A quick trip to Branson

We slept in Monday morning to a little after 8.  It was then time to re-tape the fantastic roof vent. I'm pretty sure the Walmart bag and inexpensive tape was not going to hold the highway winds from ripping it off. 

Together we worked as a team, as we have done for more than 49 years. He stepped on the bumper, up to the spare tire,  and then I gave him a shove, I mean boost.

Gorilla tape and the heaviest garbage bag we could find in the store was taped down. 

The highway we took led us through northwest Arkansas, through some beautiful mountain views. We pulled over several times on the switch backs just to see the view.

We arrived at Treasure Lake RV Resort  shortly after our host, John and Beth had arrived. Beth met us at the gate to get us in. 

This is the largest gated RV park in Branson. It has 577 sites on 340 acres. We got set up just across the street from them. We did a quick tour of their new RV and then took off for Montana Mikes Steak house. There we met Blacksmith Pat McCarty and his wife Mary Jo. They are working the craft fair in Branson for three weeks. 

We were next to last of the groups to leave the restaurant that evening. It was just so much fun catching up. It's hard to separate 3 good blacksmiths deep in conversation.

Back at our little Casita, John and Beth toured ours. We then called it a night. 

The next morning we rode along with the Lovin's to Grandmas Kitchen.  I had a huge cinnamon roll made with cream cheese, I couldn't eat it all.

After breakfast was over we visited the landing before heading north. The guys went to Silver Anvil Blades. They enjoyed visiting with owner Jo Smith. So while they were there, Beth and I caught a few other near by shops. 

Bernie, Jo, and John, blacksmiths once again talking away!

After leaving the downtown landing, John was nice enough to give us girls one more stop, the Quilt shop! 

Quilts and Quilts is huge. I made quick scans, picked up a couple of quilt templets and before I knew it the guys were back from the Coleman store and our shopping trip was over.

We covered a lot of ground and visited a whole bunch in a very short period of time. 

Life is Good!

Mountain View take 2

This was our second trip to the beautiful Mountain View Arkansas. The first time we went was October 2011.

This time we were leading a caravan!  Two other couples each took their own Rv's and followed us.

One of our first stops was just across the Missouri state line at Mammoth springs Arkansas.

The water is beautiful, as are the grounds . . .  minus the goose poop.

It was onto Ozark RV Park. There we set up camp for three nights. Never mind it's a dry county, or the RV park posted no alcohol. We never saw those warnings. But luckily we were never turned in to authorities. 

Thursday night we went to music at Ozark Folk Center. Six different groups played and danced the night away. This area is full of traditional music and folk dancing. 

Friday after breakfast at Iron skillet, we walked just a few steps to the Folk center. 

There we saw the broom maker, 

the stained glass artist, 

the potter (never mind his frog cups!)

the copper jeweler, 

the printer, 

the gourd artist, and

we visited with the lady in the cabin, (who had to be freezing).

Saturday morning the six of us, Bernie, myself, Terry, Debby, Tim and Rita headed to P.J.'s Rainbow cafe. What a menu they had!

I had fried bologna (it would have been my dad's choice). I also opted for fried grits. It did not disappoint.

Rita went for chocolate gravy and biscuits. She shared it with us willing to taste it. It's made with real Hershey's cocoa. It was similar to warm thin pudding.

We were very cozy around this small table. We had to wait outside to be called because the waiting line would not fit in the door!

There were hundreds of cookie jars on wall top shelves, all were for sale. 

After breakfast we took in some of the shops along the main street. We then went to Blanchard Springs  to tour the cave. You go down via an elevator about 11 stories. The great room you walk through is as wide as 4 football fields end to end. The tour was a comfortable 58 degrees, year round. You walk out to a waiting bus that returns you to the hospitality shop. 

This is our official (LOL) group photo!

After touring the springs we took about an 11 mile trip to the county where it was legal to consume alcohol! We visited Gravity Brewworks. The girls opted for wine, the guys tried a couple of the beers. We took along cheese, sausage and crackers. 

