:00pm, when the community gathers to hear the Fort Larned Band and buy treats from some of the local organizations trying to raise funds.  Then they have community fireworks. 

I'm not really sure why Larned puts on a fireworks show myself, as shooting off rockets from your yard is perfectly legal in Kansas.  A massive fireworks shop, sponsored by the local Assembly of God chapter (interesting!), shows up for about a week and people stock up as if there's going to be a nuclear holocaust and fireworks are necessary for your very survival.  Saturday night we watched our neighbor shoot off an amazing light show for about an hour.  It's the closest I've ever been to a fireworks show, and probably as close as I'd like to be, as I'm certain there are now some singed shingles on our roof.

So, Larned, finding it necessary to put on its own show, decided at 8:30pm that the threat of rain was too great, so instead of canceling the fireworks, they started them prematurely.  It turns out, fireworks in front of a dark rain cloud are just as good as fireworks at night.  Luckily, we could see the whole show from our driveway, so never had to brave the rains, mosquitoes, or "crowds" to see them.

Our View

My uncle Tim came to visit from Lincoln, NE Monday, so we went back out to the Fort.  Living history still abounding, we got to see this hot soldier in his dress uniform, crawled into an underground tunnel to view a well, and Tim was brave enough to get locked in the Fort's Sweatbox, which was used to punish soldiers who mouthed off to their superiors on hot days.

Nathan guarding the blockhouse

  Underground Well

Uncle Tim probably wondering if this is really a good idea

I definitely miss the pomp and circumstance of having a 4th of July parade, but I suppose I can't expect that much from a town who has lost 1/4 of its population since the 2000 census.  (We're now down to 3500 people.)  At least no one was injured by a rouge neighborhood firework.  I guess that qualifies as an excellent 4th of July!

Living History - Memorial Day Weekend at Fort Larned

There's nothing more fun to do while visiting a historic site than to imagine what it was like back in its heyday.  Over Memorial Day Weekend at Fort Larned National Historic Site, you don't have to imagine very hard, as over 70 reenactment volunteers truck in from Texas, Colorado, and all over Kansas to bring the place to life.

Fort Larned's Giant Flag

Although the Fort's use expands well beyond the civil war era, the 1860's is what we went back to over Memorial Day.  All of the park employees partake by dressing up in period gear (which means wool - yes, even in summer - infantry uniforms for the guys and billowing dresses for the girls) and assuming a character.

Chaz, Nathan, and Mike as Soldiers

All of the buildings are open with someone in period dress to talk to you about what went on there back in the day, but my favorite two special events took place outside.  First, it's important to point out that Nathan has a pretty cool job, because he got to do this:



There were also other rifle demonstrations throughout the day.

Rifle Demonstration

Second, a hobby vintage baseball team rolled into town to play the soldiers (park employees) in 1860's-style baseball, complete with a leather ball, no gloves, and old rules like if you catch a fly ball after the first bounce, the batter is out.  I found it pretty interesting to learn some of the jargon and facts from the day.  For instance, most of the reenacters are, by definition, civil war nerds, which makes for some pretty useless baseball players.  In vintage baseball, a person who tries really hard, but still stinks is called a muffin.  Spectators would sit really close to the game with no fences for protection.  If a ball happened to roll under a woman's skirt, depending on which team she was rooting for, she may or may not choose to lift her skirt and make it easy for the players to find the ball.

 Nathan Catching - One of the only experienced baseball players out there

I had a pretty good time at the event and am looking forward to more living history for July 4th weekend (more reenactments including potato sack races) and Labor Day weekend (if I'm not actually in labor).

Location Integration

There are a lot of things I've neglected to blog about this new and interesting location, so as we approach summer's halfway mark, you'll be seeing a few catch-up blogs.  Today's, however, is going to be current.

I went back to Rochester, MN last week to work, see everyone, have an amazing baby shower, and close on our house.  (Yes!!  House is gone and rent is cheap - whoo!)  I find it ironic that while in Rochester - not Kansas - Rochester, I ended up being 1/3 of a mile from an actual tornado that touched down in town on Thursday night.  Here's a photo of the tornado's path put together by one of my co-workers.  (I was staying at a friend's house just slightly off the map to the Northwest, where tornado sirens never went off.)

I had a great time seeing everyone, but it reminded me of just how much I don't know about my new community (and how many people I don't know either)!  Hence, I returned to Kansas with one goal: integrate!

I would say this weekend has been a major integration success!  First, I found out our community has its own little newspaper that comes out on Tuesdays and Fridays called The Tiller & Toiler.  I picked one up Saturday and learned that we have a community garden near our house that you can help weed, then take home your pick of fresh produce.  Not bad!  I also discovered that we have a Farmer's Market every 1st & 3rd Saturday through August.  Good.  Found a place to find out what's going on in town - check!

We'd also heard Great Bend has a Farmer's Market every week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  We happened to be in town Thursday so checked it out.  Five vendors with mostly zucchinis.  Sad.  And I thought Rochester, MN's Farmer's Market stunk after coming from Madison.  It doesn't.  In fact, we not only got a zucchini from a local hippie selling produce from his trunk, he also treated us to a bible lesson on why he doesn't sell produce at the Saturday market.  I'd decided right then and there that the Saturday market, the one with all the heathens, was definitely the one for me!  So, I returned Saturday and found 12 vendors with fresh eggs, bread (it's wheat harvest time!), and met a farmer who sells grass-fed beef and chicken, which we can pick up from their farm fresh on slaughter day.  Excellent.  Found some good, organic, local foods - check!

Next, I visited the Great Bend library, which is WAY better than the one in Larned and allows you to check-out more than one book at a time.  Found a place to stock up on kid's books for the munchkin - check!

Friday, we invited everyone at the park over for brats, burgers, and bocce.  It was a really fun night until the mosquitoes came out and broke it all up.  Found a way to make our own fun with some excellent people - check!

So, I'm feeling better about this place already.  It's no Madison, WI (probably the best place I've ever lived), but it'll work for now.