Death and the Taxman (Audiobook) by David Hankins

   

Today is an anomaly on my blog, as it is a twofer special day!  If you've just happened on this blog, welcome! But if you are a repeat reader, then first of all thank you, and secondly you know this blog focusses primarily on book reviews.  I LOVE TO READ!  

    I access my books from a reader site named NetGalley where I request advance readers copy literature in exchange for honest reviews.  Hence my blog. 💗 When I am not physically reading a book, I am listening to one. Pretty much non-stop, words are flooding my brain!  So imagine my happy heart when I remembered seeing audiobooks on the NetGalley website.  I dove in and requested my first one, and it is a gem! 

    Death and the Taxman by David Hankins is a lively read published September 1, 2026, from Lost Bard Enterprises. 

The Grim Reaper's main job in life is to usher souls from their deceased bodies into the afterworld. Imagine the surprise when Grim is tricked by a mortal named Frank Totmann who just happens to be an IRS auditor. Frank steals Grim's scythe, cloak, and immortality! In the exchange, the balance of death and dying falters and the laws of mortality begin to change. The world is in peril, and so is Grim as he finds himself thrust into a human form plagued with all the needs that human bodies endure...eating, sleeping, and the dreaded - defecation. Grim is mortified. How can he endure the humiliation as he deals with people and being alive as well as the need to get his real job of "death" back?  

David Hankins does a brilliant job creating his characters and storyline. He has a distinct comedic writing voice that keeps the reader entertained throughout the entire novel. As an audiobook there is an additional need to create a successful story, the narrator.  Death and the Taxman succeeds in this aspect as well.  Peter Wicks has a deep, resonant voice that creates just the right tone for the story.  I could picture Grim, the Reaper as Wicks performed the book.  

I am so happy to have chosen Death and the Taxman as my first audiobook to review for NetGalley!  I am rating the novel with 5 stars, something I rarely do, just because it was so entertaining and well done! You can find the audiobook to purchase on Audible and Amazon.com.

Thank you to NetGalley, David Hankins, and Lost Bard Enterprises for the Advanced Listeners copy of Death and the Taxman in exchange for this honest review.

To Crown It All by Rhys Bowen

    

 In the mood for a cozy mystery set in pre world war II England?  Well then, I've got the book for you, To Crown It All by Rhys Bowen is exactly that.  Set to publish on November 17, by Berkley Publishing Group, To Crown It All tells the tale of a murder mystery among the aristocracy leading up to the coronation of George the VI in 1936.  

    Lady Georgiana Rannoch, a relative to the soon to be crowned King George VI expects to attend his coronation as a guest. Being married to her husband Darcy, an lesser titled peer removes her from wearing her robes and coronet to the ceremony and relegates her to the lesser peers, even though she is a blood relative to the royal family.  Her biggest worry at the beginning is finding the correct outfit to wear to the abbey.  However, this does not remain her only concern for long.  

    Leading up to the celebrations her guests begin to arrive to spend time with family prior to traveling to London and the household gets complicated. Her husband Darcy is constantly absent as he deals with security matters for the coronation. So dealing with the guests is all on Lady Georgiana's  shoulders. 

    Her mother, a talented actress, is being detained in Germany as a pawn to the Fuhrer, and needs rescuing. When her mother arrives, she is accompanied by a Nazi "minder" set to track her every move. Her father-in-law comes to visit family and meet his new grandson, and brings a young male guest unknown to the family.  Her father, an explorer arrives and dotes on a foreign princess (also visiting) as well as his ex-wife. Finally, enter her brother and difficult sister-in-law and you have a setting for intrigue and unrest. When a murder occurs the day before the family leaves for London, Georgiana is set to solve the crime. 

    To add to the mix, one of the lady in waiting train bearers for the soon to be queen must be replaced, and Lady Georgiana is the lucky lady to fill her shoes, which now places her as an integral part of the entire coronation ceremony. Quite the ordeal for Lady Georgiana, now she has to not only solve a murder mystery that happened in her home, but also not trip while carrying the queens train!

