Leavenworth to Albuquerque, a week in pictures

Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas

Established in 1827
First military encampment west of the Mississippi
Mustering grounds for the Mormon Battalion

My sister, Lynette, recently followed her husband to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Since then he has been routinely leaving her behind as he monitors military exercises in such places as Germany and Korea. I took this as my signal to book a flight and go to Kansas to keep Lynette company, sans our husbands. We had a wonderful time exploring, doing projects, and talking (plus a bit of eating.) Now on to the many pictures!

MONDAY

From the Kansas City Airport in Missouri, Lynette drove over the Missouri River and on to the check point to give me a quick tour of Ft. Leavenworth. There were rolling green lawns and neat red brick houses for military families. There were also many monuments honoring soldiers.

A Buffalo Soldier on horseback

General Ulysses S. Grant

After our walking monument tour, we drove toward the watchtower. There were tree lined streets with beautiful homes. It was easy to tell that the homes told a story of different times with architectural styles.

This home stood on an old soldier burying ground. That would give one pause to live in a home with this sign buried in the front lawn.

There are many beautiful, old trees in the Kansas City area. This one was on base and needed a hug.

Autumn was just arriving. The colors should be out in all their glory by mid October. This tree sparkled above the others and we had to leave the main thoroughfare to find it and to take a picture.

The fort was first placed on a hill overlooking a bend in the Missouri River.


It was a great lookout point and a beautiful site.

TUESDAY

The next morning, we traveled east across the Missouri River to Independence, Missouri where we spent several hours visiting the Truman Presidential Library and Museum and touring the Truman Home.

This is the girlhood home of Harry S. Truman's wife, Bess Wallace, and where he lived his life when not in Washington, D. C. It is also where he died. It was originally built in 1867 with later additions.

Harry and Bess are buried in the courtyard of the Truman Library and Museum.

I had to take a picture of President Truman's only daughter's dress which is displayed in the basement of the library and museum. Her name was Margaret. Notice the hand smocking on the shoulders of the garment. There were three smocked garments on display, all Margaret's. It made me wonder if Bess Truman smocked and sewed clothing for her daughter or if they used a favorite dress maker.

Lynette and I had both recently read this book by David McCullough, so our visit was especially meaningful.

I hope that this picture brings back many fond (and not so fond) memories for Dave, Nate, and Janae. It still looks a bit haunted but I didn't see any possums running around with their babies on their back! This was where we stayed in 2001 while on our church history sites after David returned from his mission. Since this was my second visit to the area, we didn't visit LDS church historical sites.

WEDNESDAY

This day found us heading in the opposite direction to Atchison, Kansas northwest of Leavenworth. It is a railroad town but also is the birthplace of Amelia Earhart.

Painting made from photograph of Amelia at 20 years of age

Model of the airplane that she used

She was born in this house, the home of her grandparents on July 24, 1897. She spent much of her childhood in this home and her bedroom window is located behind the tree. Our tour of the house was most interesting. I was amazed to find that I had been the owner of misinformation. It was not until this visit that I realized that Amelia was near the end of her around the world flight in 1937 when she disappeared over the Pacific. I always thought that she had flown west out of Oakland, but she began her journey by flying east.

The house sat on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. We did not see any watercraft on the river during my visit. We learned that it is considered very dangerous with many whirlpools and undercurrents.

Signs along the road directed us to the Amelia Earhart Earthworks. If you look carefully you can see her face on the hill. The link shows a picture of how it looked 12 years ago when new. There is a movie about Amelia Earhart being released on Oct. 23rd.

Atchison, Kansas has many old homes and a charming downtown area. We ate lunch at a delightful little cafe after shopping at a children's bookstore which also sold hand knitted children's sweaters.

For dessert, Lynette ordered a blueberry lemon scone and I ordered the apple bread pudding with carmal sauce shown above. When the desserts were delivered, the server pointed to Lynette's and then my dessert and said to Lynette, "Why are you having that when you could have had this!"

Good point Lynette. I am still dreaming about how good this dessert tasted!

THURSDAY

We spent the morning and early afternoon at home working on our "projects." I had purchased yarn from The Knit Shop next door to the jail, former home to Jesse James, in Independence for a baby afghan. Lynette, my knitting teacher, was "talking" me through the beginning of this project. We also worked on some felted Christmas ornaments, the pattern of which we had found in Utah last summer. We managed to get all the pieces cut out and will have to work on the applique and embroidery part solo.

We picked up Logan from school in the afternoon. I was dropped off in downtown Leavenworth while he took the test to get his driver's permit. They joined me for more antique and quilt shop cruising and then a treat at the soda fountain of the best pharmacy west of the Mississippi in the late 1880's.

Downtown Leavenworth has an abundance of older interesting stores.

This is a large mural on the side wall of a store across the street from this pillared wonder.

Leavenworth has a prosperous past as a river and railroad town with many enterprises. Fred Harvey began feeding the railroad crowd across the west from here and was one of many to live well in Leavenworth.

FRIDAY

I took a picture of Lynette in front of her beautiful new home before we left for a tour of Kansas City before my departure late afternoon. We took a self-guided walking tour of a beautiful tree lined neighborhood in south Kansas City, walked through the rose garden at Powell Gardens, and ate lunch in the fun shopping district nearby. We drove through downtown and then on to the airport which is north of Kansas City and just east of Leavenworth. Next stop - Albuquerque!

Glen picked me up from the Albuquerque Airport after a drive from Mesa and business stop in Gallup. TJ had accompanied Grandpa so I had two people to hug when I got off the plane. We made our way to Jolene's home on the west side of town. Her home is on a ridge overlooking Albuquerque. This is the view from her back deck. There are great views from all three levels of her home. She had Glen and I sleep in her master bedroom upstairs "for the view." And what a view it was. Imagine the above view, but add sparkling lights against the backdrop of the mountains.

SATURDAY

We woke up at 5 am so that we would be on hand for the "Mass Ascension" of the hot air balloons at the annual Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. It was a bit chilly but a feast for the senses. For more balloon photos (I just couldn't stop clicking!) go here.

TJ had some mini-doughnuts for breakfast. I couldn't stop thinking about Homer Price as I watched this machine. TJ thinks that we should buy one for Christmas Eve doughnut making!

We then walked over to the chainsaw craving competition.

It was very intriguing!

After a long walk back to the car, we returned to Jolene's for some conference watching and visiting. TJ was delighted to have the all day companionship of his second cousins.

SUNDAY

First thing Sunday morning found us back on the balcony doing some balloon watching.

This one came closer and closer.

And soon landed in the vacant lot a few houses down the street. The boys took off to see the action and I soon followed. They now could complete their balloon watching cycle from inflation and ascension on Saturday, followed by deflation and packing up on Sunday. The van was a chase vehicle to provide support when the balloon comes down.

The neighbors couldn't recall a balloon ever making its landing on this lot.

Once the balloon was flattened we were on our way home. We had a very important birthday celebration to attend!

Happy, Happy Birthday Raymond!

Many thanks to my sisters and their families for the fine hospitality they extended!