Out and About for some Fall Fun

We're really fortunate to have so many wonderful antique shops, flea markets, boutiques, and tea rooms, here in Springfield, and the surrounding area. You can spend several days and you still couldn't see all that they offer. Delicious food, great antiques, fun vintage treasures to find...and most of all we have some fabulous local talent.

Nature's Treasures

We spent this last weekend on a trip to Eastern Missouri, Hawn State Park, and then visited the soon to be State Park of St. Genevieve, Missouri, which is one of the oldest settlements west of the Mississippi. It was a wonderful trip, very remote in the middle of 5000 acres of pristine woodland and river. Many of the leaves there are already starting to change. I was near giddy at seeing the golden leaves flutter to the ground along the river's edge.

Entry with a Vintage Sunflower Print

I hadn't done much if anything, different with my Entry Area since I received the wonderful Sheep Print from Canvas Pop, earlier in the year. But now it's time for a little more "Late Summer" sprinkled around in here. 

Canvas Pop Print

In Harmony with Nature...

...or, what to do if you're easily bored while camping.

Just wanted to check in with you on our/my "camping" progress. We've had a couple of weekend trips; one to the river,(Southern Missouri trout fishing river) the other to a lake (NW Arkansas in the mountains). Both were good, relaxing, and I really enjoyed my time with Hubbs. We grilled steaks and pork chops and had smores (which I thought he'd complain about, but actually he was a trooper. And even though we forgot the long fork, we improvised with small kitchen forks, and it ended up being one of the more memorable moments of the trip)

(we didn't actually go to Lake of the Ozarks, but I love these vintage fold out postcards, 

so I thought I'd share that bit of vintage lake goodness)

the comfort zone...

A couple of months ago when my husband first brought up the pick-up and camper idea, I have to admit I was not really "on board". He'd talked about it off and on for years, but it didn't seem like much of a reality. Then 12 years ago our lives changed drastically with my heart problems and basically our focus on life became more day to day and month to month, rather than long term.

Then Hubbs had his own health problems with Meniere's for a few years. After his surgery a few years ago, he's pretty much back to "normal". But we've both realized that whatever traveling we were going to do was not going to be by plane. Him with an inner ear issue and me having had blood clots in my heart, the thought of flying... anywhere... made both of us shudder. We've gotten used to the idea that there are plenty of wonderful places we can visit and enjoy that are here in the states. Although it would be wonderful to jet off to foreign destinations, I prefer to be firmly planted on the ground. Does that make us over the hill fuddy duddies? I hope not. In our perspective, just a little more realistic and practical.

Spring at Roaring River State Park

Happy Camper

I've been thinking about writing this post for the last couple of weeks...I guess it's time. It definitely falls into the category of "Old Dogs", as in "teaching them new tricks". Or as in today's new vernacular aka Jimmy Fallon #hashtags, I could label this:

 #Imnotanoldhippy,
 #theresnoplacelikehome,
 #Ihatebugs,
 #Idontwanttopeeinthewoods,
 and...
 #pleasedontmakeme.
But, I don't want be a stick in the mud, and this is something my husband is going to love, and has always wanted to do.