    Bowen does a nice job of creating enough suspense to keep the plot interesting while not bogging the reader down in detail. To Crown It All is definitely a light read to enjoy. I was pleased to find myself turning the pages and becoming immersed in the story but not feeling encumbered by the story.  I was definitely in the mood for a "Hallmark like" mystery and this story was just that.  I rate To Crown It All by Rhys Bowen with 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Rhys Bowen for the advanced readers copy of To Crown It All in exchange for this honest review.  

All the Little Secrets by May Cobb

   

 All the Little Secrets is my first introduction to the writing prowess of May Cobb, but I am impressed ather prolificness and the quality of her novels. All the Little Secrets, to be published November 17, 2026 by Sourcebooks Landmark, is a stand alone sequel to

Cobb's previous novel, All the Little Houses. I was utterly surprised at the beginning of the book, the reader is introduced to a murdermystery from the start, but in a contrast to many novels, this time we know exactly whokilled the victim and why. Yet the reader is the only one in the novel who is privy to this information. In a twisted fashion, Cobb narrates her story from all the character's voices throughout the murder investigation, while keeping the reader entertained to watch as the participants in the book weave their lies to one another, in order to cast blame on each other as to who killed         Charleigh Anderson. Each character is completely warped and in association with the victim who is not a stellar human being herself, they illustrate human deceit as a normal part of their lives.

When I first began reading All the Little Secrets, I was a bit frustrated. Jumping from personality to personality felt taxing. I already knew who killed Charliegh so I felt cheated in the build up for the murder mystery. Yet as I continued to read I saw the genius in Cobb's approach. It was like watching a reality T.V. show unfold. All the players in the novel were making alliances with each other and manipulating the information to cast blame on each other. Even the dead victim had a voice in the story as she watched the plot unfold. I was particularly impressed with Cobb's writing voice to make each character become alive to the reader with a distinct personality and physical voice.  As I read I could tell more from the dialogue who the character was than the description of the person.  That takes talent.

There were surprises to the plot as the police solved the crime.  The reader knows, but the characters are kept in the dark until the bitter end. I was convinced that darkness had ruled the day but in the last pages, justice was served. 

If you are in the mood for a unique story, then I would recommend reading All the Little Secrets when it is released on November 17.  I am rating the book 4 stars, for its adept view of twisted human nature. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and May Cobb for the Advanced Reader's Copy of All the Little Secrets in exchange for this honest review.

#NetGalley #AlltheLittleSecrets #MaryCobb

Portrait of a Haunting by Madison Tyler Nelson

     

Looking for a ghostly suspense for the upcoming spooky season? Look no further than a new novel to be published October 6, 2026 by the Berkley Publishing Group.  Portrait of a Haunting by Madison Tyler Nelson is an exceptional read for those who love paranormal stories. 

    Tatum Alexander has grown up in the shadow of her mother's shocking past. Her mother, Amarina Alexander, an artist known as the "red hand". Amarina is famous for the violent murder of her boyfriend where she used his blood to paint the picture. She confessed and was imprisoned when Tatum was nine years old. What the world doesn't know is that Amarina and her daughter Tatum are also "watchers", those gifted with the sight of seeing and hearing the dead left as ghosts on earth.  Amarina embraced her gift, but Tatum has hidden from her powers ever since her mother's crime, avoiding all the spirits that recognize her ability by observing her gray eyes.  

    When her best friend Mischa is killed in their New York apartment, she searches for answers from her friends, a coven of witches in Manhattan. With the aid of her friends and her mother she learns that the only way to live with her gifts is to embrace them to save herself and her friends from becoming the killer's next victims. 

