Digging for Diamonds!

Sometimes you just have to go dig in the dirt to have some fun!  At least that's what we told ourselves the other day!  ;-)

We stopped in Hot Springs Arkansas for a few days, and since we'd been here before and "seen all the sights" we decided that the "one we had missed" was just back up the road a bit, so, "why not?"  It was the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro Arkansas.  We knew about it last time, and thought about going, but it had started to rain, so chose not to.  Our campsite neighbors had gone the day before and had shared that it had "been fun".  They hadn't found any diamonds, but had a good time trying.  We tucked it in the back of our minds if we ever came back here. Soooo...

The weather's been "iffy", and we figured we had one really good, sunny day, so we decided we would jump on it and take the drive to Murfreesboro, which is about an hour and half from where we are staying in Hot Springs.  So, we got into our grungiest clothes & shoes and off we went!

When we arrived, Jack was surprised that the parking lot was already half full (I wasn't, people like to "try their luck!")  We paid our fee, rented our supplies (bucket, shovel, and two sizes of screens) and off we went to their very large field!  Even though there were several dozen people there, you couldn't hardly tell, as the field is so large, it could hold hundreds and not feel crowded.

Once we filled our bucket up, we brought it over to the washing station and began the process of rinsing the dirt through the screens to see what minerals were left behind.  Two kids playing in the mud!  Hadn't done this since my kids were little!  ;-)

While Jack searched for the "diamonds" (in the little stones) I went through the larger rocks and pulled out some "pretty stones" that I decided would make a nice bracelet for each of my granddaughters (since we weren't finding any diamonds!).

We continued to do this process for a few hours until we agreed we had had enough fun for the day!  ;-)  We bid "adieu" to the two fellows near us (who were avid diamond hunters) and let them "have at it" and went to see what we did unearth.

Turned out, I had collected some lovely pieces of Jasper, and a few small pieces of Barite, & Calcite.  Once I set them in a rock tumbler, they will polish up nicely and make a nice bracelet for my sweet granddaughters and I can tell them I found them myself!  Ha!

After we washed ourselves off as best we could, we headed back to Hot Springs to a "World Renowned Bar-B-Que" Restaurant, called McClards.  It's been written up in a number of magazines an books, including my 1000 Places to See Before You Die.  We both ordered their "ribs, beans & slaw combo".

Now, anyone who knows us, knows that we love BBQ, and love checking out BBQ ribs any chance we get.  So far, our most favorite place, hands down, has been Blues City  Cafe in Memphis, and so far, no other place has topped it.  And that includes McClards.  Sorry McClards.  They were pretty good, but a bit to fatty and the sauce a bit on the tart side for me - but that's a matter of taste, I'll admit.  But, as for the ribs themselves, Blues City's are much more lean, and still fall off the bone tender, and that's what counts.   However, I will give McClards an A+ on their beans!  Very different and very tasty!  Yum!  A wonderful way to end the day!

The rain did come, and we just hunkered down, as we do, and read and caught up on things...Stops like this are good for that.  We'll be on our way again tomorrow, rain or shine!

...kicking back in Arkansas,  Marie


If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/

Music, Music, Music!

After spending less than a week in Red Bay Alabama having the windshield replaced (after 4+ years, full-time on the road, I guess one has to expect a rock is going to get you, but...ugh!), a new side camera and our slide-out adjusted, we were "ready to roll" again!  Since it hadn't taken long, and the Memorial Day weekend was coming up quickly, we decided that a wonderful way to spend it would be listening to music!

Mountain View AR wasn't that far from where we were, and we hadn't had a chance to get there...and we had heard sooo much about it, so, we just had to turn ourselves right back around and give it a visit!  I was so delightfully surprised when I called to make a reservation that my first choice campground, right next door to the Ozark Folk Center, was available for the whole weekend!  It was a sign that our trip was meant to be!  Our next call was to the Tom Sawyer RV Park in West Memphis AR where we always like to stop en route, so we can run across the river to Memphis TN to get (the best) BBQ ribs at the Blues City Cafe!  They too had availability for the night, yea!  We were living right!  ;-)

The night we pulled into Tom Sawyer's we unhooked the truck and settled the rig and then took right off to Memphis.  The sky didn't look very good, and it was predicting to rain, but not until later.  Memphis had been celebrating their "Memphis May" all month and that night was their final night with a closing outdoor concert by their symphony that was suppose to be from 2-9 pm in the park.  I thought after we ate we would wonder over there for a little while and listen.  Rain drops started falling as we drove across the bridge, and by the time we made it to the restaurant, it was coming down pretty hard.  I thought "there goes the concert".  While we ate (YUM!) we watched the rain come down in sheets along with the wind just whipping it around.  I had brought our big umbrella, and when we left, I tried using it, but the wind quickly turned it inside out and we got drenched!  No matter, the food was so worth every drop of rain!  I did feel sorry for the (I'm sure) cancelled concert tho.

