The Kansas Museum of History

While driving my daughter back from Colorado to Florida, we had a wonderful opportunity to stop in Topeka, Kansas to visit relatives. We were very excited to see their farm, horses and honeybees. However, they don't yet live on the farm, as it's just a piece of property without a home. That didn't matter to me. This concrete jungle girl just loves stuff like that. I couldn't wait to get there.

However the day we arrived met us with torrential rain. What are the chances that on the one day we visited, it poured so much that the mud would prevent us from our farm visit. Instead, Betsy and Jerry, the lovely hosts that they are, had something else planned - a trip to the Kansas Museum of History.

I absolutely love history, but it really couldn't compare with horses and honeybees. Sadly, I acquiesced, but I was really in for a surprise. The Kansas Museum of History is an amazing place on so many levels. 

The exhibits weren't just documents and plaques on a wall, but life-size models that brought the frontier back to life. Here Clover stands in front of a native dwelling.

This looks like a painting, but it's an actual stuffed buffalo in a real prairie scene.

Here's an old quilt that features all the counties in Kansas.

I never knew there are so many kinds of barbed wire-and that they have patents too!

The "Admit Me Free" flag had to do with Kansas entered the union as a free state
rather than a slave state.

A look into a prairie cabin. And I thought my house was small!

An life-size cutout of an actual pioneer family. This really made it all real for me.
I think for the era that they look pretty happy, despite how difficult life could have been for them.

Between the depth of history, the authenticness of the displays and the life-size models, this museum gets an A+ rating. It's right along Route 70, so if you're going anywhere near Topeka, I highly recommend it. They also have some hiking trails too, which we weren't able to explore due to the weather.

The horses and honeybees will be there in the future. And so will sunny days. And while Kansas isn't exactly close to home, I do hope to get back to see them. But if not, I'm left with the wonderful gift of having gone to the Kansas Museum of History. I'm really glad it rained that day!

Vintage Ironing Board Trash Rescue

Driving down my mom’s street I saw this pile of junk waiting for the garbage truck. I passed it once, but the second time something amazing caught my eye. The photo below shows the actual junk pile. Leaning up against the post, there’s an ironing board.

Now I’ve been wanting a vintage wooden ironing board for some time. They run about $100.00 in antique shops-too pricy for my thrifty soul. So the first thing that stuck out to me about this were the wooden legs that you can barely see. To everyone else it probably looked like junk, but I sensed a treasure.

YouTube Video: Taking off the decades-old cover.

I knew I was on to something good when I saw this label. I Googled the company and found out that this piece was most likely made in the 1940’s.

The finished project did disappoint! This is exactly what I was hoping for as an addition to my craft room! And I especially love it because I rescued it from the trash. I could have paid the $100.00, but this is so much nicer. We have a story together!

All polished up and looking good!

I continue to look at piles of junk as I drive down the road. You never know what treasures are lurking there!