The Superior Express -

Happy Birthday, Kansas, on your 162nd year! Proud to say that you are the only state I’ve ever lived in and wouldn’t change that for anything. Kansas is smack dab in the middle of the United States. Some say it’s boring driving through Kansas on the interstate roadways but it really isn’t. Yes, there are acres and acres of rolling plains, but there are also the Monument Rock formations made of limestone rocks, and the grassy rolling hills termed the Flint Hills. There are the many lakes, creeks and rivers over the state. Trees once were not in existence when the early settlers arrived are now lining the farmsteads, creek banks and lake boundaries.

The farmlands are showy much like a colorful quilt blocks, featuring the yellows of wheat, the greens of the cane, alfalfa and corn. There are the browns of soybeans ready for harvest, then the dark oranges of the milo heads. The tall grasses of the lands are numerous in varieties. The summer wildflowers bring numerous colors here and there. In July and August, the state’s flower, the sunflower, begins to show off in fields, often making tourists stop on their route to take some show-stopping photos.

Many breeds of cattle dot the countryside. In the spring young calves bouncing around are certainly a sight to behold. In lots and pastures sheep and goats can be seen grazing.

Farmsteads, old and new, are here and there. Some reek of history featuring their once popular older red barns. Colorful metal buildings now have mostly taken the place of the wooden barns. Some modern buildings serve a dual purpose as living quarters and equipment storage. In central Kansas, there are fields and pastures bordered by limestone rock fence posts and buildings made of the quarried limestone rocks.

During June and into July whirling combine headers can be heard as they move through the ripened wheat fields. In the quietness of a pasture, the creaking sound of a windmill wheel can be heard as it turns, as it has for years, providing pumped water into the stock tanks. There are numerous song birds providing lovely, calming sounds. Predator birds can be seen circling high above with such ease, always searching for prey. At night time, sounds of the coyotes can be heard off in the distance. Quail, pheasants and deer inhabit the state.

The wonderful sunrise and sunsets create a colorful burst in the distance. A view in Kansas can’t be blocked by Rocky Mountains or tall sky scrapers.

Beautiful Kansas named after the Kansas River that in turn was named after the Native American Tribe, Kansas, means “people of the wind.” Yes, Kansas has plenty of winds, plenty of changing temperatures and changing weather patterns. Kansas was started as an Indian Territory, then it became the Kansas Territory and its statehood was born out of conflict and turmoil. It was settled by cowboys that drove their cattle from Texas to railroad points in Kansas. It was settled by immigrants including the Russians who brought winter wheat seeds with them. It was settled by hard working people searching for a better way of life. From the time when Lewis and Clark made their expedition to when Zebulon Pike came exploring through much of the state. It is Pike on his visit here that he took down the Spanish Flag and raised the United State Flag. This state drew people here. It made up part of the Sante Fe Trail, the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express route. It’s where the song “Home On The Range” was written and sang.

So let’s celebrate our heritage, Kansans. We have a lot to be proud of! As Dorothy said, “There’s No Place Like Home!”