Trip to Cow Town

Is there anything prettier than a spring sky anywhere but especially in wide open Kansas? The temps were perfect 70 in Wichita today after thunderstorm that was producing nickel-sized hail before it got here in the wee hours of morning. We shuddered thinking of the two trucks sitting in front of the house, but hail did not form here. So when it cleared, we got out in the city. The sky was so luscious, an electric blue inviting people to sit on park benches, walk their dogs, bike, and just BE in general. However, there was a lot of wind which is not unusual for Wichita. The original Kansa people were known as People of the South Wind and that name was apt. The wind blows regularly from the south in Wichita.

Wichita is an urban area with small town feel. Downtown mixes the old building with the new, and there is considerable green space. Sculptures dot the sidewalks making for a unique and interesting atmosphere. A restored area of brick streets and old brick buildings is known as Old Town with a theme of Wichita cow town days when the town was once a thriving destination for cattle drives.

A trip to Wichita almost always includes a trip to the Watermark Bookstore and Café. Another lovely independent bookstore, it has its own café that is always busy. The menu is sandwiches, soups, salads, scones, and desserts. Food items carry literary names, and this time I opted for Cather in the Rye, a turkey sandwich with sun dried tomato mayo. It was very good along with an Easter hot cross bun and iced tea. But I will probably go back to my favorite Great Expectations which is smoked turkey and walnuts on foccacia bread with apricot curry mayo.


There was no hurry on this visit so I took my iced tea and wandered about the book section. I had to quit going down aisles because I found things to bring home in every direction I looked. The nice thing about an independent book store is the emphasis is on quality and not quantity. A shopper finds unique choices when she browses titles hand-picked by store owners. I love the Watermark’s promotion of regional titles and authors as well. This time I walked out with The Journal Keeper, a memoir by writer Phyllis Theroux, a new poetry book by Billy Collins, and delightful paperback titled The Booklover’s Guide to the Midwest, a Literary Tour. Now if I can just find time to read them all in the days ahead!