The comments to the Entry called Water are great. Thank you!
Also the Make it from Scratch Carnival has been posted, check out what unique items were made.
onto the topic,
My aunt has asked me just about every time we talk on the phone, why I live in Kansas. I have also noticed a few anti-Kansas statements floating around on a few of the blogs I have read. Ok, maybe not completely anti but at least how boring this state is. After college we had several places, around the world, that wanted my husband to come work for them, instead we decided to come back to Kansas and not because we had family here.
What other state has a blizzard warning, tornado watch, flash flood warning, high wind advisory, and a severe thunderstorm warning going on at the same time?
In Kansas you can see, not just feel, swing season. {the time between winter and spring}
to the left you can see spring, and on your right, winter.
We can have 117 tornadoes in one day, and only have few buildings and crops damaged.
Our towns stay relatively small, not because our kids are leaving, but because people in other places think we are ultra conservative, backward thinking, Bible belt beating, Creationists, and they are not willing to move here. {we are not all like that, but we enjoy the fact that most people think we are. It helps keep our farmland from being built on}
Kansas was founded amid a war and 70 years later survived the Dust Bowl. The people here know how to be caring and how to make the best of the worst possible situations.
We have the largest ball of twine, and the deepest hand dug well in the world, how can you beat that?
Crime is low and that's not just because we are allowed to carry concealed hand guns.
We have a rich history of Old West criminals and gangster hideouts.
Only western Kansas is flat. We have an incredible scenic route through the flint hills.
Wonderful Lakes.
Cost of living is lower then most other states.
Kansas Pride. There is a museum in every town, a historic marker at every rest stop.
Contrary to what the National Media tells you, we have good schools.
Kansas has strong winds and fertile soil. We can go through all the seasons in a single day.
Dorothy is from Liberal.
Maybe I shouldn't write for the Kansas Board of tourism, but the point is that there is something for everyone here, just as long as you take the time to look. I love the openness, the violent storms, the comradery of this state. Otherwise we would have never have moved back.
Can you give me one good reason to visit your home state?
20 comments:
I visited Kansas over 10 years ago while on a road trip after we graduated high school. I actually enjoyed my visit there and hope to return again sometime down the road. My mom also loves "The Wizard of Oz", so there you go. :)
Why should you visit the state of Washington? We have mountains, trees and the coast on the west side of the state and open fields with rolling hills on the east side of the state.
Come to New Jersey! Not only do we have a huge coastline for fun and frolic; but we have mountains (need I mention the AT goes through NJ?), casinos, promixity to MAJOR cities (NYC and Philly), great sports teams, and farmland.
I think maybe whatever state feels like home is the best. By the way, I spent 8 hours traveling in EAST Kansas, and have pictures to prove it's pretty darned flat there. Reasons to visit Missouri? How can I count the ways? The Ozarks!
I can think of several reasons.
Fort Worth
Hill Country
Big Thicket
Palo Duro Canyon
The Gulf Coast
I saw in our local paper that a group are headed to Austin on March 2, Texas Independence Day, for a rally to protest the Trans-Texas Corridor and animal tagging. Here's a link to the story. You have to scroll down a bit to get to the tagging part.
http://www.hillsbororeporter.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=54&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=7338&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1012&hn=hillsbororeporter&he=.com
My home state? Oh, my goodness... take a ride on the Kangamanagus Highway, through the White Mountains National Forest. Incredible scenery, and it follows the most beautiful waterway. You *have* to stop and swim in The Gorge... natural rock "waterslides" and ice-cold water when the temps are way up there. Spectacular. Let me know if you're going to be up this way (we're only about 40 minutes from Boston, barring traffic) and I'll drive.
Just one? My god, there are DOZENS. From Portland I am between 30 minutes to two hours from: Mountains with near-year-round snow; desert; ocean beaches; and one of the most amazing scenic gorges (the Columbia) in the world. It is impossibly green here. The summers aren't too hot, the winters aren't too cold (though quite wet). The sheer abundance of foodstuffs the state can produce is astonishing--the berries and apples alone are enough to make you plotz--and my own yard is so fertile if I spit I'd grow a crop of children. :)
But really, when it comes down to it, at some point you just find home. You guys found home in Kansas, and you felt that down in your bones. I knew that Oregon was home, in that deep in-the-bone way, every time I came here as a child to see family. I came here for school in 1979 and never left. I hope I never do. I get emotional about how much I love Oregon--I mean, I actually tear up over it. It's silly!
