Tag Archives: Hell On Wheels

Kansas – Nebraska Day Trip

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Travelling along, no car projects this trip, so snooze! Yeah that sounds pretty good.

We were heading north through Kansas and came across Waconda Lake between Beloit and Cawker City, a massive expanse of waterway. Not much out this way except lots of farming and Beloit is clearly a very large agricultural hub.

 

Continuing North we took a quick side trip for a mile off the Hwy8 which took us to the Dr Higley cabin. (Lovingly taken care of, restored and remaining on its original site thanks to Mr and Mrs Pete Rust)

 

Birthplace of 'Home On The Range' the Kansas state song was written in 1871 by Dr Brewster M. Higley as a poem of his property in Kansas alongside Beaver Creek. In 1872 he gave it to a guy by the name of Dan Kelley who set it to music. A refrain was added (the chorus, home, home on the range….) and his poem 'my western home' became 'home on the range. The poem and song were published in 1872 and '73.

It became popular amongst Cowboys riding long distances with cattle drives and later Franklin D. Roosevelt declared it as his favourite song. In 1947 a bill was passed in the Kansas Legislature establishing the song as the official state song.

Continuing on, we crossed into Nebraska, heading towards Minden.

Minden established 1877 – the Christmas city – has a nice selection of old homes and the Harold Warp Pioneer Village. Anything and everything you could think of from mans progression since 1830. 26 buildings, 3 city blocks – not enough time to do in a short afternoon.

 

Next to Kearney (pronounce Car-nee). We crossed the Platte River taking us through even more farmland. Soon we hit the I80 into Kearney through the The Great Platte River Arch Monument. We went into the Arch Monument and their historical exhibit, wow! Oh….my….goodness!

 

The murals were just sensational! So much detail! Standing there looking at them while listening to the commentary you saw so much more. This is a place I could come back to multiple times and still see more. You were given a device at the beginning of the tour that had multiple points during the tour where you got the information along the way. More than that, the displays, the video's, the models, murals, everything was sensational!

 

Then it was find a motel to stay in and tomorrow we will see the some other museums, maybe a railway one and Chimney Rock before moving on through to Cheyenne, WY.

Sleep well!

Kat xo

P.S. The I80 was Einsenhower's way of employing those back from the war by building the greatest Trans continent road between SanFrancisco, California to New York. A multi lane highway stretching from one side of the country to the other! Made transport easier and gave all veterans an employment opportunity.

 

Oops! I Dyed It Again

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble.

Dye this fringe, so I won’t whinge.

Red and black, can never go back.

Seems to be working, I don’t know.

Better than orange, that is so!

Time, time, ten minutes in.

Have a look and leave it spin.

Set the timer, twenty for sure.

How’s my rhyming, do you want more?!

Stirring, stirring, constant pot.

Working up a sweat, with this lot!

Seven minutes more, this really is a bore.

Typing with one finger, while I have to linger.

Oops, there goes the bell!

Now only time will tell.

Rinse it with a …..sigh, and wait for it to dry.

Okay this IS looking pretty good at the moment. The hands….not so much, should’ve worn gloves while rinsing. Coupl’a days! She’ll be Jake!

 

Mission, semi accomplished! Might I add, this is round 3! Did the second batch this morning, still wasn’t happy, now I just might be! 🙂

Have a good one!

Kat xo

 

To Dye For

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Yes, nice little play on words there. 🙂

I have started the recreation process of the 'Eva' outfit from Hell on Wheels for my friend Belle Vaquera.

 

The underskirt is complete, with built in petticoat.

 

The overskirt is now taking shape with the gold skirt finished, it is waiting on the teal and burgundy chiffon overlay.

 

Fabric acquired. Fringing acquired………supposed to be cranberry. 😦

 

Not to worry, after a bit of sort after advice let's just dye it!

So yesterday in between spurts of B-Western shirts and lunch I decided to give it a crack.

Cut 1 small sample, put on pot of water/dye solution, boil said piece for 15mins. Ahh success! It is a deeper colour and more in tune with the chiffon and bodice fabric. Yippee!

 

……..many hours later, I return to switch lights off in the study and see that my sample piece – now dry – is no different to how it was that morning!!

 

Sigh, well, I know it needs to be in the dye longer and now I know it will be the whole lot of dye, not much water, salt or vinegar to set and leave it for 30mins plus. That can be this afternoons task.

Have a colourful day!

Kat xo

P.S. In my quest to have things as close as possible to the real deal, I have finally come up with a way to do the gold embroidery that I'll be happy with and whilst doing yoga this morning have worked out the edge trim. As Mum would say 'a blind man on a galloping horse wouldn't see it' if it wasn't there……but I would 😉 xo