Back at camp, while soup was heating up, someone presented the Casita with a cast iron FROG. #idonotlikefrogs

This was our hilarious neighbor who told us we were breaking all kinds of rules drinking alcohol beverages. However after he had a few samples, he wasn't about to tattle on us! The retired policeman was hilarious. Here he's showing us his pocket knife (a mini box-cutter).

So in summary, we went to music shows Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Plus we took one in at the afternoon session at the Park.

A fun trip was had by all!!!

Road trip . . . to Georgia

We left Jefferson City at 6:30 am on Wednesday. Headed south to DeSoto, Missouri to exchange some blacksmith tools. 

We got back on the road about 10 AM.

At dinner time we pulled off in Manchester, Tennessee. This place looked good.  The parking lot was filling up fast.

This sweet dog was left in the truck. The owner left the back window open, where he was free to come and go. We had a nice one-sided conversation with the sweet fellow.

Prater's BBQ did not disappoint for southern BBQ. It was the sweet tea that sent me over the top.  It was unbelievably sweet, but still delicious.

We drove on to Calhoun, Georgia, where we over nighted in a rest area with a million Semi trucks and one other Casita. I am surprised that we had a good night sleep. The white noise of the trucks lulled us to sleep instantly. We woke at 5:15 and was on the road in a matter of minutes. We wanted to clear Atlanta Georgia traffic before it even formed. 

We found our destination at Country Boy RV park before 8 AM. The office wasn't open. We followed directions on the box, found a lot, set up the Casita and headed to the Lions Club for the Southern Blacksmith Conference. 

All was good until about 12:30 in the afternoon, when the RV park called to ask us to move to a new site. Although it was an inconvenience, it only took a matter of minutes to change. 

The blacksmith spent most of every day watching Steve Parker demonstrate. He's hoping to have him to our place later this year for a trip hammer work shop!

We broke bread for two meals with John Watson and his wife Sally. They had our friends Kirk and Helen staying with them in their camper, same RV park as us. 

John  taught a tin can class making a rose out of 5 lids. He gave me one of his beautiful creation. 

This is my friend Alfred McClure, we are both rejoicing in being cancer free!!!

This picture isn't the true story, but here's how it went. During set up of the portable potties they were all set in one place. The association decided to move them around. Alfred went to lift a port a potty, got it off the ground, when a hand sprung out the door waving!!!!

Believe me, I teased him the whole conference about it.  

He was a good sport!

I took the BAM boutique merchandise and sold $300!  My blacksmith also sold lots of his hand made tongs. 

The lady with a booth next to mine came to visit. She found out I was a quilter, told me to hold on just a minute. She came back with this sweet brooch. 

On Friday afternoon I took a gourd class with my friend Pattie Bagley. Believe it or not this took 4 hours to make. It was the first time I had ever heard of alcohol paints. 

On Saturday we left before noon for home. Not sure if we'd drive the full trip. It is after all about an eleven hour drive without stops.

That is until this happened!  Interstate 24, 6 lanes wide!  BAM! Blowout. 

We made a good team, 18 minutes we were back on the road. 

As we were headed to Missouri, reports of bad weather at home were developing. The closer we got, the more we were determined to go all the way to Jefferson City. Luckily the storms were over and we missed them all.


We pulled in at 1:20 AM, so much for an 11 hour trip.

The last trip of the year in the Casita, Hamilton Missouri Quilting mecca of the world!

October 17, 2018 we left about noon for Hamilton, Missouri. Our first stop was in Macon at the Ben Franklin store. I love that store. It still has flat fold fabric and many, many bolts of reasonably priced fabric. While the blacksmith sat in the truck, I picked up 5 pieces of fabric and two new rag rugs.

We then went down the street for pie and coffee at Ashley's Apple Basket, but changed our mind and ate lunch.

