Two days ago, we were at Falling Springs, south of Winona, Missouri. I photographed the log cabin there, while thinking about what it must have been like so many years ago.
The road in now is curvy, hilly, and rocky. Can you imagine going there in a covered wagon or on horseback or on foot?
Building a house and a mill without a lumberyard or electric tools must have been some hard work. And then, getting the equipment there to run the mill? My goodness, I bet that took some doing!
One thing I love about the log cabin is the doorways.
log cabin at Falling Springs
front door on log cabin at Falling Springs
front door looking out
Another cool thing I really love, is the windows.
log cabin at Falling Springs
This huge window is on the back wall. The spring and mill are out that window and to the left.
big window looking out
another view of big window looking out
big window looking in
What a tremendous view from those windows it must have been. The cabin sits right near the water, with trees all around. It’s gorgeous going there now, so back then I bet it was really something to see.
Miracle photos:
Inside the mill~
inside Falling Springs Mill
Falling Springs Mill, near Winona Missouri
view of the inside of Falling Springs Mill and the water wheel out the window
Why are those photos a miracle to me? Because someone was able to get all of equipment up and running like 100 years ago, way back in the woods.
having a truck that will get us down Forest Service roads that are steep and bumpy
natural springs
turning leaves
waterfalls
history
a fun afternoon stop with my son
On the way home from my dad’s, we stopped at a place I love. We hadn’t been there since we took my parents to see it, four years ago. My gosh, it was so good to go back.
It’s called Falling Springs and I’ve written about it before. It’s nine miles south of Winona, Missouri, on highway 19, then off on some old rickety rock road.
off of highway 19, south of Winona
There are a lot of natural springs around here and they are all absolutely stunning. This one is pretty unique because there’s an old log cabin homestead there, too.
log cabin at Falling Springs, near Winona Missouri
It’s very peaceful there. Some people came, but after they left, we had the place to ourselves.
I was reminded about why I love photography so much. Varying where we stand, can completely change the picture.
For instance, this first photograph is from the front of the mill’s water wheel. The second one, is from the back of the mill.
Results?
Two cool pictures of the same thing.
water wheel at Falling Springs from the front of the mill
Falling Springs mill’s water wheel from the back of the mill
Yesterday, we finished the second half of our trip home from my dad’s. We took country roads a lot of the way and saw some old buildings and tiny towns. Love that.
a stately building with a wagon in some town
care for a sit?
At an intersection, I saw this sign on a building and laughed. I asked my son if there’s a store where we can get A’s too. Ha ha.
‘N’ store in the country that we saw
Miracle photos:
I had my highest game ever bowling last night!!! I got a 123! A few weeks ago, I had a 49.
my highest score ever!
I also broke a 100.
scored 100+
What miracles are you seeing? Noticing any big or small ones? Feel free to share, if you’d like. I love reading them. Thank you.
Yesterday, Saturday, my son and I spent the day with my dad. We went to garage sales, out to eat, saw a Memorial for veterans, and went to a quilt show in a small town.
It was fun going to garage sales with my dad. I love watching him shop and get bargains. I got a few things for my art and my craft booth. I have a craft show on October 8th.
Dad didn’t go into the quilt show, but I wanted to see what it was about. My goodness, it was amazing!!!!! So many gorgeous quilts made by people in this area.
Next to the Memorial Building is the Veterans Memorial.
the Memorial Building in Rock Port Missouri
looking up at this gorgeous building
quilt show in Rock Port, Missouri
a quilt at the quilt show in Rock Port, Missouri
quilt show in Rock Port, Missouri
Rock Port, Missouri quilt show
Veterans Memorial Rock Port, Missouri, next to the Memorial Building
Veterans Memorial Rock Port, Missouri
Miracle Photos:
lunch out with my dad
yum! fajitas I had out to eat with my dad
This beautiful wood trim:
wood trim on an old building I saw with my dad
Those may not seem like miracles, but they are to me. Doing anything with my dad, after losing my momma, is a gift that feels like a miracle.
I haven’t been writing on here. With all this talk about fall, I’ve been squeezing in as much summer as I can.
If there was a bus between seasons, I’d be the last one on the bus to autumn. I LoVe, love, love summer!!
Every day for weeks, I’ve been in our pool. They say vitamin D can be soaked up from the sun, I’ve been getting my share, ha ha.
