Summer Vacation: Village Flea Market

I bet nobody knew, or cared, that Wichita has the largest flea market in the state of Kansas.  Now before anyone starts rolling their eyes at me for doing a post over a flea market, let me explain.  If I have a Sunday off, which rarely happens, I rather enjoy going to the Village Flea Market.  It's not because I think I'm going to find a nice piece of home decor or something I can't live without for my kitchen.  It's more about people watching.  This place is always packed, and it's a  lot of fun to just go and hang out there.  It's amazing what you will see people do and say in order to buy something that somebody else thought was junk.  

Now there are the booths that sell new items: cologne, incense, belt buckles, painted cow skulls (not sure if that qualifies as new), and questionable (taste wise) furniture.  It's the other booths I'm more interested in.  I can never figure out what makes people buy some of this stuff.  Who really needs a velvet moose that bobs it's head up and down?  Does anyone really need to own a wooden duck that looks like a 5th grader in 1953 made it?  Do people really take this art home, and hang it on their walls?  I don't know the answers to those questions, but I'm assuming yes, otherwise there wouldn't be people selling the stuff.

I never buy all that much, maybe a few books or records at the most.  I have bought an Eeyore toy and a Doctor Strange action figure, but don't tell anybody.  One of the first sections I'll head to when I get there is this huge area of used books.  Most of them are paperbacks, well worn paperbacks, but there are a few hardcovers mixed in.  I can't really say I buy a whole bunch from here, I rarely find one I like, or in good enough shape to take home.  If it's a really hard book for me to find, I'll go ahead and buy it, but I'll always be on the lookout for a copy in better shape.  This time around I did manage to find a Mary Roberts Rinehart book in decent shape, but it's one that I bought at a used bookstore just a few days before.

Right next door to the book tables, I think they are owned by the same people actually, are boxes and boxes of kids toys.  Most of them are the type that come from fast food kid meals, but there are some pretty cool action figures thrown in sometimes.

  

One of the reasons I go to the flea market is because I'm looking for two particular glasses.  As a kid,  I loved character glasses from restaurants like Hardee's.  As an adult, I'm not sure if I think it's because they are actually cool, or if it's more of a nostalgia factor, but I really want the Simon Sivelle and Brainy Smurf glasses.  Twice now, I've found a Simon Sivelle glass, only to have them break at home.  I have yet to find the Brainy glass.  So if you guys ever run across them, think of me.

I do have to admit that I'm always a bit excited when I find a item that I never knew existed and can't imagine anyone being able to live without.  I was being a tad sarcastic there, but this time around, I came really close to buying it anyway.  Who knew that Tammy Faye Baker recorded albums when she was still with her cheating husband.  I found this one on a table of things listed for $.25 and I came so close to getting it.  I actually kinda admire Tammy Faye now, how couldn't I after seeing The Eyes of Tammy Faye when it came out.  Alas, no matter how campy it would be to buy it, I ended up passing.

This trip, all I ended up buying where four comic books.  I haven't read a comic since I was in junior high.  When I did read them, I only read Marvel.  For some reason, I could never get into DC comics.  My son doesn't see to enjoy them all that much, so we don't buy any for him either.  For what ever reason I was in the mood that Sunday so I spent $4 for 4 comic books.  I took them home and read them all the same day.  I think I'm hooked again, so next time I'm at the flea market, I have a feeling I'll be bringing some more home with me.

I was going to go and eat lunch after the flea market, but I got rather hungry when I was there.  I had never ate there, but I figured what the hell.  When I walked in the restaurant area, it reminded me of some of the food joints you will find on a fairground.  Which truth be told, have some of the best food in the world.  I wasn't sure what to get so I asked the woman at the counter what the best burger was, and she said the jalapeno burger.  I love spicy food, so jalapeno burger it was.  It was so frickin good, tons of fried jalapenos, bacon, cheese, a little lettuce and pico de gallo, and it was good to go.  The fries were homemade but a little soggy, they were still good though with lots of mustard.  I think I'll be eating there again.

