phocas.net

 A return visit to the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum found the scene much as we had left it the year before.  Indeed, it proved itself similar to it had been 100 years ago.  Greeted at the door by carolers, the interior stood warm and inviting, though somewhat crowded, early in the evening.  A variety of activities absorbed the interested of short folks, including the opportunity to receive a free wooden toy, and have a chat with Santa, all while dribbling hot apple cider and scattering cookie crumbs throughout house.   Out at the campfire, others enjoyed the offering of roasted chestnuts, and the opportunity to lightly socialize on the topic.  All in all, this low-key Christmas experience warmed heart and soul for attendees of the evening events.

A mostly cloudy and chilly 8°C afternoon encouraged on outing to the  44th Annual Eagle Days  for a closer look at these impressive raptors.  Hosted at  Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge , a variety of new and familiar activities made for an interesting day in the rural landscape northwest of St Joseph. The event witnessed a repeat appearance from the ever watchful and somewhat talkative Harpy eagle, a native of the southern Americas, and very much conservation dependent species.  A Golden Eagle joined the conversation after that but appeared pre-occupied with escaping the crying baby in the front row.  The row ended with the continuously piercing gaze from the American Bald Eagle, who lingered afterward the interviews ended for small talk and photos. Numerous sites established around perimeter of the 16 km Wild Good Auto Tour loop offered young and old the opportunity to get a closer look at the Bald Eagles in their locally native habitat, as well as t

A completely random encounter with St Charles Historic District discovered an interesting little annual event along Main Street.  It all started with the thought of simply dropping in for a little breakfast and a walkabout to see what the area had to offer. After satisfying ourselves with some delicious breakfast tacos, Chai for some and coffee for others, at  Frontier Perk Cafe  we stepped out to find the street bustling with activity.  A few blocks south found evidence of greater activities afoot, and soon after a simple parade that offered a glimpse of the various street performances that would lurking throughout the day. The parade was not overwhelming as some that evaporated as quickly as it had appeared, with Santa waving from one of the many horse-drawn carriages serving the streets for the afternoon. The crowd trickled slowly into the space left behind, soon consuming most available space.  It had g

Leaving Kansas City and Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror to entertain other notions found us at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis.  There seemed no better place to be to avoid the harried shopping masses than surrounded by a dazzling array of Christmas lighting. Arriving just in time for our appointed entry for the evening, we crossed into the garden space aglow with a variety of displays and other lighted artistic renderings.  Each area enabled a different sort of experience, with a few interactive encounters mixed in along the way. Additionally, warm treats were spliced in between provided some comfort on this chilly 0°C evening.  Adult beverages and those designed for the younger crowd steamed from inside gloved hands for many involved in the affair. The temperature proved not much of a deterrent, in the end.  The masses avoided through most of our journey to the garden emerged early and lingered longer than likely anticipated by organizers.  In contrast, thankfull

The Christmas lighting ceremony at the Zona Rosa Shopping District  went off as expected, without complication, and to the immense profit of all involved with the sponsor, St. Luke's Health System. Hundreds turned out for generally good music, if you discount the occasional caterwauling. Multiple food trucks and tents enabled consumers to enjoy drinks and greasy delicacies at inflated prices.  Additionally, the Mario Brothers, the Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, and of course, Santa Claus made spotlight appearances to help ramp things up for the anti-climactic lighting of an oversized Christmas Tree. It is a bitter irony that a major healthcare provider in this town has enough profit to put up an event like this, when so many remain unable to afford healthcare, or are currently having their lives destroyed by healthcare costs.  Merry Christmas? The event supported nothing in particular, unless one considers corrupt capitalism a worthy recipient of donations.

The opportunity arose to enjoy an evening with the recently resurrected John Cleese, a personal long-time comedic hero from across the pond.  He is doing rather well with his recent return from the land of the dead and offered a visit to Kansas City to discuss relevant matters and answer a few questions about his past life. The discussion, held at the beautiful Kauffman Center, opened with thoughts from his youngest daughter.  While she is funny in her own right, it is entirely different situation.  She is simply not silly enough.  Although, this is likely through no fault of her own.  It has to be difficult to stand in the shadow of a father renowned as the Master of Silly throughout his entire career.  His comedic sense remains unparalleled, except by compadres of the Monty Python class.   He began with talk of the unique perils associated with the ventures of aging, splicing in snapshots of the Monty Python era.  This led to thoughts on our anxieties and theories about what makes us

  The remnants of ancient celebrations bubbled up in the heart of America in a weekend long celebration for the dead filled with food, drinks, music, and dancing along about six blocks of Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. Cultures from every corner of the city came together to enjoy the day, in spite of the gray and moody skies that occasionally dripped on attendees.  Art, souvenirs, and activities like face painting continued throughout every block; the latter enabling youth and adults to join in the look of the day. The most delicious, original, homegrown food appeared at every turn along the route. Sampling a pambazo for the first time proved a superbly tasty experience!  A fresh tamale and pastry later, coupled with a luscious Horchata, satisfied an appetite constantly teased by the smells in the air. Numerous memorials appeared regularly honoring those that had passed on stood out

  Acting on personal invitation from DJ C-Vaughn, formerly of 96.5 The Buzz, we headed out for the evening to consume some early beats before heading off to dreamland.  We must have been just a bit too anxious though, since we arrived before anything started.  It did give us an opportunity to reconnect with some old faces though before losing our hearing to anything less than shouting, knowing smiles, and understanding nods.  The artwork at MOD Gallery offered up amusements of their own, always a flavorful cast, luring us into its intrigue. In no time, Brian Flinn of local management company Night Shift Entertainment started to spin his musical journey for the few in attendance, and those that would arrive in time.  He played a collection of current and past favorites that didn't dip too far into the past, offering a up a rhythm that stirred feets all around. Much later than had been planned for, but no less appreciated,

