These two kids got married 30 years ago today! Happy anniversary to my beautiful wife Laura.
Thirty years into the future seems like a long way off when you are just starting out. But it does not seem like that long ago when you look at it from this direction. We have had lots of fun adventures, and of course a few difficult times to work through together, too. But the good times have far, far outweighed the bad times. And for that, I am thankful.
As you gaze upon the title of this post, you may be pondering, “What in the world do Michelangelo and Casey Jones have to do with each other?” The answer to that question is simple: Not much. Yes, they were both characters in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but that has nothing to do with our story today. We came across both the famous artist and the famous engineer in one day, very close in distance to each other. Read on to find out more!
Cheyenne Bottoms near Great Bend, Kansas, is a large marsh habitat that provides a stopping place for migrating birds on the Central Flyway bird migration route. I took this moody-looking photo during our visit in April 2023.
As you might guess from the name, Cheyenne Bottoms is a low area right in the middle of the Kansas plains. The entire Cheyenne Bottoms takes up 41,000 acres. Over 19,000 acres are the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, while another 7,300 acres are managed by The Nature Conservancy.
The other night, we went for a walk as the sun was setting, and it was an adventure. I did not have my camera with me, but I did have my phone. So here are some photos from our evening.
Sunset Views Even before we had started walking, as I was still tying my shoes, Laura said, “Look at the sky!” And when I turned around after making sure my shoes were double-knotted (can’t have them coming untied while we walk, after all), the above was what I saw. It was definitely worth getting my phone out to capture the scene, wouldn’t you agree? I say it often around here at the Burnsland website, but I am constantly amazed by the beauty of God’s creation. This was yet another example of that.
An interesting tree grows in Central Riverside Park in Wichita, Kansas, as seen during our Easter 2023 visit.
We had gone to Kansas to visit Jaylin over the Easter weekend. However, he had to work some, so Laura and I went off exploring on our own. We went to check out the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit, and after we had seen the animals there, we spent a little time walking around Central Riverside Park, which is the home of the exhibit.
A marker placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution marks the location of the Santa Fe Trail in Great Bend, Kansas.
Over the Easter weekend, we took another trip to Kansas to visit Jaylin. As is our custom, we looked for some interesting things to see while we were there. Of course, we are interested in history, so what interests us might not interest you. If not, just keep clicking.
This lovely girl has another birthday! That’s right, it is Laura’s birthday once again! Happy birthday to my beautiful wife! I won’t say what her age is, but the numbers are sometimes preceded by the name of a tropical island state. But age is not important. It is just a number. What is more important is getting to spend another year with someone special.
Here’s hoping this birthday is the start of another great year!
