Happy Holidays From Franceth Manor!

Next week I'll have lots of Graceland photos for you on Elvis's birthday! I'm really glad we got to visit on a misty, chilly holiday weekend, because the traffic was much lighter than the other half-dozen times I've been there. I even got to check out the front gates up close for the first time!

Thanks to all of you regular readers and fans for the best CC&G year yet! 2013 is going to be awesome. There are big plans for this site, plus two other little projects we will be announcing shortly. Stay tuned!

Patee House Museum!

If you find yourself in St. Joseph, Mo. and have already visited the Glore Psychiatric Museum and the house where Jesse James was killed (or was he?) then trot on over to the Patee House and find one of the largest collections of random Americana in the Midwest.

Franceth Manor: Dining Room Reveal

I haven't posted a house update since we bought the house! People have been asking for pictures, but the only room that is really "done" at this point is the dining room, and it's hard to find the perfect time of day to photograph with all those big windows. Here are the "before" photos from the realtor's listing:

Miniature Museum of Greater St Louis

A couple years ago, I took my little point and shoot to the Miniature Museum of Greater St Louis and did the best I could with the Plexiglas, which was not so great. Regardless, it has been a popular post on the site, and I always wanted to see what Francis could do with his awesome skillz & camera. I finally got him there a couple months ago, and then for some reason it got lost in the shuffle. He recently found the photos and I hope you squeal over them like I did!

Laura Ingalls Wilder Home

A couple weekends ago, we drove out to Mansfield, MO to see Laura & Almanzo Wilder's Rocky Ridge Farm, where the Little House on the Prairie books were written. First, let me just say that I am a huge fan of the Little House on the Prairie books. I think they were some of the first chapter books I ever read, and they have inspired me my whole life. All my interest in any kind of crafting, sewing, period costume, gardening, preserving, cooking, baking, travel, EVERYTHING can be traced back to the Little House books. I don't even DO all of those things, but I still tell myself that some day I will make a hat out of straw like Ma did, because Laura's descriptions of everything they did are so detailed that I know I could do it if I just had straw and time. I even own The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories and have never made a single recipe, but it's there for when I get around to it. If you are like me, you NEED to visit.

Follow Us on Other Social Networks!

Hello, I hope this picture of my handsome husband with professional wrestler Mick Foley got your attention. Consider this my gift to you in return for interrupting this regularly scheduled blog with a bit of business.

Since I only update 3-4 times per month, many of you follow me on Facebook so that you know when there is a new entry. As you may have heard, Facebook has recently made some changes that make it very, very difficult for "small businesses" to stay in touch with their fans.

Let's be honest, this is a hobby, not a business. I make enough money from advertising to pay for hosting and that is it. Of course, every little blogger like me dreams of being the next Dooce, and that is why this situation is so frustrating. I have worked my butt off for YEARS to get to just 450 fans on Facebook. Do you know how many people saw the last link I posted to Facebook? 61. The one before that? 82. Not even 20% at this point.

Lincoln's Tomb

BONUS POST! Lincoln (the movie) comes out today, and coincidentally, we stopped in Springfield, IL to check out the Lincoln Tomb in October. We also, coincidentally, happened to pick up a top hat and Lincoln beard for Phoenix. I have driven through Springfield a dozen times in the past six months and I see all the signs for Lincoln Historic Sites, but for some reason it just never connected in my head that Abraham Lincoln is buried so close to St Louis. And WOW, what a tomb it is.

T's Redneck Steakhouse

Look at this map, you guys. NAKED. No Wheel Inn Drive-In Guberburger? No steak in a cave?> No beer bread at a prison themed microbrewery? Not even "throwed rolls" at Lamberts, and there are TWO of them in Missouri.Obviously, something had to be done, and since part of this blog title is "craves", we realized we had to stop eating at Cracker Barrel so much while road tripping. Just because it doesn't have a weird menu item or a funky theme doesn't mean there aren't good restaurants out there in the middle of Missouri. Just say no to chains!

Peoria Asylum

Man, I don't even. You know I just said last week that I skip the negative reviews, but American Horror Story: Asylum just started and I was so excited about this tour of the old "Illinois Asylum for the Incurable Insane". You want to see these pictures, right? I will just let them speak for themselves. This is our review of the "history" tour we drove 6 hours for today.

