Geocaching Fun (as part of vacation fun)

Part of our vacation was spent doing some hiking and geocaching. Because of Mike's feet, we don't do as much as we use to. Luckily, we have walking sticks that provide a little support and help him to keep up as much as he can. We found a total of 15 for the weekend; which isn't bad considering there weren't very many around the lake!


Mike reaches looking for a cache at a park.


Mike is down on the ground searching out the cache.


Mike finds one and pulls it out of its hiding spot.



Topos takes a break from caching...





During lunch we stopped by the river. Of course Mike had to give the fishing a shot!


Taking a break after hiking to a point on the lake.


Me and Sedona checking out the view.


No, we aren't thinking about swimming!


Watching the sunset from one of the bluffs after finding a cache.


Now we are taking a break to swim! They both hate swimming...although by the end of the trip, I think we had Sedona convinced that swimming made her feel much better in all of the heat!


Wet dog!


Getting ready for the evening with a fantastic camp fire!

That's all for today. I need to finish up my homework so we can go over to Danelle's and watch the Nebraska/Wake Forrest game.

C'ya!

The Vacation Lives On!

After visiting Bothwell Lodge, we headed on further South to Warsaw, Missouri. Warsaw sits just off of the Truman Lake area in the Ozarks. Mike's mom lived not far from Warsaw when he was much younger; before the dam and Lake was completely finished. As you cross the river in the middle of town, you notice that there is a very narrow walking bridge; a swinging bridge if you will. Mike remembers driving across it when he was very young. If you look at the pictures, I think you will agree that is just plain crazy!



View up the River from the swinging Bridge.






Mike is looking for fish over the edge; yes...he sees some - he always does!

View back toward land.

After the fiasco of trying to find a camp site, we set up camp. This was the most perfect set-up we have ever had with this tent. We were concerned about setting it up on gravel and driving the stakes in; however, I think the stakes were in the best this one time.

Mike setting up the tent.

The only thing about big parks for camping is that the dogs have to be chained up while in the parks. Neither one of them really care to be chained up all that much. However, they did very well. In fact, by the end of the weekend, we weren't keeping them on there all the time - they were too tired to do much of anything any way!

Sedona watches as Paw Paw sets up the tent.

Topos enjoys the sunset from the camp site.

The tent up and the sun going down, we build a fire and call it a night.

I would post more but I really need to get to work...

C'ya!

More Vacation Fun - Photos

In order to continue the feeling of vacation well past the vacation, I am going to post the photos that should have been going with each day. I didn't post them while we were out there for obvious reasons!

These photos are from our tour of the Bothwell Lodge (http://www.mostateparks.com/bothwell.htm). Definitely stop and take a look. It only costs a couple of dollars for the tour and if you are even slightly into old, historic buildings than you will certainly enjoy the tour!

View of the back-side of the house. This is the side you see from the road up in the bluff.

View from just inside the front door.

Formal Dining room. Even though this table only seats 10, Mr. Bothwell could handle up to 35 house guests by setting up tables throughout the home. Any more than that, and they were seated outside. He also only had one staffed kitchen person so too many and she couldn't keep up.

Here is why she couldn't keep up! The kitchen was very small - yet had all the luxuries that a modern kitchen could have at the time.

This was in the basement - or his workshop. Located just to the back of the basement and under the house was a cave discovered while building the home. This is where much of the limestone to build the house was pulled from.

Library area. All but a few books belonged to Mr. Bothwell. You notice the ones that didn't because they were definitely not masculine!

View from the upper level of the home.

Top floor of the spiral. This was NOT the attic yet Mr. Bothwell's office area. You could also get to the roof from this room.

Music room. Mr. Bothwell married only once to a musician and artist. She died at a young age. He purchased the player to play the piano after his wife died. He decided it was easier than learning to play piano!

An old fashioned 'talk box'. This one actually still works even though it only picks up one station!

Listen carefully - you will hear that it is indeed on a station!

One of only 3 original paintings by Mr. Bothwell's wife is hanging in the home. She was very young when she died (I remember 35 but I don't know that for sure) so you know she had to have done more. However, no one knows where the other paintings might be.

View from the front of the house looking toward the highway.

The house was built in several phases. The plans actually show this area as being enclosed with more rooms. However, Mr. Bothwell died before it was completed and no one wanted to make changes to the home after his death.

View from the side of the home looking toward the highway.

Mr. Bothwell built a seperate cottage for (I believe) his brother. This is a private residence so you can't get any closer (and there was a dog that didn't seem to keen on Topos and Sedona) so this is what I could see.

This is the garage - it also had a loft area in it. We were not able to see inside as it looks like it is just a storage area now.

This was simply amazing. You expect to see some extravegant home lavishly furnished when you pull up and yet it is very simple and elegant. The fact that he died and willed the home to his friends until only 5 of them remained and then willed it to the state shows how humble I think he really was. It was well worth the tour!

I need to go get dinner now and start on homework...

C'ya!