Drive Hike With A Side Of Trail/Museum

Every weekend Cliff Drive is closed to motorized traffic (except for the idiot on the motorcycle for whom closed gates aren't a hint). Bikers, hikers and walkers are out in force. Above the East Entrance.
I took a brief side trek on part of the Indian Mound Trail to see what wild flowers were in bloom.

Above and below.... photographing the greenery is particularly nice in Spring because nothing is yet nibbled.


Above more wild flowers... below an early part of the trail. The Boy Scouts have already been along the trail clearing it for this years hikers.

Above.... a couple of weeks ago one of my commenters talked about May Apples... they are in bloom now... unusual in that the single bloom is below the leaves at a junction of stems.... and yes the resulting fruit is edible... but I think careful preparation is in order.
Fresh leaves above and leaves and stickers below... on a locust tree.

Above two Sentinel Sycamores line the early part of the road. Below another shot of the waterfall.
Below.... the falls had uptop visitors... folks aren't supposed to be up there... but I won't tell if you won't.

Fresh and minty green.

Biker in transit for conditioning.
Above and below.... good old limestone.... our central region used to be under an inland sea... a few million years ago... thus critter remains in rocks.
Below.... skittish Cardinal... wouldn't pose to save his soul.


Hickory blooms above and the last of the redbuds below.

Above.... these two sinuous trunks were bent to the ground in our last ice storm... and, after the ice melted, they just decided to stay that way.... so all their branches grow up not out.



The light today was unusually diffuse for a partial sun day... and worked well for photographs.


Memorial bench along Goose Neck...

Stopped by the Museum to see the Wisteria... which is just gorgeous this year...
The blooms are so plentiful that you can smell them walking down Gladstone in front of the mansion.... these are trellised in the rear of the house.

Not a bad view to the west across the valley.
We could call this Wisteria Lane but I think that has contemporary connotations.
Coincident with my visit to the Wisteria was a Hard Hat Tour of the house.... I'll blog about that tomorrow (or so).

Progress on a Bridge to Somewhere

Enough progress has been made on the new Bond Bridge that, according to the STAR, some northbound traffic may use it by the end of 2010. The bridge's south deck is being cantilevered out from the central pylon... 40 cables will eventually support the road bed... you can see that several have already been installed in the center. Total completion of the bridge won't be until June in 2011. (correction by Mr. Daisy... July 2011)

Picture taken yesterday from Prospect Point by Reservoir Hill in Northeast KC>

Sun, Clouds, Vantage Point... All Came Together Part 2

Above taken from the Lexington Avenue Bridge looking down on North Terrace Lake with the Cliff Drive Scenic Byway running through the scene.
Above shot and the two below show the Concourse Fountain.... up and running for summer.


Above and below the Carl DiCapo Fountain by the eastern entrance to Cliff Drive.

Above bridge by North Terrace (Green) Lake. Below one of the many flowering trees around the lake.

Below.... a little doll who was just sitting on the wall along Cliff Drive.... adoption anyone? She does look kinda sad......
Below... Thomas Hart Benton (the Senator not the painter) Memorial.... opened just last year.
A few more tomorrow.

Sun, Clouds, Vantage Point... All Came Together Part 1

A beautiful day must not be wasted. Took a couple of hours to venture out in Northeast (big surprise ). With the help of Christopher Leitch, Historic House Director, Kansas City Museum, I ascended to vantage points to capitalize on the beautiful day, flowering trees and wonderful clouds. Above is a 180 degree panorama taken from the balcony just above the front entrance to the Museum. East is left and west is right, south straight ahead. Six images stitched together in Photoshop.

Below, same vantage point ... vertical looking down on the entrance walk and main gate.
The shot below, taken from the roof, shows the downtown skyline... the view from up top is the best in the city in my never to be humble opinion. Foreground of the image includes Kessler Park and part of Reservoir Hill... the light green...
Below, from the roof top... looking south.... Gladstone Boulevard curves around in front of the mansion.
Tomorrow more of the same... only different..... Many thanks to Christopher for his time and wealth of information that he provides about this grand old building.