A CHILLY DAY ADVENTURE!!

We haven't been antiquing for a while so yesterday we decided it was time to head South towards Ste. Genevieve and see what we could find.  It was a dark and chilly day but we decided to go adventuring anyway!  Ken had been telling me about Hawn State Park and how beautiful it would be this time of year and we decided to stop there  along the way to check out their beautiful Fall colors!! 



We're going to walk Pickle Creek Trail .. tells us this trail is only 7/10 of a mile one way.  Wanta' come along with us?????? 

I thought we would be walking towards Pickle Creek but as it turns out .. Pickle Creek runs alongside the trail!! 

As you can see this is a very rocky trail!!! 

Ahhhh the trail is clear again .. for a while!!

Ken is ON the trail!!  We had to do a bit of rock climbing!!!

Pickle Creeks sounds more like a babbling brook than a creek!!! 

 

I just had to take a video so you could hear it!! 

More climbing!!!

We made it to the end of the trail and we're headed back!!

Notice the tree laying down .. there were a few trees that had fallen across the trail .. they just cut out the part that covers the trail and leave the rest of the tree!!! 

The outhouse .. we are back to civilization .. LOL!!

Ken thought it was funny that I was taking a picture of the outhouse .. but I thought it was cute .. for an outhouse .. LOL!! 

They have a very nice picnic area and a big camping area also!!

 

I really enjoyed our hike up Pickle Creek trail .. I'm looking forward to coming back some day when it's not quite so chilly and do one of the other trails!!!  Who knows .. maybe we'll even bring a picnic lunch .. or cook Hot Dogs on one of their charcoal grills!!!  

 

I am always watching for old barns to get a picture of .. didn't get a very good picture of this one but it's a nice barn so thought I would post it anyway!!  Ken and I have some white ceramic tiles and we're planning to decoupage pictures of old barns on them and make coasters out of them.  That will most likely be a winter project .. meanwhile .. I'm collecting old barn pictures .. LOL!! 

I think I told you we were headed for Ste. Genevieve .. we made it at last!! 

One of the first things we saw in Ste. Gen was this .. guillotine with a headless lady in it!!!  Of course I had to go see what that was about!!! 

I guess it's a leftover Halloween decoration!!!

We were going to the "Old Brick House" Restaurant for lunch. 

 

History

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The Old Brick House was erected in the year 1780 by John Price, local merchant and ferry boat operator between Ste. Genevieve and Kaskaskia.  It is the oldest brick building west of the the Mississippt River.  Tradtion has it that the bricks were brought from France in boats as ballast.  The bricks were plastered, and this is still evident today, even after the removal of several coats of paint.

 

From an old deed (1804-1809) now in possession of the present owners, it was known that John Price accrued an indebtedness of $1,200 and the building was sold to Joseph Pratte for $1,100 to satisfy said debt.  The sale, conducted by Sheriff Henry Dodge, was the first "Sheriff's Sale" held west of the Mississippi.  The building was also the site of the first Territorial Court in the District.

 

A duel took place on the steps of the building in 1816, while it served at the territorial courthouse, between William McArthur and Auguste DeMun.  DeMun, a native of France and son of one of the founders of New Bourbon, fell mortally wounded.  He expired shortly thereafter and was buried in the Old Catholic graveyard on August 28, 1816.

In the book "Sainte Genevieve,"

 

written by F.J. Yealy, S.J. (one of the town's illlustrious sons), we find this passage: "Between the years 1824 and 1842 school classes were held in the brick house at Third and Market Streets, built by John Price." 

 

We have now eaten at 3 restaurants in Ste. Genevieve .. "The Anvil", "Sirro's" and the "Old Brick House"  .. of the 3 "The Anvil" would be my favorite!!  The "Old Brick House" is a very old building and neat to visit but the lunch left a lot to be desired!!! 



Next stop was "First Settlement Antiques" .. just a couple of blocks from the restaurant.  We actually walked there!!! 

Across the street from the antique store was this "Treasured Memories" florist and gift shop!!

The wooden sign above the entrance caught my eye .. "Emile Vogt 1879" .. for my maternal great grandmother's maiden name was Voght.  Had she been from Missouri I would have been very excited but her family was from Pennsylvania!!! 

 

I am wishing now that I had bought this to put on Mom and Dad's headstone .. I'm thinking the next time we get to Ste. Gen I just might have to visit this place again!!! 

It was such a chilly day out .. and maybe we were a little worn out from our walk at Hawn Park .. for after our lunch and our visit to these 2 shops we decided it was time to go home where it was nice and warm and stretch out in front of the TV and vegetate for the rest of the day!! 

On the way home we came across a lookout at the side of the road and pulled in to see what we could see .. I snapped this picture of a very tranquil and very beautiful Fall scene in the Missouri countryside!!! 

 

We didn't find any "treasures" to buy .. but our hike at Hawn State Park and a chance to see this beautiful piece of America made the trip into Ste. Genevieve County well worth it!!!  Thank You Ken for another GREAT day of adventuring!!!!  

TRAVELING AGAIN!!!

