PrairieDust visual journal

photographer Dave Leiker

Piano at Bushong

Piano at Bushong

Bushong, Kansas – At the back of the auditorium light spills through roof beams onto the keys of this old Hensel standing grand piano. The school was a combination elementary / high school, a handsome building completed in 1952, one year before the town's connections...

Street Concert in Cottonwood Falls

Street Concert in Cottonwood Falls

Cottonwood Falls, Kansas – Above, Judy Coder begins to sing (solo) the Mourning Dove Song, one of the most hauntingly beautiful yodel songs I've heard. After taking this picture I just put the camera away and listened in silence. On every second saturday you'll find...

Self Portrait in Egg Plant

Self Portrait in Egg Plant

Farmer's Market, Emporia, Kansas It isn't a good likeness. I'm not purple, and my body type is at least a little better than an eggplant. Nevertheless, the dark blob reflected in the vegetable fruit on the right is me - in case you're wondering what I look like. But...

Railway Station and Memorial

Railway Station and Memorial

Topeka, Kansas – The All Veteran's Memorial is across the street from the well-maintained Great Overland Station. The 1927 Union Pacific station doesn't serve railroad passengers anymore, but hosts tours and a variety of activities. And, of course, it's good to see...

Perseids Meteor Shower

Perseids Meteor Shower

Photographed from the edge of Lyon County Fishing Lake, Kansas I pulled myself out of bed at 3 a.m. this morning, grabbed my Nikon and headed northwest, away from city lights. I knew the moon would be bright in the sky, obscuring all but the brighter shooting stars....

Ride

Ride

Here's another from the Joyce Thierer series Nikon D300 w/ Nikkor 18-55 f2.8

Thirsty

Thirsty

Neosho River, Kansas – At the roots of the river excursion experience are the huge trees along riverbank, with massive anchors into the soil exposed by river erosion. Often a whole nest of trees weave their foundations into a common root mass, helping each other...

Neosho Passage

Neosho Passage

Neosho River, Kansas – Other than cat-fishermen, not many people see these isolated back stretches of Kansas streams. This is muddy water country. That's the way it is when you live in a state that has some top soil, rather than just rock. It may not be as pretty or...

Feets Up

Feets Up

Just watching it makes me dizzy. We took a walk through the fair and carnival this evening, stopping in the dust to photograph beings spinning above our heads. We cruised the exhibits and finished off the excursion with a shared funnel cake. I hope you'll excuse the...

Hillsdale Bank Bar-B-Q

Hillsdale Bank Bar-B-Q

Hillsdale, Kansas – This old red-brick bank building now hosts a colorful barbeque. Above is the wildly decorated front entrance area. You can sit in a room of the renovated bank, in garden complete with fountains, or in the old caboose section. The caboose even...

Canoe Trip – Alex

Canoe Trip – Alex

Neosho River, Lyon County, Kansas – Master Paddler, Alex Johnston, navigated our way through a few tricky rapids (such as we have here) and around limb obstructions - one of the most dangerous obstacles here, especially during flood conditions. But, of course, one...