    I'm not a huge fan of paranormal horror stories, but this one pulled me in from the very first page.  Nelson does a superb job of creating characters that have depth and intrigue.  I hurt when Tatum's friend dies.  I feared for her safety as the plot built, and I was encouraged when she found her strength to overcome her trauma and become the woman she was meant to be all along.  

    I truly appreciated the pacing of the story.  It moved! I have read many lately that felt like a slog to get through, even though the story and writing were good.  Nelson's novel was not this way.  I enjoyed every moment I sat down to read, and though I was satisfied with the ending, I could have kept going without becoming bored.  That's high praise! I could easily see this book become a  Halloween season movie.  The characters and story are engaging and it would lend itself to film easily.

    I rate Portrait of a Haunting with 5 stars.  If you are looking for a bit of a thrill, pick up Portrait of a Haunting by Madison Tyler Nelson when it becomes available on October 6.  

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Madison Tyler Nelson for the Advanced Reader's Copy of Portrait of a Haunting, in exchange for this honest review. 

#NetGalley #PortaitofaHaunting #MadisonTylerNelson #BerkleyPublishing #paranormalsuspense 

The Vanished Sister by Sherry Thomas

 

Sherry Thomas, an American novelist  has added another story to her Lady Sherlock series. The ninth novel is, The Vanished Sister, publishing on September 29, by Berkley Publishing Group. 

Charlotte Holmes joins yet another mystery case when her friend Mrs. Watson  is invited to her sister's (Mrs. Carstairs)  party.  The sisters have been estranged for a very long period of time so when Mrs. Watson is personally invited to the guest holiday at the Carstair estate, Mrs. Watson is unsure of attending. When she does decide to go and reconnects with her older sister, she is devastated when her sister vanishes overnight.  No one notices Mrs. Carstairs is gone as she told the staff not to disturb her in the morning. When she is found missing, a woman is also found dead.  Is it Mrs. Carstairs?  Is it another woman entirely? The body is difficult to identify which causes much trauma to all involved.  How will Charlotte solve the mystery?

This was my first experience with the lady Sherlock set of mysteries by Thomas.  I was intrigued by the premise as I love a good murder mystery and cut my teeth on Sherlock Holmes original  stories.  Having not read Thomas's series before, I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters involved, even though Thomas included a list of characters and their connections to each other in the introduction of the novel.  I think what made it the most difficult to me was the fact that since this is a Victorian mystery, the characters were identified throughout the book by their surnames.  Mrs...Mr....Lord...etc.  It is simply a personal preference for me in particular, but I found my brain lost track of the people in the story as I was halted by the Mr. and Mrs. instead of primarily referring to the characters by their first names and getting to know them personally this way.

I have no doubt that avid readers of the series, having already learned all the characters and having fallen in love with them will have no trouble in the fluency of the reading. It was just my issue.  

I rated the book three stars, I felt the story didn't flow from scene to scene as well as I hoped. I still enjoyed the book and the premise of the story.  I need to read additional stories in the Lady Sherlock series to become more familiar with the setting and characters. I am certain with more time the reading will be easier to follow.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Sherry Thomas and NetGalley for the Advance Reader's Copy of The Vanished Sister by Sherry Thomas in exchange for this honest review. 

Baby Queen by Ty Landers

    When choosing a book to read and review on NetGalley, I look for certain elements. Baby Queen, by Ty Landers, being published by Harper Perennial on November 17, 2026,  ticked off many boxes on my criteria for a book I would be interested in reviewing.  

    The blurb (which would be a front jacket statement in a hardbound copy) touted Baby Queen as similar to the series Ozark, or Breaking Bad. For me that was "enough said," because those are two of my most memorable and well written favorites as television  family crime dramas go.  I chose this book based on that fact alone.  Thankfully, it was a wise choice indeed.

