Phantom Planter

Back to the planter issue in downtown.

WAY TO GO .... to the Phantom Planter. Somebody, probably in the coat of darkness, took it upon themselves to put some plants in one of the downtown pots that had been sitting empty.

Wonder if the ghost will reveal themselves? Anybody out there have any clues to this mystery?

It doesn't appear to be the city, based on the evidence left at the scene — a note that read simply "Phantom Planter."

Kind of like Batman — swooping into the darkness to save the day, humbly returning to where he came from, safe from credit or fame!

Male role models

This was written as a comment but I thought it deserved it's own post.

I would like to talk about all the men who volunteer to lead a group of boys in sports. I am a single parent and have a nine year old son. His father isn't a total deadbeat but he isn't involved so my son doesn't have a good role model to look up to. So I would like to say that there are a great group of men in our community who dedicate their time to my son. In doing so, they are a great role model. I am truly grateful for their positive influence on my son. Hopefully, he will emmulate these qualities and not the ones of his slacker father.

Aside: I am glad you have this blog. I feel that you are right, too many times news is negative I think it is good to show the positive.

Shane Pruitt and Linsday Rob deserve high praise for starting Extreme Paintover. It's a volunteer program to help people paint their houses who can't do it themselves. The second house will be painted June 30. The idea is to get enough donated paint and enough volunteers to finish in one day, a la the Extreme Makeover model. Check the Traveler online archives for stories. There's also a video story on the Web site.

Pruitt is the city's code inspector, so he knows the world of deteriorating property and how hard it is to get things cleaned up. Linsday works at the land rush museum. These are two city employees, among many, who are more than bureacrats and care deeply about this town.

Pots, people

A BIG SHOUT OUT to anyone who steps up and takes responsibility for one or more of those bloomin' flower pots in downtown Ark City!

www.arkcity.net/stories/061107/com_0003.shtml

The two teens

Kudos to the two teenage girls who stopped by our kids lemonade/cookie stand last Saturday. Isaiah and his friend Billy set up at the corner of C and Central, in front of our house, and weren't getting many customers. (They had better luck the previous weekend.)

Anyway, it'd been about an hour or so since their last customer. Isaiah's mother and I were feeling a little bad for the kiddos. We were about to tell them to pack it in for the day when a car pulled up and out popped two teenage girls. (Mom and I were watching between the blinds from inside the house) I didn't recognized them, but they certainly were cheerful and friendly to the kids.

The girls smiled and asked questions as the boys sprang into action. Isaiah handed over cookies on a napkin. Billy carefully poured cups of lemonade. Isaiah studied hard to make the right change.

Perhaps the teens were really thirsty and hungry, but I got the feeling that they also wanted to help out a couple of good kids learning about life. Perhaps the girls operated a lemonade stand or two, and felt a tug toward memory lane.

The girls said goodbye and got into their cars, probably off for some fun on a Saturday night. They certainly helped make my day.