 

First a Birthday celebration for the October birthdays at the Senior Center ..

 

 



 

And then we're off to Illinois for a get-together with my siblings but first ..  I gave my good friend Kathy a call and surprised her by letting her know we were in Robinson, Illinois and would love to take her to dinner if she was free!!!  I had actually tried to call her earlier in the day but didn't get through .. consequently she was greatly surprised to find us practically on her doorstep .. LOL!!! 



After a tour of her house and a nice visit no longer being familiar with the "eateries" around Robinson we let Kathy choose where we would eat.  She chose the "Tuscany Grill" .. it was a great choice!!! 

 

Kathy had been telling me about a neat little restaurant in Hutsonville, Illinois that serves delicious and huge home made Cinnamon Rolls and we wanted to check it out so Ken and I spent the night at the "Country View" Hotel in Robinson and  picked her up the next morning and headed that way ..

 







 

Those glass jars on the shelves are full of different flavored Coffee Beans!!! 

 









As you can see this is  my kind of place .. I love it!!!  



Don't know who these people are .. LOL!!

AAHHHHH .. the famed Cinnamon Roll!!!!  We decided we would share one since we also ordered Pecan Praline Pancakes and Bacon!!!  The Cinnamon Roll was just as large and as DELICIOUS as Kathy proclaimed it to be!!! 

 

Best of friends always share the good things, right???????

Our Pecan Praline Pancakes and Bacon!!  WOW .. these were delicious too!!!!  

Another great thing about this little restaurant is that they have many different flavors of Coffee all set up in pots so that you can serve yourself and get whatever flavor you want or several different flavors!!  In the picture after the picture of the big jars of Coffee if you look closely you'll see Kathy at the pots of Coffee getting her first cup!!  We tried .. Southern Pecan, Chocolate Mint, Butterscotch Something or other, and another one that I can't remember .. LOL!!  All were very good!!  I have a feeling if I still lived around there I'd be spending a lot of time in this place trying all those Coffee flavors  .. gobbling goodies .. and visiting!!!  Sure wish this place had been here when I lived in Robinson!!!

 Another great thing about the Wabash Coffee house  .. there are Antiques everywhere!! 

I love all these old tables and chairs!!!

There were antiques upstairs also but alack and alas .. we ran out of time and needed to be on our way to Casey to meet with my siblings at Lila's for lunch!!!  We will definitely be revisiting the Wabash Coffee House!!! 

Once back in the car .. we put Lila's address in the GPS and we were on our way ..

A couple of neat pictures along the way!! 

Evelyn had just stepped out the door of Lila's place to look for us as we were pulling in!!!  This is not a restaurant .. it's a lady's home!!  She takes reservations for group dinners in her home and cooks the meal and serves it buffet style.  Her home is beautiful .. the meal is delicious .. and she is a super nice lady and great cook!!  

Wondering what was served???  A Salad, Roast with Brown Gravy & Mushrooms, Ham with Pineapple, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Corn, Broccoli Casserole, Hot Rolls, and Zuchinni Cake and a Raspberry, Blackberry Cobbler for dessert.  Everything was DELICIOUS!! 

From left and around the table .. Bill, Evelyn, Joanne, Richard, Tom, Ken, Liz, June, Dorothy Jeanne, Kay and Jim.  My sisters Juanita and Shirley weren't able to come .. they were missed!! 

 

Right outside the front door!! 

 

We had thought we would stay in the area and visit with my son Billy and his family and check out some of the Antique Shops in the area but my grandson Jude was sick  and with temps in the low forties it was tooooo cold to enjoy climbing in and out of the car to check out the Antiques so we decided we would head for home and come back another time!!!  

 



However we first made a stop in Toledo, Illinois to visit my daughter Cris at the Cumberland County Health Center.  We had stopped by to give her a hug and visit a while if she had some free time but the first thing she asked was .. "Did you come in for a Flu shot"????  It was shot clinic day!!  I had already gotten my Flu shot but Ken hadn't ..



Since he was a good boy and didn't cry when he got his shot .. he got to pick a sucker from the "treat box" .. LOL!! 



While Ken was getting his shot I was taking pictures of Cris's office ..

 

Can you tell she loves Mary Engelbreit??????

 

Cris's husband Jack has been building this two story garage and storage building and is almost finished .. we had to stop by and see it before traveling on to Missouri!! 

Ah Cris .. you didn't tell me  you had an old pie safe!!!! 

We even ventured upstairs .. Cris had told us they had a church party upstairs and everybody was making Scarecrows!!! 

Looks like the Scarecrows are having a party .. LOL!!! 

I love this stuff around their flag pole .. whatever it is!!! 

 

And we head for Missouri .. 

Hmmmmm .. do you see what I see ......

The Arch ..

And the bridges ... 

And the Mississippi River .. we're almost home!!!!! 

One last picture at the end of the day as we're approaching home!!!! 

 

It was great to visit with Kathy and my siblings and my daughter .. looking forward to going t back to Illinois for another visit .. hopefully next time we'll get to see everybody!!!