Spring Blooms

    While waiting for the Bride and Groom to arrive I wandered the confines of Kauffman Gardens today and snapped a few shots...  good day for photography with the cloud cover and cooler temps.

 Above and below, Princess/Crazy the Garden mascot doing what she does best. 

A Graduation In The Family

Congratulations to my Daughter Kelly who graduates from George Washington University today with her Masters in Medical Anthropology.   :)

Northeast Mansions Volume 10 - 335 Gladstone Boulevard

 This home was built in 1909.  Tim and Yvonne, the current owners, are doing extensive remodeling and preservation work on the structure.   The home is furnished with items they have collected during a prolonged period  in the Middle East... including time living in Turkey.

                                    The home is fully protected by an advanced alarm system.

 After they had moved in the couple had to be away for a while and during that time a pipe broke and did extensive water damage to the home.   All that has now been repaired.

 Time and Yvonne opened their home for the Scarritt Renaissance Coffee Club on Saturday where a vast repast was laid out in the dining room and guests from the Knotty Rug Company discussed exotic carpets... the care and feeding thereof.... fascinating.   Afterward Yvonne conducted a tour of the house.

Bent-Ward Home; Kansas City Treasure

The history of the Bent-Ward home is a history of early Kansas City.  The land passed through many hands, including early Mormon settlers, until William W. Bent bought the property in 1858. He built a two-story brick structure on the site.  The building above was constructed in 1871 by Seth Ward  (Ward Parkway) a man who made money as a fur trader and then as a banker and in real estate.   The home is the 44th Symphony Designers Showhouse and is open to visitors through May 19th.  It's located at 1032 West 55th Street just east of Ward Parkway.                      http://showhouse.org/?p=787

The original farm was part of the Battle of Westport as one of its pastures is now Loose Park.   

                                     The west side of the house has a small pool with fountains.

 Architects believe that the original brick structure built by Mr. Bent was incorporated into the new building by the Wards.  Above looking north, below looking east.

                                    Above, the east side of the house has a pool and garage.

A Familiar Sight

This scene has been recorded countless times, but I never grow tired of seeing it.  Taken from the Liberty Memorial.