So that was my exciting trip to the flea market during my summer staycation.  It was really the last time I did anything worth mentioning.  The rest of my vacation was used up by getting caught up on stuff around the house and avoiding the 105 plus temps.  I read a lot, watched Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and just relaxed. It was a good time.  Hope you guys enjoy your summer no matter what you end up doing.

Summer Vacation: Wichita Art Museum

I live about 5 minutes from the Wichita Art Museum.  It actually sits in an area that includes Old Cowtown Museum (an old west living museum) and the Wichita Bontanica Gardens, though I never visit them in the summer.  It's too hot, so I'll take the air conditioning of the art museum.  It's a gorgeous area of city that sits right by the river.  Having all this so close to me is one of the reasons I enjoy living where I do.  But back to the museum, they have free admission on Saturdays, so if I have it off, I'm there.  So during my staycation, when Saturday rolled around, I went to go visit some of my favorite paintings.

Now for some reason I didn't think to take pictures of the outside.  Probably because is was so damn hot, so for that, I apologize.  It's a shame actually because the building itself is pretty cool, especially from certain angles.  They also have some wonderful sculpture outside the museum, some of it is pretty amazing.  What's really bad is I didn't even take pictures of the lobby, which includes a ceiling of Dale Chihuly art glass.  It's a wonderful exhibit that looks like a underwater coral reef, in all it's splendid beauty.  Once upstairs you can actually walk on it, without shoes of course.  And no, I didn't take a picture of that either.  I did take a picture of his Confetti Chandelier that hangs in the upstairs main lobby.

For those of you not familiar with our art museum, it actually holds one of  the largest collections of American art.  The most famous of which is a Mary Cassat, not one I've ever been in love with, but I know a lot of people who love her.  Sorry, I didn't even think of taking a picture of it, since it's not something I really like all that much.  I did manage to take a few pictures of some of my favorite paintings that were out on display.  The museum has a large collection, most of which I have never seen out.  It's one of the saddest aspects of any museum though, all that art which the public never or rarely sees.  

Now these pictures won't be the best, for some reason, I'm not great at taking level pictures of paintings hanging on a wall.

The Cardinal by Duilio Barnabe  (Unknown)

The Window Washers by Jon Koch (1975)

Industrial Structures by James Penney (1955)
  

Harbor by Moonlight  by John Noble (1911-1913)

Revelation by Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1949)

Landscape by Allan D'Arcangelo (1965)

Harlequin by Charles Sebree (1954) 

As much as I enjoy all the above work, my favorite painting is one that no matter how many times I see it, it moves me in a way I can never fully describe.  The pain and human suffering hurts me every time I see it, but I can never not visit it when I'm at the museum.  There is something so enthralling about it.  I don't have the vocabulary nor the knowledge to fully explain it, so I'm not even going to try.  I wish this was a better picture so you guys could see what I see.  Every time I look at it, I notice something I don't remember seeing the time before.

The Pit by George Grosz (1946)

There was a wonderful exhibit of Mexican art, but since it did not belong to the museum, I wasn't allowed to take pictures.  Now I'm not saying I wasn't tempted, but I refrained myself.  I'm not sure when I have another Saturday off, but when I do, I'm sure I'll go back to enjoy the museum once again.

Summer Vacation: The Keeper of the Plains

Can I just say that I'm already so tired of this heat.  Of the 6 days I had off for my staycation, all 6 of them were in the triple digits.  For those of you who may not know, I can't stand the heat.  It makes me tired and cranky.  So unless I'm out at the lake, which I don't have tons of time for, you will not normally find me outside during the summer.  So for this year, that meant no zoo and no Coronado Heights.  This heat really made me change my plans.  The one place I did manage to get to, was The Keeper of the Plains.  I only live about 3 1/2 blocks from here so you would think I would get over there more often.  My original plan was to actually walk down the river from here and come back up the other side, but it was just too hot.  I was also going to go back that night around 9:00 pm when the fire feature is turned on, once again it was too hot.