Riverside Wildlife Center

And we're back! Francis and I went to the National Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City a couple weeks ago and bought a triangle loom from those nice people at Dewberry Ridge, and I took last week off to do more weaving than writing. If we keep up with the weaving we might need to start ANOTHER website! Anyway, the week before Branson, we went back to Stanton. Of course we were there for Meramec Caverns, but we were also there because we FINALLY had time to visit the Riverside Wildlife Center. I've been meaning to stop here for years!

 

Smallin Cave

Last week at a concert, we were talking to some people we met about this blog, and one asked if we did any Civil War stuff. Well, you know me, I kind of roll my eyes about Civil War reenactments, because the only one I've been too was not much action and a lot of cannon fire. Still, the conversation was fresh in our minds when we were driving home from Branson yesterday and saw the highway sign for Smallin Civil War Cave.

 

Now, I knew that Smallin Cave was kind of "new", at least in the sense that it opened for public tours a couple years ago and I knew it was family-owned. Most are, I guess, but for some reason I just expected something along the lines of Cave Vineyard or smaller. It's a few miles off the highway on windy county back roads, and I'm going to tell you that when you think, "Lord, what are we doing and how are we going to find the highway again?" KEEP DRIVING.

 

We were surprised to find a sizable gift shop, which you can see above, behind an ancient Native American trail marking tree that signaled a cave (water and shelter) in the area, and the ubiquitous panning for gold. We were even MORE surprised to find out that the tour was an hour long. Still expecting small from Smallin, we set off with our tour guide, Dennis, and another couple. We talked about the history of the area as we walked down the winding path, stopping briefly inside the opening of their smaller cave, Fielden Cave.

 

Now, that's about what I expected of Smallin Cave. Maybe a little bigger. What I never in a million years would have imagined is this:

 

I apologize for the cell phone pictures, as we had not planned on any blogging this weekend. I'm disappointed in that photo, because it just not enough. That cave opening is 100' wide and 50' tall. I'm at a loss for words even now, because the majesty of nature just blows my mind sometimes.

 

A river runs through the whole cave, over rocks and into pools, and Dennis said he has to use a PA to give tours when the water is higher. The reason the cave is "new" to the show cave circuit is because the property was owned by a church camp for 35 years. It actually was a show cave back in the 1950s, was on the cover of National Geographic in the 1920s, and was the first documented cave of the Ozarks in the early 1800s.

  Caves were the first "roadside attractions", especially in the Ozarks. Dennis said that back in the 1960s, Meramec Caverns entrance looked very much like Smallin, before they built the visitors center over the cave mouth. I said that Meramec Caverns is just about the most commercialized cave in the state, and then immediately remembered that Silver Dollar City sprung up AROUND Marvel Cave. What was once the main attraction is now, as Francis says, "Oh by the way, we also have this cave." These days you could walk right by the entrance without even noticing it.

The coolest thing of all about Smallin is that you see so much more NATURE than at other show caves. I like my concrete pathways and electricity when it comes to caving, but it's pretty awesome to see all this water and wildlife undisturbed. This was like cave bingo: they have blind crayfish, blind salamanders, cave spiders, and bats! Two kinds!

 

There's a little blind cave crayfish up there if you look close. Also, fossils all over the place. This cave is a fantastic field trip opportunity for students. It's like a cornucopia of science in here.

 

The Civil War inclusion in the name of the cave comes from the fact that it was used for storing supplies and whatnot during the war, and there's a little bit of a story about a Union spy in the area. It's such a tiny fraction of the history of a cave that has been used by people for as long as people have been in the area. Still, if Civil War history is your thing, every Saturday night in October, they are doing "Civil War Tours", which include chatting around a campfire and a lantern tour of the cave after dark. You can find details on the tours section of their website. They will also be doing Civil War Christmas tours in November and December.

 

This was absolutely, without a doubt, the best impulse stop we have ever made. It literally brought tears to my eyes, it was so beautiful, and such a shining example of everything I love about the Ozarks. If you ever find yourself in the area of Springfield, Smallin Cave is only a couple miles south and is worth a couple hours of your day. Remember, I only had my cell phone, so there is much, MUCH more to the tour than is included here.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park Castle Ruins

I forgot that I never posted this one! This is from our trip to Camdenton, MO a few months ago. As much as I love the beauty of caves, there is nothing that makes me happier than the hills and bluffs of the Ozarks coupled with a river or lake. I cannot even put into words how in love I am with this one spot, and I cannot wait to get back there. We weren't able to stay long on top of the bluff because storms were rolling in and the wind was fierce.





