My mom wanted to go back to see where she grew up and also go to Branson so we planned a girls trip for her! We met up in Phoenix and headed to St. Louis....
First stop: Sweetie Pies @ The Mangrove....my mom loves this show and so do many....I have only seen bits and pieces but wanted to make sure mom got to go. We arrived in St. Louis @ 6, shuttled over to our rental car which was a Chevy and looked like a marshmellow but wow how that car could drive....I could not keep it under 80....that, along with our map quest and my sister's GPS got us many miles on this trip, over 1,000 in 4 days......so to Sweetie Pies at the Mangrove we went.....
All the reviews talked about long lines and waits, however even on a Friday night we walked in and only had to wait minutes. It is cafeteria style and you pick your meat and you get two sides. I opted for catfish,. okra and black eyed peas....mom had catfish and chicken wings, mac and cheese and black eyed peas, Deb had fried chicken, sweet potatoes and mac and cheese....so.much.food....all delish but fried chicken was the best. Mac and Cheese almost as good as moms...a very close second.
At about closing time the film crew came in and hung by our table...just then we saw Tim, Sweetie Pie's son that runs the Mangrove. He is a great guy and sat and visited with us and then posed with mom for this picture. Mom was talking to him like she knew him forever - it was really cute. They were still filming and after a bit Tim got called away and mom went to the Ladies room and was gone forever - Deb and I got a bit concerned so Deb when to check and mom was in Tim's office deep in conversation and filming....
After we finished we drove 3 hours to a little town in Illinois that is about 1/2 hr away from my cousins home place where my aunt and uncle and his mother and father also lived -- the house is 104 years old and filled with beauty and memories for all of us. We love it there....however, our hotel (booked on Priceline) recently had a flood so they moved us to another 'comparable' accommodation which has to be the worst hotel I ever stayed in...however, it was late and we were tired so we just stayed.
The next am (Saturday) Deb and I drove into the little town where our family lives. Mom stayed behind at the hotel to be picked up later by my cousin. The sun was just coming up when we drove up....isn't this the most charming and welcoming site? I love the huge porch, the bay windows the hardwood floors, the wedgwood light fixtures the charm and history, but most of all I love my family that lives here.....
So my cousin Biz (who has to be one of the most knowledgeable and compassionate people I know - I need to do a whole post just on her), Deb and I headed off for the famous Spoon River Drive. It is the most charming event every. Every October these little towns along the Spoon River have craft fairs and swap meets and people drive from one stop to another shopping, visiting, buying, oooing and ahhhhing. This is very rural county and many many Amish Farms are here and we passed many a farm and buggy on our drive....
This is what the drive was like.....no cars....all fall foliage ..just chatting with family and laughing and enjoying the incredible landscape....
Every stop had gourds and mums and spectacular offerings....
On this drive years ago I was introduced to live bittersweet....not the kind you get at JoAnns....I love each and every bloom....it is rare to find it these days...most farmers tear it out as it can take over if not watched. In Victorian days the little school children would take a branch to teacher....it only pops after the first frost....love.love.love.....this is a huge piece...could not figure how to get that home so had to settle for a smaller one...
Every little town had a patina all it's own and I love the rust and rustic looks....
Sheds, garages, barns, we saw it all....even a re-enactment of a Civil war battlefield....
Every stop had their 'signature' food..this stop a pork cutlet sandwich and boy was it good!
Incredible fall colors.....hard to see the Statue of Liberty in this town square....
This was my favorite stop...really I think I could have stayed here forever....hard to see the gingerbread trim on the house (in need of some tlc)
An old barn filled with old cars.....love
Flat bed trailers filled with gourds and pumpkins of all colors and sizes....
I bought 5 tiny pumpkins for $1.00.....
All kinds of bric and brac for sale....my cousin found 2 globes here, she collects them and has a great collection going....
We even drove thru covered bridges....be still my heart....of course I always think of 'Bridges of Madison County' which the book is far greater than the movie....I love Clint Eastwood but he was too old for the part...when he took off his shirt it ruined it for me....
Me and my sissy on the bridge....
Me and my camera shy cousin on the bridge...
Yes! My size of bittersweet....come home with me!
Loved this stop.....pumpkins and gourds in the front.....antiques in the back....
On the way home my cousin found a house for me to buy....the former mortuary in their small town. 40k, stained glass windows, probably 3000 ft? Loved this.....then we stopped for dinner and back to her house to visit and talk, collected mom and headed back to the no-tell hotel (DUMP). This is how bad it was....there was a bar next door where I took an empty box to pack up my treasurers....there were many boxes of the same kind....picked eggs....then as I was going up the back stairs to our room I had to step over a drunk....hummmahummmahummma...we figured Honey Boo Boo was nearby so we started calling my mom whose name is Honey Lou.....Honey Lou Lou....keeping it light y'all....
The next day (Sunday) we were up early and headed back to my cousins....passed this Amish farm where all the buggys were lined up for Sunday Service....
After a visit and hating to go we headed down to Branson.....we took mom to a little town nearby where she went to school here:
and her sister, my aunt, had a little beauty shop here:
and my mom boarded here:
went to church here....
Had some friends and played here....
and her sister boarded here.....(they were a big farm family during the depression years and had to board out to other families)
Before we got back on the road to Branson we stopped here where my other aunt worked and to this day makes these treats for us....
basically steamed ground beef on a steamed bun with a pickle on it....very simple and yummy....
Then after a stop at urgent care and back on the road we rolled into Branson....now...a little about Branson....there is the cheesy Branson....like this gigantic Titanic permanent exhibition and hotel...
...and this Red White and Blue Dinner Theater where you enter in between the chickens legs....
and there is the nice side of Branson with boutiques like this....
and the most incredible 5 and 10 like this....I could have spend days in this store...it was like being 4 again and going with my mom or grandma....
the candy.....
the hankies....
the toys....
the Lennon Sister paper dolls....yes...I had these!
the thread aisle....
the hairnets....all just like it was back in the day!!!
So we checked into the hotel which was PERFECT, clean, nice, large, no drunks ;)
We took mom to a show on a Paddleboat.....isn't she cute...
Us girls in the parlor.....
huge paddles....great food and show.....
Very patriotic.....in fact all the shows were saw were very wholesome, family, God, Country. etc....
So we went to several shows and shopped and had fun. The next day we had to head back to St. Louis....of course we had to have a White Castle!
We flew to Phx together and they went on home to Boise and I had a 3hr delay....ugh....I was exhausted however happy to get home.
The next day I unpacked my treasurers.....remember my pickled egg box...yes, I travel with classy luggage....
So....I confess I love old door knobs....I have my MaMa Autens crystal door knobs from her house,. I have the brass and crystal door knobs from my Aunt/Grandma Alexanders house and guess what? My cousins gave me the brass doorknob from their 104 year old house!! I was honored to get this and added it to my collection....just think of all my family and loved ones that used this!
Here is my montage of Spoon River....the bittersweet, the little pumpkins, a turkey my cousins gave me that was my aunts (they know I collect turkeys too) some candlesticks and a vintage postcard my cousin gave me and a shabby chic note holder I bought on the drive....
close up of the bittersweet....I usually don't spray it but this year I did...hoping it will preserve some of the bright colors...
Oh, and my cousin gave me a picture of my Uncle (who passed away in a tragic accident when he was 17) with his best friend and this toy they played with in the original box for my boys.....it is from the 30's or early 40's and I will certainly enjoy playing this with my little guys....
I bought a bunch of other things too to fill up the pickled egg box ;)
Treasuring my great memories of fun filled fall days with family....THE BEST
