My Journey to a New Coffee Shop

I ventured outside of Independence and visited a different coffee shop. The results were not the greatest, but here is my review anyway.

My Journey to Utopia http://theinsanewriter.blogspot.com/2013/10/my-journey-to-utopia.html

Why I Hate the Customer Service at Independence, Kansas's Mcdonalds

It doesn't matter if you walk in or go through the drive-thru, the Mcdonalds in Independence, KS always seems to make the order incorrectly. Now normally their customer service is just irritating with a simple wrong drink or forgot the fries kind of order, but yesterday they had me fuming!

First thing we noticed was instead of the medium drink that comes with an extra value meal, they handed us small drinks. Then when they did correct the drinks, they gave me a sweetened tea instead of the unsweetened I had ordered.

Next, they forgot the sauce for our nuggets. When asked if we could get sauce, the drive-thru employee rattled off BBQ and honey mustard only because she refused to get any of the other sauces from the front counter or have another employee bring them over.

And finally, our fries were cold because I'm assuming they'd made those and sit them out while waiting on the nuggets to finish cooking.

It's such a shame that this McDonalds has gone downhill so far.

It's now enough that I will avoid going there for a very long time.

A future in the making

I haven't done much with this blog because I haven't had the time or the online access. Now that I have more online access and a little more time, I want to work on promoting mom and pop businesses and small towns in the area. There are so many good things we can do with this area to make it the greatest!

It's Neewollah, The Halloween Festival Fun in Independence, Kansas

Every year we have a grand festival known as Neewollah. It's not a small festival; it's one where people from all over the United States come to enjoy. As a matter of fact, every hotel is booked nearly a year in advance due to Neewollah. So what is Neewollah really all about and why does this festival attract so many visitors?
After a bad experience with vandalism and trick or treating in 1918, Independence, Kansas came up with the wonderful idea of a town festival which they named, Neewollah. Neewollah began as a one-day event that consisted of a rodeo, parade and a Neewollah Queen. Read More...

For More Information about Neewollah and Our Town of Independence, KS, please visit:
http://www.neewollah.com/ 

Ralph Mitchell Zoo

If you've ever been to the Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence, KS, you'll know right away that it's a quiet little zoo where the animals can relax and have one on one care with their caretakers. In addition to the zoo is a little concession stand where kids can experience cotton candy, popcorn, snowcones and other amusement park snacks for a fairly reasonable price. Then of course there's the fun of seeing the animals.

Not too long ago I made a trip to our little zoo to visit some of our animals and take some photos. As you'll see there were a few who just happened to ham it up for the camera. Let's start with Monkey Island, where of course the monkeys roam and home of Miss Able, one of the first monkeys ever to be sent to space. Of course there are days like the day I happen to go when the monkeys just weren't really willing to pose for anything. I did catch some of the birds swimming around the island who were hoping I'd send a treat their way.

 Then, I roamed over to another monkey cage where they were okay with my photo snapping as I managed to get a photo or two. But as you can see this guy just wasn't too amused.









Next, I visited our little owl who gave me a look of  "Hey, Don't Take My Pic!" Each of the areas where the animals are housed have a little card stand with some information about them, where they are originally from and sometimes include a name given to them.

My next stop was to what I'll call bird island where the little ones and big kids at heart are able to feed the birds from the treats machines located nearby. There are also benches placed in various areas near the island as well as monkey island where you can take a break and just enjoy the scene.

Then, I visited the reptiles where some creepy looking snakes and a few other fun creatures live. Of course I live with a reptile, so seeing one wasn't a really big deal for me, but for kids and again the big kids at heart, it's always a cool place to check out.

Next, it was off to the see the bear, cat and other birds live.
Unfortunately, they were all in hiding that day, so I look a couple of cool pics of the area and walkway that's well worth seeing.

And finally, I saved the best for last. This is the ham of the camera even though it looks like a planned escape. Hmm, maybe it is! But, there are so many other great animals to see including the peacock birds that roam free throughout, and the best part about Ralph Mitchell Zoo itself is there is no cost to get in. It's free.

Hey, There's a Chicken in Your Yard!

When you think of raising chickens, you think of farming, or at least I do! So when I recently learned that you can raise chickens in town, here in our small town of Independence, Kansas, I was a bit (okay, a lot) surprised.

But, to be perfectly honest, I think it's a great idea! What better way to help save money and eat naturally! And all our city asks is that you pay for a $2 permit a year (vs. a $200 fine if you're caught without the permit), which is good for as many chickens as you want to raise. However, you do need to keep their area clean and keep the noise down. So yes, it's not a super easy chore, but in the end, I believe it will be worth the effort.

Now that's just Independence, KS's requirements, and every town has their own rules and regulations, so you'll need to check into your area's. And, in addition to your city's requirements, you should be ready for outside critters and any other thieves who may find your chicken investment as a welcoming and free meal.You'll also want to be prepared for any neighbor complaints, which I certainly hope doesn't happen.

Also, if you have kids, you should expect that they'll want to keep a chicken for a pet and while you may want to respond with a no, you could allow them a chicken that lays eggs so you and your kids are both winners in the end. Plus, it's a good education tool for farming know-how and teaches kids responsibility.

Also, a cage or pen is necessary to keep your birds from straying and anyone who enters your yard such as the local utility meter-readers from accidentally setting them free.

 For more information on how to raise chickens, checkout these books at our Independence Local Library, or visit your local bookstore.

• 4-H Guide to Raising Chickens 
• Veterinary guide for animal owners : caring for cats, dogs, chickens, sheep, cattle, rabbits, and more 
• Storey's guide to raising chickens 
• Your chickens : a kid's guide to raising and showing 
• The joy of keeping chickens : the ultimate guide to raising poultry for fun or profit 
• ABC of poultry raising : a complete guide for the beginner or expert 
• Backyard poultry raising 
• Barnyard in your backyard : a beginner's guide to raising chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, sheep, and cattle 
• Fresh food from small spaces : the square-inch gardener's guide to year-round growing, fermenting, and sprouting

Ane Mae's Coffee and Sandwich Shop

If you are familiar with Ane Maes' coffee shop, then you probably already know they've recently relocated to downtown. And you probably already know how fabulous their coffees and sandwiches are. If you haven't visited Ane Maes, their new location is in the International Mall located downtown at 325 N. Penn Ave. in Independence, KS.

This family-owned little coffee shop, which is open for both breakfast, lunch and dinner with the exception of being closed on Sundays, offers a variety of flavored coffees from Iced Vanilla Lattes to Almond Joy that are made to your liking. In addition to their flavored coffees, they also carry a unique variety of regular coffees (that can also be purchased to enjoy at home) with flavors that will dazzle your senses with hints of chocolate, strawberry, pepper and more.

Or if coffees aren't your thing, you might enjoy a nice cup of flavored tea, hot or iced to your liking.

And while you're there you'll want to stop by for lunch and indulge in delicious lunch specials like a turkey sandwich with avocado, a veggie sandwich, a roast beef salad, or chicken tortilla soup.

Ane Maes also serves muffins like their pancake and bacon muffins, scones and cookies that are baked fresh daily, and offer limited time only treats, like yummy fudge brownies for special occasions like today.

And to top it all off, you get great-friendly service that's so rare to find in bigger cities. 

So in closing, on a scale of one to ten, I'd give this fabulous little coffee shop with a big heart, undoubtedly a ten.