What do you do with farm parts?

Bright green eyes!


And claws--made from a mulberry log, sawed and refined.


Add them to an old slip (a little earthmover pulled by horses) and you've got a farm parts turtle! Can you see those little green eyes above the push binder snout? See the legs, back and front?


My goodness! That looks like a farm parts road runner.


And here's a farm parts helper. A real good one. She's painting rotary hoe teeth for some gizmo invention that the ol' farmer has in mind. Maybe the start of a giant sunflower? We'll see someday.


And here's the ol' farmer, my Dad. Mil Penner. And that's my mom, VLee, being the ace helper. Dad is using a 1920s tractor wheel with lugs, as the main piece of his latest creation. Maybe it came from a McCormick, maybe not. We're not sure. The inner wooden-spoked wheel is off an old car. Don't you think CBS Sunday Morning might want to use that for one of its suns?

Why do farmers make these kind of things?

Because they can. That's a basic fact that helps you "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

p.s. These and other gizmos are even for sale!

They couldn't pay their utility bills so...

During the Great Depression customers of the city-owned power plant in Clay Center who couldn't pay their utility bills were given the opportunity to work off their debt.

Their work resulted in Utility Park. In 1934 Better Homes and Gardens awarded the park its highest community honor with a More Beautiful America Achievement Award.

This bronze plaque at 4th and Pomeroy commemorating the award is found on the large red glacial rock.

Pretty neat.

Is anyone reading this that knows more of that story?

Clay Center's response to a hard time helps "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

It sure takes a lot of work to do intro's!

Scott Williams, producer, made the trek from Topeka to the farm (near Inman) today to tape some intro's for future Sunflower Journey Explorer segments. They will be some re-runs about things to see and do in Kansas, including the first ever Explorer Group Adventure. It was so long ago that I had curly hair -- and big glasses. Oh, I hope they aren't the rose-tinted ones.

As soon as Scott arrived we headed for the kitchen. Making friends with Phoebe was important, too.

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That sure is a lot of equipment for intro's!

OK. Now where am I supposed to stop?

Maybe it would help to mark the spot with frogs.

The camera is up there.

And before long we were done. Time to take it all down. That sure is a workout.

It's always fun to work with Scott.

Do you watch Sunflower Journeys? You should! It will help you "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

No sign, no warning. It's just there. This big rock.

What would you do if you were just driving on a residential street and came upon a boulder in the middle of the driving lane?

No warning sign, no flashing lights. It's just there.

If you're alert, you'll see that a driving lane has been made to the side of the street to accommodate the immovable boulder but if you're not paying attention -- you'll find yourself high centered on it. As many people have done.

Where do you find this rock? In McLouth (Jefferson County) on Granite Street between Cynthia and Lucy streets.

I took a bus full of Explorers to see the rock once. 40 of us. We parked the big Greyhound on the intersecting street and piled out of the bus. Such exclamations! Spontaneous reactions were to touch it, kiss it, stand on it, take pictures with it.

People came out of their houses to take pictures of us taking pictures of their rock. They called neighbors to ask if they saw the bus. Soon lots of them were watching us from their lawns or behind curtains.

We asked questions and they were amazed at our interest. Turns out there had been a giant boulder right there, planted by an ancient glacier. But, you see, a street needed to go right there. For the world, they couldn't get rid of that rock. So finally they quit trying -- and just left it.

We were driving to Leavenworth recently and took the route through McLouth. I said to WenDee, "This is the town with the rock in the middle of the road." She said, "I've never seen it. I have to see it!"

We drove downtown and turned south on Lucy Street for about three blocks to Granite Street. There, between Cynthia and Lucy, was the rock. WenDee was shocked how big it was. How easy it could be to hit it.

She kissed it, she laid on it, posed on it. Wanted a picture with the rock.

No sign, no warning. Just a rock. Great tourist attraction.

You won't "Get Kansas!" till you, too, see this rock. Keep your eyes open!

KE #2 Marci Penner

It takes a community to serve a Ground Hog Supper

The St. Peters Ground Hog Feed in Inman is about good eating. Even Louie's Truck Service employees come in to "pig out."



It all started 67 years ago and Arnold Wittorf was there -- and has been for every Ground Hog Feed since. Between bites of sausage and corn, Bob Bartels said that he was at the first one, when he was 11.