Labor Day came and went with a day spent bowling, a day trip to Arkansas, and two days by the pool.
And, to top off all this squeezing in summer?
A county fair yesterday!
Ferris Wheel
view from Ferris Wheel
these made me laugh!
sunset at the fair
see all those boxes? potatoes!
those potato boxes belong here
yum!!!
We rode the carnival rides. On one, for some reason, I laughed the entire ride! I could not stop laughing!!
this ride made me laugh!
We watched the demolition derby, too. It’s crazy how those cars get all banged up!
loved that a car was pink!
love Ferris Wheels at night
We had a wonderful time! In the next few weeks, there are two more fairs we are going to. Take a few steps backwards Fall, we’re not quite done with summer yet! Most are, of course, but we aren’t. Ha ha.
Seems like all I’ve been doing is writing about loss and grief.
Here’s the thing I’m learning though. I can go through a loss AND live my life, too. Just because I had a loss, it doesn’t mean I’m *required* to be sad all the time.
In fact, I’m not sad all the time. Sometimes? Yes. All the time? No. Remember my post, Switchbacks and Waves? Sadness and grief come in spurts.
So, back to the pretty cool thing.
My husband bowls. In fact, he’s a really good bowler. Have you ever seen those bowlers who can throw a ball, it almost hugs the gutter, then it suddenly curves over and knocks down all the pins?
He can do that.
He has been bowling in leagues for about nine years. One or two nights a week, he bowls.
Me?
I only bowl maybe once a month, when we go as a family. My balls are usually in the gutter, ha ha, and when I do bowl, it’s straight down the middle, I hope.
Several weeks ago my husband super gigantically surprised me when he asked me if I would consider being in a league.
Like, a bowling league. I about fell over! I was so honored that he asked.
Then, approximately two seconds later, the questions started kicking in:
Wait, I’m not very good! Who would want to be on MY team?
Is there pressure? Because I don’t want any pressure if I’m not doing well.
How long is it? What if we sign up and it’s too long?
Me? Are you sure? (Is what I was thinking)
Turns out he does want me on his team, there is no pressure because it’s just for fun, and it is long, thirty six weeks, but it’s one night a week.
Heck yeah, sign me up.
We live in a tiny town and to get to the bowling alley we like, it’s fifty miles one way. So, about a hundred miles one night a week. Sounds like a lot, but it’s totally worth it.
It’ll be family time, a chance to make new friends, and it’s something we can do together.
Bonus?
It’s by a lake!!!
Last night we went up there and bowled. I did pretty decent and my husband and son did great. We even got to meet some of the league bowlers we’ll be bowling with in a couple weeks. It was really fun.
About sunset, we went over to the lake. My goodness, it was so beautiful. Sooooooo beautiful. And, so quiet. We just sat there and watched the fish jump and the sky change.
Afterwards, we found a really nice Mexican restaurant and had a wonderful meal.
Tuesday, the first week of September, OUR league starts. Our! How cool is that?
Me, is included in that our!
Even with gutter balls and very up and down scores, I get to be on a team!
We are back home in Missouri and absolutely loved our trip. It’s interesting how visiting family can lead to different places on the road.
Four years ago, my husband’s job moved us from southwest Missouri to the opposite corner of our state. The significance? It added three extra travel hours to my parent’s house in northwest Missouri, which changed it from five hours to eight.
We just spent eleven days on roads and land I’ve been going to all my life. We passed through a couple of big cities, but my heart belongs to the rural backroads of tiny places that are nearly a blip on a map.
Being at my parent’s house, brought me a sweet peace I can hardly explain. It didn’t make the missing of my momma any less, but it certainly did bring me lots of comfort seeing her things and being in a space she loved dearly.
On my other blog, Jeweled Again by Jessica, I have been sharing posts about my aunt Karen and my great aunt Esther. Esther is the reason we left dad’s and headed for Iowa.
Esther is my momma’s aunt and she is 103 years old. Esther has been an important part of my life for many years. When she turned 100, my boy and I made an eleven hour trip to go to her birthday party.
The pandemic canceled her 101st birthday party, but we were at her 102nd. This year we were late to her 103rd. It was in May, we arrived in August, but you know what? She didn’t care about that. She welcomed us with a huge smile and kind words.
Esther lives in Spirit Lake, Iowa and moved there in 1952. She and her husband rented out lake cottages back then and had their cottages open for 26 years.
