Readers, there's little time to blog right now as LFK is still engaged in a continual commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Quantrill's Raid. Hundreds were on hand in South Park last night to listen to 1863 newspaper editor John Speer, who rose from the dead with some trenchant commentary. Here's a photo via 1863 Lawrence: click for a nice FB photo gallery.
If you're like us, you spent a big part of your weekend retracing Quantrill's path of terror through walking tours of downtown Lawrence or Oak Hill Cemetery. It sure was great weather to spend all day pondering a massacre!
And our friends at Watkins Museum opened their impressive new permanent exhibit on the Raid, so make sure to stop by and learn about figures such as Reverend Cordley. And make sure to look for the stranger part of the exhibit called "Modern Views of Quantrill's Raid," which showcases a weird painting (and book) about a department store mannequin named Eliza who witnesses the raid (below) and a somewhat bewildering poem by Kyle Etzel (also below).
Chip: "I think Etzel's work is pehaps meant as a ballsy challenge to those who question the need to continually commemorate historical trauma, such as those who challenge our need to re-enact the massacre via Twitter, complete with tweeting whores and horses and such. Told from a childlike perspective, the poem suggests how desensitized we've become to violence: it can be quickly written off, as easily forgotten as a childhood game. The powerful final line demands to be read as a soul-searching question, despite the childlike lack of punctuation. Also, this poem is kind of funny as shit. I like the 'yoo hoohoo' part."
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But it wasn't all murderous rage in LFK this weekend. We also spent a nice evening on the Replay patio in the company of famous Paris blogger Meg Zimbeck, founder of Paris by Mouth. You foodies better check her work out right here. And also check out Meg, that "food sherpa," all over a recent NY-Times article.
In the photo below, she is handing out wine along the Seine during a cheese tour of Paris. Meg has inspired us to arrange a Larryville Chronicles "PBR tour" of LFK in the near future. From the Replay to Frank's, we'll introduce tourists to the very best spots to sup this sweet nectar.
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