Jane Coletti Perry's Blog

Do you remember the golden age of train travel? When train stations were the center of commerce and the hub of activity in America? Every summer my family would travel by train from Ames, IA to Ogden, UT to visit our grandparents. As as result, I am forever nostalgic about train stations and this bygone era of travel. I thought it fitting to take a look at the train station in my adopted home town of Kansas City.

Union Station has been an iconic landmark in Kansas City for the past one hundred years. When the former railroad depot was consumed by the flood of 1903, railroad executives decided it was time for a new station on higher ground in a central location. Enter Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt, chosen to design the new station in the beaux-arts style, popular in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. On October 30, 1914 the new station opened to the public. Kansas City had a beauty. The cost was six million dollars. Rail traffic peaked during WWI with over 79,000 trains including 271 in one day.

On June 17, 1933 Union Station was the scene of a botched gangster snatch. Bank robber Frank Nash was being escorted back to Leavenworth Prison (after escaping) when three men appeared with machine guns surrounding the feds car in an attempt to grab Nash. Blasts from the machine guns and return fire from the federal agents ended in the deaths of four lawmen and Nash. It became known as the Union Station Massacre. It was gory, it was public, it was cold-blooded, and it prompted J. Edgar Hoover to beg for Congress to act. Nine major anti-crime bills were passed in less than a year.

The peak years of train travel were during the 40’s (shown above) especially after WWII when troops were returning home. Tickets sold at Union Station declined in the early 50’s. This gradual decline continued through the 70’s with the increase in air travel. In1983 the station closed with Amtrak leaving in 1985. The station fell into disrepair.

It wasn’t until 1996 that voters approved a tax to restore Union Station. It was a hefty undertaking. By 1999 the station reopened with shops, restaurants, theaters, exhibits (Titanic, King Tut) and Science City. Amtrak returned as well.

Union Station, once slated for demolition, has been restored to its former glory. The story of its restoration deserves more attention than I can give here. It was accomplished with much effort after pains taking research. If you’re an architect, you’d enjoy digging into the details

The Ames depot typified the small town stations that were built across America as the railroad system came of age in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s. They were not as grand as the big city terminals but functional and vital in connecting the transcontinental railroad system.

Ames became a town because the railroad designated it as a stop and built a station there in 1865, pictured in the top undated photo. No longer functioning as a train station, in more recent years it has hosted the farmers’ market and housed a gift shop.

What happened to the train station in your town or city? Has it been torn down or repurposed? I think it’s worth the effort to save these buildings when feasible and incorporate them into the 21st century. Grand like Union Station or modest like the Ames station, they represent a rich part of American history that is important to remember.

In closing I have a request. If you’ve read Lila’s Journey and are so inclined, I would greatly appreciate a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Just go to the book page, scroll down on the left and leave a sentence or two or simply click the stars. Either way, reviews are the lifeblood of books. Thank you, friends.

Happy Spring.! Until next time . . .

What’s the story behind Valentine’s Day? How did Cupid become part of this celebration of love? No, it’s not a plot from greeting card companies or confectioners. The answer is an interesting combination of Greek and Roman mythology with the legend of a Christian martyr added into the story.

In Greek mythology, Eros was a powerful, handsome young man who used golden arrows to ignite love (or hate) in gods or mortals. The Romans adopted Eros as Cupid, youthful and depicted with wings. The transformation of Cupid to a cherub happened in Renaissance Art and became more innocent and playful.

The Triumph of Galatea, 1512-14 (fresco)

Saint Valentine was a Roman priest during the third century and ministered to the faithful during the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. He defied Emperor Claudius II and secretly married couples to keep husbands from being conscripted into the Roman army. One legend has it that he healed the blind daughter of his jailer and left her a letter signed “your Valentine.” True or not, the story has persisted. When he tried to convert Claudius to Christianity and would not renounce his own faith, Valentine was sentenced to die and executed on February 14, 269.