This is the view from my car (the pictures look better if you click on them)

Since I'm sure you guys have never been to Wichita, KS, and if you have passed through, I doubt you stopped to take in The Keeper of the Plains.  The Keeper sits at the junction of the Little Arkansas River and the Arkansas River. The ground in between the two rivers was considered sacred to the local tribes, and it's where the All American Indian Center sits as well.  The sculpture was designed and built by a local artist, Blackbear Bosin, and was installed in 1974.  A few years ago, they renovated the area completely.  They updated the parking lots, raised The Keeper onto a pedestal, built suspension bridges linking both sides to The Keeper and designed a wonderful exhibit area around him.

  

All four of these are taken before I crossed the bridge

  

Once you cross the bridge, from either side of the river, it opens up into, what I guess could be called an educational plaza.  I'm not sure I took pictures of everything, but I did manage to get a few of the displays.  Most of them highlight which tribes lived in the area, tribal customs, migration, and certain historical dates that affected the local tribes.  Behind the two main walls is the backyard of the Indian Center, which you have to approach from the other side.  The Keeper of the Plains area is not supposed to give an encompassing view and history of the local tribes, it's more of an accent to the Indian Center and museum.

Click on pictures to read

Once you are past the plaza, there are two different walkways, one on each side, that will take you in front of The Keeper. For some odd reason I didn't take too many pictures of this area.  I took a few of the walkways and a few of The Keeper from right underneath him, but I didn't take any of the view down the river.  One of these days, when it's not too hot outside, I'll go for a walk and take a few more pictures to show you the area.  Right down from here is Exploration Place, which is a children's science museum.  There is also a war memorial park on the other side of the river.  They have done a wonderful job of redoing the walkways and parks all down the river.  There are some lovely sculpture areas.  By that's getting off track.

At this point in time I was still planning on walking down the river, so I actually crossed the bridge and took one picture of The Keeper.  That's were I turned around though, I think just in the time I was out there, the temperature went up by five degrees.

You can't be by the river and not see tons of birds.  I took quite a few pictures but only a few of them allowed me to see what it was I was taking a picture of.

I know this is a crane, but not sure what kind

Ducks

Some sort of goose, but I couldn't tell what was on the ground until I got closer

Baby geese

I want to say this is some sort of heron, but really don't know

More ducks

Canadian Geese

So there you are, pictures from the only real time I spent outside in this disgusting heat.  I really need to move someplace that has milder summers.  I'm thinking Greenland, maybe Nova Scotia.

Peanuts or Romance? Why Pick Only One!

Can I just say I think it's really funny of me to write about something I haven't done yet.  It's now day 5 of my staycation, and I have no clue what I'm going to do.  I would like to say that I will sit back, relax and take it easy, but I'm pretty sure that won't be what I do.  Today will probably be the day I get caught up on the house cleaning I avoided the day before.  I may end up doing laundry, always a good time.  For that matter I may break down, fire up the computer, log into my blog and write a review or two that are due later this week.  Either way, I'll probably start getting myself ready for returning to work on Thursday.  I love my job, so by now, I'm probably itching to get back to it.  Though I do understand the need to step away from it for a few days and recharge.

Today, I would like to turn the blog over to a blogger that I'm had pleasure of knowing from almost the beginning, and if I had a long lost sister out there, Michelle would be her.  Michelle of The True Book Addict, and about a million other blogs, has truly become one of my favorite people on the face of the planet.  She is an amazing blogger, writer, mother, and friend who has the energy of a hundred other people going at full steam.  She juggles more than I can ever fathom, and she never drops a ball.  I admire and respect her and I hope we stay friends for years to come.  Now that I'm done gushing about her, go on over to her blog and say hi.

I'd like to thank my good friend, Ryan, for having me as a guest today.  Now, since it's summer, I thought I would share a bit of nostalgia from the summers of my past.  When I was a preteen, and in my early teens, I went through a period of habitual summer reading.  Summer used to be my favorite season (until I moved to the South with the sweltering summer climate) and I looked forward to it every year.  My main focus in the years I mentioned above was getting plenty of sun and doing lots of reading.

