Road Trip! Lake daughter Jane Booth (the Booth family has homes at Y1 & Y3) has a career-crowning museum show in St. Joseph. It will be up all summer, through September 2nd. Lake Lotawana is home to many impressive artists, and Jane Booth's extensive career as an artist is certainly part of that. Jane has had shows in galleries across the country, and was featured last year in Martha Stewart Magazine. Jane's work is throughout all of the rotating areas on the main floor of the museum. For the show opening, not only was the parking lot full beyond capacity, but the field behind the lot was also full. Museum director, Terry Oldham, said on opening night: "This is a blockbuster show".

Among the many paintings in this extensive survey of her work are some of the pieces from her recent Lake Lotawana Series. These gorgeous paintings, currently honored in the museum, should eventually find a home in one of our lake's fantastic homes, don't you think? A girl with a lot of Lake Lotawana in her heart and memories; at the celebratory dinner afterwards, Jane told a very funny story about Ray Koontz and a catfish in a cove barrel.... from the 70's! I guess almost no one believed Ray or Jane until it came out in the Lake Lotawana News... Barb, can you dig that up?

As for trip planning - Weston is on the way to or from St. Joseph, so be SURE to make reservations at The Vineyards restaurant in Weston. It is fantastic. That will round out your trip into a real vacation outing and break up the drive. The Vineyards is open Thursday-Sunday. www.thevineyardsrestaurant.com

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art is open Tuesday-Friday from 10am-4pm and Saturday & Sunday from 1-4pm. www.albrecht-kemper.org

Jane is represented by Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art in the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City. Work can also be viewed at JaneBooth.com