We arrived at A Country Charm RV park in Hamilton a little before 3. We were like the needle in a hay stack. TINY! Before our stay was over I am pretty sure all but one camper was there to attend the week at Missouri Star Quilt Company. Two ladies, Linda and Jane, messaged me on Facebook that they were also staying there.

So for the next three days, the blacksmith was teaching a Colonial hardware class at the Missouri School of Blacksmith in Cameron, Missouri just 15 miles away.

So to feel right at home, I took along my cappuccino machine! 

I also took my Singer 99 machine, dated 1956!

Thursday I finished 4 pillowcases, one table runner and started on a homespun plaid quilt top.  I was also cooking Burger country ham with Yelloweye beans in the slow cooker outside.

I went on to piece a little more on the Elvis quilt.

Thursday afternoon I got a message from a Facebook post I had on a RV/quilting page. It was from a friend of the RV park owner. He offered me a free class at Missouri Star quilt. Too bad I didn't see the message until after it was over with. So I replied, was there anything tomorrow, as I hadn't seen the message soon enough.

Bob told me I was welcome to attend all three sessions on Friday!

I saw Linda come home to her camper Wednesday afternoon, so I went to tell her what I was given. She asked me to go along with her Friday and she'd show me the way. 

Friday the first demonstration I saw was Mary Jane Carey.  She is a fabric designer for Henry Glass fabrics.  Her holiday quilts that were embellished with jewels really caught my eye.

  
In the afternoon, I saw (and met) Stacy West. OMG, the wool appliques she makes were beautiful. I was getting hooked! Her business is Buttermilk Basin. You must check it out.

Stacy West of Buttermilk Basin! I should have asked her to sign my pattern. 

The last show of the day was Jenny Doak of Missouri Star Quilt Co. and her husband, Ron, what a team! She took 9 charm pack blocks (I think they are 5 1/2 inches square), sewed them up and showed all these quilts that were made from just sewing them together. It was amazing to see them. 

Bob the Facebook friend that gave me the free demonstrations package, told me I must go see the worlds largest spool of thread. I introduced myself to Bob's wife, Courtenay and gave her one of my handmade needle keepers for letting me in! Thank you to you both!!!!

The building behind me will be a quilting museum. They gladly accept donations.

My partner in crime (okay shopping) was Linda from from Springtown Texas. We stopped a quilter and she took our picture, since I wasn't very successful in taking a good selfie! I so appreciated her and her husband Dennis giving me a ride, although the RV park is just about 4 or 5 blocks, an easy walk to town.

Frying some county ham and cabbage outside the Casita!

Saturday morning my friend Tami knocked on my door. Her and her husband are blacksmith friends. He was doing the Hamilton Fall Festival. Tami and I went road tripping. First she took me on a tour of Missouri state park, Crowder Park. It was beautiful with the trees turning golden all through the hills. 

We went on to Missouri days at Trenton Missouri. There we walked through a huge craft show, so many vendors. The booth she is standing in, was our favorite! 

After lunch at Dino's cafe, where we two sisters by different mothers ordered the exact same thing. We went to her parents  little paradise of 20 acres tucked among big trees and a lake, which can be viewed out two sides of their unique dome home. 

After a quick tour, some visiting , and a few doggie pets, it was time to move on.

We drove through the town of Chillicothe and saw the amazing murals. This is the back of the library! Take a better look here: Murals of Chillicothe.

The people in these windows looked so real.

We then headed back to Hamilton. There we went to the Fall Festival at the steam engine grounds. Of course we had to go see Tami's husband Willy, where he was forging. 

She dropped me off at the Casita, just shortly before my blacksmith returned from his class.

Later that night, when I was over visiting Linda in her RV, Willy stopped by for a visit. 

Bernie demonstrating during his class.

It was a small class, but that can be a good thing. He had 3 students, including our friend Melanie!

We returned home Sunday. Sadly it will be the last trip in the Casita this year. After a low of 29 on the last night, it's time to winterize it!

We will be looking forward to next spring, when we can again take it on a road trip!