Adventure 636: Wilbur and Arlene's Home-Hutchinson, Kansas

Fric and Frac's one night stand Mennonite Friendship Community in Hutchinson, Kansas.

We left Manhattan about noon, hoping that we didn't leave anything behind, and glad we were for our time together. We headed toward the girl's childhood home of Hutchinson to help Arlene and Wilbur celebrate not only their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, but also Wilbur's eighty-fifth birthday. Both events occur later in the calendar year, but we're striking while the iron is hot. We enjoyed a nice dinner and angel food cake for dessert. After dinner we enjoyed a nice walk to the fishing pond. It was a nice way to end the evening.  Rod and Karen made their way back to Manhattan, and we'll begin our trek home tomorrow after breakfast. I'm happy to report that I was the big winner in the Hollywood Gin series this past week. That means as winner, I get to write the history. I'll try to have compassion for my competitors, but as the song says, "It's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way." I must report in historical terms that this has been my most favorite trip to Kansas ever. The weather was lovely, the company welcoming, and watching the sisters enjoy themselves made me fuzzy all over. Not only that. We did our usual thing of eating very well, exercising regularly, and just existing happily-no mean feat these days.Hopefully, we'll pass this way again, or perhaps these Kansans can make a trip out to God's country sometime soon. Regardless, we'll hold the memories of this past week close to our hearts and just be thankful that life is good, especially today.

Soft reflections at the fishing pond tonight.

Judy holding a candle for Wilbur to blow out. His wishes will likely come true.

Arlene digging some onions for us to take home.

Wilbur, the master gardener, surveying our progress.

Arlene and Wib standing in front of their new Spruce tree, which will grow faster than you think.

Arlene and Wib's cat, Kitty, checking my Crocs out.

Our guides, most likely retelling the story about the big one that got away.

Arlene and Wib's home.

Karen, pointing and frowning (sort of) at my low score in Hollywood Gin.

Once again, the sisters sharing time, work, and love together.

An elegant time had by all.

Falcon photo of the day: Sailor boy!

 

Adventure 635: Franz Dome/Post I

We hope to walk this way again.

All things come to an end, and tonight is our last night in Manhattan. It's been a wonderful series of days, and today was no exception. I joined Rod and Mike for their walk at noon. We finished another puzzle; Judy's high school buddy, Shirley Blice, came by for an afternoon chat; the sourdough loaves turned out perfectly; Judy and Karen face timed with sister-in-law, Jan-smiles all around; Karen and I spent the late afternoon making art; and we used a friendly family conflict as an excuse to talk with Miss Kim and Miss Kate, sister Jane's daughters. All Friesen girls, following the lead of their mother/grandmother, Dorothy, who hailed from Beatrice, Nebraska, learned to make a small breakfast roll called Semel (or Zemmel). Outside the Friesen family, this particular roll is only found in Beatrice. Besides the question of spelling, (Judy spells it with Semel because she has a recipe card her mother wrote that does so). Everyone else spells it Zemel. (Kelvin says only Germans with a cold spell it with a Z). Judy adds flour to the wet ingredients. Everyone else adds the wet ingredients to the flour. I can attest that either method results in delicious rolls, best served toasted (or right out of the oven) with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese and a generous dollop of strawberry jam. Really, the method matters very little. What matters is that a fine family tradition is kept alive with love, which makes life good, especially today.

Buhler babes flashing back to halcyon days.

My Bunny, aspirational as always, starting the fourth puzzle of the week.

Art shot of the day: Karen's scoring of the sourdough loaf.

Karen's wire sculpture, which she's named "Smokey" in honor of our visit hanging in its new home in the gardern

Karen has caught the Alexander Calder bug. 

Note: Alexander Calder, best known for inventing the mobile, has been my hero for a long time. Early in his artistic career, he held a one man show in Paris, France. He took only a spool of wire and a pair of pliers. He sat at a table and began sculpting marvelous abstract wire pieces. Later, he graduated to giant multi-ton sculptures. His pieces are placed all over the world. Someone asked him in an interview, "How do you know when a piece is finished." He replied, "When they call me in for dinner." I've always desired to create art all day, get paid for it, and as a bonus be fed well. There's still time, and there's always hope that I will be discovered.

Regardless, the pleasure of making art is boundless.

The sisters are on the FaceTime verifying the Semmel (Zemel) recipe.

Judy's loaf scored in a square.

