There are many reasons why Charles Jesse Jones could be an interesting person to read about. He grew up on the Illinois frontier when Abraham Lincoln was still a backwoods lawyer. He became a pioneer, a cowboy, and a rancher, but still lived a remarkably clean life, never touching caffeine, let alone spirits. He was a founding member of Garden City, Kansas. He rubbed elbows … Continue reading Buffalo Jones
Attracting hummingbirds to your backyard doesn’t have to be complicated! If you want to enjoy the beautiful sight of these tiny creatures hovering outside, there are two incredibly simple ways to put out the welcome mat. One requires a little advanced planning, and one can be implemented today. Plant Hummingbird-Friendly Flowers A diverse display of flowers is a sight few hummingbirds can resist. And … Continue reading The Two Easiest Ways to Attract Hummingbirds
Birdwatchers have long had a few hints and tricks on the best days to go birding (preferably on a cloudy day with low barometric pressure sometime near the peak of migration season). Now scientists have offered us a new tool. BirdCast, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, periodically releases migration forecasts to help birdwatchers pick the perfect time to spot that rare bird. Find out … Continue reading BirdCast
What horse-loving child hasn’t devoured one of Marguerite Henry’s books? Henry wrote with enthusiasm and feeling, making her stories timeless masterpieces that are sure to touch the heart. While she has written many books that we could heartily recommend for readers of all ages, we have whittled down the list to ten of our absolute favorites. Looking for some summer reading? Try these. 10. … Continue reading Top 10 Marguerite Henry Books
If you plan on doing any birdwatching in Kansas this Memorial Day weekend, equip yourself with a checklist first. The Kansas Ornithological Society offers free PDF downloads of the following checklists: Kansas birds. Kansas birds with scientific names and taxonomy. Birds by county. County bird checklists combined into one document. Also, be sure to see the species county dot maps for a visual presentation of … Continue reading Kansas Bird Checklists
Pike’s Peak and the Colorado Gold Rush—topics that are familiar to many. But did you know that Colorado Gold Rush is something of a misnomer? At the time, the gold rush was simply called the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, also a misnomer since the gold fields were about 85 miles north of the famous mountain. However, Pike’s Peak was an important landmark on the trail, … Continue reading The Kansas Gold Rush
Do you want to get better acquainted with the weather? Perhaps you just need to know the average precipitation for your area or when to expect the last frost of the season. Or maybe you’re a little more ambitious—you would like to be able to predict the weather over the next 24 hours or so. Whatever your level of interest, you may find these 10 … Continue reading 10 Handy Weather Resources
Back in 2011, the Kansas Department of Commerce, Travel and Tourism Division, published a spectacular 160-page collection of best-of-Kansas scenes by the best Kansas photographers. This book, My Kansas: A Photographic Journey Across the Sunflower State, may now be easier to borrow than to buy. But if you can find a copy, by all means enjoy it. This beautiful book includes photos in the following … Continue reading My Kansas
Winkler Crater is located near the town of Winkler in northern Riley County. It has long fascinated the locals, since it is perfectly round and 950 feet across. Its surface is covered by grass and trees and crossed by streams. Throughout the 1960s, scientists speculated that the crater was caused by a falling meteorite. This theory was supported by magnetic anomalies in the crater. … Continue reading Winkler Crater: A Kimberly Pipe in Kansas
The green-winged teal (Anas crecca) has the distinction of being the smallest dabbling duck in North America. The male has a rather striking color pattern. His head is a rich cinnamon color marked with an iridescent green stripe running back from the eye. If you can get a close look, notice the thin white line running along the bottom edge of the stripe. His bill … Continue reading Green-Winged Teal