Cupid’s connection to Valentine’s Day has Roman roots to Lupercalia, a fertility celebration in mid-February where Cupid as a god of desire became associate with love and matchmaking. During the Medieval period a day for lovers emerged through the works of poets like Shakespeare. The Victorian era brought a tradition of exchanging valentines, and Cupid with arrows became a central figure. This trend exploded with the mass production of cards in the 19th century.

Which brings us to today and the overwhelming choices of valentines to buy like the ones pictured above whether contemporary or Victorian in design. The valentine below is a treasure that I have shared in a previous blog. It belonged to my grandmother Emma, and I would guess it dates circa 1910. I set it out every Valentine’s Day.

I usually don’t fuss over Valentine’s Day, but this year seems different. The news around our country has been intense the past weeks. It might help for all of us to find ways to reach out and extend friendship, love and grace to each other. Maybe a valentine is a way to do that.

Let me close with a special group of ladies, an Overland Park book club where I spoke last month. What a warm, engaging group of women who love to read and discuss and share delicious food! Thank you for welcoming me and reading Lila’s Journey. You can find Kindle and other formats here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4ND9NWN/ref=

Have a special Valentine’s Day. Until next time . . .

We had our first snowfall several weeks ago and for two days afterward the world was glistening, transformed, you could even say it was enchanting. If you’re from Minnesota, “enchanting” might not be your adjective to describe snow. Regardless, I love this photo from Country Living Magazine and the accompanying cow that seems to have a little attitude going for her.

As the year draws to a close, it’s fun to look back at the highlights of 2025. What’s happier than a graduation, like your granddaughter Audrey’s from Arizona State, or a wedding, like Cam and Hannah’s, your long-time neighbors’ son? I love hanging out with younger folks, which is just about everybody these days!

To go along with the my big birthday this year was what I consider a big award for Lila’s Journey, the WILLA Silver Award for Historical Fiction from Women Writing the West 2025. (Has the blog has just descended into a bragging Christmas newsletter? Apologies.) As a way of giving back to WWW for their never ending encouragement, I’m helping screen submissions for next year’s historical fiction entries for this same award. I will be snuggling under a fuzzy blanket during January and February reading manuscripts, mountains of manuscripts.

We’ve just returned from a large family gathering for Thanksgiving in Phoenix. All of us together at the same time is remarkable and worthy of taking a picture! We have been blessed and hope the joy of Christmas fills your hearts and the New Year brings happiness to you and those you love.

I’ll leave you with a link to our Christmas Cantata that the choir presented last week.

Until next year . . .

After researching and reading about the Santa Fe Trail off and on for two years while writing Lila’s Journey, I was in a very sweet spot last week visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico. The purpose was a reunion with hometown girlfriends I’ve known since childhood, which is always special, so it was a win-win.

The direct translation of Santa Fe is Holy Faith. It is a vibrant community, rich in history, full of art galleries, museums, restaurants, and unique stores.

An informative way to see the town is by trolley. To be clear, this is NOT a picture of our group. The morning of our tour the sun was shining in a brilliant blue sky, but the temperature was 44 degrees. We were huddled under lap blankets and grateful to have them. Our guide gave us a detailed early history of Santa Fe while pointing out its many “must see” museums and landmarks . . .

. . .one of the most famous being The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Franciscan Friars brought the Catholic faith as they arrived with Spanish colonists migrating north from Mexico in 1598 and founded the City of Santa Fe in 1610. The first adobe church was built on this site.

Santa Fe has many museums, too many to see in one visit. This is the beautiful courtyard at the New Mexico Museum of Art which featured printmaker and painter Gustave Baumann, an artist new to me. This was a lovely place to sit and soak up the atmosphere.

Another “don’t miss” is The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Although a portion of the gallery was closed due to changes in the exhibit, viewing her art is a special experience. The oil painting above is “Corn” which she painted in 1924. It was one of my favorites along with the introductory movie of her life including personal interviews.