My first order of business was to pull out my set of Peanuts books by Charles M. Schultz.  I had the whole set and they looked just like this image.  The books were full of the comic strips that Schultz wrote and I would spend hours reading these and laughing my butt off.  Snoopy never failed to crack me up.  I usually managed to read the whole set every summer and, you know what?  I still have this entire set.  My mom saved them and they have been enjoyed by my sister's kids and now mine.  Who knows...maybe I'll get them out this summer and bring back a tradition.

My other young adult summer reading habit is a bit strange to me now because I really have not had much use for romance novels for a very long time.  But back then, I had a thing for....Harlequin Romances.  Eek! I'm serious.  I had a stack of those books (I think I ordered them from a book club or something...they had one back then) and I used to read at least one or two of them every summer.  I guess I was like other girls that age.  Full of romantic ideas and illusions.  Not that I'm faulting anyone that still enjoys the romance genre, but, in my case, what a difference a number of years has made.  Now I'm just a cynical old adult.  I found this cover image and it is exactly like those books I used to read all those years ago.  When I look at that cover, it brings back memories of myself as I soaked up the sun on the patio, reading away in my romance novel, and dreaming of my future Prince Charming.

What was your summer reading habit when you were young?

Aliens Invade, Summer Vacationers Beware!

I was thinking of going to Chicago for days 4 and 5 of my vacation this year, but I decided a few weeks ago that I really didn't want to drive and flying is really not my thing.  It's not that I hate flying, I just can't say as I enjoy it either.  There was always the train route but it leaves from Newton, KS (just north of me) at two in the morning and I really don't want to stay up that late just to catch a train.  If I was going to go for a longer period of time, it may have been worth it, but for two days, I'll skip it as well.  So for day four, I'm still in Wichita, KS and by now I'm probably doing everything I can to avoid cleaning the house.  I'm not one that really enjoys down time, though when I decide to do it, it always sounds like a good idea.  So today I may drive up to McPherson to visit my old college and take in lunch at the Main Street Deli, best broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl I've ever had. And since I've gone that far, I may drive up to Lindsborg to visit Coronado Heights.  What, you guys have never heard of it?  Well supposedly, it's the hill that Francisco Vasquez de Coronado gave up on his journey for the Seven Cities of Gold.  There is a castleish structure on the hill now, but the view is amazing.  It's another place I haven't been to in a while, so a trip may be in order.

Now I hope the post title didn't make you guys panic too much.  Aliens really aren't invading, at least not that I know of.  But the title does foreshadow the post you are about to read.  Yvette of in so many words... was gracious enough, though I'm sure she has no other way of being, to step up and write a terrific post about one of her favorite summer movies.  Now for those of you who don't know Yvette, let me tell you that she loves her movies.  Her blog is one of those that is a feast for the eyes every time I head on over.  Besides being a book blogger, Yvette posts movie reviews (especially older movies that deserve the recognition), and has an art feature that I never miss.  Her blog is one of those that even if I'm tired and just worked a 13 hour shift, I know that I will be perked up by her newest post.  I'm pretty sure that if you visit her blog today, it will quickly make your list of favorite blogs.

Last year Ryan asked me to do a guest post on his blog while he was away living it up on holiday. I was only too happy to help. I must not have done a bad job because he’s asked me again this year and here we are. The theme is summer in any way shape or form so, I’m writing about what is to me, the quintessential summer movie: INDEPENDENCE DAY starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum and directed by Roland Emmerich.

 ‘On July 2^nd, they arrive. On July 3^rd, they strike. On July 4^th, we fight back.”

I’m not usually a blockbuster kind of gal (most especially a ‘let’s see how many ways we can destroy the earth’ type of blockbuster), so my liking for this movie continues to amaze me. But summer is the season for blockbusters and 1996 was no exception. At the urging of my daughter, I reluctantly went to see INDEPENDENCE DAY and damn if she wasn’t right: it’s a terrific movie. I was completely won over by Will Smith and the rest of the exceptional cast. Most especially the occasionally odd-seeming Jeff Goldblum, a quirky actor with his own unique screen presence and Bill Pullman whose ‘white bread’conservative look served him perfectly as the hesitant President of the United States who eventually shows his mettle and helps win the day.

