Last Thursday, May 31, I left for a short trip to Missouri to see my oldest daughter Cindy and her family. I couldn’t post about the trip in advance as it was a surprise for her birthday weekend. I went to see her in “Steel Magnolias” at the historic Farris Theatre where her family has been active for years. They are supporters of the theatre, much like I was for so long at the Winnsboro Center For the Arts, and Cindy’s kids were in many productions for a number of years before she took the stage again about four years ago.
Cindy’s daughter and husband helped arrange the surprise, and even her good friend, who knew about it in advance, kept the secret for several weeks. Being there was great fun, and the expression on Cindy’s face when she saw me at the end of the show was priceless. She played Claree and did an outstanding job.
Maybe I have a bit of favoritism. š
My youngest daughter, Dany, drove with me, and we had a good time traveling together, but then, we’ve been compatible traveling companions on several trips over the years.
On our way to Richmond, MO, we stopped in Carthage at the Grand Avenue Bed & Breakfast. Little did we know that it is a favorite of dear friends Adler & Hearne. Lynn Adler is from Carthage, and the singing duo often go to there for house concerts and to see her parents. We got to meet the parents, and it was so nice to have a visit with folks we’d heard about so often from Lynn.
The rooms at the B&B are all named for famous, classic, authors, and we stayed in the Laura Ingalls Wilder Room. It even had a few of her books handy for reading.
Just one of the many pretty flowers around the historic house was this one. I have no idea what it is. I forgot to ask the owner of the B&B.
After three days in Richmond, we started home and stopped at the Graham -Carroll House Bed and Breakfast in Muskogee, OK. This is another historic house that has been lovingly restored by the owners and it reopened in 2014. One of the specialties is the three-course gourmet breakfast, which was delightful. I’ve never had a three-course breakfast, let alone one that is gourmet, and I felt every bit as pampered as the King and Queen of the Oklahoma Renaissance Fair that stay at the Carroll House during the run of the show.
The first course is a fruit medley nestled in a strawberry sauce that the owner, Donna, makes with strawberries from their berry patch in the garden.
That was followed by the Kings Eggs, which is appropriately named for the King of the Faire.
The final offering was a scrumptious German apple pancake (Apfelpfannkuchen). It’s easy to make. Really! But you won’t find Donna’s recipe online.
Coffee and tea was served in these peacock cups. The decorative theme of the B&B is peacocks, all very elegant and tastefully done, and the overall atmosphere is peaceful and relaxing.
Even though our stay was just overnight, I did manage a little time to sit in the little reading nook with my Kindle.
Directly across from the reading nook is the conservatory. I’ve never seen one for real, only in the game Clue, and I wondered if Professor Plum might be hiding somewhere with the revolver waiting for a suspect. š
That’s all for me for today, folks. And probably all for the weekend. I left a lot of work undone before I left and refused to take it with me. This was a vacation after all, so I need to catch up – after I get rested from all the travel. Funny how that gets harder and harder as one ages. š
This will be a quiet weekend for me. Nothing on my plate except some writing and editing. What about you? Do you have plans? Whatever you do, Be Safe, Be Happy.
What a fun vacation you had! It was certainly well deserved and glad you had a great time.
Yes, it was indeed a lot of fun. It’s always good to be with family and disconnected from cyberspace for a while. š
Sounds like a fantastic week! So glad you and Dany could do it!! Iām sure Cindy and family were happy to see you ladies!ššš hugs and love to you all!! ššš¤š¤š¤
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Mary. It was a grand vacation. Love to all in Michigan.