The sun followed us all the way into Mountain View the following day.  Yes, it kept trying to rain, and it would spit for 10 minutes or so, then stop, and then the sun would come out again!   Our first full day was like that, we went to the Ozark Folk Center like that, and it turned out to be the best decision because most people stayed away because of it, so the park was practically empty.  The Center is twenty-four buildings and outdoor areas housing craft demonstrations and music programs recalling the period 1820-1920 in the Ozark Mountains.  Because there were so few people that day, we could talk as long as we wanted to each of the craft persons about what they were doing & how, etc.  Those of you that know Jack, know that it didn't take him long to get over to the Blacksmith's shop!

I visited three or four shops while he and the smithy chatted!  Later, he also enjoyed chatting with the print maker in the Print Shop as well, talking about the "good old days of printing".  So much fun.

 
My favorite, as always was the music.  We listened to two different groups, first to the  Original Flathoof Stringband, then later to an incredible young man named Dom Flemons who played banjo, guitar, harmonica, fife and bones in addition to singing!  What a talent!

That night we had intended to go down the road to listen to a group we had seen advertised on a poster that was playing in a barn, but having an hour to kill, dashed into a fun looking country store nearby.  When we got inside, the shop keeper asked if we were there for the show?  I told her I didn't know there was a show there (then noticed a stage in the back with nice padded chairs lined up).  She explained that they had a GREAT show, "as good as any in Branson!, and only $13!"  Jack and I looked at each other (we didn't know one show from another, we were already there, the seats looked comfy, so, why not).  So, I told the lady "sold!"  We stayed, and she was right, what a great show!  The main singer turned out to be a lady by the name of Pam Setser.  She was accompanied by another woman and man playing base and guitar that were also great.  She also brought up a young gal a couple of times to clog that was fantastic.  Two plus hours of pure entertainment, plus free popcorn!  Can't beat that in Branson!

Mountain View is all about music.  Locals (and visitors) are "jamming" in campgrounds, on the porches of the B&Bs & motels, at the various "shows" (in barns, cafes, clubs, etc) for minimal fees from $5-$15, and especially at what they call "pickin' park" which is the Washington Street Park next to the Courthouse.  Three pavilions are set up along with benches and chairs for the players and listeners, but often more groups gather (I saw 5 one day).  Each seem to play differently, having their own style of music.  We went several times and sat a listened for hours, enjoying the various musicians.

One night we ventured back over to the Folk Center to hear their "featured performer" Tony Joe White.  He was known for "Polk Salad Annie" and "Rainy Night in Georgia".  Well, it turned out he was more electric guitar, than folk, and for me, not my style... When we returned to the campground, a couple of campers were playing softly on the auto harp and guitar...I told them they sounded better than Tony.  ;-)

Being a "military brat", Memorial Day is special to me.  I like spending it in small towns because they usually due it up right.  Mountain View was no exception.  Their mayor and local VFW folks held a wonderful service remembering our fallen heroes, complete with a great bagpiper. 

Our last day there, we took a lovely drive through the Ozark Mountains one last time.  So beautiful, all the trees... We came to a huge dam and a big lake, the Norfolk that was really quite something to see, and checking our map, realized as big as it was, it was the smaller of two in that area!

Well, once again, it was time to leave this beautiful state, it's lovely trees, wonderful song birds, and pretty wildflowers.  This time we're heading to Missouri.  I've always wanted to go up into the St Louis Arch!  So, we're off to spend a couple of days in that exciting city "just because we've never been there!"

...on the road in Missouri, Marie

Time for a little B, B, & B...

Barbecue, Blues and Barges!  One of the perks of being on the road full time like we are, is that after awhile you end up circling around again and the next thing you know, your rig just somehow finds it's way to some of your most favorite spots again!  That happened to us this week when we decided to take a different route to Texas this time, we just seemed to find our way going right through the heart of Memphis TN...one of our most favorite stops!  And the time of day, well, heck just right when we needed to spend the night, well two actually, since it had been a long drive and we needed a break, right?  So, where else to stay, but at our favorite resting stop, Tom Sawyer's RV Park of course! 