I’m actually surprised that here it is, 2012, and so far no sequels forthcoming, but maybe that’s just as well - turns out though that a re-mastered 3-D version of the original film will be out in theaters in July of 2013. Just recently found that out online.

When I think of Will Smith in his original television show, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it’s still hard for me to imagine how he morphed into this larger than life leading man in one of the more iconic movie extravaganzas ever made. But there he was (and still is) – up on the screen, a commanding presence owning every scene he’s in. It is his insouciant charm, I believe, which makes Smith such a likable actor.

 The plot: When aliens decide to colonize earth, death and destruction follow. The aliens’ powerful space ships flash death-dealing rays which turn everything in their path into gigantic fire balls. The end of the world as we know it seems all but a done deal. These aliens are as different from us as we must appear to the earth’s insect population. They are definitely not E.T. nice guys.

The exceptional and truly rapacious special effects showing the aliens’ destructive powers are very well done, frighteningly so. Particularly good is the blowing up of the Capital and the White House – two events guaranteed to raise the ire of even the most lackadaisical American movie-viewer. I admit it, my hair stood on end. I mean, how DARE they!? And over the July 4^th weekend, too.

The President and his advisors barely escape with their lives but unfortunately, the President’s wife (played by Mary McDonnell) isn’t as lucky. Just when all hope is lost and it appears as if most of the population of earth will be burnt to a crisp even while the few pockets of humans that remain frantically try to come up with a workable defense – in steps Jeff Goldblum’s character, David Levinson, a disgraced scientist turned cable technician who thinks outside the box and can’t help getting in trouble because of it. He’s figured out a way to stop the invasion if only he can convince the authorities. His theory is a bit silly and simplistic, but what the heck, it sounds good and what have they got to lose?

He’ll need the help of a fearless pilot to fly the alien ship lying in stasis in, of all places, Area 51 – that mysterious western site where it is rumored the government has secretly stashed a space ship. Guess what – it’s true, at least, in this script. That’s where the President and his remaining cabinet and advisors head and where we run into a crack-pot, wild-haired, loony-toons scientist played by Brent Spiner – ex Lieutenant Data on Star Trek, The Next Generation.

The fearless pilot is, of course Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith), who volunteers to man the alien ship. He and David will have to dock with the giant mother ship (she controls the alien forces) and slip the mother a mickey. Basically, that’s it. Of course, there’s a lot of impressive footage of jets flying about and being blown up as convoys of air force pilots make futile attempts to fight the aliens with conventional weapons. Even the President - once a pilot always a pilot - flies into the fray. But the build-up to the final KAPUT is nail-bitingly impressive and even, in spots, oddly amusing.

INDEPENDENCE DAY is a lot of fun, the humans are likable, the aliens are not. It’s all preposterous but perfectly in keeping with the idea that summer is for flip flops, blowing things up and popcorn.

Now that I’ve written this, I’m suddenly in the mood to watch INDEPENDENCE DAY yet again. Time to adjust my movie queue.

Sheree's Top 5 Australian Summer Memories

Well, it's official, it's day three of my vacation and I have nothing planned so far.  Since it's the midway point of my vacation, I'm hoping I'll take it easy, but I get bored really easily.  I will probably end up going to the flea market at some point in time.  I don't know if many of you know this but the Sedgwick County Zoo is one of the highest ranked zoos in the United States and attracts around half a million visitors each year.  It's been a few years since I've been there, it's only about 10 minutes from my house, so I'm thinking it may be on my list of things to do today.  I'm sure that no matter what I'm doing, I'll enjoy myself.

I'm sure that as soon as you saw the title of this post, you knew who the wonderful guest blogger was.  For most of you, Sheree of The Eclectic Reader needs no introduction.  Sheree is one of the reasons I'm so grateful for what the book blogging community has done to enrich my life.  In what other forum would a guy from Wichita, KS, dead center of the United States be able to connect with such a passionate mother and reader in Brisbane, Australia?  This community has allowed some wonderful relationships develop between people who never would have otherwise never met.  I know I don't need to say this but I think Sheree is one of the kindest bloggers who always has a nice thing to say and can put a new blogger at ease.  I think she is amazing and I would hope that you guys, if you don't already know how great her and her blog are, to go on over and say hi.

