What Makes Me an Urban Pioneer?

Yesterday we took our boys down to the swimming beach at the local state park. It’s mostly too cold for swimming, but they waded and played in the sand and had a glorious time. I thought about how much more sense it made to come here than to the overpriced public pools in town. Not to mention the pools are more crowded, and I just loved the feeling of being out in nature in the water. On the way out we bought an annual vehicle pass so that we can return frequently this summer. And I was so excited.

In the evening we were out for family dinner, and were close to the plaza of a new public regional ecological education center that is opening soon. We remembered having seen the fountains on previously this week when driving by, so we took the boys to check it out. There was a fountain spring, and a river of water with jumping fountains all along the edges, ending in a splash pad whirlpool with LED-lighted water spouts. Every 15 minutes or so music would begin and the fountains would start interacting with the music. My boys had a ball. They were in and out of the water, and by the time we left they were soaked up to their waists, and we were all talking about attending the grand opening of the center. And I was so excited.

This is why I am an urban pioneer. I love the ability to commune with nature in a one-on-one fashion, and I also love well-designed public urban spaces that exist to enrich the masses.

In the same vein, the other day I watched my son playing with our wooden blocks.

Our blocks are a collection of new and old, homemade and factory made, purchased and thrift-ed.   I could be a purist and make them all at home.  I could be a purist, and buy them all second hand.  I could be a purist, and only keep natural/unpainted wood blocks.  But the truth is, I like the collection all together.

I like that blocks are an open-play toy.  I like that the blocks are made of a natural material that feels good in the hands.  And then, I like the pops of color, and I like the shapes of some of the machine-hewn blocks that I never would have been able to create on my own.

And so it is that I am a walking contradiction.  I love the good things designed by God, and I love the good things designed by man.  I am an urban pioneer.

 

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What makes you an urban pioneer?

Keeper of the Plains

We had the amazing luck when picking up my parents from the Wichita airport for Thanksgiving that their plane was delayed the perfect amount of time to let us drive by the Keeper of the Plains plaza right as the fire bowls were lighting up for their nightly 15 minute “ring of fire”.

 

Source

The huge statue of the Native American “Keeper” sits right where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers join.  There are two pedestrian bridges crossing each of the rivers to get to the plaza at the confluence.   We climbed down to the base of the statue to feel the warmth of the huge flames on that very chilly evening.

 

The boys were interested in the bridges–but completely mesmerized by the huge flaming drums.  This is one of those big city amenities that I love (one of the things that keeps me happy to be an urban pioneer).  The experience of designed space.  My husband is a landscape architect after all–what else can I say?