All traditions require much effort behind the scenes. This add-on to the church is built the evening before the Ground Hog feed and is taken down as the last pan is being washed. The gravy gets made and sausage grilled in this temporary shack. Here you see Roy and Darcel grilling sausage pattiets. Hey, someone's peeking through the vent hole. Get back to work!

Everyone chips in. Terri, insurance business owner, is working on the applesauce. Lenora is in charge of dishing out the sauerkraut. Raymond is taking his turn stirring up the mashed potatoes.

Years ago Butter Friesen, who had been in charge of pies, decided to winter in Arizona so he wrote Christy a letter and asked if she'd want to take over the pie job. She said yes and has been doing pies, with husband Shade, ever since! Her sister Shirley (not pictured) helps with the pies but her claim to fame is being the first woman to be invited to help with dishwashing! Jeannie is getting some carry outs ready for the nursing home orders.

People who attend must first wait in the "holding pen" (as my Dad calls it) and then just enough are released to fill the next table. Once seated, the wait staff takes over.

Nick (on left) owns the cafe but told his customers it was OK to come support the Ground Hog Feed. He kept checking between cafe and church. Loren set his welding tools aside to come help, as did Merle, who runs the service station. Delmer, another insurance agent in town, helps too and is carrying a clever serving tool devised by Loren and Merle's grandfather. Men from church and others who aren't members take a day off from work to assist. You can tell most have been doing the same job from year to year as they obviously know the drill very well.

Before too long, the platters start to empty -- and soon it's all gone.


Another Ground Hog Supper in the books

and a toast to all that took part.

Everyone has a role to play in community traditions and seeing the inside of it helps you "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner

The most tasty breakfast

Remember the blog about showering with Grover (the Cleveland surround shower) at the Prairie Queen Bed and Breakfast in Leavenworth?

You're now out of the shower, dressed and ready for the day. You know a Jan Topping breakfast awaits you. What will it be this time? You're hoping the swirly carmelized bacon will be on the plate.

You go down the curved staircase to find owners Bob and Jan in the kitchen. Greetings come first, then the offer of a pot of tea or coffee. But what awaits you at the dining table is not your regular looking pancake. It's a Jan special -- a puffed pancake! Or, you could call it "fruit in a pancake bowl." The camera does not do the dish justice so I'd highly recommend reserving a night at the Prairie Queen complete with a Grover Cleveland shower and one of Jan's delicious breakfasts.

PUFFED PANCAKE recipe with fresh fruite (serves 4)

4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour

Whip these 3 ingredients until fluffy, either by hand or in blender for about 2-3 minutes until smooth. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. This will make approx 4 individual puffed pancakes.

To bake:

Pre-heat oven to 400. Place 1-1/2 half teaspoons of butter in the bottom of 4 oven safe individual size pans or baking dishes. Place in preheated oven until butter melted. Remove from oven and pour equal amounts of batter into each pan. Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes until puffy and golden brown.

Meanwhile prepare fruit:

1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 tbls raw sugar or regular sugar. (sugar subsitute - to your taste)
1-2 sliced bananas based on size.
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Mix all these together in bowl. Set aside until pancake ready to serve.

Remove pancakes from oven and transfer to individual plates. Add fruit mixture equally to each pancake. Add preferred amount of Real Maple Syrup. Garnish with whip cream and orange zest or mint.

Jan serves this with either her famous twisted bacon or homemade sausage.

Drool. Go. Call 913.758.1959 now. Ask for Grover and Puffed Pancakes.

Stay at Kansas bed and breakfasts and the experience will help you "Get Kansas!"

Kansas Bed and Breakfast web site is at http://www.kbba.com/.

KE #2 Marci Penner

Protected in Protection

Protection from polio was the mission of the Salk vaccine. And in 1957 Protection Kansas made national news when every citizen under 40 was inoculated with the new Salk vaccine, becoming the first city in the country to be 100% protected against polio.



The plaque at Broadway and Walnut in Protection (Comanche County) tells the story.

Was anyone reading this one of those people? If so, tell us more!

Backwards? Hey, we're often ahead of the game! Know that and you'll "Get Kansas!"

KE #2 Marci Penner