• Peach Time

    Since we were in the area yesterday, we drove to the Schreiman Orchards to pick up some peaches. I read about the place in the Star several years ago and we usually make a trip there several times a year to buy peaches and later in the fall – apples. For me it’s not just a shopping trip, I can get peaches and apples much closer to home, it’s an excuse to drive along  the Old Trails Road – one of the most picturesque stretches of highway on this side of the state of Missouri. Along the road you will find historic markers, museums, multiple wineries (but wait there is more), and at the end pick up a basket of peaches for the road.


    People who make fun of my love of pickling should take a note that even I draw the line at the red beet and/or jalapeno pickled eggs.

    Some day we should find a designated driver and tour the area. Seems like they are having an event on the August 15th.

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  • I Wish I Were…

    httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNddW2xmZp8

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  • Dusseldorf and Cologne

    Preface:

    Germany wasn’t on my bucket list. I don’t even have a list. The only reason I use it to name my travel posts is because I like the way they look on my travel page, all nicely lined up.

    The original plan was to stop at Bruges on the way from Amsterdam to Paris, but the prospect of spending a day with my childhood friend, riding on an autobahn, while still adding another country to the itinerary outweighed my desire to see the exact spot where the body of a killer plopped down from the tower in that one movie. A chance to see the famous Cologne Cathedral in person and me having only a vague idea of how to make the trip from Amsterdam to Bruges and still make it to Paris the same night tipped the scale and the next morning we were on the way to Düsseldorf.

    Face:

    I was underwhelmed by the autobahn. Besides not having a speed limit in some places it wasn’t that much different from the stretch of I-70 between Kansas City and St.Louis. My friend drove fairly fast on some stretches, but just like here we were frequently slowed down by construction and slow drivers in the passing lane. My eye was missing my favorite highway entertainment – the billboards. It took about 2.5 hours to arrive in Düsseldorf.

    Düsseldorf turned out to be a lively town with an interesting but fairly generic historic center and a large and expensive shopping district. That one restaurant downtown with a German name serves the best liver I’ve ever had. Make sure to check it out while you there.

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  • Old Photos: Prohibition In Kansas

    This post is dedicated to the recent change in Kansas liquor regulations.

    Brought to you by the Kansas City Beer Blog – “Where Beer Spills On The Keyboard”

    Until recently many Kansans could relate to this predicament photographed in 1946:

    Car with Kansas license plate going to Missouri to buy liquor.
    Car with Kansas license plate going to Missouri to buy liquor. © Time Inc.Mark Kauffman

    While some Kansans were busy parading against the alcohol…

    Young people marching in a band as part of the Temperance Tornado Caravan against liquor.© Time Inc.Mark Kauffman

    …the others were not convinced.

    Lady feeling the effects of too much liquor. © Time Inc.Mark Kauffman
    Man feeling the effects of too much liquor.© Time Inc.Mark Kauffman

    Getting drunk in Kansas wasn’t so easy. If you didn’t feel like going to a liquore store that looked like this…

    Liquor store displaying federal license © Time Inc.Mark Kauffman

    …you had to smuggle the contraband in a secret compartment of your car.

    Bootlegging car showing compartment in back for carrying liquor. © Time Inc.Mark Kauffman

    Then in a shady-looking roadhouse…

    Outside view of popular roadhouse during prohibition. © Time Inc.Mark Kauffman

    …you could finally imbibe with people you’ve never met….

    Men and women in Kansas roadhouse, during prohibition.
    Men and women in Kansas roadhouse, during prohibition.© Time Inc.Mark Kauffman

    …while the less fortunate citizens had to listen to boring speeches while sober.

    Dry audience listening to a speech by Frank W. Carlson.

    Frank W.Carlson who is mentioned in the last photo was the Governor of Kansas in the late 40’s.

    While governor, Carlson presided over the removal of prohibition in Kansas. “I’m a teetotaler,” claimed Carlson. “I don’t smoke or drink, but I have no quarrel with those who do. I’m a great believer in letting the people decide.”

    Some of the modern-day politicians could learn a lesson from Mr. Carlson.

    Read more about the alcohol laws in Kansas.

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  • Old Photos: May Day

    Another May Day is here and there is still plenty of time to celebrate by walking around with red flags, playing marching music and shouting the approved slogans:

    Long live the unity and close ties of the peoples of the nations of the socialist community! Let strengthen the indissoluble fighting union of the Communist parties of the socialist nations on the basis of the tested principles of Marxism- Leninism and proletarian internationalism!

    Fraternal greeting to the working class of the capitalist nations–a selfless fighter against exploitation and the domination of monopolies and for the rights of all workers, for peace, democracy and socialism!

    Warm greeting to the people of Latin America, carrying on a courageous struggle against the oppression of imperialist monopolies, against reaction and fascism, for free and independent development, for peace, democracy, and social progress!

    httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwmmnxLUPWg

    ©Time.James Whitmore
    US Communist Henry Winston at May Day celebration. ©Time.Stan Wayman
    Khrushchev and Fidel Castro in Red Square on May 1st.©Time. Stan Wayman
    Red Square, Moscow. May 1st,1961 ©Time.James Whitmore
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