I was delighted when Ryan asked me to guest post on Wordsmithonia while he’s enjoying a much needed summer holiday. Woohoo, permission granted to wreak havoc and swing from the chandelier do a civilised post on his blog and here I am Pina Colada in hand. 

 Being winter in Australia (the season I loathe) I’m in serious need of a dose of sunshine and warmth and as my fairy godmother is neither fairy-like nor godmotherly (I think she took her mean pills) and refused my Tahiti vacation request the next best thing is My Top 5 Australian Summer memories

1.      BBQ’s

Summer is BBQ season and despite all the international throw-another-shrimp-on-the-barbie advertising, in Australia it’s just not a barbeque without snags (sausages). A sausage in bread with or without onion and tomato sauce is standard fare at any Aussie BBQ. And it’s just not summer or a BBQ without flies. I honestly don’t know why it is we insist on having BBQ’s at the height of summer … are US flies particularly sticky or is that a talent reserved only for Australian flies? Flies that stick in your eyes (and in little kids snot) or flies on steroids and if you’ve ever had one of those fly up your nose (in search of god knows what) you’ll know exactly what I mean. They say you aren’t a true blue Aussie until you’ve swallowed a fly … I am, I have and I can tell you I fervently wished as I gagged (you never know where their feet have been *see Open Air Cinema section below*) coughed and raged indignantly that I was anything but.

Back to the BBQ … does anyone feel like eating now?

2.     Coconut Reef Oil

This is one of my favourite summer smells, I immediately think of white beaches, swaying palm trees and the new Old Spice man glistening in coconut oil

 … oh where was I

Coconut oil replaced good old cooking oil or baby oil as a means of turning glow-in-the-dark white skin to beef jerky. As a teen it was the ‘done’ thing to baste oneself in cooking oil and lay in the sun rotating, front, back, side, side … repeat, baking complete when you’re the consistency of crispy bacon . With increased skin cancer awareness, the Oompa-Loompa look surged in popularity, glow-in-the-dark white became the new tan and SPF was added to coconut oil. I wonder if they make scratch and sniff thingies to feed my coconut smell addiction? J

3.     Beaches

We really do have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world in Australia and for many Australians beach culture is very much a part of our lives. Our lifeguards and volunteer surf life savers do a fantastic job keeping Aussies & visitors safe on our beaches. What more could you ask for – sun, sand, surf, and for the most part the scenery isn’t bad.

4.     Water Fun

Set up the sprinkler in the back yard, add a giant length of plastic and a bottle of dishwashing liquid and you’ve got a  home-made water slide and hours of fun for kids and the young at heart. Or my favourite, the sprinkler going full pelt under the hills hoist clothes line, hang on tight swinging round and round in the water spray. And when you get your bottom smacked for making the clothes line sag and squashing the family dog as you land (not that I’m speaking from experience) you decide the stinging bum is worth one more go.

 With drought and water restrictions now very much a part of everyday life in many parts of Australia, home-made water fun is a thing of the past. We now have water theme parks; double the fun, safer for pooch and the sting is one to your wallet.

5.     Open Air Cinema

Only open during summer. Pull up a bean bag, deck chair, a patch of grass, picnic rug. BYO picnic, bring your favourite take-away or grab a typical movie treat on-site. Furry friends can see a movie too however disruptive canine guests will be asked to leave and unwelcome ‘deposits’ are frowned upon. In the case of untended deposits the offending pooch and owner will be evicted from the cinema without a refund (ok I made that last bit up but it sounds like it should be a rule and I mean … think of the flies!! *refer to BBQ section above*)

Ryan I hope your holiday is full-on R&R and you return refreshed and ready for anything.

So who’s got a favourite summer memory to share?

Teddyree aka Sheree