Of wandering parents and petunias
Have you by chance noticed the wandering petunias at the south end of the 100 block of Walnut? They seem to have congregated rather freely around the senior center and the American Legion building. They've sprouted in the cracks of the sidewalk, in the gutters of the street, and at the base of the buildings.
Not being any kind of a green thumb, I honestly don't know if they are volunteers left over from a previous planting or if they just spilled into the cracks and crevices this year. Pretty tenacious little plants, however it might have happened. Usually only our downtown weeds are that hardy and daring.
I've not ever had very good luck with petunias, but maybe I will give them another try. I might, however, see if they come in some color besides varying shades of K-State purple like the ones downtown.
The Mister and I did some wandering of our own Saturday when we ventured off to Kansas City to pick up the Youngest Child at the airport. She was flying in from Nashville for the annual Peabody Fourth of July celebration and was scheduled to land about noon. We took off before 8 a.m. so we would have plenty of time. And it's a good thing.
From my post as well-seasoned navigator for the trip I missed this teeny-tiny little road sign as we entered the turnpike at Emporia. That would be the sign that pointed out the road to Topeka and towns beyond. Since I missed it, we took the only remaining road and headed off for Cassoday. Thirty-two miles to the service area and thirty-two miles back. I know that because The Mister counted every mile. I thought it was a good chance to see a part of the Flint Hills I had never seen. He was not amused.
He and I have had a four-decade debate about who can read a map and who cannot. I can, he cannot. But every once in awhile he gets lucky and I miss some obscure road sign while blinking or something and he thinks that proves that he is the better navigator. Right.
The Mister will be in charge of directions later this week when we take the Youngest Child back to K.C. for a return flight. I'll let you know in some future column how much we enjoyed Des Moines!
— SUSAN MARSHALL