So, en route there, I give them a quick call...can you believe it, they were almost full and I had to practically beg for a site along the river?  Yikes!  Seems "rally folks" have caught on that this is a great place and have taken over, one group after another!  Dang!  Anyway, she gave us a site that they normally save for the big 5th wheels, that actually turned out to be the best one there!  A clear shot straight at the river, yea for us!  Now, this place is not fancy by any means, and not for everyone, but we just love it here.  It's just a bunch of sites all along the Mississippi River,  but quiet and peaceful and best of all you get to sit and watch barges being pushed up and down the river by big ole' tug boats all day long!  The sun shines, the breeze blows, there's nice grass & space between each site...it just makes me smile.

Then, the very best part is...Memphis and Beale Street is only 20 minutes away!  And that means barbecue!  Not just any barbecue, but the best barbecue we've found across the country...and trust me, I've eaten more than my share of ribs from California to Maine and this small cafe on the corner of Beale St has the best ones going!  It's called Blues City Cafe and all they really serve are ribs & catfish and the stuff that goes with them.  It's all good.  The meat falls off the bones, there's just enough sauce to give it flavor without drowning them, and for us, a half rack leaves your tummy so full (along with the beans, coleslaw & fries) that your moaning when you leave.  I start missing them the minute I leave, knowing it will be a long time again that my mouth will have such a treat again...

As we walk down Beale Street, blues eeks out from several of the restaurants, and you hear it as well when you go into some of the stores, it's it soul here...you can just feel it.

To soon we had to leave...but we'll be back, our rig knows the way!

...on the road to Texas,  Marie

If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/

Memphis Tennessee - "Home of the Blues"

You can't love music, especially Jazz, Blues and Rock & Roll, and not want to go to Memphis where "it all began!" Legends like Al Green, BB King, Jerry Lee Lewis and of course the king himself, Elvis, all came out of Memphis. Downtown Beale Street is known for being where "the birth of the blues" and all R&B was played, and still is. So, that's where we went just as soon as we got ourselves settled in at "Tom Sawyer's RV Park" (don't 'cha just love the name?)

We were told that they were having a "Street Fair" that day, so when we got there around 11:30am we expected to see a huge crowd of people, nope. The street was blocked off, but found a parking spot just around the corner, a few vendors were just starting to set up in the park, but there really wasn't any people or music or "anything" happening! We did find a band playing in the park so sat and listened to them for awhile, they were good, then started on up the street. When we got to BB King's Club there was a host out front who said live music would be playing around noon. I trotted up to him and told him we had heard there would be a street fair today, and he said, "oh yea, it starts at noon." "Noon? Wow, ours in CA usually start early in the morning around 9am." He asked what time did they end and I told him around 4pm, that's when he shook his head and said, theirs doesn't end until midnight! "Oh my! I see you all like to party, that's why it starts late and ends late!" In actuality, I think they don't start early on Sundays because of church, that's very important around here.

Anyway, the "other thing" Memphis is known for is Bar-B-Que!! UmmMmm! We had heard about one restaurant named the Blues City Cafe. It had been featured on the Travel Channel & on the Food Network's Bobby Flay Show, so I was ready to give it a try!

We were greeted by their host, who looked to be about 75 yrs, a very thin black man with dreads kept up in a multi-colored cap. I leaned in and said in a low voice, "rumor has it, you all have the best BBQ in all of Memphis, is that true?" He said "yes ma'am, and cat fish too!" Everyone was right! It was outstanding, you just touched it with your fork and it fell off the bone, so juicy and tender and full of flavor. Hardly any "sauce" on it, and I didn't dare ask for any in case it would be taken as an insult, but in truth, it really didn't need any. I guess that's what REAL BBQ is supposed to be like.

So, when we left, he asked me if they had "passed the test" and I told him "absolutely! No lying going on here!" He said "Of course not, he's taste-tested every item!" I asked him if I would stay as slim as him if I did the same, he just twinkled his eyes at me as smiled and said "no promises." ;-)

Beale Street still has it's many night clubs, and they have added some "museums & tours" around the area on everything from Gibson Guitars to Rock & Roll. There was one we went to that was interesting and that was the "Pink Palace". It was the home of Clarence Saunders, founder of Piggly Wiggly, the first self-service grocery store. It was "pink" due to the color of the Georgia granite that he had shipped in to build it with. Unfortunately, due to a lost New York Stock Exchange battle, he went bankrupt and never moved into his home. He ended up giving it to the city on the condition that they use it for a museum. Kind of sad, really. Beautiful museum now though.














































































If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/

...kicking back in Tennessee, Marie