americana at it's finest

Ed and I had made a quick little get-away this weekend to meet my parents at a Bed & Breakfast in Barnes, Kansas. This was our third such outing over the past few years...the first to Peru, Nebraska...the second to Mount Ayr, Iowa... and this time around...Barnes, Kansas. Barnes is a very small little berg (population less than 200!) in Northeast Kansas tucked into the rolling hills along Highway 9. We had a fabulous time and are already looking forward to our next adventure!

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...below...the tale of Barnes...

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...my wonderful Mom and Dad...

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...the tranquil field behind the B&B...

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We headed home on Highway 36 and made a stop in Baileyville. Below is the home of Ed's Great Grandfather Broxterman. There have been several renovations and additions over the years, so the house now is not exactly as it was when Ed visited as a boy. Amazingly, as we were sitting in the car in front of the house, one of the occupants was in the front yard and invited us inside!!!
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We turned onto Highway 73 and headed south through Leavenworth. Below, is the home that Ed grew up in. The area is still very rural, but there are MANY more homes around than when Ed was young boy.
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In front of the Leavenworth County Courthouse sits a boulder that was moved in 1976 from the farm that Ed's Grandparents McNamee lived on. It took two large bulldozers to lift the boulder to a truck, carry it into town, and place it in front of the court house. At that time, Ed's Grandmother was the clerk of the district court.
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…the plaque affixed to the boulder…
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All in all...a WONDERFUL weekend....
and we're already looking forward to our next outing!!!