The bread is delicious.

Hanging wire art.

Disappearing bread.

 Standing wire art.

Falcon photo of the day: "Hey, folks, can I borrow the car?"

Adventure 634: Franz Dome/Post H

A "Friesen Fridge" (The completely packed door is not shown)

It's enjoy the art day here in Manhattan. Rod busied himself learning the art of spitting into a Covid test beaker so he can maintain his eligibility as an official clock operator for the Big 12. Karen and Judy busied themselves with various arts from the ever intricate process of preparing sour dough bread to completely meditative art of solving a jigsaw puzzle. I practiced the art of cooking (with my Bunny's help), exposing Rod and Karen to a new taste treat: Bulgogi over rice and Korean cucumber salad for dinner. Karen practiced the art of opening a classic and legendary Friesen family refrigerator to add a fresh garden salad to the mix. For lunch, Karen dipped into the "Friesen Fridge" to produce left over Kraut Runzas, left over Hooley bean soup, left over roasted vegetables, and all the accompanying condiments. For those of you unfamiliar with a "Friesen Fridge", the basic idea comes from never throwing anything away; rather, the tidbit (or large bit) is packed into a covered tupperware and stacked with other such items in the refrigerator. It's not truly a "Friesen Fridge" unless there is absolutely no way anymore containers can be added. The original "Friesen Fridge", legendary in family folklore, was Dorothy Friesen's fridge. Almost always, Dorothy could create a sumptuous potluck just by retrieving tupperware containers. Miss Jane, Judy and Karen's youngest sister, came closest to matching her mother, but Karen Franz can hold her own in any stuffing contest. My Bunny, formerly known as Judy Friesen, is hindered somewhat by my aversion to leaving anything left over. As a former welfare kid, I tend to eat everything in sight. Even then, we have some worthy mystery containers in our fridge. Clearly, it's high art to manage a "Friesen Fridge". I spent the afternoon creating a wire ballerina to add to Karen's back yard paradise. It topped off another pleasant day in Kansas where life is good, especially today.

Judy and Karen teaming up to perfect the art of baking sourdough bread.

It's still all about the sisters.

Little Rod art.

Refrigerator art for lunch.

Wildcat art.

Falcon photo of the day: Pumpkin art.

Karen's home is filled with artistic dioramas.

Many of the pieces displayed around the house have been hand painted by Karen.

This cardinal, a nod to Mother Dorothy's favorite bird, is shadowed by an elaborate bird cage which is now used as a planter.

I created this wire ballerina as an addition to Karen's garden.

Adventure 633: Franz Dome/Post G

Judy and I were in charge of breakfast. We prepared one of our favorite Mario Batali dishes: Eggs poached in homemade tomato sauce served over crunchy sourdough bread, and smothered with fresh parmesan cheese and basil.

Kansas locals say, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." I'm not sure about the five minutes, but yesterday's high was 95; today poured enough rain to bubble like witches' stew down Sunset Avenue. Lightning flashed, over an inch fell, and the temperature didn't break fifty. Rain, much needed in this area, was welcomed. Karen thanked the Lord for it during morning prayers, and we all just hunkered down, safe and sound in the comfy confines of the Franz's warm house. Church services came over zoom. Today's emphasis was on sharing. Judy and I listened off camera, and I was struck by the fact that the zoom experience lent itself to genuinely emotive sharing. It seemed as if people got things "off their chests". Communion was individually served by each and every member of the congregation to him or herself, and by the end of the service I was uplifted, much as I wish I felt after every church service. Of course, after church we watched football. The professionals play on Sunday. I, of course, have no dogs in any fight, and since the Chiefs don't play until tomorrow night, Rod simply cheered for the teams who could do the Chiefs the most good. In the afternoon, we played cards (As is our won't). Judy was the big winner. At least one more game is likely to be played tonight. And for all of our blessings, we're gratefully thankful that life is good, especially today.

Oh, and puzzle time occurred. Puzzle number three.

The afternoon's big winner.

Rain put a hindrance on practicing the form today.

Karen, grinning-perhaps because she was served breakfast instead of serving.

Evidence of  a Kansas thunderstorm. 

Falcon photo of the day: Who can stop the rain?

More evidence: standing water UNDER the tree.

Coco isn't big fan of thunder.

Our luncheon feast-Miss Karen back on duty.

Art shot of the day: Soft remembrance of another day lived well.