    Baby Queen is a crime  family drama mystery, set in the Alabama countryside . Natalie LInk, raised by her grandmother, a sharp and cantankerous entrepreneurial bee keeper, is setting out to start her own company selling a honey based face mask. Little does "Nat" know that her long ago absent father will be found dead and buried, yet perfectly preserved in a large barrel of her grandmother's honey.  At the same time that her father's body  is discovered, Nat is promoting her face mask on the local morning news program. Nat inadvertently becomes big news. 

    Lana Link, Nat's grandmother is showing signs of progressive dementia.  She has secrets that Nat needs to know about the "family"  business and what exactly is being transported along with the bee hives in their company trucks.  Secret partners, secret products, secret murders...everyone is keeping secrets along with the bees.

Bob Sauk was a detective on the case of Nat's father's disappearance 20+ years prior. He lost his career when he couldn't let the investigation go. He has been continuing to investigate the disappearance as he practices his trade as a private investigator.  Is he stalking the Link family to assign blame of a long ago murder, or there to protect the baby once abandoned to her grandmother?

Plot twists and turns as treacherous as the Alabama countryside ensue until the very end of the book, creating a story that lives up to it's claims to be a compelling novel along the lines of the series "Ozark." The characters had depth and were multidimensional. Though the storyline was often dark, I did appreciate the author's ability to create believable circumstances that pulled the reader into the drama.  There was never a moment when I lost interest in the story, I wanted to keep reading to learn the resolution of the conflict. 

Overall, Lander's debut novel is an effective crime mystery that I rate with 4 stars. I highly recommend this book for crime suspense thriller enthusists. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Ty Landers and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for this advanced reader's copy of Baby Queen in exchange for this honest review.

#NetGalley    #BabyQueen    #TyLanders    #Harperperennial 

  

10 Days of the Kansas State Fair!!! (Part 3 - Acts of Kindness)

K is for Kansas, K is for Kindness 

Of all the things that happen at the Kansas State Fair, the people in Kansas are what make the days ultimately special.  Kindness prevails overall and in this part of my memories of the 2026 Kansas State Fair, I want to share some of the special moments I experienced.  

Friends helping friends. Each and everyday Kansans showed up and helped each other make it through the crazy long hours of the fair. Watching out for each other and doing the little extras that are just part of most Kansan's culture were the norm,  and not the exception.  

A simple example I will title: Just Noodles. One of the workers in the administration office explained to me that she doesn't eat meat. No big deal, but she really likes the chicken flavored noodles at the State Fair, except for the chicken part. (I don't believe it is a vegetarian preference, she just doesn't like the texture of meat).  So she wanted some of the chicken noodles entree, but didn't order it. One of the workers in the food stand heard this and prepared a special meal just for her, just the noodles with a seasoning.  I was aware that the administration building coworker had just suffered a loss in her family and a simple kindness of making her some meatless noodles gave her a bit of comfort in a trying season for her.  That's being kind.

Another story involves a supervisor and his worker.  Where as the first example was a small kindness, this one is a bit bigger. The Kansas State Fair is ten days. There are many workers who may only work these ten days in an entire year due to difficult circumstances .  One man is unfortunately homeless. He actually lives under a bridge. I am not aware of the full details, but I learned that the gentleman who supervises the ticket takers ( the workers who scan tickets to allow individuals to enter the fairgrounds) learned the plight of the homeless man.  He took it upon himself to provide a ride for the man, actually picking him up from where he stays underneath the bridge, transporting him to the gate where he worked  as a ticket taker during the fair, and returning him to the bridge every evening.  It may not be a full time job for the whole year, but for ten days this man is gainfully employed and making an income. And that is empowering. 

At the fairgrounds golf carts are everywhere.  Fair workers use them to transport people and supplies to all areas of the fairgrounds.  As ticket selling staff we are constantly driving from one ticket booth to another to cover breaks and lunches and provide support. However, we also offer rides if we see someone struggling to get to  a location or if we see someone in need. One evening, one of our workers found a school age child talking to his parent on the phone, struggling to find his way to the parking lot where his family was waiting. She spoke to the father on the phone and obtained permission to give the boy a ride to his father. Both were very thankful.  

