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

Webs of Ink by Rebecca Connolly

 Do you love historical crime fiction? Murder mystery thrillers? How about Agatha Christie novels?  Well, I have a book for you!  Webs of Ink by Rebecca Connolly is being published on November 3, 2026, and it has all the above ingredients and more.

Connolly began by pairing Maud West, famous female detective from London, England in the 1920's, with Agatha Christie to create a murder mystery triumph.  In her story, Connolly uses the time frame of Agatha Christie's first book publication (The Mysterious Affair at Styles) to introduce Christie to West. West is famous for using disguises to help solve her private detective cases, and Connolly melds the two women's lives and expertise to plot out a mystery for a counterfeiting crime ring.  

The case Maud West solves in Webs of Ink is a true case that she solved during her career. Some of the events in the novel actually happened to West with details from her actual written accounts.  Christie and West's husbands are also accurately portrayed. Now we get to the fictional part.  There is no evidence that Maud West and Agatha Christie ever actually met, the fact that they could have makes for quite an entertaining story.  

Before reading Webs of Ink, I had never heard of Maud West.  I looked her up and had fun perusing her disguises and crimes solved.  I am so glad I did too because that made this fictional romp so much more fun to read.  I purposely left out much of the storyline in this review so as not to create any spoilers for my mystery reader fans.  

If you enjoy a historical murder mystery with actual real life people depicted in the tale then I would recommend reading Webs of Ink when it debuts in November from Shadow Mountain Publishing.  I am rating Webs of Ink with four stars. 

 I want to thank NetGalley, Shadow Mountain Publishing and Rebecca Connolly for the Advanced Reader's Copy of Webs of Ink in exchange for this honest Review. 

#WebsofInk  #RebeccaConnolly #NetGalley #MaudWest #AgathaChristie #ShadowMountainPublishing

What is your authentic self?

 About fifteen years ago a social trend emerged that focussed on a person finding their authentic self.  I remember reading self help books with friends and working through the exercises to discover "who" I truly was or was becoming.  At that time my children were leaving the nest, and I felt rather bereft of the person I had been for so many years.  

It's telling to me that now years later, I am actually learning and becoming that authentic person I "tried" to discover so long ago.

Age and life's circumstantial situations are  great teachers.  I have attempted to change myself over the years. Yet my true nature emerges as I move forward in life. 

I am first and foremost a Christian.  I think about our triune God daily, and throughout each day.  I am in conversation and prayer with Him during my days and I live my regular existence praising, thanking, and petitioning Him on any and every need or concern that arises.  It's like drinking water or breathing air to me.  Just an essence that sustains me. I read His word.  I try to stay aware that everything I have, am or will be is only due to his grace and mercy.

Now, that doesn't mean I don't make plenty of mistakes and faux pas.  You show me a Christian and I will show you a person who will be a constant project throughout their existence.  

Next, I am a mom and wife and hopefully a good friend.  Loving others is very essential to me. 

I recently have unearthed another part of myself I thought I had rather lost.  In my past, my raising kids years, I tended to be assertive in multiple roles.  Leadership opportunities just landed in my lap.  I think it's because I am at my core an impatient individual.  I am curious and want answers.  I don't like waiting for them, so I work through problems to discover the answers.  For several years I tried to tamp down this trait. Let others make the decisions and sit on the back burner rather than make waves around me.  I was always feeling a bit lost, but somehow I thought being more meek and biddable would be best for others around me, allowing them to take charge of my environment.   This summer, I changed my mind.  I stopped acquiescing when giving my opinion and became my forthright self again.  Oh boy does it feel good!!!!!   I started working with the city to get city water offered to my subdivision, and I got busy figuring out what improvements I want to add to my home to enjoy here the next twenty plus years.  Taking the initiative is helping me to embrace my true impatient nature. My ultimate authenticity.

What my lifework is showing me is that to be my authentic self I need to first embrace my spiritual connection, Christ, then I need to envelop my God given nature and the gifts He has blessed me with; my organizational, impatient, and earnest self.   So, the big lesson is, you can't change your authentic self and you shouldn't. It's not something to "find" like I thought in the 2010's of my younger self.  It comes from knowing the creator of the person you are, then taking what He gave you and using it. 

My hope is that anyone that reads this can spend some time pondering their own authentic selves and the gifts they have been blessed with from our great God.  💓 Figure out how to use those talents and be the person you were created to be! 😊

  

It Ends Here by Heidi Perks

     Having worked and taught in a Kansas High School for many years I saw my fair share of bullying.  Yes, it is strictly prohibited and when caught it is addressed and  dealt with to the best ability of the educational system, but to be brutally honest much goes without accountability being taken. Sadly that is the society we live in, both in person and online.

As an educator I have used various illustrations to bring the damage bullying can cause to light. The crumpled piece of paper, one that is pristine the first day of school then someone crushes it into a ball and no matter how much a person tries to flatten it back out it carries the damage done to it forever; or the toothpaste tube, when squeezed and the paste is squirted out it can never be put back into the tube again. Both showing how irreparable damage inflicted can not be undone. I have also known those who have been bullied and never fully recovered their confidence after the incidents. So I was anxious to read It Ends Here after seeing it listed on my NetGalley website. 

