Category Archives: In the Neighborhood

WeeklyPhotographyChallenge: Near and Far

Posted on by Laurie

The Big Blue River, which runs from central Nebraska into Kansas where it intersects with the Kansas River east of Manhattan …

Named the Great Blue Earth River by the Kansa Indians, the Big Blue must in recent history have actually ran blue instead of murky brown-green. In the shadows, one can still see what it may have looked like.

A freight bridge, crossing the Big Blue … where do those trains go?

Just feet away, one can look skyward and get lost in the trees.

I took these pictures on one section of the Linear Park Trail which circles Manhattan. There are a few places on the trail where one thinks, “I can see the trees and trail before me, but where does the path lead? Will it take me far?”

Summer’s End

Posted on by Laurie

Though we are stilling having temperatures in the 90’s, and though there are nearly three weeks left to summer, the change of seasons is in the air. This was apparent to me when I was at Eastside Market yesterday … so much so that I just had to take some pictures to document the moment when I noticed autumn’s approach.

Thank you to the gracious folks at East Side Market for letting me take photographs.

Purple Power Play Pyrotechnics

Posted on by Laurie

I just got home from the second night of Purple Power Play on Poyntz.  I’d say that the town is pretty fired up for football season! (Pardon the pun.) The first home game is tomorrow. Everyone is rooting for the Wildcats!

People Watching at Purple Power Play on Poyntz

Posted on by Laurie

Every year on the Thursday and Friday nights before the first home K-State football game, Purple Power Play on Poyntz puts on a pep rally. The city closes off several blocks of Poyntz Avenue – the main street through downtown – for vendors to set up booths and people to mill around. The marching band, cheerleaders, football team and coaches turn out.  Here are a few photos from this year’s Thursday night portion. On Friday night, after all the other festivities are over, they set off fireworks. It is a popular event with an estimated 20,000 people attending over the two-day period.

Thank You Flowers

Posted on by Laurie

Recently several people have kindly nominated A Taste of Morning for awards. In thanks, here are some pictures that I have recently taken of wildflowers out on the Konza Prairie. I thought this would be a fun way to acknowledge those readers who have shown such warm support! Thank you to Diana Staresinic-Deane for the Reader Appreciation Award, to  Share Chair for the Beautiful Blogger Award, to Letizia from Reading Interrupted for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award nominations.* You should check out these blogs. Diana writes about Kansas, Share Chair about technology (especially iPad and iPhone), and Letizia about reading, writing, and related topics.

Here are a few blogs that I really enjoy following and that I would like to nominate for an award. I think that all of them deserve a Reader Appreciation Award; and some are inspiring, some are beautiful; some are both! (I’ll let them decide which should they choose to accept.) The people behind these all bring enthusiasm, effort, and a special perspective to their work.

Roho Ya Chui for photography insights that inspire me to think

Neely Wang  for beautiful photography of a wide variety of subjects

Words & Images for beautiful photography of a wide variety of subjects

SKEdazzles for beautiful photography and travel inspiration

Retiree Diary for beautiful photography and travel inspiration

Doli Siregar for beautiful adventure photography

Cumin Seeds for colorful, mostly gluten-free, recipes featuring wonderful spices

Boy Drinks World for tips on cocktail-making

Bebe’s Kitchen for interesting recipes and food photography

Beyond the Green Door for a fun mix of recipes, gardening, and decorating ideas

Becca’s Green Kitchen for delicious vegetarian recipes

Pearls & Prose for garden and travel photography

A Word in Your Ear for colorful travel photography

Goss Coaching for positive and inspiring perspectives

Crazy Train To Tinky Town for interesting stories
Some random facts:

I am a “mostly vegetarian”.

The first cookbook that I ever bought was James Beard’s Theory & Practice of Good Cooking (1977). I still own it.

I have really enjoyed watching the Olympics over the past two weeks.

The last book that I read was Sea Change by Karen White.

I just started reading The French Gardener by Sara Montefiore.

I had a great great grandfather who was French.

One of my goals for the next year is to travel to some beautiful place that I have never been before.

* Rules …

Reader Appreciation Award: Post link to the person who nominated you; include a picture of the award on your blog; nominate some other bloggers for the award; tell 7 things about yourself.

Beautiful Blogger Award: Post link to the person who nominated you; include a picture of the award on your blog; nominate 15 other bloggers for the award; tell 7 things about yourself.

Very Inspiring Blogger Award: Post link to the person who nominated you; include a picture of the award on your blog; nominate 7 other bloggers for the award; tell 7 things about yourself.

On a personal note …

Having accepted blogger awards several times now – each time quite happily and feeling flattered – I feel that it would be selfish of me to continue to do so. Hence, I humbly request that if you enjoy A Taste of Morning, that you simply send me a note letting me know. I hope that this does not sound presumptuous or offend anyone. Thank you kindly to all of you who have shown your support!

So You Think Kansas Is Flat?

Posted on by Laurie

So you think Kansas is flat? Okay … most of the state is. But not the Konza Prairie which is located in the northern Flint Hills of eastern-central Kansas.  This narrow chain of hills counts as its own ecoregion because it is home to the densest remaining tall grass prairie in North America. Early European settlers, unable to plow the area due to its rocky soil composition, used the region for grazing livestock thus leaving the grasslands intact. Due to dry conditions this summer, the grasses probably will not reach their full height. Nevertheless, this expanse of prairie with its soft, rolling hills is still something to see … and it proves that Kansas isn’t all flat!

The Konza Prairie is co-owned by The Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University. While much of the area is dedicated for use as a biological research station, fortunately there are several trails open to the public. The trails are frequently used by hikers and joggers, birders, and photographers and other artists out to capture the beauty of this land. If you have been following my blog this week, you’ve probably figured out how much I enjoy photographing this area. (I’ve also done a few paintings of the prairie.) However, my next post will be back to food.

Compass Plants on the Konza

Posted on by Laurie

Compass Plant (Silphilium Laciniatum) is a wild flower native to the prairies of the midwestern US. It also grows in parts of northeast to central US and southeastern Canada. It derives its name from the fact that its leaves align themselves north-south to avoid over-exposure to the parching sun. Despite the abnormally hot, dry conditions that we have been experiencing in Kansas* – the driest in over 50 years, when I photographed them a few days ago these Compass Plants gave all appearances of thriving on the Konza Prairie. I find them to be a fascinating combination of beauty and ruggedness.

*Our official high yesterday was 107 degrees F., though the thermometer in our yard registered a high of 113.2 degrees F. at 4:20 pm. A thunderstorm last night brought only 0.07 inches of rain.

Konza Sunrise

Posted on by Laurie

This is my 100th post. Today’s photos are of dawn and sunrise over the Konza Prairie. From my first draft, I had to heavily cut back on the number of photos. Looking at a dozen shots of sunrise  all in one post seemed like it was going to be a bit much. One thing that is interesting about being on the Konza at sunrise, is that it seems as though one gets to see the sun come up again and again as one crosses hilltops, goes down into valleys and around bends. I’ll be posting more prairie photos throughout the week.

Sunset Over Houston Street

Posted on by Laurie

Last night I went out on the front porch of the B&B and was startled by the hues of the setting sun. I ran inside for my camera, took a few shots from the porch and headed up the street for a better vantage point. I’m guessing that I took these photos over about a 15 minute period. For the last shot, I really zoomed in on the sunset. The view made me feel like I was in the mountains. Our sunrises and sunsets have been unusually bold lately due to the fires in Colorado. It is sad to think that something so destructive helped to produce these beautiful colors.