We ve got scarecrows
By PAT WICK
© Another Day in the Country
This weekend, my sister and I drove around our neck of the woods pretending we were the judges for the scarecrow competition that's happening in Ramona, Lincolnville, Tampa, Lost Springs, and Burdick. We had so much fun.
Hunting for all the scarecrows listed on the map was like going on a treasure hunt. Driving around our little corner of the Flint Hills on a lovely October day is a wonderful experience, especially if you have a camera with you. The trees are finally turning colors. There's the yellow of the old cottonwoods, umber and gold on the ash, and touches of cadmium orange in the oaks with the promise of more to come. The wheat fields are turning green again — permanent light green, if you're an artist.
And then there were the scarecrow creations to discover. The creativity of the folk in this neck of the woods is amazing. There are cowboys and old farmers, grandpas and little kids, couples sitting together on park benches, and single workmen taking a break on the construction site. There are witches and welders, ghouls and grannies, scary specters, and lovely ladies. We found a few sports fans: neighbors rooting for their team, cheerleaders and our favorite which was a Jayhawk fan roasting a Wildcat on a spit.
"Is competition the key?" I asked my sister as we viewed this menagerie. "Would they all have done this if there wasn't a first prize of 50 bucks?"
"Is it possible that they'll do it, year after year — as we have — just for the sheer fun of seeing what you can create?" We hope so, because what we've all created is one stellar fall event to bring people into our small towns in the country.
We stopped at Burdick Meat Market and discovered one of those small town grocery stores that we feared had all disappeared. In California, we used to take jaunts like this, but we stopped at The Oakville Grocery or Guinni's and bought fresh French bread and cheese for our journey. No French bread in sight in Burdick so these two happy wanderers bought beef jerky and Pepsi and continued on our way.
"This is fun," said my sister. "Where do we go next?" We discovered that even finding the out-of-the-way presentations like the farmer on AA Road or the Pig Show on Nighthawk were worth the drive.
"Stop," I called to Jessica and she dutifully pulled over. "Look at how the sun is shining on that field of burgundy-colored milo." It was time for more fall shooting — the safe, non-deadly kind.
When we met traffic on the road, we were thrilled to discover other seekers. Back at home we grinned as strange cars circled the block to get another gander at all those little cousins playing on the corner of 4th and D streets in Ramona. Every week another one shows up. My favorite is the little girl wearing her mother's shoes.
This scarecrow business all began for us the first September we were in Kansas. Guests came in from California, driving their huge motor home down Main Street and causing quite a stir. They were on their way east to "view the fall colors," joining a huge caravan of other motor home devotees. "You should do something to bring people like us into this part of the country," they said. "We love having places to go and things to see. You could do scarecrows."
"We could do scarecrows!" we said to our buddy Tooltime Tim, after they'd gone. And we did. "Don't you think 15 is about enough?" he grumbled as we put the finishing touches to Uncle Hank in his front yard sharpening his tools.
This year, Jess talked to a few movers-and-shakers in neighboring towns. All it took was Sylvia over in Lincolnville to say, "Yeah, let's do it!" and Scarecrows on Parade began.
You are not going to want to miss this! Get yourself into the car, stimulate local economy by getting gas in Tampa, cherry pie in Ramona, something to drink in Lincolnville, and some beef jerky in Burdick and go have yourselves a picnic on another day in the country.
