Festivals, Festivals, Festivals

Mike and Teresa at the Arrow Rock Festival

We have visited our share of festivals the last three weeks. Three weeks ago, my cousin Gary and his wife Donna were here and we went to the Old Munichburg German festival in Jeff City. It was fun, but Gary and I especially enjoyed the old cars that were on display. We could remember painting and assembling models of a lot of these cars when we were kids. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera so I have no photos from this festival.

The next weekend, my brother Mike and his wife Teresa came up and we went to the Fall Craft Festival at Arrow Rock. They had a lot of folks in period costume and were providing great displays of pioneer crafts. I especially found the flint knapper interesting. It was a pretty cool morning and everyone was bundled up. After spending the morning at Arrow Rock we stopped at Blackwater. I especially wanted to show Mike the train station here. He is a train enthusiast.


Tavern and Main Street in Arrow Rock


Display of Prehistoric Tools at the Flint Knappers Tent


Train Station at Blackwater

This past weekend (Oct. 18) we meet our friends from St. Louis at Marthaville to visit the annual Deutch Kountry Days. This is held one weekend a year and it is by far the best festival we have gone to. We went with a bunch of friends a few years ago, but a lot has been added since then. It is one of the best festivals for learning about the workings and lives of the German and Dutch that settled along the Missouri River Valley during the early and mid nineteenth century. The buildings are very authentic and have been collected from all over the state and moved to this farm, primarily for this festival. I would highly recommend visiting this festival if you get a chance. There is a large section of early mountain man type activity, and I especially enjoyed that.


Making Sausage


Cabin and Buggy


Sun Streaming Through the Trees


Fall Colors


Kids in Period Costume


Linda, Dave, and Carol


Window Box


Building Decor


Basket Maker


Street Scene

This festival and setting reminds us both of Silver Dollar City way back when they use to emphasize crafts and early pioneer life.

Summer Happenings 2009

Poppa and Andrew catching frogs

Last weekend was Labor Day weekend, signaling the end of the summer season and the beginning of the fall season. What a beautiful summer we have had. We've done little traveling until the last couple of weeks but we have certainly had fun with volunteer activities at the Runge Nature Center, visits from the grand kids, gardening, hiking, and just enjoying our beautiful place. Below you will find a few photos taken during the summer of our yard.


Monarch butterfly


Entry to Carol's flower garden


Tiger Swallowtail butterfly


Carol's artwork on the garden shed


Adding decor to the garden shed


Carol in the rock garden at Runge Nature Center


Carol's vegetable garden


Tomatoes and canned green beans

We went to Kansas City about four weeks ago to help Rob and Rebecca get their garage organized. The Monday after we were there we returned to Little Cedar and brought Annabelle and Andrew home with us. The next five days were a whirlwind of bike riding, driving the tractor, going to the river, fishing, picnicing and other assorted activities. We did have a ball with the kids and got to know them so much better.


Annabelle and Andrew


Andrew


Annabelle


Ice cream at Central Dairy after a day at the river


Opps


Watermelon from the garden

The weekend before Labor Day weekend we went to Arrow Rock to camp and go to a live theater. This was Carol's idea of course. The Lyceum Theater is located in Arrow Rock and we saw a performance of 'Nunsense'. It was okay, but we both decided not the best we had seen. We camped at the state park in Arrow Rock and took a guided tour of the city. We decided that made the weekend worthwhile. We really enjoyed learning about the town and how it came into being as a river port on the Missouri. The artist, George Caleb Bingham, lived there and we got to tour his house.


The spring area at Arrow Rock


The main street in Arrow Rock


Main street from the other direction


George Caleb Bingham house in Arrow Rock


Home in Arrow Rock


Another home in Arrow Rock


Lyceum Theater


Camping at Arrow Rock

We visited Blackwater on the way home from Arrow Rock. That is a neat little town also.


Main street in Blackwater


Exploring a garden alcove in Blackwater


The train station in Blackwater


Patio area behind the Blackwater Hotel


Wall murals

Labor Day weekend we went to Franklin, Indiana to the Haddocks for a wedding reception for their youngest son Luke, and his lovely bride Stefka.


Luke and Stefka

From Indiana we came back through Springfield, Illinois and visited the Lincoln home, museum, old state capitol, tomb and then the last day we were there we went up to New Salem, where Abe got his start. It was indeed a fascinating weekend. We both loved the New Salem state historic park. The state of Illinois has recreated the village of New Salem based on land plots, archeological digs, eye witness accounts, etc. They have done a fantastic job with re-enactors playing the part of village people to tell you how people lived back during the period that Lincoln called it home, from approximately 1830 to 1837. We would highly recommend this tour. It was fascinating.


Lincoln's home in Springfield, Illinois


Wax figures at the Lincoln Museum and Library


Lincoln tomb in Springfield


Camping at the city campground in Springfield


Log home at New Salem


Barn with moss covered roof in New Salem


Craftsman reenactor New Salem


Black eyed Susan's against cabin New Salem


Reenactor in the tavern at New Salem


Shot of a cabin through some flowers at New Salem

Where to next? Well, I hear there is a neat place to ride zip lines down around Eminence so guess we'll have to run down there in the next few weeks and check that out. I'd like to see how I could improve on my zipline.

Keep checking back.