Originally published on KCUR > Arts & Life by Frank Morris on October 20, 2023 ... quoted and encapsulated for republication here. Read/Listen to the whole story and interview through the link at the bottom of this post. Ten years ago on a cold dark night of the soul, Freight Train Rabbit Killer began its life as a scary band/opera/near-death experience for Kansas City music fans. This Halloween season, there's a flurry of live shows to celebrate their new record. Just before Halloween 10 years ago, Kris Bruders and Mark Smeltzer forged Freight Train Rabbit Killer around a love of hardscrabble American music. The stuff they play is crashing, heavy blues, swirled with dark opera and the devil. Freight Train Rabbit Killer songs tend towards an Old Testament sweep, and there aren’t a lot of happy endings. Like in “Saw Brother Judas,” about that time Judas was trying to hide from God. Freight Train Rabbit Killer is more than a band, though. It’s a project that has taken over hal

Jason Aldean ripped through Kansas City on Thursday night, flanked by Mitchell Tenpenny and Corey Kent, with backup support from Deejay Silver.  The latter proved an interesting twist to this little adventure at T-Mobile.  Throughout most of the evening the folks in front of our row kept the game on for us, so that we did not have to miss a single beat.  It was good to have a relatively solid view of the proceedings available on demand. It was also a pleasant surprise to recognize several of the tunes performed by the opening acts, who drew a solid crowd early in the game. Splicing the various sets together throughout the evening, Deejay Silver distributed a random array of popular country music tracks, along with a few of the more funky variety. Corey led the night off, belting out some of his latest work, eventually leading up to his recent hit single “Wild as Her," which landed him a deal with Sony Music Nashville and their RCA Nashville Imprint. M

  It all started off simple enough.  The plan was to vacation a little in Las Vegas, while my other half attended a conference.  A few days after the decision, Microsoft announced the Power Platform Conference to be held the same week, in the same city.    Most of the affair was held at the MGM Conference Center, with Keynote and other follow-up Kool-Aid functions in the adjacent MGM Grand Arena.  It was a nice spot, and in spite of warning by Microsoft, the two really were not all that far apart. The first day of involvement through a workshop offered an opportunity to enjoy a few perks that were otherwise unattainable during regular conference time.  Premium coffees served by a robot tasted no different than that served by a human, and it took a lot longer.  The frozen desserts were tasty too and served much faster.  The views left a bad taste in my mouth though.  Who wants to be at a conference when all the windows showcase others lounging about the poo

  A local guidebook hinted at untold marvels collected within the walls of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, demanding investigation at this particular bit of intrigue beyond the glaring light and noise of the casinos.   Turns out, contemporary art works by established and emerging artists from all over the world appear throughout the casino, mall, and hotel areas. Some of the art is simply the standard in Vegas, littering the walls, floors and ceilings of the interior, though there are numerous unique works lounging about as well. Large scale photographs, paintings, and other mixed media types are literally everywhere, and around every corner.  Additionally, Art-o-Mat machines offer the opportunity to purchase smaller through recycled cigarette vending machines at a reasonable price. Sculptures abound as well, coupled with 3D wall displays and video walls, capturing the imagination and causing even the most hurried to pause for a moment o

As with most invitations to enjoy an event in Las Vegas for free, this too was a trap.  It was an enjoyable little snare though, on this last night in town.  By the time we arrived at this juncture, the last night had already turned faded into the last morning. That fact did not seem to slow anyone down in the least.  Our arrival marked only the beginning of a surge at the event, which by the time of our departure, would find the rooftop of Caeser's Palace nearly packed and grooving to the sounds of DJ Mikey Francis. The only drawback to the whole affair proved to be the cost of drinks; even then, that in itself was not much of detriment.  The late hour and impending travel arrangements for what was now later in the same day discouraged much more of that sort of activity. It certainly did not stop anyone from getting their groove on. . . . Further Reading . . . DJMikeyFrancis.com Omnia Nightclub at Caesar's Pala

  So much has been made about this particular situation, we felt obligated to investigate the concern.  Research uncovered that there could be an admission involved.  It would not have been surprising.  However, contrary to internet reports and attempts to lure unsuspecting individuals into purchasing tickets to this, it is not required in the least. We only thought that we had been dazzled by an excess of light further south on the Strip.  After a $30 cab ride north 9 km, we stood stunned by consumption of electricity and assault on the senses.  Three or four stages tucked away so as not to audibly overlap offered everything from pop to metal.  Likely the most enjoyable part of the whole thing, a little latin groove happening in the middle of the street. There were parts that were not quite as dazzling, but attempts were obviously underway in an effort to change all that.  Others joined us in taking a small break away from the excess.  It jus

The last evening in Las Vegas offered up the opportunity to see magician Mat Franco at no cost.  That is a fairly rare occurrence on The Strip.  In reality, show tickets without financial obligation appear the order of the day, more often than not.  It is usually a trap. The hosts don't make any money on these shows.  They just want to draw you hoping you will consider losing some of your money in their casino.  This did not feel that way, except for having to pass through one just to get to the show, which caused us to be a bit late. We did not miss much though, and he performed well.  His guests were the punchline for the evening that he included in every act.  Mat mocked, laughed and bewildered them in good fun. It is hard to believe he has been holding down this spot for eight years now. A few mentioned on the way out that any part of it could have been written off as planned participation.  Responses from the crowd leaned in that direction as well, a few times.  There is reall