As the week progressed and the tiredness increased I found myself struggling to stay focussed.  One day while driving to gate seven to give a lunch break for one of my favorite ticket sellers, I seemed to keep making wrong turns even though I knew the way by heart. I was confused because I drive to her place all the time. She works alone and we must check on her often. I ended up turning into the RV park by accident, when leaving there I missed another turn off and found I was at gate five and had actually parked my cart.  In my mind I was thinking, what in the world is wrong with me! I know how to get there! Then one of the gate five workers came out with a wallet that had just been left there.  She asked if I could take it back to the administration office lost and found.  I was right next to gate seven, where I needed to go to, but felt compelled to go right then to turn it into lost and found, which was all the way across the fairgrounds once again. (This is difficult as one must deal with driving slowly through all the pedestrian traffic in between thoroughfares.)   I hurried back to the office only to find the owner of the wallet, a young mother holding her baby, crying.  She was beside herself, not knowing what to do.  When I walked in with the wallet, she hugged me and called me an angel.  What a moment.  I told her, " I'm not an angel, God was just looking out for you. I just happened to be there."   As I made my way back to gate seven I thought, were all those wrong turns a coincidence or truly an intervention....you decide.  

Finally, I must stress that it's the people who make my experiences at the Kansas State Fair so incredible.  Most of the people I interact with would never cross my path outside of this unique atmosphere.    My last story brought us all a warm heart followed by a week long chuckle.  

Half way through our week, our fearless leader Linda, was recognized for her long work hours, in an odd way.  One of the vendors that sells products in a building near ours, and shares our parking area noticed that a car was always there when he came to work in the morning and after he left late at night.  The car was always parked in the same place.  He felt it never moved and was concerned that  the person it belonged to might be hurt or missing.  He called the highway patrol to report this and asked for a welfare check.   The car belongs to our supervisor Linda.  She works very long hours, arriving at the fair before anyone in our office and leaving after we have all left.  She always parks in the same place.  The vender did not know this.  The highway patrol asked the administration staff to verify that Linda was fine. When asked , Linda said yes, she was fine and thought nothing of it.  Linda later learned that had they not been able to actually "put eyes on her" for her "welfare check" at her age there would have been a "Silver alert"  enacted across the state.  Oh my! Needless to say, Linda suffered all week long being teased about surviving a "Silver Alert" while diligently working the Kansas State fair.  One of her workers even had a cake made to commemorate her survivor status.  The vender showed a kindness in caring about someone's welfare. We enjoyed the silliness in the aftermath.

Kansans are caring, hardworking people who genuinely watch over each other. At the Kansas State Fair kindness is in abundance. Friendliness is rampant. Hospitality is the rule and not the exception.  Reader, if you have never had the opportunity to visit Kansas and the Kansas State Fair, I hope you are able to in the future.  💗

10 Days of the Kansas State Fair!!! (Part 2)

 While selling tickets at the Kansas State Fair at gate 8 one evening, I met a  retired couple who were traveling from state fair to state fair just for fun.  They had already visited Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Kentucky, Tennesee and were now in Kansas.  When I asked them why state fairs, and what they did at each of them they replied, "We just go to each one and search out the FOOD! We rate each fair by whether we like the tasty and odd kinds they offer." 

It's a fact that state fairs are known for their foods and the Kansas State Fair is no exception.  Like any fast food even the good ones are really "just fine", but there are always a few standouts.  Our Kansas State Fair has an event called "Tasty Tuesday" where one can go to specific participating booths and buy samples of their signature dishes for two dollars each.  It's a great way to taste many of the fair's culinary delights without spending a huge amount of money.  Most fair delicacies are ten to thirteen dollars per serving. 

My co-workers were brilliant and took a box to carry all their samples! A couple of my favorite foods are the AMBUCS icecream parlor where they make their own homemade waffle cones and the fried cheddar cheese curds! Another hit this year was nachos made with roast beef.  Kansas is known for it's amazing beef!!! 

Because of all the yummy fair food, one needs to do some walking to use up some of those calories. There are so many things to see and do at the Kansas State Fair! One of my favorite places to peruse is the Pride of Kansas Building.  Here you can find Kansas produce and agricultural displays.  Everyone loves to look at our traditional butter sculpture that is created during the first few days of the fair and patrons can watch the artist create their masterpieces.  This year's was exceptionally intricate, focusing on bees. 

Another fun activity I tried this year was "Goat Yoga." The goats were a little older than usual but I still had fun.  One particular goat was named Gabby, and we became friends! I'm not a big yoga fan, I prefer my water aerobics, but I love animals so I had fun hugging some little goats.  

 

My little goat friend letting me give her some hugs!  and then she spent some time nibbling my socks! It was really hard to concentrate and find relaxation amongst the goat's antics but the fun factor made up for everything else!!!

A favorite activity for me was looking at all the different exhibits in the buildings.  Vendors selling most anything, residents displaying their state fair entires for baking, the arts, and various other hobbies. I saw a pumpkin so huge that it was a new record for the Kansas State Fair, weighing in at 1350 pounds! Great Pumpkin, you've got some competition here.


A new event this year to help celebrate the opening of our Kansas State Fair Bison building was a sand sculpture and also a group of balloon sculptures to commemorate the United States 250 year anniversary celebrations as well as 100 years of the 4-H program. 

All of these exhibits were amazing! but my all time favorite one for the 2026 Kansas State fair was the Budweiser Clydesdales that came at the beginning of the state fair and were stabled just outside of our Gate 9.  They paraded the perimeter of the fairgrounds a few times during the week, and everyone gathered to watch them pass. I have always liked watching the Budweiser commercials that feature the Clydesdales but seeing them in person was amazing!  Such majestic beauties.  And of course the Dalmations were their sweet counterparts, riding alongside the carters holding the reigns.  

My final entry is a touring display  also in commemoration of the United States 250th Anniversary, The Freedom Truck.  This trailer housed an interactive display of American history for self guided tours.  I only had a short time to visit, but I could have spent an hour there reading all the historical information.  I truly enjoyed it! 

Reader, you certainly know that this is only a very few activities available, and only the ones I could take a break from work to attend. But there were actually hundreds of opportunities to relax, learn and be enriched for a nominal admission fee at the Kansas State 2026 Fair. 

Part 3: 10 Days of the Kansas State Fair will cover -Acts of Kindness, Silver Alert, and Wisdom from a Worker.

#KansasStateFair    #Buttersculpture. #Clydesdales #Freedom Truck #Sandart

10 Days of the Kansas State Fair!!! (Part 1)

 The last ten days for me have been fast, fun, and exhausting... and I am just crazy enough to do it all over again next year.  I worked the Kansas State Fair for the Ticket Sales division from September 11 through September 20, 2026.   I have done this in the past when I was assigned to a specific booth to sell tickets from 6:45 am until 4pm.  I thought that was tiring.  But this is the first time that I was hired to work for the ticketing office staff in the Kansas State Fair administration building, and our shifts run from 8am to 11pm. Yep, we are definitely CRAZY! 

When I work the state fair, I take a beginning picture and a last day of the fair photo, to see the effect it takes on me.  Here are this years pictures - 

Early in the week, Dillon's dollar day! Still feeling perky!

Showing my age right here. Not my most attractive look!   Very few hours of sleep at night can do that 😃

On top of the fourteen hour days, it was so hot this year. Like a furnace blowing across the fairgrounds with most days (except the last day) in the upper 90's. Yet the grueling schedule and days have so many moments in them that I have decided to write a three part set of posts to cover all my favorite things about this year's Kansas State Fair.  

