You Scream - I Scream - We all Scream for Ice Cream

Yes... ice scream!   We are at Rosie's in Bethel, MO... and she MADE us eat ice cream for SUPPER!

Let's see...  

handmade caramel topping

triple chocolate ice cream

caramel filled chocolate cups

chocolate sauce

whipped cream

and colored sprinkles! 

MINE                                                     ROSIE'S 

STEVE'S (after he had it half eaten)                   WHAT A SUPPER! 

Now I will back it back up a bit.... On Sunday, we left Sam and Donna in Dardenne Prairie, MO about 10 a.m.  We fueled up at a local station with a good price of $3.75.9 per gallon for diesel, at 48 gallons... so we were set for fuel enough probably all the way to home now.



While we were driving, I got the very sad notice from a dear couple who are our friends from up in Michigan, that their son had his life taken away in an awful incident.  Their grown son, 32, was trying to break up domestic dispute between a man and woman, and he was stabbed with a knife in the process.  The man who did the stabbing took him to the hospital, but was sadly too late.  They could not save him. The man was taken into custody and now my dear friends have to pick up the pieces and try to make sense of the loss of their son.  What a shock!   Prayers are welcome for our dear friends, and Christopher, may you rest in peace.

When the funeral plans are firmed up, we hope to be back into Wisconsin and then drive up to Michigan in time, weather permitting.   As it is, we are only travelling 120 miles today and it's getting worse and worse and the weather is not looking promising.


We were headed up to Bethel, MO.  Bethel is an interesting little town----

Visit Historic Bethel German Colony, Bethel, Missouri -- just 45 miles west of Hannibal, Missouri.  Bethel was the most successful communal colony in the State of Missouri, founded by Dr. Wilhelm Keil in 1844.  Today, this tiny community of 117 residents strives to preserve its rich heritage.  The Colony offers the public an opportunity to step back into a time when colonists lived by the golden rule and shared their crops, clothing, crafts and even their earnings.

Here is a link for the blog post about the town that I made 2 years ago when we visited here: 

A Walk Around Bethel, MO a cute little historical colony

We tried pulling into Rosie's barnyard on a route that loops around behind her home...a German type house in the colony.  We worked out fine parking between her house and her barn last time, but that was in April.... This is still March.   The ground is definitely softer, as their snow just recently melted.

And ooops ... the muddy area of the road to enter her barnyard gate to the north was slllipppeerryyyy  and the dual wheels on one side started spinning. OH OH.... Steve backed out right away before we got stuck!  So instead we are parked next door at her friends, Sue and Joe, who have a pottery business.

http://www.sjpottery.com/

check their stuff out --- it's GREAT! 

I have one of their pots that is going to be my Urn when I pass away!

We are in their business drive that delivery trucks use, so we are in a good firm place.  Plus they let us plug in.... because the skies were very cloudy and our solar would not be working so well.  At least we can keep our batteries topped off. Our furnace runs on propane so we are fine.  But the bonus of having the plugin means we could at run our electric mattress pad overnight!

p.s. did I happen to mention it was ****S*N*O*W*I*N*G****????????

Yup, the temps dropped, the rain turned to big fluffy flakes and we were smack dab back in WINTER!  ARRRGGHGHHHHHHHH!   We had Rosie over to our motorhome for dinner, and I made up a chicken stirfry and rice.  We ate sensibly some sherbet (no fat) and blackberries.  Such a nice healthy meal, fried in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.   Sharp contrast to the decadent supper I started out this blog with, eh?

Monday morning was somewhat cloudy, and very cold... and blasting winds!   I am sure glad we weren't out on the road today in our motorhome.  The snow stopped but the winds were biting cold and gusting. It would not have been a good day to be driving a big huge box like our motorhome down the road.   Especially when the roads are flat like this:

Rosie was needing a bag of feed from town... for her two sweet fiber babies in the yard...  Moon and Jewel.  She just lost the third fuzzy member of her trio this week, Sasha, who had to go on to the Great Rainbow Bridge of Llamas.  

As I said, Rosie needed feed, and I needed to ship out a few boxes of merchandise I sold over the weekend at a post office, so we did a run to town.  After those chores were done, we picked up a few things at a little consignment shop... and then headed up to Heartland.  Rosie and her friends here in Bethel all go up there.

