During our adventures, I typically lay out an itinerary several days in advance and then watch as those plans are turned on their ear. When originally heading for Kansas City, jazz was the main theme on my mind, but it simply was not meant to be. Buck O’ Neil’s passing closed down the American Jazz Museum but created an opportunity for learning which demonstrates even in death, he still opens doors to teaching and understanding. The previous day was rich, not only because of the history we encountered but the way it sprang to life in the faces of the many visitors to the museum.

The experiences of the previous day left our hearts light and our minds pondering. A trip to the Moon Marble Company in Bonner Springs, Kansas was the perfect diversion. Started ten years ago by marble artist, Bruce Breslow, his company entertains over 12,000 visitors each year with marble making demonstrations and the best collection of classic toy offerings I have seen anywhere.

The kids perked up immediately upon entering the business. Bruce started his business by handcrafting wooden board games. He had trouble locating marbles for his handmade Chinese checkers, tic-tac-toe, marble bowling and wahoo games. Rather than wringing his hands over the shortage, he learned how to make marbles and is recognized not only as a leader in marble marketing but has emerged as one of the country's top marble artists.

Upon entering the store, you are hit with every variety of manufactured marble imaginable. Kids and adults alike are drooling in this marble candy store; the kids because of the wonderful variety of colors and forms available in jar after jar of marbles and the adults as we wax nostalgic over our own marble shooting days.

Believe it or not, I still have my marbles from when I was a kid. I am especially fond of clearies, collecting every color possible along with cat eyes, aggies, peewees and steelies. They rest inside a long since defunct Gallup Merchants Bank money bag. I am only half joking when I tell the kids not to mess with my marbles. I figure as long as I have them, some semblance of sanity can still be mine.

Bruce was not demonstrating that day, but another fine marble artist, Brian Heikes was on board. He explained how many of the marbles start with glass canes; twisted and pulled strands of colored glass the artists stretch up to twenty feet in order to create the interesting colors and swirls inside their rounded art.

Looking on in fascination, the kids and I watched him create a baseball marble. We marveled at his ability to make the “stitching” on the ball match up when he was turning the marble and not able to see where he was going with the stitching. His baseball marble needed a day to cool so I looked at his other offerings and found a beauty which reminded me of the earth. The kids had a blast hand picking their own starts to a fine marble collection and I couldn’t resist adding to my own. I know this is a company I will return to time and again, not only for their great selection of marbles and nostalgic toys, but more importantly, the great attitude with which they approach their business.

Having satiated our marble cravings, we headed for the Nelson Atkins Museum. I have to say the kids have been very good sports about the museum visits. We haven’t reached the “not another museum!” stage, not yet anyway. I knew little about this particular museum so was wonderfully surprised by the richness of their collection.

The kids and I initiated our visit in the Kansas City Sculpture Park, twenty-two acres of sloping lawn surrounding the museum. They immediately fell in love with the giant shuttlecocks positioned on both sides of the museum. We all laughed out loud at their audacity and sly humor. Husband and wife artists, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen had positioned four enormous shuttlecocks, two on each side of the neoclassical building as if the museum itself were the net.

My favorite sculpture was a multi-figured installation, thirty headless men created by Polish artist, Magdalena Abakanowicz. I found them moving; the children thought them creepy. I moved around them, regarding the forms from various angles. The artist gave no explanation preferring people to form their own opinions about the installation.

Venturing inside, I challenged the kids to find their favorite works and soon, I found mine. We fell in with various groups, gleaning the commentary from various docents and other experts. While listening to one woman’s commentary, I turned and was drawn to an enigmatic figure illuminated against a brooding background. As I later shared with my friend, Ian, my little heart started a steady, quick pitter-pat. It could only be the work of the magnificent and troubling Caravaggio.

I simply sat down and stared at the painting. The crimson drape was lush and deep, the figure luminous against a deep chocolate background; the richness of color and contrast continued to draw my gaze around the image. Of course, the kids were wondering what was wrong with me. Our initial exercise of “Find Your Favorite Painting” resulted in their quick glances around the room and picking whichever piece first caught their eye. I sighed at their shallow attempts and continued to move with them through the museum.

The Nelson-Atkins has a rich and diverse collection. Soon the kids started spotting other artwork and my hopes were raised by their ability to slow down and take a more critical look. When all of us were finally overwhelmed by artwork, we decided it was time to relax our eyes and minds and once again venture up and down the rolling hills of the sculpture garden.

My thoughts turned toward the phrase “the remains of the day”...what stays with us after the passage of minutes, with what are we left...did anything of any significance happen, enough to etch a memory. This day our minds were filled and emblazoned with colors swirling inside glass globes, giant badminton tournaments and John the Baptist in the Wilderness.