Even though it’s as green as the Emerald City, we’re not in Kansas anymore. Pye and I are cruising around southeastern Pennsylvania. When it snowed in early April a friend asked, “What do April snows bring?” At that time I had no idea what weather to expect in May, but now I know: April snows bring May showers. Lots and lots of May showers. We’re all developing webbed feet and hands.

As I’ve said before, it’s absolutely stunning! Everything is a lovely shade of bright green (from all the rain): the gently rolling hills dotted with farmhouses and silos, the tall trees with new foliage… much like The Emerald City in The Land of Oz must have looked like to Dorothy and Toto.

Dorothy and Toto – still in Kansas.

We’re not in Kansas anymore, but late last year I stopped at Dorothy’s House in Liberal, Kansas.

There’s a little museum, some statues of the characters, and a few buildings to walk around. They offer a tour, of what, I never got to see…

As I didn’t have much time, I asked about the length of the tour and the start time. They told me the tour would start in about 10-15 minutes. OK, I could make that work. I was the only one waiting for the tour, but they suggested I check out the small museum while waiting for the tour to start. After I had finished the small museum, I was still the only one standing around, waiting for the tour to start. I got the impression they didn’t want to bother with the tour for only one person.

I gave up after 20+ minutes when another patron arrived, and was told to visit the museum, just like I was told, before the tour would start. I left. I have no idea how many people they wait for, but they could be more transparent about that. I won’t go back.

There was plenty to see without waiting overly long for the tour to start on a slow day.

“Somewhere over the rainbow… “

Dorothy and Toto in front of her house.

The Tin Man.

The Cowardly Lion.

Scarecrow.

That’s a tour of the outside. I think the other tour might take you inside the little house (pictured above with Dorothy). It’s worth a stop if you’re in the area and a fan of Dorothy and Toto. I don’t know if it’s worth waiting for the inside tour.

I haven’t told a story from the Life of Pye for a while, so here’s a funny one. Try to picture this…

I’m in bed, watching nighttime TV. Pye was sleeping soundly, not in the middle of the bed, oddly enough, but on the bottom corner.

Next thing I know, I was awoken by a sudden “thud”. I looked up and noticed Pye was suspiciously missing from the corner of the bed. I called to her a couple times… No response. (She will usually jump on the bed when I call to her.)

I leaned over the edge of the bed to see her sitting there…. with a “look” on her face. She had an expression that can only be described as a frown. She was looked slightly confused, definitely unhappy, and was sort of looking down at the floor in front of her feet. Frowning. Definitely frowning.

She scarcely gave me a glance when I asked her if she was ok, she just kept looking down. I’m not sure if she was mad because she thought I pushed her off the bed, or if she just suspected I might have pushed her, or is she was wondering how she got on the floor.

I lay back down and called to her a couple more times. Still no response.

A few hours later and I get up and look around for Pye: no Pye in the bedroom, no Pye in the living room. ?? Back to the bedroom, where I find Pye – sleeping in the safety of the laundry basket full of soft clothes, which sits in the corner on the floor, beneath a shelf. Stuff could fall from the sky and Pye wouldn’t be affected.

When the tornado comes to carry me off to Oz, Pye won’t be swept away like Toto… She will be asleep in the safety of the laundry basket.