Making plans — I grabbed this candid shot of Lanie while we were taking a rest in the shade outside the butterfly house at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. Unfortunately, the butterfly house was closed for renovation.
Short Breaks
Quick visits, day trips, excursions, and weekends away. Anything under a week, you wouldn’t count as a genuine vacation. This includes camping trips, but excludes our many backpacking trips.
Making plans — Lanie and her bf Lewis joined us for our ‘mini-break.’ We took a few minutes before we left the hotel to decide what to do with our day. 2
April 13, 2026 11:31
Well plaid — When we arrived at the hotel on Sunday, I knew I wanted to get this picture. Monday, I grabbed it. I had to lie down in the road to get the picture, but it was worth it. Graduate Hotel, Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 2026. 2
April 13, 2026 11:27
Decor, the Graduate Hotel, Fayetteville — Not only was I enamored with the camo carpet, I also love the colorful curtains. Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 2026. 4
April 13, 2026 11:08
Eclectic Decor, Graduate Hotel, Fayetteville — The theme is upmarket seventies/eighties student accommodation, but clean and tidy!
April 13, 2026 11:07
Buck Rogers, Artist unknown — Welcome to our hotel bathroom art. I was not familiar with the film or TV series until now and initially thought that the picture might be of Lee Majors. Ginger put me right by identifying the local (Little Rock, Arkansas) actor Gil Gerard, 01-23-1943 — 12-16-2025. 1
April 13, 2026 11:07
After the concert — We were in Fayetteville for a Chris Thile concert. We enjoyed seeing him at the Kauffman Center, Kansas City in February, and booked tickets when we saw he was going to be in Fayetteville.
April 12, 2026 22:39
Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas — We were in Fayetteville for a Chris Thile concert. We enjoyed seeing him at the Kauffman Center, Kansas City in February, and booked tickets when we saw he was going to be in Fayetteville.
April 12, 2026 22:38
Old and new — The older building in the foreground appears more substantial and has much better proportions than the newer building in the background. The latter looks insubstantial, flimsy, and ill proportioned.
April 12, 2026 16:03
Fayetteville Square, Arkansas — Our hotel room wasn’t ready, so we went for a look around the square. We bought coffee and cake to while away the time as we sat and enjoyed the view.
April 12, 2026 16:02
Looking south from City Market — (I’ve also seen this area referred to as River Market). We spent a couple of hours soaking up all the exhibits at the Arabia Steamboat Museum – https://www.1856.com/. The Arabia sank in 1856 and was excavated in the 1980s. The museum provided a fascinating insight into the goods being shipped by steamboat into the Midwest
February 13, 2026 14:54
Chinatown Food Market — Lots of tasty morsels were purchased along with enough packets of noodles for many backpacking lunches.
February 13, 2026 12:27
Orange cat and spot — Of course a visit to see Katie also means a chance to see Dick, our grandcat in his native environment and with a nice midcentury modern style rug too.
February 13, 2026 10:21
Top of the Power and Light Building. I love Art Deco architecture.
February 13, 2026 10:10
The Kauffman Center from the 32nd floor terrace, Kansas City Power and Light Building — We were at the Kauffman Center last night for Chris Thile with the Kansas City Symphony.
February 13, 2026 10:09
View to the east from the 32nd floor terrace, Kansas City Power and Light Building.
February 13, 2026 10:08
View to the west from the 32nd floor terrace, Kansas City Power and Light Building — Featuring the Diocesan office and Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, which can be seen just past the convention center. I waved at my ex-colleagues, but I don’t think they saw me.
February 13, 2026 10:07
Empty Chair — I’d planned on taking a picture of Ginger sitting enjoying the view, which would have been a great silhouette. But Ginger got up as I grabbed my phone.
February 13, 2026 8:31
No smoke without fire — I was some miles away the smoke was thick at the farm, and ash was falling from the sky. This was from a prescribed burn, not a wildfire.
January 28, 2025 17:35
A change of plan — Here I am enjoying the sunset and beer on the deck at the cottage.
October 22, 2024 18:05
Lanie — Just Lanie being herself. Walk by the creek.
October 18, 2024 10:57
Early evening on an Ozarks farm road — It’s all looking very lush and green. Nowadays this road has a lot more traffic than it used to. One-minute read.
July 21, 2024 18:38
Last of the sun — The last of the sun was catching the trees behind the house.
July 20, 2024 19:54
Four deer — They were about 100 yards away and very interested in what we were doing, which just happened to be, watching them.