Heidi Perks's novel, It Ends Here, deals with the tragic aftermath of a student being bullied by a set of high school peers which leaves lasting effects throughout their lifetime.  

Five strangers end up in a diner early one morning at the English seaside, Isle of Wight. A nearby boatman calls the police to report a shot has been fired. Five strangers are then held hostage while the police try to figure out the names of those in the diner and which person is the one holding the gun.  Families are summoned and interviewed. Each family member tries to uncover what is happening and whether their loved one could be the gunman or woman. 

The identity is withheld until the very end, and it is a surprise to find out who they are as well as the motive behind the event.

I was definitely kept in suspense.  I did not figure out the entire ending until the actual end.  That was an enjoyable part of reading It Ends Here.  The only negative comment I have to share is that the book's plot moved slowly.  I really had to work to stay engaged in the story until the end. I was glad that I did, but it was difficult to keep going as the book would not be what I consider a page turner.  I rate It Ends Here with 3 stars because of that fact.  

I do feel that "being bullied" is an important topic to bring forward and Parks does an admirable job of portraying the damage that can experienced; by both being tormented as the one bullied,  and the the regrets of the adults who perpetuated the bullying when they were children.  

It Ends Here by Heidi Perks publishes October 6, 2026 by Poisoned Pen Press. Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Heidi Perks for the Advanced Readers Copy of It Ends Here in exchange for this honest review.

#ItEndsHere #HeidiPerks #PoisonedPenPress  #NetGalley

Enchanted Village by Lily Starling

 Christmas in July? Well it is for me! I just finished reading an enjoyable cozy story  written by Lily Starling. Set in a quirky little hamlet,  Enchanted Village  is about Hex Hollow, a place where witches and wizards live and work that is close to the Emberwind Academy for magical learning. 

Margaret Nettle runs the town pub, started by her grandmother and then passed down through the generations to her mother and now Margaret, The Toasty Owl, serves up specialty drinks to the villagers. The charm in the pub is purely from Margaret as she has the ability to create just the right drink to comfort each and every customer.  Margaret is from a magical lineage, but somehow her magical abilities never manifested. Yet her no nonsense nature and love of all fantastic creatures, especially her resident dragon Bernie,  make her a village charmer.

Silas Birchwood is a non-magical science teacher, recently recruited by the headmaster of Emberwind Academy, Silas's uncle Elliot. Silas's job as a non-magical teacher is to teach the students that tasks can be done without magic as well as with it.  

When Margaret meets Silas, one might say a spark was lit, but actually Margaret's pub was almost destroyed as her overprotective dragon , Bernie, tries to chase off Silas ,while simultaneously breathing fire all over the pub.  In remorse for inadvertently causing the destruction, Silas proves his worth as a handyman using no spell work, just elbow grease and good intentions.

When a stranger moves into town and begins building another bar to directly compete with Margaret's Toasty Owl, all the villagers must help Margaret. Margaret's dearest friend Liza, an incredibly talented witch, encourages Margaret to make some changes to her pub and her life.  Will Silas and Margaret find love outside of magic? Does Margaret save her pub from the ruthless new stranger's enterprise? Ultimately, does Margaret deal with the grief of her mother's loss and find her own magic in living life as the woman she was meant to be? 

Starling does a admirable job of creating characters with depth and warmth.  Her fantasy world of Hex Hollow captures the readers hearts and they in turn become part of her fantasy world through the pages. 

I would describe Enchanted Village as a light read, perfect to pair with a warm drink on a cool fall or winter afternoon.  Even reading it in July was fun as I dreamed of cooler weather and holiday activities.  I rate the story with 4 stars. I found the book very entertaining and highly recommend seeking it out later this fall for the upcoming holiday season. 

Enchanted Village by Lily Starling publishes on October 20, 2026 by Avon and Harper Voyager, a division of HarperCollins.  

Thank you to Netgalley, Lily Starling, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Harper Collins for the Advanced Reader's Copy of Enchanted Village in exchange for an honest review. 

#NetGalley #EnchantedVillage. #LilyStarling  #HarperVoyager #Avon #HarperCollins 

A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton by Fay Keenan

     Finding a fun, light hearted romance is a treat. Finding one with additional books in the series is a full course meal!  

Fay Keenan serves up a new entree in the feast of her Brambleton series,  A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton. 

     In the  small English village of Brambleton, Lauren Hope has created a local favorite, a sweet micro cafe that serves up Lauren's pastries,  perfect lattes and other delights. Lauren is sweetness itself as she cares for all the neighborhood, doing as much as she can for her fellow Brambletons, as well as her mother who has various health challenges. So, when a newly widowed father of twin boys, Liam and Luca, comes to Brambleton and buys the town's historic lake home, Lauren feels it is her duty to help make them welcome, when she finds them entering her little coffee shop.

The father, Marc, and his boys begin to enjoy coffees and hot drinks.  Marc and Lauren slowly take notice of each other and begin to create a relationship together. Their recipe calls for one younger recently unemployed brother in law, and another brother with his pop star singing partner. As Lauren and Marc learn to share and support one another, a possible future enters the mix.  