During our four day visit, my friends and I did things as a group or individually. We took time to wander through shops and along the Plaza downtown for Native American art and jewelry. I’ve never seen so many displays of turquoise ranging from vendors on the street to very high end stores.

This stall along the original Old Santa Fe Trail sold blankets, straw baskets and hats.

Here are the girlfriends at the Inn of the Governor’s restaurant our first evening after arriving in town. We also ate at a local favorite, Tomasita’s, and The Coyote Cafe. We shared a milestone birthday this year, and I’ll let you guess which one it was!

Our last day in town was Halloween. The Plaza, which is the center of town, was setting up for an evening of music and entertainment when I walked by at three in the afternoon. Everyone I saw was in costume.

I had one last stop to make. I wanted to stand in the place where the original Santa Fe Trail wound its way into town some 800 miles from its beginning in Independence, MO, near where Lila began her journey in my book. I imagined the freighters and wagons, the mules and oxen, the hundreds of traders and settlers who ventured here at great cost. I have stood at the other end of the trail which runs two miles from my home in Kansas. Of course I had to see the end of the trail here in Santa Fe.

Before I leave, I have an appeal. A dear friend’s son is waiting for a kidney he desperately needs for a transplant. Jason is on the list at the Nazih Zumdi Transplant Center in Oklahoma City. Call 405-951-8724. Or contact me if you can help in any way.

I hope this season of Thanksgiving finds you well and full of gratitude for the blessings in your life. It is a beautiful time of year. Until next time . . .

I visited the WWI Liberty Memorial here in Kansas City yesterday. What a wonderful museum. If you’re ever in town or have a bucket list of great history museums, add this one. I was there an hour and a half and only scratched the surface. I can’t begin to do this museum justice in a brief blog but will share some photos with you.

The museum visit begins with a brief movie which explains the pre-war world in 1914 Europe, the counties involved and their alliances. Imperial rivalries and an arms race between great powers complicated by ethnic tension and nationalism created a tinderbox. When Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne was assassinated in June 1914, the entire continent went from peace to war in a matter of weeks.

Horses were primarily used to transport troops, supplies and heavy artillery. They acted as cavalry for combat. It was a war of artillery and chemical weapons. Note the gas masks above and the canons in the first photo. It was the first time the term “shell shocked” was coined which is now called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

There must have been forty or fifty uniform jackets hanging in one display. Takes your breath away. One large wall was devoted to WWI posters, each a unique piece of art. As you moved through the museum, there was a second movie about America’s entrance into the war in 1917. There were personal letters to and from soldiers, newspapers from towns and cities splashed with headlines of the war, pictures of soldiers from small black and white snapshots to life-size oil paintings.

The walkway entrance to the museum is over a field of 9000 poppies, one for each thousand combatant deaths during the war, a total of nine million. John McCrae, a Canadian physician who served in a Belgian field hospital wrote “In Flanders Field,” the most famous poem to emerge from WWI. The poppy has since become a remembrance of those who served in uniform.

It was a wonderful visit and I will go back.

Some of you have seen this posted on my Facebook page. Lila and I are over-the-moon thrilled to be silver medalists for the 2025 WILLA Award for Historical Fiction from Woman Writing the West. This means everything. Thank you!

I don’t know what happened to September, one of my favorite months, but it flew by. Welcome to autumn and all it’s special offerings–crisp days and ripe apples and good reading. Lila and Marcello are waiting in case you haven’t read them yet. Until next time . . .

Nothing takes me back to my Iowa roots quicker than a picture of a corn stalk. I couldn’t let the month of August go by without sharing a blog from another Iowa native and dear friend, Mary Ellen Vogt, who wrote about detasseling corn as a summer job in the 50’s. What is detasseling you ask? Oh, the wonders of growing up in corn country.

