Saturday 28 February 2015

Manhattan, KS, in the snow...

Or at least the parts we see regularly... 

Last Monday we woke up to snow. That Tuesday we woke up to even more snow and then in the afternoon there was the most amazing snow drifting and swirling and dancing around. You can tell I'm from a part of the world where it doesn't snow, right?

Well, after a few failed attempts to get out and take photos of the snow covered landscape, Jimmy and I did it! On Wednesday we had a lunch date to keep, a DVD from the library to return, so with the promise of going on a noisy bus I convinced Jimmy that all the fuss was going to be worth it.

This post is fairly photo heavy, so you'll need to press the "read more" link after another photo or two...
With Jimmy all rugged up and in the Manduca ("du-a" as Jimmy says), we were off and taking photos of the snow covered landscape!

It had been tempting me for two days, and while, yes, I did get some photos that Monday and Tuesday, it just wasn't the same as being able to get out and take lots of photos. Hence the babywearing...
Oh it was pretty. And quiet too: pedestrians are rare enough in Manhattan, KS, but when it is cold and there is snow (and ice) to contend with, my fellow pedestrians were nowhere to be seen...
Footprints and bicycle tracks were recorded in the snow, so Jimmy, Michael, and I are not the only ones crazy enough to be out and not in a car (we actually don't have a car...).
At 10:55 am, the outside temperature was 16 degrees Fahrenheit, which is -9 degrees Celsius. It is kinda cold, but Jimmy and I were dressed for it. And then we turned up the street and faced the north wind...
By the time I took this photo I couldn't feel my ears. Clearly my beanie failed me. This building belongs to the city, and is probably a maintenance office, but it's just such a wonderful old building, with a few additions over the years, that give themselves away with different bricks or questionable window/roof locations...
It's hard to tell, but this grand tree is a bur oak...
I just love this old barn, regardless of the season...
It's crazy to think that there was a time when all of the was green... And a lot easier to walk on because there was no ice on the footpath...
This beautiful building is an old green house. It is in quite a state of disrepair, even though it is part of the K-State Gardens. I'm glad it's still there, broken windows and all... It's one of my favourite structures in Manhattan...





Have I mentioned the Insect Zoo? It's amazing. Small, with a focus on Arachnids, but well set out, and amazing. If Jimmy was a few years older, we'd be going there every month, but at the moment he wants to splash the water, pull things down, and just generally investigate by picking things up. Yeah... slightly destructive, so we haven't been since the summer. I would love to work there. Just saying...
And my wanting to work at the Insect Zoo has more to do with my admiration and fascination with insects than the surrounding gardens. Really. Pretty gardens and close proximity to Arrow Coffee Co would just be perks.

That round thing is a fountain in warmer months. Just simple spouts of water, but lovely nonetheless...
Wildcats! Bronze wildcats, but wildcats and cubs! Oh my!
I know it is a trick of the light, but these grasses, and other grasses around, looked a little purple. The camera was not fooled...
It was serene. Not quiet, because the Dension Avenue is kinda busy, but the K-State gardens are an almost forgotten hide-away - I wish Jimmy and I went more often... Perhaps if we happen to be here for a second year...
Jimmy woke up between leaving the K-State gardens and arriving at our destination: Arrow Coffee Co. Ben, one of the owners, saw us and by the time I had Jimmy on his feet and my wallet out of my bag, he had brought over coffee and monkey bread - our usual. Yeah... it was lovely... Clearly we have become regulars since our first visit all those months ago...
And then Michael joined us for lunch, and we paid for everything in one go, except for my tea, which I decided I wanted as soon as we'd finished paying. Yep. Their earl grey tea is worth it. After lunch Jimmy and I went to the library...
One DVD returned, a few more borrowed, and a bus missed, so instead of waiting for our bus (there is one that stops right outside the complex where we live, making it our bus) I suggested that we go for a slide at City Park...
We were the only ones there, and I felt bad about Jimmy only having cotton layers on his legs as there was ice and icy water at the bottom of each and every slide. So no slides...
He was actually a little frustrated with how slippery the play equipment was, but he did enjoy running around, walking under things, and having the place to himself...
He was a little unsure about this truck, even though he asked to go on it... Actually it was the digger that really held his attention, mostly because I was using it. Ah my boy...
Jimmy was starting to get a little cranky - it really was quite cold, even though I was running around without my coat on. So, I enticed him over to one of his favourite things...
"Wheel!" That red thing is a pretend steering wheel, complete with a metal dashboard. Spinning it is one of Jimmy's favourite things to do, except when his feet get cold...
I was hoping for a leisurely stroll through City Park, but Jimmy was pretty cranky, red cheeked, with very cold feet (wool socks in gumboots just don't quite cut it as snow boots it seems), so with him in the Manduca and under my coat we raced past the rose garden...
It was so quiet, with hardly any footprints... Does that make me crazy for going out in the cold and snow?
Jimmy just wanted to go home, but with just under an hour before the next bus and me not willing to walk all the way there, we stopped in at Varsity Donuts. Jimmy was actually pretty happy to be somewhere warm, remove his shoes, and fill his belly...
There is a selection of board games behind the piano, and we picked out this Eric Carl game. Jimmy is still a little young for this type of thing, but we had fun making all the animal noises...
And eating donuts. Funnily enough we ate Otis donuts and had a copy of Milo & Otis from the library. I may have had a coffee there too, it's not as good as the coffee at Arrow Coffee Co, but Varsity Donuts have great donuts.

With warm feet and full bellies we headed back out and made for the bus. Yes, I was wearing Jimmy, yes, he fell asleep, and yes, we caught the bus home.

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