They patronize it’s restaurants, medical clinic, gas station and other services. There is even a huge dairy herd and an ultra modern milking parlor to tour. They have schools and a college, and provide housing in wonderful stylish brick homes and apartments.  It was started by one man, who built it all in his dream of making a place such as this to be filled with good honest hardworking people and giving those who made mistakes a new chance.  His name is Charlie Sharpe.  This paragraph is from their website and some links to learn more:

Heartland is an intentional community in Northeast Missouri designed to help hurting people get a fresh start in life. We believe Jesus is the answer to every issue we face – including addiction, anger, broken homes, and financial crises. Men, women, and children who commit themselves to the process of restoration find help at Heartland through the power of God and the encouragement of people who have walked a similar path.

http://www.heartland-ministries.org/

http://www.visit-heartland.com/

And here is the blog post about last time we were there, with a lot of cool old Ford car pictures! 

Going to Heartland

Rosie talked us into having lunch there at Heartland in the diner.  We ate from the buffet with a lot of wonderful choices. We also had ice cream.... with toppings!   See what she started?  

The rest of the day was taken up with catching up on all our weaving ideas, projects and new stuff we have been doing.  We had taken care of a few tasks like some computer work, and Rosie had a drill press she had bought that needed assembling. THAT was right up Steve's alley! 

Tomorrow he might look at her industrial sewing machine, 

and maybe help with a shelf she wants to make for her kitchen! 

Well, we ate so much at lunch in Heartland, that we were so full, none of us wanted supper.  So when ice cream was mentioned, Rosie thought that would make a marvelous supper!

And it was! 

We will see what tomorrow holds in the way of weather, it does not look too good in Wisconsin, with snowing, blowing, ice and sleet.  We might hole up down here in Missouri till Wednesday morning and try to head as far as Beloit, WI, visiting with more friends there.  We can park there overnight and have a safe spot to hang if the weather is bad.  Remember, RVers, there aren't any campgrounds open in Illinois or Wisconsin this time of year.  We need to travel from place to place, or hang out in a Wal-mart or just drive drive drive like we did when we came south one month ago.

Just checked our weather back home in Chilton. 

 It's snowing Today--- and Tomorrow--- and the day after!

Maybe Thursday will give us a chance to make the final jaunt to home?

When You Say Bud....

When you say Budweiser...  You said it all!


Saturday was a damp and dreary day, so our host, Sam showed us downtown St. Louis Missouri, and we toured the Anheiser-Busch Budweiser brewery!   Steve drove us downtown in the little Tracker.  I laughed and laughed from the backseat as Steve drove and Sam navigated--- they would be talking about stuff and forget where to turn!

What a great way to spend the afternoon, rain or shine, (or snow???  So far the weathermen are WRONG and it's been only rain).  The best part of the tour was the beginning, where we got to see the Clydesdales!   Most of them are kept out of town on a big farm that isn't open to tours until April, but 2 were at the brewery for our pleasure.

Talk about pampered ponies!!!  This is the doorway and window of the stables that are at the main brewery building.  Oh my.... stained glass and chandeliers????

These horses have first class accommodations all the way... there are about 200 horses on their teams, and they rotate around the country.

Even the tack room with the harnesses was gleaming and sparkly.  Everything polished to a cleaming shine.  The chandeliers were brought over from the World's Fair buildings in St. Loius.  How elegant...all brass and glittery lights.

They even let loose the dalmatian Bud Dog....   and he was so friendly, making the rounds with everyone.  I even got to pet him, and he liked smelled "doggie" on my hands, so he knew we were "dog peoples".   So we bonded.  For a moment.  LOL

And from there we toured all the old buildings,

 the brewing process and all the information about the making of beer. 

The whole process was very, very interesting.

 They use real pieces of beechwood in the process into each vat, 

where the process is called "Croisening" 

with rice, barley, malt and hopps.   

After they use the beechwood, they rinse it, chop it up and sell it for mulch.  Can you imagine having a real "BEER GARDEN" if you bought your mulch from Budweiser????

We got to see all the vats, the bottling and the process while on the tour.

We got to ride the tour bus trolleys back up to the Hospitality Room.....

Because at the end of the tour is what the guys were waiting for:

F R E E     B E E R !!!!

 (and I don't even DRINK beer....)

When we left the brewery, it was still cloudy and rainy and not too nice... so we buzzed past the Arch, without going in or anything.  I have been up in it, but Steve hasn't. We will save that for another trip someday.