Excerpts from Mary Ellen Vogt’s Blog:

“For teenagers in Iowa, detasseling was and still is a rite of passage, and often it’s a first job. For those unfamiliar with detasseling, here is a brief introduction:

• The tassel is the pollen-producing flowers at the top of a corn plant. It is yellow and “pops” out if you take hold of it exactly right, and then pull upward. Gloves are a must.

• At the farm where I worked in the late 50s and early 60s, hybrid popcorn was grown. The rows of corn were planted with two male rows (#2), eight female rows (#1) and then two more male rows (#2), and this pattern continued across the huge cornfield:

2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

• We kids plucked the corn tassels only from the female rows so the male rows could cross- pollinate. As teenage girls we thought this process that included males and females, was worthy of countless dirty jokes as we worked the long days.

After a soaking rain, common in Iowa in the summer, we walked the rows. When dry, we rode the detasseling machine driven by a crew boss, usually an older girl. The crew bosses had to be VERY careful to enter the row exactly in the middle of the eight female rows. If the crew boss missed by one row and girls pulled tassels on the shorter male rows, those plants were ruined, a serious offense. Not surprisingly, we preferred to ride the detasseling machines, because the job was easier. These detasseling machines from the 1950s illustrate where the eight girls stood while the tractor slowly moved through the rows of corn.

My first paying job other than babysitting was important to me. Mr. Eldridge, my boss, saw something in me that made him think I could safely drive a huge detasseling machine with eight girls aboard, into an enormous cornfield, and recognize the slight difference between a female and male row of corn. Only a round bar held a girl in place on the platform on which she stood, so I had to be careful when driving. Also, as I was driving the tractor forward, I had to turn around often to see the rows behind us to ensure no tassels had been overlooked. If I saw one tassel, a girl had to jump off the machine and run back to pull it. I was not old enough to have a driver’s license, but apparently, it was okay to drive a detasseling machine.

Across the Midwest, teens have been detasseling for decades, but change is in the air according to Ellen Byron (2002), who reported that the advent of male-sterile corn may eventually make detasseling by hand or machine obsolete. For many Iowans, bidding farewell to detasseling is a sad prospect. Nathan Raabe, 21, who detasseled for 9 years, stated, “It’s a ritual, just like high-school football games on a Friday night” (Byron, 2002). I’m proud that I was a part of it.”

I never detassled corn but listened to the stories every summer from my friends who did. It was hard work but they claimed it was fun, “even when we were covered with aphids, slathered with zinc ointment to prevent sunburn, soaked from the morning dew, covered with corn rash, and were dog-tired at the end of day.” None of them were farm girls. They joked and sang and laughed and cemented friendships that have lasted a lifetime. 

What was your first summer job? Or your most memorable part time job when you first started earning money? It would be fun to hear from you. As the summer days tick by, I hope you’re making the most of them. After a brutal ten days with a heat index well over 100, our weather has moderated, and we can enjoy the outdoors again. In fact, it’s nice enough to go fishin’.

A favorite picture of our children in 1977 fishing at Lake Jacomo near Kansas City which captures the essence of summer for me. It was Mother’s Day weekend and my parents came, making the day a treasured memory.

Until next time . . .

P.S. Still plugging away on the sequel to Lila’s Journey

Our guest blogger this week is MaryEllen Vogt. She is Professor Emerita, California State University, Long Beach, with a doctorate in Language and Literacy from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author/co-author of 17 books and over 70 articles and chapters for educators and researchers. Dr. Vogt performs with The Pops Chorale & Orchestra and has recently directed local productions of My Fair Lady and Damn Yankees and acted in a community theater melodrama.

I love the slower pace of summer, don’t you? Fewer meetings and rehearsals, more leisure time to read (or write and rewrite), to take a day trip to someplace nearby, or simply to breathe. I have an interesting book to suggest, a yummy salad you might enjoy, and birthdays to note.

