Yesterday was a quiet day at work.  I got home early, and between my partner and I all we had to do was to sit and wait for the phone to ring.  I figured there's no sense in both of us waiting for the phone to ring, I should go do something with the girls.  Well, on my various travels around the county I've noticed that lots of wildflowers are starting to bloom.  This gave me the idea that it would be nice to go for a drive and see something we haven't seen before.  We could pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it.

 

So I made some sandwiches, loaded the girls up in the car and off we went to see the Pawnee Buttes in the Pawnee National Grasslands.  I've seen the edge of the grasslands before, but had never driven out into them, plus I'd heard the buttes were kind of interesting.  Couple that with the fact that we've had a lot of moisture lately, the grass should be green and growing, if we're ever going to see them, this would be the perfect day.  Also I'd heard they'd put up some big windmills out on the grasslands that would be kind of neat to see.  My thinking was that it's not that far from our home, and it's a shame that we've lived here this long, and still not seen this beautiful part of the country.

 

Well, it turns out that the grasslands aren't that far from our home.  But getting to the buttes is significantly farther than getting to the edge of the grasslands.  Add to that the fact that you've got a one year old, and a three year old sitting in the car, and it's now a much further drive (at least it seems like it).  Then add to that the fact that the grasslands are more or less what the name implies.  Grass.  Well, grass if you're lucky.  Much of it has been invaded by weeds, weeds that look just like the weeds you see growing along the side of the road everywhere.  Oh and Cactus.  Cactus that makes it so you don't dare let your little girls get out and play, or they'll wind up looking like a porcupine. 

 

Were there windmills, oh yes.  What I should have deduced from that fact, is that there's lots of wind out there.  Wind which also makes it undesirable to get out of the car to play, or to even eat your picnic lunch.

 

So let's see three whiny girls packed in the car for five hours, lots of weeds, wind, and no where to park to have a picnic.  Brilliant idea Mikey!