Then Sam said let's stop in and see Donna at her restaurant... it was corned beef and cabbage specials for the weekend----   Here is the link to it:  http://www.jjsofallon.com    She got to sit for a bit and visit with us, and one of her favorite little waitresses took a pic for us...awwww how cute!

Thanks Donna and Sam for the wonderful visit...
you guys are great Driveway Hosts!

Well, it's Sunday morning and the weathermen were wrong... the roads are clear and we don't see any 2-4 inches on the ground.  So we are heading up to our friend Rosie next, in Bethel, MO.

It's a Pizza Night in Dardenne Prairie, Missouri

We pulled into Sam and Donna's yard about 3 p.m. today.... They are fellow bloggers we have known for a few years.   http://samdonna-5thwheelvagabonds.blogspot.com   They came up to Wisconsin to see us 2 years ago in the summer.  Here are the blogs posts from their visit with us:

http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/06/visits-with-weaving-and-rving-friends.html

http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/06/grinning-from-ear-to-ear-sooo-wide-his.html

So here we are pulling in to their yard in Dardenne Prairie, northwest of St. Louis, MO.  Sam snapped a few pics right off the bat as we got the motorhome settled in their long driveway.  (next to their fifth wheel called Chappie) 

Sam doesn't like the term "moochdocking" he said.  So we will just call it "Driveway Visiting" 

Their silly dog, Riggens was full of the dickens and wanting me to play ball.... (a very slimey ball!) 

Sam decided to make us one his stupendous homemade pizzas!   Well... he went right to work as soon as the kids brought home his special supply of cheese.  (he uses 2 kinds on each pizza!) 

He rolls out the dough... and that is one big pizza tray!   

(extra large square commercial cookie sheet) 

He adds one layer of cheese along the bottom,

then a special sauce he can only get around St. Louis. 

(called "Imo's Pizza Sauce) 

 Next, he covers the entire thing with a layer of pepperonis,

and finishes off with a sprinkling of Provel string cheese which

will melt all over the pizza!

The chef working with his ever-hopeful assistant, Riggens! 

(hoping a piece will drop to the floor?)

O M G ! 

That is one massive pizza, and he has a mighty big pizza cutter to go through all that puffed up thick crust.  Oh my goodness!  It sure was good.   I only could manage three squares... Steve put away four! 

(and I slipped Riggens a pepperoni... shhhhhhh)

So now we are sitting here, shooting the breeze.  Donna is working till ten, but the plan for tomorrow is a tour of the Anheiser Busch Budweiser Brewery!!!    I think we get some "samples" and maybe some "souvenirs" for the kids! 

But for now, I think we are going to hit the bed early.... it's been a long day and we put on 271 miles today.  We left Carthage, MO about 9 a.m. and headed north and east to get up this way.  The terrain is looking more and more like Wisconsin countryside... 

no more cactus

no more rocks

no more mountains

no more desert

no more mesquite

Now we are on gently rolling hills and dipping down valleys.  The trees are still brown with no buds yet in sight.  Soon though, spring will come.   We hope.   

Seeing as I am on Sam's fast DSL hookup, I can add more pics to the blog tonight!   

Here are some shots as we came northeastward across Missouri:

We were cruising along parts of the Historic Route 66! 

Alongside the road, people park their tractors for sale, just like cars for sale! 

Quiet pastoral settings and livestock and wildlife... ahhhhh 

We swung down the main drag of Carthage, MO... 

just look at these elegant old buildings in a row, 

all with the same stained glass design, built in the mid 1860's. 

We wound our way up and down through the layers of stone cliffs as they cut out 

to make room for the lanes of the highways.

This is a  cool shot!  

On the right side of the photo is the bridge over the Missouri River

and  the left side of the photo is the reflection of the bridge in the window of the motorhome

(I was holding the camera out the window to take the shot) 

We saw this guy a couple times... first loading up like this next to the Wal-mart in Carthage

and then he passed us several times, and we passed him at the weigh station and a few other places.

We leapfrogged each other for a few hundred miles. 

(it's kinda strange to see a semi coming "at" you but heading the other way!)

Well, enough is enough, we are pooped out and heading off to bed early.  The miles added up today and I was very tired to begin with.  All four dogs are romping here in the house now, Riggens, Ducky, Duke and Sadie Mae... whew.. it sounds like a dog pound in here!