Steve, Amy and Eva's pad

I'm house sitting at Steve and Amy's house in Wichita, Kansas.

Their house is open and spacious in a way that makes a pretty big house feel even bigger than it is, yet this is no over-priced, impress-the-neighbors McMansion of the east. It's a simple design that works really well and the way they've decorated and furnished it makes it feel like living in luxury. I've stayed here twice and each time I question why people pay so much more for so much less near one of the big coastal cities.

Steve and Amy's house sits on a big plot of land that isn't locked in with a clear start and finish but blends into their neighbors properties. The view from their impressive deck is one that combines lush green grass, a small flowing creek, a neighbor's manicured pond and a forest of trees off in the distance.

I've been traveling for a few weeks now and a chance to stop and slow down is exactly what I needed. My favorite time of this is sitting with the laptop on their deck at sunset. The air gets cooler, a lazy, steady midwestern prairie breeze sneaks up on you, and the sunset is amazing. I bet they used to it and forget how good it is, so I took some pictures to remind them.

The thumbnails are nice, but click on the pictures for the full size versions that do them justice.