If you’ve ever been to northwest Iowa in the winter, you’ll understand how cold and snowy their winters are. Her and her husband started going to Texas in the 1960’s winters. While there, she started doing ceramics.
You know how much I love and miss my momma, well, Esther is the same. I think my momma’s loss touched her in ways I may not quite comprehend. She was 27 when my momma was born in a rural Iowa farmhouse. Of all the people still on this planet, she knew my momma the longest.
I think us being together, soothed both of our hearts. And, family does that sometimes, you know? When the missing of someone is so huge, it seems like just seeing someone else who knew them too, can help.
Esther’s husband passed away over 40 years ago and a year ago March, she lost Patty, her only daughter. She and Patty lived together in a story book type house since 1979. After Patty passed, Esther decided to sell their house and moved into a very nice assisted living place. That’s where we visited her.
Esther loves frogs, this is outside her door
a shelf of Esther’s things, outside her door
cookies my son and I got from a bakery for Esther’s assisted living nurses and staff
where Esther and Patty lived from 1979 to 2021
pictures on the top shelf are of her 103 birthday, the third shelf down middle one is her wedding picture
the pillow we sent Esther for her birthday
What a heart-filling trip we had. Spending time with my dad, yard sailing with my sister, seeing Kate, Diann, and Karen on the way to Spirit Lake, being with Esther, AND making special traveling memories with my son was exactly what I needed.
There are places, you know, where we just feel like we are home. One of those, for me, is Iowa. My roots run deep in the rural farmlands and in the towns that were built around cornfields, country schools, and churches.
For the last four days, my boy and I have driven hundreds of miles through the Iowa countryside in search of lakes, water parks, and family we haven’t seen in quite some time.
Oh my, have we had fun!
Our first stay was at scenic Storm Lake. It’s a small town, with a welcoming feel. We had two nights at the King’s Pointe Resort. It sits right next to the lake, so the lobby has a beautiful view.
King’s Pointe Resort, Storm Lake Iowa
It has a restaurant and one evening I had grilled walleye and shrimp. Yum!
vacation food
Besides lake access, there are also indoor and outdoor water parks. We went down this orange slide!
water slide fun
There are some really cool parks around town. One has a really nice veterans memorial and a huge anchor from a 1943 ship.
anchor Storm Lake Iowa
We loved the Living Heritage Tree Museum. My favorite one was a tree that is a descendant of Johnny Appleseed’s tree.
tree museum
apple tree
Our time in Storm Lake was pretty amazing. The lodging, food, scenery, downtown bakery, water fun, and sunsets were definitely memory makers.
sunset at King’s Pointe Resort in Iowa
After Storm Lake, we stayed in the Spirit Lake/Okoboji area. Love those towns, too
My momma’s life celebration was at the end of May, and I hadn’t seen my dad since. You want to talk about homesick!! Oh my, I’ve been homesick….
Timing finally worked out, so yesterday, my kiddo and are started our 8 hour drive to my parent’s house in my hometown.
Near the beginning of our journey, we stopped at a place called, ”Irish Wilderness.” We’ve been there a few times, but I guess I forgot how amazing being there is.
Gorgeous isn’t a big enough word for that place. Stunning is more like it.
When I stepped out of my truck yesterday, there was zero noise. I mean, none! I tried to hear a sound, but couldn’t. Absolutely nothing.
I can’t even begin to tell you how freeing and healing that ”no noise” was. I mean, a couple of Saturdays ago, I was crying about my momma loss at that restaurant. Restaurants are busy places. There is noise.
My own house has been a haven for healing, its pretty quiet there, but the Irish Wilderness definitely knows how to do quiet. I’m pretty sure, if there was a trophy for quiet, it would win.
Here are some of the pictures I took:
trail sign at Irish Wilderness
clouds on the water at Irish Wilderness
path to the trailhead at Irish Wilderness
bliss at Irish Wilderness
lily pads on Camp Five Pond Irish Wilderness
It’s funny how ’homesick’ can lessen a bit, when we step into nature. Irish Wilderness has a calm and serene feel. If you are in the Van Buren Missouri area, it’s definitely worth a stop.
We made it to my dad’s last night. It’s great to be home.
Van Buren is a small town in southeast Missouri. The population is 1,241 (in 2020). But, sometimes small towns can offer big things to do.
