Got homemade cupcakes! 
Got fresh flowers! 
House and garden good to go! 
… And we are ready for our graduation guests to arrive. It is always such a happy occasion when graduation guests are with us! Congratulations K-State graduates. We know that you worked hard. Best wishes for success in your future endeavors!
Tag Archives: Kansas State University
Mid-Season Irises
My mid-season irises are in full bloom. With yesterday’s rain and this morning’s heavy fog, I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to get any photos today; but the flowers put on quite a show! I had a difficult time deciding which shots to share.
(FYI, the iris in front in the photo above really is that dark, making it a challenge to photograph.)
Have a wonderful weekend!
Here in Manhattan, it is graduation weekend at KSU and at the local high school, so spirits are pretty high. Once again, congratulations to the new graduates. May your futures hold wonder!
Kansas State University Homecoming Parade, 2013
This weekend is Kansas State University’s Homecoming Weekend. Earlier this evening, the Homecoming parade passed right in front of the Bed & Breakfast. How fun! Have a great weekend, everyone!
Congratulations, Graduates!
A few pictures from the bed and breakfast as we celebrate Kansas State University graduations this weekend with our guests …
Wishing the best to all of the new graduates out there!
(For the buttercream recipe, see my Wild Blueberry Cupcakes post.)
Gorgeous, Dependable White Iris
Stately and fragrant, irises are one of my favorite flowers.  Though delicate-looking, in the right location they are highly dependable. I can count on ours to bloom every year for Kansas State University graduation. I am especially fond of the white irises. They look so crisp and fresh and do a lovely job of greeting guests walking up to the bed and breakfast.
Â
Purple Power Play Pyrotechnics
I just got home from the second night of Purple Power Play on Poyntz. Â 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
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.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Purple
Manhattan is home to Kansas State University. Since the school colors are royal purple and white, there is no shortage of purple around town. (For more photos see my post Putting on the Purple.) Thank you to Varney’s Bookstore for letting me take the bottom two photos inside the shop.
K-State Gardens
As part of my resolution to experience more of what Manhattan has to offer, I recently attended a gala at Kansas State University Gardens. It was a wonderful evening. The theme was Three Coins in the Fountain to celebrate the installation of a second fountain in the gardens. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my camera that night, but that just gave me extra reason to go back! The gardens are just over 2 miles from The Morning Star. I hope that you enjoy my photos. (Since the completion of the gardens is still “in progress”, I’ll certainly have more in the future.)
Wine in the Wild
Some friends and I went to Wine in the Wild last evening. Wine in the Wild is an annual fundraiser for Sunset Zoo, which is about two miles from The Morning Star. It is the first time that I have been to this event. With the B&B, it is often difficult to g0 out for an evening; but I have been working on getting out to see more of what is going on in town. We had a lovely, relaxing evening, strolling around the zoo and sipping wine.
Sunset Zoo has an interesting history. In 1929 the City of Manhattan purchased a hilltop expanse of land for a cemetery. A large area of that land was too rocky for digging graves and in 1933 was dedicated to become Sunset Zoological Park. This, of course, was during the Great Depression, and original funding for the park was provided by the WPA. Even though the zoo has been modernized over the decades, extensive stone walls and walkways built by WPA workers still form an attractive part of  its hardscaping. The zoo has a working relationship with Kansas State School of Veterinary Medicine and is home to over 300 species of animals.
Below are some of the pictures that I took last night. It was hot and bright out when the event started at 7, cooler and pitch black when it ended a little after 9. Many of the animals seemed to be sleeping, but the birds put on a good showing.
A Taste of Morning 