Today, Kansas, my home state in the US was on my mind.

I started going through my photos in an effort to find those from my home state.  I don't have many shots from Kansas as I don't spend much time there anymore.

But . . . I did find this shot which, in my humble opinion, captures the true and essential, original Kansas.  It is a relatively flat land, but there is so much more there to those willing to find out.  There is natural water, amazing soil, livable spaces, oil and gas underground, 4 real seasons offering something for everyone, and space . . . heaps of space.  We get beautiful sunrises and sunsets as we don't have much obscuring the horizons.  The land is full of colors and textures.  It's quiet - amazing quiet.  One can hear rather loudly one's thoughts.  Standing still, one can get lost in a mesmerizing journey before one's eyes.

Are there prettier landscapes . . . of course.

Are there more interesting views outside of Kansas . . . yes, most certainly there are . . .

But, there is something about Kansas that draws you in just the same as many other locations for similar and different reasons.

Scenery like this (and better I might add) is plentiful in Kansas.  I took this shot in the fall of last year whilst driving.  I used my Nikon D750 with a Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 lens.  This was shot at 1/320 at f/8 with an ISO200 setting.  The D750 is excellent at picking up small details by utilizing fully the dynamic range of its full frame sensor.