Travel & Vacation: Midwest Dust Whirlwind
Midwest Dust Whirlwind
On one our road trips while in Kansas the girls saw their first Midwest Dust Whirlwind. Some people also called them Dust Devils. In the past few years Kansas has been pretty dry so sometimes when a farmer is working his field or something else is stirring up a large amount of dust you’ll see a dust whirlwind pop up.
When the girls first saw it they thought it was a tornado. It does look like a tornado touching down, but usually happens on a dry sunny day. We were driving along Highway 34 West near Platner, Colorado when we saw this dust whirlwind. Hopefully, the Midwest will start getting some nice rain soon so these dust devils will not be as common. The Midwest is a large producer of crops for our nation and around the world. We have a lot of farmers in our family from the Midwest who could use more rain for their crops.
A dust whirlwind (or commonly referred to as a dust devil) is caused when a vortex forms from the dust that is being kicked up into the air. The dust will often form a swirling column that reaches up vertically through the air. The dust devils could last for several hours and can either be small or large enough for people to see for many miles. They are typically harmless other than you can get dirt in your eyes and hit by small particles of dirt if you walk or drive through one.
Dust Devil off Highway 34 West! Looks like a tornado, but it is made of dirt.
The farmer working his field is kicking up enough dirt to create this Dust Whirlwind that can be seen for miles.
It was amazing to watch the swirling column of dirt raising high up into the sky.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family, ways we relax, and tips on how to make trips more enjoyable. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Family Recipe: Mom’s Delicious Dirt
My Mom used to make this amazing “Dirt” recipe when we were kids. This recipe uses gummy worms, oreos, lime jello, and cool whip. I have had a variety of different dirt recipes over the years, but this is the one I grew up on. The combination of these ingredients always taste delicious and gummy worms are super fun to eat no matter what! The other day I was trying to figure out what to make for dessert for our Community Group meeting when the girls insisted that I make “Grandma Penny’s Dirt” since we had leftover gummy worms from another event!
Mom’s Delicious Dirt Recipe:
- 1 package of Oreos
- 2 (6 oz) large boxes of Lime Jello
- 1 container Cool Whip
- Gummy Worms
Put the oreos in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin or another item to crush the whole oreos into small pieces. Take about 1/2 of the crushed oreos and press them into the bottom of a 9×13 dish. Make the lime jello according to the directions on the box. Once it is made pour half of it over top of the layer of oreos and put in the refrigerator to set. Leave the other half of the lime jello in the bowl and put it in the fridge to set. Once the jello is firm mix the container of cool whip into the bowl of jello. Add the cool whip and jello mixture on top of the jello layer in the 9×13 dish. Place the remaining amount of crushed oreos on top of the cool whip and jello layer and add your gummy worms. (If you’re not planning on serving it within the next few hours wait until an hour or two before to place the oreos and gummy worms on top).
The layers of oreos blend really well together and make this a fun treat for kids of all ages! I did take the pictures of the dessert before going to Community Group, however, in our rush to get home and the kids into bed before it was too late I did not get an individual piece shot of the dessert. I am sure before too long the girls will think of another event I will need to make it for and hopefully I can get a snap shot of it at that time.