Do you remember reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in high school? It was often required reading, and it came to mind when I recently read James by Percival Everett. James received the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction along with many other awards. It’s a re-imagining of Mark Twain’s novel but told from the perspective of Huck’s friend Jim, an escaped slave.

The first third of the book sticks close to Twain’s original plot, and returning to Jackson’s Island was like revisiting a familiar haunt. But Everett takes the story in new directions such as when Jim is sold to the Virginia Minstrels as their new tenor. Picture this: Jim is a light brown black man painted black to appear like a white man trying to pass for black! Twain didn’t dramatize the racist brutality of antebellum America. Everett does, but it’s not overdone. You might find this an interesting book to read this summer, or dig up a copy of Huck Finn and leaf through it again.

Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing
Salad Ingredients:

6 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces½ cup dried cranberries¼ cup diced red onion¼ cup sunflower seeds3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbledAsian-Style Crunchy Noodles one cup

Greek Yogurt Dressing Ingredients:

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt1/3 cup mayo2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon sugar½ teaspoon kosher salt⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Whisk together dressing.Mix all salad ingredients except noodles.Add as much dressing as needed to moisten the salad, but not soak it.Refrigerate for 2 hours. Add crunchy noodles right before serving. Note: If you plan on leftovers, don’t add noddles to the salad as they get soggy overnight. Instead sprinkle noodles on top of each serving.

Serves 4-6 and can easily be doubled.

On to the birthdays. I celebrated a big one last weekend . . .

What a luscious cake, but a crown? Are you kidding me? Honestly, it was kinda fun. Best part was having both kids in town with us and a few friends to share cake and ice cream followed by dinner on the Plaza. Best day ever.

This Friday will be America’s 249th birthday. We will have a low key celebration since we “partied hearty” last weekend but no doubt the grill will get fired up and fire works will shoot off somewhere. I hope you have a wonderful weekend remembering our country’s founding and celebrating its birthday. Fly your flag.

I have been reworking the plot of the next Lila book. That’s another way of saying I’ve changed my mind more than once and used the delete key a lot the past few weeks, but I think my latest idea has legs. Ever upward and onward!

Until next time . . .

Do you know what posting generates the most responses on my Facebook page? Flowers! Our lilac and snowball bushes have been lush this year, and nothing says new beginnings like spring blossoms.

The first weekend in May we attended Greyson and Kirstin’s wedding. We’ve known Grey since he was born, so it was quite special to be part of this day. They married exactly a year ago in a small family ceremony and renewed their vows before friends at his parents’ home in the country. You could almost say they have had a second new beginning and just left for a honeymoon in Italy.

Yesterday I returned from celebrating granddaughter Audrey’s graduation from Arizona State University. Pictured below, I’m the one that’s not 5’10”, with my buttons popped off in pride at her accomplishments.

It was fun to watch Audrey and her friends before they go their separate ways and start the next chapters in their lives. Some will stay in Phoenix, as will Audrey who thankfully has a job. “Is her job related to her marketing degree?” asked practical grandpa. Yes, it is.

New beginnings got me to thinking about friendships. As our country drives down a new road, that road appears to be bumpy for some and smooth for others. We can’t assume which road our friends are on. I believe true friendships take precedence over circumstances; we can be happy with those who are in a good place and sympathetic to those who need understanding. A very wise man, King Solomon, has much to say about friendship. “A friend sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs18:24. Is there such a thing as a reset button for a particular friendship? Now might be a good time if you find yourself on a road apart from your friend.

So what’s your new beginning? Has your family added someone new? Is there a friendship that needs renewed care? Those are significant. Or is it something small, like adding a new activity to your daily routine? I’m promising myself to accomplish much on Book II in Lila’s Journey this summer.

Before I go, I’ll sprinkle in pictures of a few friends–singing sisters on top, DAR sisters on the bottom.

Happy spring! Until next time . . .

Rather than searching for a destination for spring break, spring break came to us.