Tuesday my son and I drove about 40 miles to visit Van Buren and do some of those fun things.
There’s the Jolly Cone restaurant with its outside walk up and order counter. We went there for ice cream, tater tots, and french fries. Yum.
The Landing is a hotel and restaurant that offers float trips down the Current River. They had a fire in 2021, but are rebuilding and open. We didn’t float or stay there this time, but we have in the past. Here is their link is you’d like any information. https://thelandingcurrentriver.com
We went to Big Spring, which I wrote about in my last 2 posts. It’s a wonderful natural spring with 2 hiking trails, some buildings the CCC built in the 1930’s, a campground, picnic pavilions, and access to the Current River.
Another place we went is called Missouri Down Under Adventure Zoo. It is a small zoo, right outside of town. The big draw is the kangaroos. They also have gem panning, a cave, a quarry dig, other animals, and some amazing tree carvings.
The kangaroos are in a huge fenced enclosure and you get to go right in there with them. The day we went it was 102 degrees, so shade was a priority for most of them.
We did see one over at the water tank. I was able to give it a snack out of my cup.
snack time
drink time
shade time
kangaroo time
tree carvings
gem panning
that hole is the cave entrance
inside the cave
We had a great time. They also have lemurs, baby goats, rabbits, birds, snakes, porcupines, and a few other animals. Their website is https://www.missouridownunder.com if you’d like to see the hours or ticket information.
We had a great day in Van Buren on Tuesday with some hiking time, ice cream time, and kangaroo time.
We live in an area filled with natural springs, Forest Service land, hiking trails, and history. What an amazing place to be! Three miles from our house is the Current River.
It is clear and cold, which makes it a popular area year round for swimming, fishing, boating, and floating.
Tuesday, we were about forty miles from home at Ozark National Scenic Riverways near Van Buren Missouri, which is also on the Current River.
Big Spring is the natural spring that I wrote about yesterday. The area itself is full of some pretty cool history. Back in the 1930’s, the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) built the roads and buildings there.
near Big Spring, Van Buren, MO
sign at Big Spring about the CCC
sign with the history of Big Spring
One of my favorite buildings there is the dining hall. Set back off the road, in the trees, it just feels like it was an important place many years ago. Stately, is the word that comes to mind, with its rock walls and river view.
dining hall at Big Spring
The windows are amazing. I’ve never been inside, but they offer a glimpse in and a glimpse out, via nature’s reflections.
a peek into the dining hall from a window
reflections at Big Spring dining hall
a glimpse in, the lights are on
dining hall window reflections
Back in its day, it must have been a busy place. While we were there, one other car came, but I was the only one at the building. Back in the 1930’s though, I bet it was bustling with people. I love that the building is still standing after nearly 90 years.
Here is a great link from the National Park Service about the history of the CCC and Big Spring:
One time my parents came to visit us and we took them to a couple of local springs. My momma LOVED water. I mean loved!! Oceans, rivers, lakes, pools, and mountain streams, water was her thing.
Yesterday, my son and I went back to one of the places we took her. Near Van Buren, MO is a place called Big Spring.
near Van Buren, MO
It is a beautiful, powerful natural spring, tucked back in the corner of the rocks, by a small cave. I took a video so you could hear it.
Big Spring, Van Buren Missouri
When we were there in 2018 with my parents, my momma took a picture of me that she absolutely loved. It was me, looking at the spring.
picture of me my momma took in September 2018 atBig Spring
To try to recreate it, I had my son take a picture of me yesterday. Funny thing is, I had no idea, but I was actually wearing the same blue long sleeve shirt!
me at Big Spring July 2022
Behind the spring is a set of rock steps that go up and lead to a short trail. It was 102 degrees yesterday and luckily, the trail was shaded.
one of two trails at Big Spring
trail sign
looking up from trail
looking down from trail
The trail just sort of ends. You can turn around or walk across a bridge and back to the parking lot. We chose the bridge because it’s new and it took a couple of years to build. It was our first time to walk across it.
view back towards Big Spring from the new bridge
If you are ever near Van Buren, MO, Big Spring is definitely worth a stop. There is a campground, access to the Current River, an old CCC camp as well.
We really enjoyed our day, despite the heat. Our adventures didn’t end there, but that’s for another post.
Thanks for reading. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Unmeasured Journeys 