The Traveling Farmer (and his wife)

Ok, so it's been a while.  We have been super busy.  Just like the rest of ya'll. 
The Farmer and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this weekend. Wow! Time flies when you are having fun!  We have made it a habit to celebrate our anniversary with an annual "honeymoon". Each year we try to find an interesting location with lots of beautiful scenic roads to travel and lots of good food.  (We really like to eat!)
Mode of transportation:

Yep, you guessed it! That is the shadow of the farmer and his wife (me) on the motorcycle!  Just thought that that would be a fun picture.  It is rather challenging to take a picture of oneself while going down the road at 65mph! But you would be surprised at what can be accomplished while on the back of a motorcycle.  Take napping for instance....

Our travels took us South this year.  First stop: Jasper, Arkansas.  What is there? A beautiful campground run by a very sweet couple by the names of Jacob and Rebekah Ketchens.  The name of the campground is Dogwood Springs Campground resort.  They have places for R.V. s, tents (which we were toting) and sweet little cabins.  And I found out that they are also, friends with one of my friends.  You know who you are.
Ok so night number one. We are camping in a tent on an air mattress,  which we blew up using motorcycle battery power. Outdoor temperature- 37 degrees.  We didn't do much sleeping but did a lot of shivering.  Well, me anyway. And all night long a poor little whipporwill sat above my head and  after about 20 minutes of listening to "whippor will" it began to sound like she was saying "If Leonard will"  I then lay there and worried all night ' What if Leonard won't, then what?'  and 'What if Leonard does?' Then I got tickled and tried not to wake my dear farmer with my giggles.  In the morning, I told him and we both had a good laugh.  About that time we heard in the distance another whipporwill and she said 'Leonard did'.  So whatever was happening in bird land we don't know, but I will never hear a whipporwill the same again!
Well, when we went to start ol' Blue (the motorcycle), the battery was dead. Hhmm... wonder how that happened?? So my farmer rolled it down the hill and got it started and off we went.

Day two:
We rode all day through beautiful country.  Ah! The perfume of God's world.  All the way to Southern Arkansas we were surrounded by the perfume of honeysuckle! Then the fragrance changed to that of the pines as we were riding right through the middle of the pine woods. 

When we arrived in Monroe, Louisiana, we sought out a fabulous little place to eat called the Mohawk.  Not our regular type eating place but REALLY good food!  Now, I tried real hard to take pictures of our plates before we started eating, but I will just say that they didn't turn out.  Instead, the pictures made the food not only unappetizing but just downright nasty lookin'. So, just imagine a plate of really, really yummy crawfish etouffee. Mmmmmm! Good! And a plate of really, really yummy stuffed crabs.  Mmmm!
Then we went to find a campground.  We finally did in Delhi, LA.  Beautiful campground, just right for the mosquito population!! We settled in between the interstate and the railroad tracks. Lovely little campsite... until time to sleep! I lay awake most of the night swatting mosquitos and listening to the semis on the interstate and the trains with their abominably long whistle blowing! Oh yeah, and I sweated!  It is hot in Louisiana! And humid! 

Day 3:
Well, guess what?!? The next morning, the battery was dead on  the motorcycle. So, we drove in to the Monroe, LA Harley Davidson dealership, and they didn't even have a battery in stock.  They said it would be 2 weeks before they could even look at the motorcycle! Dandy! So we went on into town to follow our next interest.
The Beidenharn Museum and Gardens.  Oh, my goodness! That was really cool! And  beautiful, too! You really should go.  The Beidenharn family was the first to bottle Coca-Cola.  I will leave it at that and just say, it is worthwhile to visit if you are anywhere near there.

I can't even begin to put all of the neat pictures on here. But the above is one I took in the Museum.  Then you go over to the gardens.  Ahhh... If only I could have a garden half as pretty! They have folks just working full time in the garden! It really is beautiful!
We left Monroe, (after having someone jump the battery) and headed to Natchitoches, LA.  Never been there? Ya oughta go!  We got a room that night cause all of the campgrounds were full, full, full.
I slept like a baby!
Day 4:
There were hoodlums in the parking lot hanging out, polishing the wheels on their car and listening to rap. All this while my dear farmer went to get a battery for the motorcycle.   I called my aunt and she came and got me and we met Hubby on the other side of town. Then we all went for 'brunch' at one of the best restaurants in town.  Lasyone's Meat Pie kitchen.  Mmmm! Yeah!  If you have never had a meat pie from Natchitoches, then you have missed out!
Just down the street on the corner is a live oak tree where my grandfather used to park his truck and preach.
The tree is still there!

As is the radio station where he did his Sunday morning broadcast. And the river where he baptized converts.
And the church that he built and put a Bible inside one of the posts when he built it.  Just wish I knew which post!

Somewhere we have a picture of the original group  in this church.  My dad is on the front row and my grandfather is standing in the middle aisle. When I walked in, I knew it , not for any other reason than that it looked like the picture. Neat, huh?
That day we drove on to Shreveport, LA. When we got to town, the Farmer said, " Let's pull into this Wal-Mart parking lot and figure out where to eat and where a campground is."
We parked and looked up and there was Vince's restaurant.  So we decided to eat there. Yum! More crawfish ettoufee.  I was determined to get all the good stuff that I could while I was south! We asked our waitress about a campground and she drew us a map.  This led us to the Tall Pines Campground.  The owners there are very nice people. Tom and Tracy Landis.  They own another campground in Lamar, Colorado, but that is another trip.
They don't allow tent camping there, but had very neat little cabins at a very affordable price. So we stayed in a cabin.  Good thing! It stormed like crazy that night! But we slept very well!

Day 5;
We got up and packed our things away and started for home. This time we rode in high winds and right between crops of cotton, rice, corn, wheat and oil. Oil crops?? Well, whatever you wanna call 'em.  They were harvesting the stuff all over the place. Then we got close to some paper mills. Stinky!!
Came on in through Ft Smith and the through the Bobby Hopper tunnel.  That is fun in a car, but thrilling on a motorcycle.  Fabulously thrilling!

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So, yeah, we had a good time! But it is good to be back on the farm.  There is no place like home! And that, my dear friends, is the reason that it has taken a while for me to write. We are home and God was gracious to keep us safe... Oh that is another story!  Now it is time for me to get busy making Ol' Farmhouse Recipe #1, for there are people who need it and I better have it when they call.
Oh yes! It can now be purchased at 4 locations! Berryville, Japton, Green Forest and Harrison!  If you have a favorite local store that you would like to carry this, have them contact me. www.olfarmhouseproducts.com
Have a happy day, my friends!