One of our grandchildren called out of the blue a few weeks ago and asked–to our astonishment–if she could spend a few days with us during her break. This was a first for us. After I swallowed my astonishment and found my voice I answered, “Of course you can come. But you know, Grandpa and I go to bed at 9:00.”

What followed was four days of fun, which began at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in downtown Kansas City.

Rachel is an art student at the Savannah School of Art and Design so I thought she (me too) would enjoy the impressionist exhibit which included Monet’s Water Lilies.

The museum has a great collection, and we only scratched the surface. We took a break for lunch in the museum’s beautiful Rozzell Court. One of the docents told us the base to the fountain (pictured lower left) was brought from Italy and dates around 400 AD. There’s nothing like entertaining company to get you out and about in your own back yard and remind you of the treasures there.

After a healthy dose of culture, on day two we headed to the movie theater and grabbed a huge popcorn to watch Captain America. Rachel and her siblings have grown up with Marvel characters, and I’ve seen a few of these movies myself, a great escape and all. I’ve always like Harrison Ford, but it was still a stretch for me when he–spoiler alert–morphed into the Incredible Hulk near the climax of the movie.

And a little mall shopping? Yes, please. I found myself in the dubious position of giving my granddaughter advice on buying jeans. Are you kidding me? We hit several stores, and she came away with an acceptable haul.

Spring break was noteworthy because none of our grandchildren have ever lived less than a three hour drive or a plane ride away from us; time together has always been precious. If your grands live away from you, you know what I’m talking about. Our visits usually revolve around birthdays and holidays. This was a hoot and a hint for drop-ins from the rest of the grands as circumstances allow

A quick note about an upcoming podcast with Jim and Bobbi Jean Bell. I’ll be their guest again on “Rendezvous with a Writer” on Thursday, April 24, talking about Lila’s Journey and Marcello’s Promise. More about this later as the date approaches.

And speaking of backyards, look what opened up this week. Oh, I love the reappearance of spring flowers, don’t you? So brave to show up in Kansas when it’s 70 one day and snow showers the next.

There’s so much to look forward to this time of year. New beginnings in all aspects of life. Happy spring to all of you! Until next time . . .

My DAR chapter hosted a Valentine’s Day party for residents at SafeHome last weekend. We brought lunch fit for a winter day–soup and chili–and provided entertainment for about a dozen children currently living at the safehouse.

The kids played marshmallow pong, built spaghetti/marshmallow creations, made Valentine’s cards and played with the bubbles from a science class humidifier. For the safety of the residents, we were not permitted to take their pictures, so you will see only their busy hands and the supplies they used.

I’ve never been to a safehouse and wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew security would be a priority; only our driver was given the address. I was so impressed by the new facility, it’s size, cleanliness, the safe perimeter outside, and the state of the art security both outside and inside from room to room. In spite of what may be a desperate situation for some of the residents, it’s affirming to be with children having fun on a Saturday afternoon.

I have a favorite sugar cookie recipe to share with you that would make a great treat on Valentine’s Day. I received these as a hostess gift one Christmas, but they hit the spot whenever you decide to bake them.

“Best Sugar Cookies”

Mix ingredients and refrigerate at least two hours. Roll dough into balls and flatten with a glass dipped in sugar (red at Valentine’s, green and red at Christmas, pink at Easter– go with the holiday flow :). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

If you are searching for a last minute Valentine’s Day gift, especially if that someone likes to read, well, you know me. . . Lila is eager to share her story. Jim and Bobbi Jean Bell whose podcast “Rendezvous with a Writer” was the day after Christmas have invited me back to talk more about Lila’s Journey in April. (Happy face inserted here.) I’ll let you know more as the date approaches. https://www.latalkradio.com/sites/default/files/Videos/Rendezvous-122624.mp4.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Bake some cookies. Or if that’s not your thing, there’s probably some chocolate out there with your name on it. Find it, eat it, and share a happy moment with a friend. Until next time . . .