After our lunch and sight-seeing adventure in Strong City, Sherlynn and I headed out into the wild wild west--the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. It was overcast, damp, windy, and chilly, but a beautiful hike nonetheless.
Poor Sherlynn was made to stop every couple of feet--whenever I stumbled (not literally) upon a new pretty rock. I started carrying them in my pockets and aquired quite the collection.
Sherlynn told me her niece, who is just over a year, also likes to pick up rocks.
"But Sherlynn, they're oh-so-pretty! Look how different and colorful they are!"
When it took us several minutes to walk a couple feet, I decided, for the sake of time, I had better not look at the ground anymore. Besides, we had to be on the lookout for wild buffalo! (Are there tame ones?)
I decided that since we were traipsing across the prairie, we should pretend we were Indian Native American squaws and adopt names.
(Now, as a disclaimer, let it be said, we were not intending to be racist at all. We were just having fun...you know...like little girls do when they are too young to know any better.)
Sherlynn called herself Girl-Who-Runs-Like-Duck. We had a very difficult time coming up with a name for me. Now that I've had time to think, I should have been named Little Sparrow or something like that. Well, anyway, one thing was certain: my husband was the Chief and his name was Flying Eagle.
Suddenly, we saw this on the horizon.
I yelled, "White Man!"
Sorry, I couldn't help it.
Throughout our wanderings, I continued to be enthralled by rocks...
(Don't they look like a broken heart?)
...while Sherlynn enjoyed the wildflowers.
We both immensely loved the vastness and beauty of God's creation.
Anything look unusual in this picture?
We were looking for the old schoolhouse and finally found it...although Sherlynn needs to practice pointing a bit better.
To get there, we had to cross the creek.
It reminded me of the Little House on the Prairie book On the Banks of Plum Creek. Can't you just picture Laura and Mary running home from school across the prairie? Sherlynn, who would be Mary, for she is good and sweet and kind and has blonde hair, would continue on home to bake and cook and take care of Carrie. I, on the other hand, who would be Laura, would sit and dangle my feet in the creek avoiding all work and responsibility.
Sherlynn boldly pioneered her way across the crick.
With one final mighty leap, she was safe and sound on the other side.
Next was my turn.
It all happened so fast there was no time for pictures.
I thought I had stepped on the exact same rock Sherlynn had, but mine sank into the muck and mire. With a frantic yelp and clumsy leap, I too made it to the other side but not quite as safely or as soundly. The casualty: one wet sock and shoe.
This minor setback did not deter us and we pressed on to the school house.
Doesn't this picture (above) look like it belongs in Wuthering Heights? Where is Heathcliff?
The swings were a bit broken, but Sherlynn, always the innovative one, found other ways to use them.
We decided the prairie schoolhouse would be the perfect place to have our flint hills picnic.
And by picnic I mean...
Not nearly as good as the homemade stuff, but it was a treat regardless.
We had some fresh drinking water from the schoolhouse well.
What a lovely afternoon enjoying and exploring our Father's world!
If you ever have a chance to go visit the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, you totally should. There are always new trails to explore.
Oh, by the way, I emptied my pockets of the rocks before I headed home. It wasn't fair to them to make them leave their home. Although, the next day, when I was wearing my jacket at school, I found a stray! :)
