Heading out of Minnesota Wednesday morning reminded me of the precarious black ice that threatened new young drivers on their way to and from Mt. Desert Island High School.
“Watch out for black ice” was my constant winter warning.
Yesterday we witnessed at least a dozen cars and trucks flying off the road, a few right before our eyes. Piloted off the highway like paper airplanes.
Twenty years later, black ice still threatens drivers. This time it was older drivers like us. We made it out of Minnesota safely. Away from the snow. Away from the ice.
I’m thrilled to report that our down jackets are packed away until late February, when we’ll return to Arctic Minneapolis.
Yesterday’s twelve-hour driving day transported us to Wichita, Kansas. It was in the mid-50s.
But we needed a respite Thursday morning.
Thanks to Tucson writing group friends Ron and Leslie, who urged me to visit the Wichita Art Museum.
What a dreamy, uplifting interlude! N.C. Wyeth, Edward Hopper, Thomas Eakins, Jean Marin, Diego,Rivera, Marsden Hartley. (Where were the women?)
I think this N.C. Wyeth was my favorite. A young widow out on the prairie alone.
Plenty of Maine paintings were on view, including Marsden Hartley’s “End of the Hurricane.” Most were new to me, never appearing in any books or other exhibits I’ve seen.
Along with a few of Edward Hopper’s mysterious New York paintings:
The Wichita Art Museum is an educational mecca. An ideal opportunity for children to create imaginative stories about art. A special living room with small tables and chairs invited kids to exercise their imaginations.
The museum is such a welcoming, glorious place for all ages:
This cheerful Dale Chihuly design greeted us in the upstairs lobby.
Today we drive on to Albuquerque, where we’ll visit my friends Marla and Mark (I haven’t seen them since my first night out of Tucson on my way to live in Minneapolis in July 2021.)
On Saturday it’s on to my former home in the Sonoran desert! To saguaro cacti! To geckos doing push-ups!
We’ll get to celebrate New Year’s Eve with my oldest dear Tucson friend.
We’re lucky. A fabulous art museum, old friends, and a two-month respite in the sunshine.
Tucson Writer Editor 
Happy ’23 in the warmth, Sheila. Sounds like just the thing for you at this time of year. Hike to your heart’s content, and enjoy every moment!
Same to you Marilee! We’re in Albuquerque. Looking for an authentic restaurant to get chile rellenos for lunch!
Just revised last night’s blog post, in which I repeated myself and made other errors.
Thanks for sharing pics. I love the NC Wyeth, Homesteader. I have not seen that painting prior.
Safe driving, and Happy 2023.
Same to you, JoAnn! Exactly how I felt about Homesteader! The Wichita Art Museum is so worth a visit… so many paintings I loved and hadn’t seen before. We arrived in Tucson yesterday and are too happy to be here.