And she goes on and on and on

Are you getting tired yet of my yammering about what we did over the Labor Day weekend?  Too bad if you are I suppose, because today I am continuing where I left off.



Overhead view of Jacob L.  Loose Park



After we left the Country Club Plaza area on Saturday, we went directly to feed our faces at a cute little breakfast joint near Loose Park. 



The Monnett Battle Field Cannon



At 75-acres, Jacob L. Loose Park is one of Kansas City's most popular, beautiful and historical. The park is well-known locally as being a major site for the Battle of Westport where Confederate forces were defeated by Union forces in the area in which the park is now located. It is estimated that 29,000 people were involved in the battle. The battle took place on October 23, 1864 and was the largest battle ever fought west of the Mississippi.  There are a number of memorials and markers within the park denoting the battle.

In modern day Kansas City, the big draw to the park is weddings.  Women vie for the chance to get married in the Rose Garden.  Anyone that wanted to get married in the park in 2012 they needed to register last April 1st.  (that right...April 1st in 2011 to get married in 2012)  For those wanting to get married in 2013 in the park they need to book it April 3rd, 2012.



My pictures of course aren't showing the beauty of the roses
because this is the hottest, crappiest, driest summer that
has ever been the pleasure of Kansas Citians.



The trellises go in a circle around the fountain



following the path



keep following

 

You guessed it...The center fountain



While we were walking around taking our pictures
there was a lady planning her wedding.  As we
passed we could hear her talking about how
the procession would come in.

heading out of the Rose Garden



over to the pond



The Good for the Day....Beautiful park especially when all 4000+ rose bushes are in bloom.

The Bad for the Day....The disappointed brides that either can't get a reservation or get rained out.

The Weird for the Day .... In 1978 artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude that are famous for doing environmental works of art around the world came to Kansas City to wrap the walkways in Loose Park in Saffron (their words...most people called it yellow).  The project costs came in at $130,000.00. (doesn't that translate to a gazillion dollars in 2011) Christo ended up paying for it himself through sales of pictures and sketches. 

After 52,000 feet (15,850 meters) of seams and hems had been sewn in a West Virginia factory, professional seamstresses, using portable sewing machines and assisted by many workers, completed the sewing in the park. The cloth was secured in place by 34,500 steel spikes (7 x 5/16 inch/17.8 x 0.8 centimeters) driven into the soil through brass grommets along the sides of the fabric, and 40,000 staples into wooden planks on the stairways.



Let's all go spend the day at the park