I have never quite made it Kansas in all of my travels. My father used to live in southern Nebrarska though.
As for reasons to visit Wisco:
The Lake Superior shoreline of Wisconsin is amazing; sea caves, islands, brownstone cliffs, driftwood, agates, and empty beaches. The Southwest part of Wisco is loaded with gorgeous rolling hills and an abundance of organic farms-Great food and great folks.
Well, you just knew I'd pop up and say hello when you mentioned historical markers. ;-)
Seriously, I would inded quite like to visit Kansas, and don't think it will be boring at all. :)
WR
http://www.markeroni.com
The only time I've been in Kansas is on my way to Colorado! Boring, Sorry! :)
WV-also suffers many stereotypes, that are not entirely true.
But it is Wild & Wonderful. (the people and the land) What else could you ask for?
Um, gee, I don't know....
ME??!
Too late tonight for any other reasons. Gotta get to bed so I can take a few cats in for vet care tomorrow morning.
We as a people are regionalists, with that said you're all wrong. Ohio has everything but a salty coast! You have to find something to love where you're at if your hands are in the dirt.
I got that when we first moved to West Virginia... Everyone asked us ...Why would you want, to move here?!?
I was in Washington years ago. Do not remember it, so I will need to plan a trip that way. Take mom to Liberal, Dorothy house is there.
Greedy, already have plans to come to NJ.
East Kansas is flat compared to the Ozarks, we have rolling hills.
Thank you wren, Texas is on my list. I was there not too long ago, but that was before I met you. Thank you for the link.
Caroline, I will keep that in mind next time I head that way.
Oregon is very pretty, and the trail was one of my favorite games ;) You are right as usual Lynn.
Kansas is nothing like Nebraska, so that doesn’t count ;) as for visiting Wisconsin, I will have to live vicariously through my husband for now. He will be at the S&S factory soon.
WR, I knew I would get you over here some how. As for visiting, plan it just right and you could arrive the same time as wren, greedy, marina and alrescate.
I will agree that KS to CO is the longest, boring trip ever. But if you take some time, there are some great places to stop. Wonderful open country and all kinds of rocks if you are into collecting. WV is wild and beautiful.
Of course Marina. No worries Wren has you covered.
Its been awhile since I have gone through Ohio. Dirt is a wonderful thing.
Tim, we also get the "people live in Kansas?"
Kentucky...Yes, we do wear shoes. When we have to. :-)
Beautiful horse farms, usually-great basketball (don't get me started), fairly mild summers and winters, lots of lakes and streams.
I have to second Kansas. I have lived here since 1985 and I don't plan on leaving. I have visited OR, WA, MO (grew up in StL), WI et al. All lovely places, all lacking Jayhawks! Where I am there is access to many "big city" ammenities, major sports, major shopping, major arts and ent. and so on. Also wonderful outdoor areas. Go see the Flint Hills--georgoeus.
I've never been to Kansas but someday I'll make it thataway. Lord knows I've met plenty of really nice people from those parts :)
Arizona is Arizona. I don't want to say too much good about it or the 3 whole people left in California that haven't moved here yet may just decide to pack it in this way! LMAO!
What burdockboy said. And even though it sounds so cliche, our beer! New Glarus Spotted Cow is darn tasty.
Devil's Lake State Park is also one of the most scenic parts of our state.
Mr. Roberts, I have family in Kentucky. Such beuty there.
Jana, WOOHOO! Another Jayhawker!
Bug, HA! I have been camping through Arizon. I have fond memories from childhood.
la libertad, thanks for stopping by. Agree, there is some great beers coming out of there.
Someone mentioned beer. Free State Brewing Co. is one of the best watering holes in Kansas. They make their own excellent, award winning beer and it is one of the best run and tastiest resturants I have ever patronized.
Hey! Nice blog.... I may have done a bit of Kansas-bashing in my blog, but only because I lived there in a small conservative town for one long, lonely year (due to an ill-advised relationship).
I also lived for 2 fairly long years in Nebraska, and actually found Kansas to be BETTER; love Lawrence and Manhattan, the flint hills are beautiful! People don't realize how wild and beautiful un-plowed range land can be! SE Nebraska was all flat fields of corn or wheat; Kansas had rolling hills and great rocks, even "western" feeling yucca and sunflowers.
But I LOVE Lake Superior shoreline in Minnesota and the north. Snow, skiing, the "outdoor" silent sports culture, very nice. Plus family and connections; glad to be back up here.
But do enjoy your Kansas place!
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