Is that a stunning view or what? If it wasn't three hours away, this was my #1 choice for wedding location. I'm still thinking I want a professional photo shoot here, at least, because LOOK AT THIS CASTLE.



Yes, on top of this bluff is the ruins of a rich guy's house, looking like a gothic novel plunked down in the middle of the Ozarks.



Here's the panoramic view from the circle drive:











Ha Ha Tonka castle was started by Robert McClure Snyder Sr in 1905, but he was killed in 1906 in an automobile accident. The house was completed by his sons in the 1920s, used as a hotel for awhile, and then burned down in 1942. In the 1970s, the state of Missouri purchased the land and turned it into a state park.

Parts of the stables/carriage house remain, and the water tower off in the distance has been partially restored after it was damaged by fire in 1976.

All in all, Ha Ha Tonka State Park is one of the crown jewels of Missouri State Parks. If you want to show people why Missouri is a beautiful state, this is what you show them, preferably in person. I can't wait to get out there and hike some day. Check out the Missouri State Parks website for all the details you need to plan your trip!

Blackwater, MO and the Bucksnort Saloon

Sometimes I feel like I know everything there is to do in Missouri, and it's just a matter of getting there. My excitement was off the charts when I saw a billboard for the Bucksnort Saloon on the way to Sedalia a few weeks ago. Like, action movie driving excitement. I was even MORE excited when I realized that this was a town that was down to 300-ish people and had taken their fate into their own hands.

What can we do to get people to leave the highway and visit our town? SHOOTOUTS IN THE STREET, THAT'S WHAT! Sadly, we were not there for a shootout weekend, but having been to quite a few historic towns and events in my day, I wanted to high five everyone in town for not going the cliched "Civil War" route. Blackwater goes the Old West route, and the South Fork Regulators make an appearance the second Saturday of every month, April through October. Our fall calendar is booked to the max, but I am really looking forward to this next year.

So let's take a tour of Blackwater! Above is the first thing we came across, a museum dedicated to the pioneers of the rural telephone system. It's kind of a self guided museum. We didn't actually encounter any other people when we were in here.

Around the corner from the museum is the town jail, a cute little setup off a wood plank sidewalk that hides the very thoughtful public restrooms.

So I know you are asking yourself, what in the world is the Bucksnort Saloon? That's what we wanted to know.

The Bucksnort Saloon is a detailed recreation of a western saloon that has everything but the whiskey (or any alcohol). There were guys in period costume hanging out, welcoming visitors and answering questions. It's marvelously well done.

All of the gaming tables are authentic recreations (that middle one is a faro table!) hand made by one of the gentlemen we met at the saloon.

They even have a chuckwagon out back!

Down the street, right before the railroad tracks, is the original Iron Horse Hotel. It is now a bed & breakfast, with a restaurant that is open on weekends. Francis's parents have stayed there, and say that you should be aware that it is right next to railroad tracks, and that trains come through regularly.

They have a gorgeous courtyard in the back, and I saw on Facebook that they just had their first wedding there a couple weeks ago.

And the icing on the cake, they restored their railroad station for use as their community center, which was being set up for a party when we were there. What an awesome idea.

High five, Blackwater! I love what you've done with the place, and I will be back in the spring! If you are interested in visiting Blackwater, MO, it's just a couple miles off 1-70, about 160 miles west of St Louis, and about 90 miles east of Kansas City. In addition to the shootouts, saloon, museums, and B&B, they also have a couple antique stores and the Bucksnort Trading Company, where you can get your Old West costumes, herbal products, baskets, blankets, and jewelry.

Wedding at the Top of the Gateway Arch!

Francis and I got to know each other when he came with us to Bonne Terre Mine while on leave and then wrote his Special Edition! from Iraq, and has been on just about every trip since he came home, two years ago today! I never would have kept up with this all these years without the help of him, and all our awesome friends, so of course we had to have a blog-worthy wedding.

Special thanks to Roy Lay, our roommate and officiant, Debra Crankshaw for being our photographer, her excellent assistant Brendan, our families who showed up on relatively short notice, and all your girls from Kentucky who made me feel super glamorous on my wedding day! ♥

To answer the most frequently asked question: Yes, it's  TOTALLY OK to get married at the top of the Arch! No reservation required, you just have to pay for the tickets to the top. All the employees were awesome and accommodating.