Having never read any of Fay Keenan's novels, I was pleased to not only find a book with such likable and developed characters but also with more books to read in the future. 

A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton had so many fun British English sayings. Keenan did an excellent job of executing her dialogue. The dialogue was so well done that I felt like I was getting a taste of an English village and it's inhabitants. 

Therefore, I am happy to recommend A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton to any of my friends and fellow readers looking for a little escape reading journey.  I rate, A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton with four stars!  Enjoy!

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Fay Keenan for the advanced readers copy of A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton being published August 16th through Boldwood Books. 

#ARecipeforRomanceinBrambleton #NetGalley

Saint Delilah by Isabelle Spotts

 Creepy.

 I'm really not into tragic horror stories.  When I read the small blurb about a new book being published August 11, 2026 by Berkeley Publishing I saw the description tag of paranormal but for some reason I focussed on paranormal as perhaps timetravel or other forms of paranormal. 

Nope.

Saint Delilah by Isabelle Spotts is not that. It's a good ole' horror story dealing with murder, ghosts, psychics and poltergeists.  Think...."Sixth Sense" with more of an adult flair of evil murder and trauma.  

Delilah, an exotic dancer at the club, "Night Faces" , owned by her longtime friend and protector Magda is violently murdered. Magda also happens to be a psychic who can contact spirits who have not yet crossed over to the afterlife.  Some spirits Magda can help move on towards their destiny.  But violent deaths becken the "keepers", those evil entities that feed on the trauma and consume the souls to turn the ghosts into evil poltergeists. 

Delilah is inherently good, yet the keepers are preying on her in much the same way her killer did, trying to take the last part of her humanity, her soul. Magda enlists a young man, Cross, to help find and kill Delilah's murderer so that Delilah's soul will be released to crossover.  Cross just happens to have psychic abilities also, he can see the physical bodies of ghosts and he falls in love with the enchanting Delilah's spiritual form.  They create an unholy love affair, man and ghost.  Magda's job just got more complicated to save her beloved friend and child of her heart. 

When I first began reading the book and grasped the true content of the story I must say I was turned off.  I just don't enjoy paranormal ghost stories.  However, the further I read into the story I saw several themes emerge.  Mourning loved ones and living through a healthy grief process was one.  In this story many of the characters did not do this, but Magda attempts to help them process and let go.  Embracing a person's life and memories while coming to terms with the loss is essential and the book Saint Delilah illustrates this theme in a complicated thought provoking  way.  Another theme I identified was "actions and consequences."  Every action in life can have a positive and negative consequence and a person must own their response to those actions.  

Spotts is a gifted writer, her characters are intense and well developed. Her writing is compelling, obviously, to hook me into a horror story which is a genre I do not enjoy.  She has a strong voice and excellent plotting skills.  

I hope she explores other genres because I'd like to read more of her writing, but probably won't be choosing another paranormal book.  Saint Delilah publishes August 11th, but I think Halloween would be the time to read this one if you are into creepy, scary literature.  I give Saint Delilah four stars.  It is well done. 

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing group, NetGalley, and Isabelle Spotts for the Advanced Reader's Copy of Saint Delilah in exchange for this honest review. 

#SaintDelilah #NetGalley 

Perfect Moments at Duck Pond Cottage by Della Galton

 We are now in the heat of the summer, and all things light and refreshing are desired. If you are looking for your next read,  then I would offer a new book being published by Boldwood Publishing on August 3,  2026 written by Della Galton.  Perfect Moments at Duck Pond Cottage fits the definition of a light summer escape. 

Galton creates a story that reads simply but involves the reader in a enjoyable set of friends and family that could very well emulate anyone's life.  The main character's; Jade  and Sarah are planning a double wedding with their fiance's Finn and Callum (respectively; along with their shared son between the two couples, Ben. Jade owns a pet rescue sanctuary where pet owners may surrender a pet and the sanctuary works to rehome the animal.  Jade accepts all types of pets which opens the reader to a rich cast of characters and circumstances.  Jade, Sarah and Finn come from complicated family backgrounds.  So Galton has many scenarios and plot lines to create stories from throughout the book.

In  Perfect Moments at Duck Pond Cottage , readers encounter wedding planning, lost pets, the events of meeting long lost estranged family, and rescues. Sprinkle in one temperamental chef,  a boisterous, well meaning son, some potty-mouth parrots and you have an entertaining summer read for a hot sunny day.  Galton has multiple books available to read in a few separate series.  

This is my first book read from the publisher, Boldwood Books, an independent, multi fiction award winning global publishing house.  Boldwood Books is located in the United Kingdom and represents many authors in all forms of publication.  Readers can find their books on major retailers such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  

If you are looking for a new light series check out Della Galton and read her newest release  Perfect Moments at Duck Pond Cottage   publishing soon! 

I received the Advanced Reader's Copy of  Perfect Moments at Duck Pond Cottage  by Della Galton and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.  

#PerfectMomentsatDuckPondCottage 

#NetGalley #DellaGalton #BoldwoodBooks