I LOVE the people that live at Meadowlark Hills. We are all different but similar, and that makes for a great place to live.
HOGtoberfest: 12th Annual Event Boosts Good Samaritan Fund
November 13, 2025
Blog
The eight species of aquatic turtles that may be found in our region present a more complicated variety of overwintering strategies than do box turtles.
Most of them are active from mid-March (some earlier) through mid-November (some later). And most overwinter by digging into mud below water in a lake, pond, or stream, with the common snapping turtle going as much as 18 inches deep. The yellow mud turtle and slider turtle (“red ears”) may burrow into a muddy bank above water. The false map and Ouachita map turtles may choose a muskrat den.
Why the Watermelon?
Meadowlark Hills loves art. Not to say that each individual resident loves art, but the organization as a whole appreciates many types of art displayed throughout our campus. There are three unique pieces of art located outside the Community Room. If you visit that area, you will find portraits of people who have played a significant role in the history of Meadowlark Hills. One is of the Sloan family, one is of our former CEO Steve Shields and the third depicts Jim Morrison with a watermelon.
Wait…what? A watermelon?
Submitted by Jon Bechtel, Project Manager
The final voting for the third, fourth and fifth floor remodeling project has been completed. The winning selection on each floor has been posted on the wall in front of the west elevators.
We will start construction on the third floor starting Monday, Feb. 22. We plan on six weeks of construction per floor with a completion date of all floors by Sunday, May 15.
Submitted by Kenzie McAnulty
Anthropology students will be hosting a Mortified Event, a comedy show where residents, students and friends have the opportunity to share old diaries, journals and letters in front of a crowd. If you would like to provide any of these materials, please contact Monte Spiller at 323-3801. The deadline to turn these in is Friday, Feb. 26.
Please contact Kenzie McAnulty, anthropology student, by email at kenziem@ksu.edu or phone at (316) 734-8483, with any questions.
The poet Ogden Nash touches some of our perplexity concerning turtles and tortoises with the following ditty:
The turtle lives ’tween fixed plates,
which practically conceal its sex.
Me thinks it clever of the turtle,
in such a fix to be so fertile.
Love & Lo Mein
I love Valentine’s Day. Mostly because I love to send Valentine’s to my family and friends – this holiday makes for a great excuse to show the ones you love that you are thinking about them.
Submitted by Kay Shanks
If you are a resident who has just moved to Meadowlark Hills or moved to a new apartment or cottage on campus, you will need to re-register in order to vote in the upcoming election. Meadowlark Hills has the forms located at the Hospitality Desk and can assist you in getting this re-registration completed.
Please see Robin at the Hospitality Desk or give her a call at 323-3847, for necessary paperwork. Residents can also call Kay Shanks at 341-7981, for questions or concerns.
Submitted by Jayme Minton
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who attended the Mardi Gras Party! I had an amazing time dancing, celebrating and dining with all of you. Thank you to all of the residents who allowed us to close Prairie Star Restaurant for dinner so that we could make the event happen! The restaurant staff and our fantastic Executive Chef, John Gasser, prepared a beautiful and delicious meal.
For the lucky winners who found a baby in the King Cake served at the Cajun Buffet in the Community Room, please come find me to claim your prize!
The following lines are taken from one of the songs that Johnny Cash sings, on his CD album entitled Bitter Tears, in celebration of American Indians:
There are drums beyond the mountains,
Indian drums that you can’t hear.
There are drums beyond the mountains,
and they’re getting mighty near.
On Trying to Predict John Q. Public
Submitted by Helen Roser
Years ago, I took a course from a wonderful tough New York editor. It was called “Writing for Publication.” On the first day, she roared at the class: “I don’t ever want to hear anyone say this is a class for ‘creative writing.’ It is a course in how to write what gets published. Publishers are not in the business to save the world. They are in business to make money!” At that point, several women students, offended, got up and exited.