There’s No Place Like Home

Tonight is my last night in Kansas City.  Tomorrow night (late) I will be back among the WV hills sheltered from this wind. 

When I took an Art Appreciation class in college, I remember learning the differences in landscapes.  Those painted of this part of the country are almost all sky.

Those painted of my part of the country are almost all land.

Perspectives.

In this part of the country, this would be considered a mountain:

In my part of the country, it is merely a speedbump.

Perspectives.

In this part of the country, this is a mere breeze:

In my part of the country, it is run for cover!

Perspectives.

Tonight, a group of us gals went to Zona Rosa and had a wonderful dinner (and a couple of dirty martinis) at Bravo.  We dined al fresco and talked and laughed and enjoyed the beautiful ambiance of the evening.  As we were getting ready to leave, a young couple came to our table and asked if we were teachers.  They were teachers as well and said they could pick us out in a crowd anywhere.

Some things are universal!

It’s been a great week working with teachers from 15 different states.  We all have our own perspectives, but in the end, we are all teachers.

But, I am ready to go home so I am going to don those ruby slippers

and chant…..”there’s no place like home….there’s no place like home……..”

Cows and All That Jazz

I’m goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come

Yes, goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come

They got a crazy way a-lovin’ an’ a I wanna get me some

I was standing on the corner, of 12th Street and Vine

Yeah, standing on the corner, of 12th Street and Vine

With my Kansas City woman an a bottle of Kansas City wine

Well I might take a plane, I might take a train If I have to walk,

I’m going there just the same I’m going to, Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come

They got a crazy way a-lovin’ an I wanna get me some Oh yeah

Well, I took a plane to Kansas City and that song has been going through my head all day long!

I check into the hotel and I am greeted with two things…..cows and jazz music.  Now, I understand the connection between cows and Kansas, but I never realized that Kansas is known as one of the most popular cradles of jazz music.  Count Basie is a Kansas City native!

In Kansas City, jazz began in the 1920s with a bang, but it flourished in the 1930s, mainly as a result of political boss Tom Pendergast. During prohibition, he allowed alcohol to flow in Kansas City. As an entertainment center, Kansas City had no equal during these dry times.

Kansas?  But how about Dorothy and Toto?

I think I am going to have my own journey down the yellow brick road this week, but the cowardly lion may be replaced with this guy: