There wasn't much action to report, because this year's Blogorado gathering was attended by only about a dozen of our regulars: the rest were tied up, broken down or occupied with things from which they couldn't get away. Nevertheless, we had a great time together, catching up on each other's news, enjoying our usual good food and drink (a permanent feature of our annual gatherings), and getting our new kitten fix for the next few months. (One well-known blogger who shall remain nameless sent home to his wife a photograph of a tiny kitten curled up asleep on his shoulder, looking unbearably cute. Her reply said, "You may NOT adopt a kitten and bring it home!" He, sensible chap, obeyed . . . but I think he was inwardly torn.)
Miss D. and I left Colorado this morning, taking almost ten hours to cross Kansas and end up in Leavenworth. It was a tiring but trouble-free journey. We're going to spend the next few days here, doing research for future books and meeting up with fellow authors and bloggers.
Tomorrow we're going to meet James Young at the Arabia Steamboat Museum, named for a paddlewheel steamer that sank in 1856 and was excavated in the 1980's, revealing a treasure trove of original cargo and other items which provided an immensely valuable (albeit involuntary) time capsule of frontier life before the Civil War. Click the image below (courtesy of the Museum's Web site) for a larger view.
It should be fascinating, and well worth the visit to Kansas City for that museum alone. We have several other visits planned, and look forward to learning a lot and enjoying the company of friends even more.
I'll try to put up a brief biog post sometime tomorrow. Normal blogging will resume on Monday next week, "the good Lord willin' and the crick don't rise".
Peter
ReplyDeleteif you havent been there-- go see the WW1 museum in KC
well worth the time !
If it's not on your agenda, I'd highly recommend visiting the World War I museum.
ReplyDeleteThat paddle steamer did not have much freeboard. A shift of cargo, or even using all the fuel stacked on one side would be a problem.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks. It has started me finding out more about them. Why two funnels? Why was the bridge behind the funnels - catching the sparks?
Where was the rudder?
From the country of William Symington.
That museum is great!
ReplyDeleteI've been there and I find it fascinating.
Hope you have a great time with it!
Good to hear all is going well. Be safe and God bless.
ReplyDeleteAs someone else said the World War Museum in KC is really great and well worth the time.
ReplyDelete3 hours north, we have the steamship Bertrand museum. Similar tale, she was headed to the mining town upriver when she hit a snag and sank. The mud preserved her cargo until she was found in a field in the 70s.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy! Looking forward to the AAR!
ReplyDeletePoint of Order:
ReplyDeleteIt's 'The good Lord willin' and the Creek don't rise.'
The sentence has 0% to do with any chance of flooding from a local tadpole and crawdad farm. It refers to an Indian uprising and associated scalp-takings, which was a regular occurrence in the Southeastern US prior to the 1830 Trail of Tears "relocation" of the problem to the Oklahoma Territory.
As a writer and keen student of history, this should be in your data set:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscogee
People conflating one thing with the other are on a level with those who pronounce the word "nukular" instead of "nuclear", and sets one's teeth on edge.
That ain't you. Just saying.
I live in a suburb of KC, and the best field trip my son's school ever did was the visit to the Arabia Steamboat Museum. Truly worth the time and cost. Also, several people mentioned the National World War I Museum and Liberty Memorial. If there is any way for you to go, you won't be disappointed. It's my favorite place to take visitors to the area.
ReplyDeleteChaplain Tim, I lived in the Omaha area six years, and I drive up there from KC to see my kids about once a month. I'd never heard of the Bertrand. I'm going to have to take a side trip to see it next time I'm up there!
ReplyDeleteI second Chaplain Tim's suggestion. I partly grew up in that area, and the Bertrand is also in a wonderful wildlife preserve and hiking area (and good for gathering mushrooms, IF you know what you are doing and they are in season.)
ReplyDeleteLittleRed1
If time permits the KC Art Museum is worth a visit. Also, enjoy some BBQ burnt ends. Pick up some BBQ sauces for home.
ReplyDelete