Don't upset the pheasants!

As the owner of the pheasant farm and his help drove the birds to one end of the pen, from time to time, they would get a bit excited, this was one of those times. Feathers and dirt flying like crazy, squaking and wings flopping...what a site to see and quite the sound to hear as well!

Catching pheasants for the hunt

This young man is in the barn at the pheasant farm near us. He is assisting the owner by helping catch pheasants that will then be packed in crates and taken out for a hunt.

Pheasant awaiting sunrise

This female pheasant awaits the sunrise at a local game farm.

In this particular enclosure were some of the younger birds. I did not get up there in the spring to take pictures like I wanted to so I did not get to see any babies this year, maybe next spring!

A distant look over the Konza Prairie

See the post below for more information on the Konza Prairie. This view shows the vast grasslands that makeup this beautiful section of the Flint Hills.

The Konza Prairie

The Konza Prairie is an 8600 acre preserve of natural grasses and other vegetation that is managed by Kansas State University. My son David and I went there recently for their "Open House". We learned that "Konza" is simply another way of saying "Kansa" which were the native Americans the State was named for.

We also learned that the Konza is burned at varying intervals, some fields every year, some every 5 or even 20 years to monitor growth and learn about watersheds.

Some of their fields are grazed by Bison, many are not. They study that too.

All of this for the sake of ranchers and farmers. The research done at this Biological station is shared with those learning to manage lands, crops, animals and protect water sources. It was a beautiful day on the prairie. I do plan to go back, and although most of the Konza is closed to people most of the time, there is a hiking trail that is managed there as well. The header on this page is also from the Konza Prairie.

"Maverick" Sunflower?

Kansas is known for Sunflowers...not just because it is such a pretty crop, but also because they grow wild here. The wild ones are much smaller and have darker centers. This one popped up along with his more tame cousins!

The color in this photo is because of the more gentle EARLY morning light. See the caption on the photo preceding this one.

What time do sunflowers wake up???

OK, those of you that know me, will not doubt the craziness of my attempts at the "perfect photo". Jim Richardson with National Geographic told me to take pictures, then take more pictures, and then take more pictures....then delete the ones you don't like, then delete some more. So that is what I do!

Earlier this week, my friend Dee Dee told me I needed to see this field of Sunflowers and take some pictures. I told her I had been past it but all their little heads were facing West already as it was night. So I had this bright idea to get up VERY early Saturday....go out there and take a picture every few minutes and track their movements toward the sun.

I WAS TOO LATE!!!

I am sure I could hear them laughing as I climbed out of the van, chuckling at the lateness of my arrival. They were all proudly facing the rising sun, so I pulled out my camera and went to work!

"Rock Town"

This is Rock Town, it is a spot alongside Wilson Lake that we hiked to. The formation I am standing beneath are about 40 feet tall....I am in front of it.

The weather was wonderful.

A view from our cabin

We took a 4 day weekend recently and this was the view from our cabin, high atop a hill near Wilson Lake. It was gorgeous. We hiked 3 miles (in and out) to a pretty spot by the lake too. I was sure I could not make it...my husband said "Michelle, don't argue for your limitations", well I argued anyway, but I made it. Kansas has been wonderful this summer....after the tornadoes that is!

A rose by any other name.....

This LOOKS like a rose, and maybe it is, but I came upon it in a hay field here in Kansas. It was tiny, and NOT thorny. It sure was pretty!