TallGrass Prairie & the Flint Hills

A few hours southwest of Kansas City is a remnant of the TallGrass Prairies that covered so much of the US.  Most prairie has been tamed -- the buffalos are now featured in "wing shops" and the open sky is filled with the clutter of high rises and factories.  But here in the Flint Hills you can hike a mile or so and see Prairie in all directions.

We did not really experience true TallGrass--grass over 6 feet or so grows only in a few places within the Preserve--but we did see SKY and GREEN (controlled burns to promote the grasses) and BROWN and ROLLING HILLS and TREES.  In a different way it was rugged but seemed tame and natural.

The highlight of our trip -- easily the small buffalo herd that lives within the Preserve.  We were treated to a bit of "aggressive behavior" by the herd.  As we walked along the gravel road that divided green grasses from brown grasses, the bulls decided to let us know:  STOP.  They all lined up and looked at us and walked straight at us.  Now, we were easily a football length field away.  So we backed up and waited. And then the bulls looked at us and walked towards us again.  So we backed up.  Finally we decided to skip the hike -- walk backwards and get on the other side of the electric fence.  It was exciting!!

Rolling hills and sky.  Creases of trees.  Thousands of flowers and grasses.

Pincushion Cactus in bloom!

That would be the HIKER BACK UP  signal from the Bulls!  They walked at us & we walked backwards away.
A couple of times. 

YOU -- MOVE IT

Lovely shape and flash of color

Post on the hill

Old restored 1 room school house

Purple!

Green in the far distance 

New growth

Trees line the creek 

Pink....

Barrel by Rock Wall