Here goes, Part 1:

What was my actual job? Everything to do with ticket sales is the best way to describe it.  We provide help and support as well as the administrative needs of  ticketing at the fair.  We make certain all the ticket booths have the supplies they need. The tellers at the ticket booth windows have cash drawers of course, so we get cash from the bank and fill their boxes with the appropriate amount to do transactions.  We also receive the boxes after the gates close and we count their cash drawers for the bank. On top of this, we provide coverage for those unable to work a shift or needing lunch and bathroom breaks so that sales can continue throughout the entire time with no disruption in flow to get attendees into the fairgrounds.  Finally, we focus on getting patrons into the fair with as little time waiting in line as possible. Our goal is to make the Kansas State Fair the best experience that we possibly can.  

Most of the time our sellers work no more than eight hour shifts, though some do choose to work double shifts.  They sit in little buildings with windows. Of course some booths are nicer than others.  One really nice one has microphones and speakers so the attendees can hear the teller without any yelling through the glass, but most don't.   I worked in one booth to give breaks to a dear lady who worked on her own everyday at a less trafficked area.  This booth was sparse, but all have some form of air conditioning, thank goodness. 

Gate 7 at 8pm...it's so dark!!

I even sold tickets  on  Dillon's Dollar Day from an apron pocket.  If patrons needed regular adult tickets for ten dollars, then I would sell them some for cash to keep people from having to stand in line in the hot sun for a long time. I never envisioned myself "hawking tickets" before Monday, but let me tell you, I can do it!

Now, one of the very best parts of being a ticket sales worker...the people. I met so many kind people in the past ten days.  While selling in a booth I am able to see many people coming through the gates.  Good friends like my friend Shelly. 

 and coworkers like Jeanette who has been a close, dear friend for the past 30+ years.

Overall I was blessed to work alongside a group of individuals in the ticketing office that made every day worth getting up and going into work for another day. I think next year I should take all of our pictures on the first day and then on the last too! 

Part 2, 10 Days of the Kansas State Fair will cover fair food, activities and exhibits! 

#KansasStateFair  #HutchinsonKansas 

Sunny Wisdom!

 There are many things I do not like about this time of year! September in Kansas.  The Kansas heat....we are in a string of over 100 degree days. Today it was actually a record breaking 104 degrees! Then we add the bloom factor....RAGWEED! If one is allergic to ragweed, and I am, then this too is at the top of the scale for pollen counts. But, there is a happy event in Kansas during September, it is sunflower field season! 

One of my favorite things to do is to visit our local sunflower field in Buhler Kansas.  I try to go each year. Sunflowers are just so darn cheerful!  As an added joy, this field also plants a vast amount of zinnias, such a fun flower that thrives in our dry Kansas heat as well as the sunflowers.   This year I visited the field with my husband. As we walked through the trails, I was touched by lessons I saw amongst the blooms. It was as if the flowers were teaching me a new way to look at the world around me, and I wanted to share a few of their lessons with you dear readers. 

When everyone else is being negative, looking at the adverse side of events, keep your head up and face the sun! There's something to look forward to if you just keep trying.

 Sunflowers don't care what color they are, they are happy to bloom right next to each other! This one is a double wise picture because if you look real close at these flowers you will find another hidden gem...

When you have a goal in mind, head for it full steam ahead! Like this busy bee, he has a destination and is barreling forward to complete his task. 

These sunflowers look like they are wearing a full length dress, I love the way their leaves cascade to the ground like a ballgown.  I looked at them and thought, one doesn't need anything fancy to be elegant. Just stand tall and be yourself.  

Finally, even in adversity you can bloom and shine! It has been over 100 degrees for days on end, no rain, dry as can be yet these lovely flowers stand tall and turn their heads toward the sun.  As should we all! 

Find your sun and shine! 

#Sunflowers #BuhlerKansas #Sunflowerfield #wisdom #Kansas