Monday 10/26 was spent sightseeing. Barb and Cresia took me out to see the beautiful natural springs. We saw four but there were others but just not enough time in the day to see and enjoy.
Our first one was Big Spring in Van Bruen. The water was rolling and bubbling fast. And the color. Wow. 
You can see the cave areas in the rocks where the water is coming from under and out and around the area. It was mesmerizing watching the water and so pretty. On an average day 288 million gallons of water flows through this spring. It is considered one of the 3 biggest springs in America
Then we drove to Blue Spring which is 14 miles east of Eminence or 14 miles west of Ellington off State Route 106. Now this drive while pretty I was beginning to hear dueling banjos. We were driving down a dirt road surrounded by the Ozarks National Forrest and no one else in site. In fact when we got to the parking area we were the only car. I'm like thinking are we staff out here. Barb is gonna be my hero is anyone tries to attack us right? She's an army vet she has combat training. Okay so my imagination was a bit crazy. LOL 
We started walking the trail and this is our first sighting of water but we didn't hear any rushing water so where is the spring. Kept walking and finally saw a sign pointing this way and that way. We were wondering is there really a spring back here. Barb was worried about me tripping and falling on the trail because there were lots of tree roots and rocks. She'd be going there's a "tripper" and another all down the trail. What seemed like at least a mile or more we heard and saw some rushing water. Keep in mind we are still the only people out here in the woodsThe rush of water isn't as powerful as the first spring but it's really pretty when we get to where the spring originates. It puts out about 87 million gallons of water.
The water color is absolutely gorgeous. This spring is the 6th deepest in Missouri I think I read. It said if you put the statue of Liberty in the spring her torch would be 5 feet under water. It's like 310' plus deep. You could see caves in the rocks around the spring.
If you click Here you can see the fish swimming in the spring. Looks like trout to us. We survived the hike back into the woods. 
Next stop is Round Spring. It's circular. But the cool part here was the 2 American Eagles I spotted in the trees. Also the girls were telling me about the wild horses that roam the forrest, the elk and bear.
The area is beautiful. Cresia found horse poop and walked up a path hoping to see some wild horses and I wouldn't have minded seeing them either but no such luck. Again the water of the spring is a beautiful blue and round.
This spring produces about 26 million gallons of water. No rushing water here. The spring flows down into this area near the parking lot.
We were getting hungry so Barb said we'd go to Echo Bluff Lodge for lunch and maybe see some wild horses. They had stayed at the lodge before they built in the area and they horses came onto the property while they were there but we were too late. As we drove through the parking lot we did see several piles of fresh horse poop but no horses darn it but the area is beautiful. I need to get David up here and maybe we can stay at the lodge for a night or two and catch a sighting of the horse. While waiting for lunch Cresia and I walked outside on the patio.
I got chicken strips and the mac and cheese. Chicken strips were fine but that mac and cheese was creamy goodness.
There is the lodge and there's also cabins around the property you can stay in.
After lunch We drove through the area just in case the horses were along the stream or the playground but no such luck and we headed off to our last Spring of the day.Our last place is a community on Alley Spring with a Mill, also near Eminence, MO. Barb and Cresia told me the paddle wheel was there the last time they visited but the water was flowing quickly. The water is said to run around 57 degrees and with an average of 81 millions gallons of water a day.
Click Here to hear and see the water going past the mill and the roar and Here to the power of the water rushing by. The area was beautiful.
This might have been a smoke house/tool shed on the property. Barb was dodging other wild creatures while on our drive to the springs. From deer to chipmunks and even a couple eagles that landed on the road.It was a wonderful day of beautiful scenery and sights. Can't thank them enough for their hospitality.
Tuesday 10/28 Cresia and I did a little shopping while Barb went to an appointment. When she was done we went to Hobby Lobby or should I say Money Hole. Cresia and I found plenty of things we liked and wanted. We both walked out with a couple of bags. I was about to get in trouble with Barb for encouraging Cresia to get something that caught her eye. LOL When we got to the check out Cresia snuck in a cute VW bus for display. Love it.
Wednesday afternoon the kids showed up and it was time to head back home. I hate good byes.
And while I'm sure they were ready to get their life back I hated to leave but at the same time I was ready to get home to David and the 80# lap dogs.
We drove as far as Little Rock and stopped for the night. This was a first for me. In a hotel room by myself. Normally I have David or Pamela but not this time. At first I was kinda weirded out but I was so tired I went right to sleep when I laid down. And oh the things you see when traveling. We stopped for gas and a potty break and there's a unicorn. LOL
Not even 10 miles from Kaleb and Pamela's a herd of deer popped up and I was slowing down just as one deer decides to take 90 degree left in front of the car. I slammed on the brakes. I didn't hit it but I bet I tapped it's tail. Scared the crap out of me especially since I was driving Pamela's car. We made to Kaleb and Pamela's where David picked me up and I slept in my own bed.
I think I spent the next few days regrouping from being from home so long.
Kaleb and Pamela got the boys for Halloween this year. The boys were quite scary. Their Aunt Sarah and Ashley came over to go Trick or Treating too. Now my niece in Missouri was little Bo Peep and mom n dad were her sheep. I wasn't that creative when Pamela was little.
It was a busy month and I wasn't home much and now I'm trying to catch up on all the activities in our life. So done with October and now it's on to November. Until next blog post...“Be
thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on
what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~Oprah Winfrey
I treated David to a new recipe he sent me called Spicy Cajun sausage and Orzo. It was a winner so I'll add it to my cookbook to make again. I better get busy cooking because he sent me several recipes to try but it seems like we tend to fall back on recipes we've made forever. 
It's hard to believe that these plants were in 1 gal. buckets and tiny but now they almost hide the plow and the sign. 
The little wire looking thing is a solar decorative light I guess I need to take a picture of it at night. It's cute like little fairy lights blowing in the breeze. 
(11/07) I met Samara and Eva at Masfajita's in College Station to pick up some T-shirts to make a memory quilt and cotton shirts to make memory teddy bears that Eva's Dad wore. Pamela and Kaleb joined us for lunch. Samara and I get at least one picture a year taken together. This actually might make 3 for this year. LOL Kaleb and Eva had a lot to talk about. He works for Huntsville prison and she used to. They had stories to share. It was nice getting to visit with them.
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