A love letter to Kansas

I had an idea for a zine. A celebration of my home state of Kansas.  I envisioned a dive into my archives, sprinkled with state symbols like the sunflower of course, Buffalo, meadowlark, Cottonwood tree and all the other ones we memorized as children for Kansas Day every year.

So I sat down and wrote a letter to my state, professing my love, highlighting what makes it special to me.  I feel a common bond wth my home state.  We are like a well kept secret that people are pleasantly surprised by when they take the time to delve beneath the surface. 

Just speaking generally about the Kansas landscape here, it requires a level of patience and attention that other places do not.  Admittedly I have not done a ton of traveling but I have ventured out a bit and other places show their hands immediately to you.  Mountains! Lakes! Forests! High Rises! HERE IT IS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE AT ALL TIMES! But in Kansas, time and a trek off the interstate is required.  I have to stop and take moments to take in what is there. Often it's a quiet subtle beauty as you explore, that then crescendos into mind boggling ancient rock formations, or wetlands, or rolling hills or waterfalls tucked behind trees. It's the remains of the past preserved, it's the art installations of quirky neighborhood folk, it's hand painted sign of the small business.

Part of me wishes to keep the secret all to myself because once it gets out you can't put the genie back in the bottle. I'm afraid it would lose its magic. Another part of me is proud of where I live and is ready to say look at my home, ain't she great?

So with "A Love Letter to Kansas", my zine soon to be for sale through Themselves Press  I am shouting out, I love you, Kansas! Hopefully when you buy your copy, you'll see for yourself, why I do.