There is a little out of the way place in the Ozarks, tucked down in the corner of Missouri, not far from Arkansas, not far from Oklahoma, that has carved out a name for itself during the Christmas holiday. A few things had to fall into place, even a little change of name, to give rise to this mountain tradition, one that is still going strong today and one you can take part in!
Octagon City was an attempt at establishing a vegetarian Utopia on the plains of Kansas in the mid 1850s. The Reformers of the Day were out to change the world through Phrenology, avoiding the evils of liquor, coffee and tea, limiting the spread of slavery and improving their life through a meat-less diet. A little spot on the banks of the Neosho River was chosen. The vegetarian emigrants also believed the Octagon to be the best design for a family home and the entire community was based on that shape. One hundred brave souls arrived in Kansas in the Spring of 1856 to make their new start, until…
A serious technical glitch has not only prevented me from getting episodes out in the past couple of weeks, but has also lost most of my work over the past few months to the digital ether-world! The first thing I thought of when I digested the news? Less than comforting words from an old Mark Twain novel.
On a hilltop in Kansas stands a weather-beaten monument to the Indian, who at the time of the placement of the statue was becoming a memory of days gone by. The statue continues it’s vigil over the valley below but in the overgrowth of the hill, it is unseen, except for those who know where to look. The Indian, the statue, has a story that mirrors the Indian, the people.
The Air Conditioning gave up the ghost this weekend, so I have a few things I’m juggling along with this podcast schedule, but it got me to thinking about a few things…so here are a few of those thoughts.
Within the Realm 