Maria Morton

These are shuttlecocks on the lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art here in Kansas City. They always make me smile so I thought they might make you smile too.

The shuttlecocks are the work of Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen. They created quite a stir here when they were originally placed in 1994. You can just imagine some of the letters to the editor in the Kansas City Star, can't you? ^_^ There's another shuttlecock, not in this photo, on the front lawn and yet another around back - as if giants were playing Badminton and the main building of the Nelson were the net.

Many people, such as myself, felt joy the moment we saw the humongous shuttlecocks while others felt that such whimsical art was unsuitable right out in front of the Beaux Art, symmetrical, traditional and stately building. The Nelson-Atkins building, in the background, has housed major art collections since its' opening in 1933.

Permanent collections include paintings by Caravaggio, Poussin, O'Keefe, Van Gogh, Manet, and more. 33,000 pieces are housed within the Nelson. Sculptures, furniture, vases; Ancient, Chinese, European, African, Japanese and Native American works are represented amongst the vast collection. As a matter of fact, a new building was built not long ago to provide more space for displays in storage. Ah, but that's another story for another post.

Thanks for stopping by; hope this made you smile.

Yet another rainy day here in Kansas City did not stop workers from testing the Plaza lights.

There are thousands of lights which are all turned on simultaneously every Thanksgiving.The lights are strung along the roofline, windows, doors and sometimes architectural dteails of each building on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.

They started stringing the lights in October.

Picture on the right is of workers going up on cherry pickers to get one of the towers.

It's rained every single day since the testing process began.

For those of you unfamiliar with Kansas City, the Country Club Plaza consists basically of the blocks bordered by 46th Ter on the North, Ward Parkway on the South, Jefferson on the West & Baltimore on the East. For some reason, the Google map zoomed in when inserted into this post, so to get the whole picture you'll need to minimize one click.

2 Flat Tires in the Rain

It was a cold and rainy day in Kansas City.

Not the preferred time to have TWO flat tires, but better now than in the snow and ice.

At the moment, I am enjoying coffee & football at the Firestone on 75th & Wornall. Brandy & Bob helped me select the appropriate tires and now the mechanics are putting them on.

My car is also getting an alignment. I can bring it back twice annually to have it aligned at no charge.

The Kansas City Chiefs are WINNING!

13-10 Chiefs against Raiders YAY!

Now, if only KC can keep it going in the second half; that's where we tend to drop the ball. And Oakland is fierce in second halves.

Come on KC! Go, go, go!

Merry Autumn

It's all a farce,—these tales they tell
About the breezes sighing,
And moans astir o'er field and dell,
Because the year is dying.

Such principles are most absurd,—
I care not who first taught 'em;
There's nothing known to beast or bird
To make a solemn autumn.

In solemn times, when grief holds sway
With countenance distressing,
You'll note the more of black and gray
Will then be used in dressing.

Now purple tints are all around;
The sky is blue and mellow;
And e'en the grasses turn the ground
From modest green to yellow.

The seed burs all with laughter crack
On featherweed and jimson;
And leaves that should be dressed in black
Are all decked out in crimson.

A butterfly goes winging by;
A singing bird comes after;
And Nature, all from earth to sky,
Is bubbling o'er with laughter.

The ripples wimple on the rills,
Like sparkling little lasses;
The sunlight runs along the hills,
And laughs among the grasses.

The earth is just so full of fun
It really can't contain it;
And streams of mirth so freely run
The heavens seem to rain it.

Don't talk to me of solemn days
In autumn's time of splendor,
Because the sun shows fewer rays,
And these grow slant and slender.

Why, it's the climax of the year,—
The highest time of living!—
Till naturally its bursting cheer
Just melts into thanksgiving.

~Paul Laurence Dunbar

Autumn in KC

New England in the Fall has nothing on Kansas City. Walking along tree lined streets in any part of town at this time of year is a joyous pleasure.

Photo #1 taken at Forest Hill Cemetary.

Photo #2 taken in the little park between the Sophia and the Nelson Art Museum.

Photo #3 was also taken in the little park.

Photo #4 taken on the south lawn of the Nelson.

Photo #5 taken in the Morningside neighborhood.

Photo #6 taken just a block or two southeast of the Brookside shops.

The poem is by Paul Laurence Dunbar. All photos were taken in Kansas City by Maria Morton.

Best In Show

Tuesdays are Agent Tour in Kansas City. This is when all of the real estate agents from all of the companies hold open listed homes that have recently come on the market, are going to come on the market, or have had updates or staging done. The agents holding the homes open provide lunch so that we can have a slice of pizza or a tacqita as we take in all the new inventory. The object is to see as many homes as you can between 11am and 1 or 2pm. Oh, and exchange information with all the other realtors along the way.

My favorite house today was 30 W Concord Avenue, on the Missouri side. Offered at $360,000, it was the most inviting home on the tour and the best value in Countryside. The location is perfect! Two blocks east of Loose Park; 2 blocks west of UMKC. It's a 4 bedroom, 1.1 bath built in 1915. Stone basement, craftsman style with the nice front porch and good woodwork. The dining room has the most fabulous painted design you have ever seen. Two of the bedrooms have vanities, Euro style.. The kitchen is perfect. This is what all of those buyers moving in from the suburbs once the children are off to college are looking for - "we want that Brookside character." Well, this is the one.

See it here: 30 W Concord Ave.

The home is listed for sale by Jim Kraus with Brookside Realty. Good job on pricing and staging this one, Jim!

Check out the location: