If you enjoy reading this blog, you may also like to read my Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories blog. You can also read about the family stories in my novels at The Homeplace Series blog. You can sign up for e-mail reminders.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Ozark Medieval Fortress opens to public on May1

Half way between Springfield, MO, and Little Rock, AR, there lies a small town of Lead Hill, AR, overlooking Bull Shoals Lake. Lead Hill is now host to an amazing new project called Ozark Medieval Fortress. Read more about it on my blog, Aux Arcs Observer. It will be available to visit by the public on May 1, 2010.

It was another very good day!  ;-)

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Treehugger and new novel

This will be another catchup day on the blog...

When we were at Silver Dollar City last week, as we were finishing eating at the outdoor BBQ, Kaylee was walking around, walked up to this tree in the middle, and just hugged it. Long enough for me to get the camera!


This week, as noted earlier, I received the final proof copy of my new novel, my debut novel, in print. I will admit that I was thrilled. Now the real work, begins, of course... the marketing of the book. But, we didn't let the moment pass... Nancy asked for the camera!


Get your autographed copy at: http://eduscapes.com/v2a/back_to_the_homeplace.html
...and be sure to look at the video book trailer, if you haven't seen it!
...or at Amazon.com, of course/

It is another very good day!  ;-)

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Back to the Homeplace - Now on Amazon.com

Besides a new template for the Blog, the top news of the day is not Basketball, but that my debut fiction novel is now on sale at Amazon.com... see at far right! Neat! Buy One! Today!  ;-)


Ok, the other news was that last night, Friday night, the Emporia State University (I'm still Professor Emeritus there, you will recall), won the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship!
That is really a big deal, too. It is the first National Championship in anything for ESU since 1992.

It was a very good day! ;-)

Friday, March 26, 2010

New Gorilla in Branson

What a shock driving down the 76 strip a couple of days ago.


I first saw it through the Presley's sign - it looked humungous!

Oh, it IS HUMUNGOUS -LARGE!


Oh! It is a promotion at the Hollywood Wax Museum! Well, it did get my attention!


I peeked back down the strip toward Presley's sign, to be sure nothing was following!


Come visit Branson! Spring has arrived, and all the attractions are beginning to return.

It was another very good day!  ;-)

Monday, March 22, 2010

A new week - looking back

Last Friday was the nicest day of the week, so went to Silver Dollar City as planned.
Here, as we went in, Alex got his Junior Marshall badge from the City Marshall.


We went straight back to the kiddie rides - just one example, the butterflies - they went high in the air, the best photo was close to the ground, though!


Grandpa got to play with Kaylee while Arrion and Alex went to do bigger kid things in the park. We were not always pointing the same direction, but it worked out just fine! We had a big stroller for later in the day!!  ;-)


The kids left Saturday morning (got home safely!) and it rained here all day and night Saturday and Sunday. Sun out Monday morning and the two daffodils in front survived!


Lots of water running off in the back, but the four white daffodils in back were looking pretty good.


It was a very good day!  ;-)

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The Sun is Shining in Hollister!

So, we went out for lunch, of course - our long-time favorite - Dannah's Burger and BBQ! Lots of local flavor!


Kaylee liked the bright red and yellow car at the restaurant!


After lunch, Arrion, Allison and Alex went to play mini-golf. Grandma, Grandpa and Kaylee went to the playground at the Table Rock State Park, where we could enjoy the boats and the lake while Kaylee (and Grandpa) got some exercise on the playground equipment... and running around to the steps, again...  ;-)


Here you can see the lake in the background. Kaylee wanted to be a big girl... several times!


She even tried out "hanging" by herself - she did it. Grandma watching!


Kaylee put off going down the big slide, for a while, but, really enjoyed it when she did! Got a good pic, too!!  ;-)


After we got home, we talked to the neighbor, Marilyn, and her cat, Corky!


It was a very good day!  ;-)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Cool day in Hollister

Still a little cooler than we had hoped, this week - but, Kaylee and I spent some time out on the deck, both yesterday and today! Thanks to Arrion for getting a decent photo. Kaylee doesn't stop much!


It was another very good day!  ;-)

Monday, March 15, 2010

Photo of the day 15 Mar 2010

New play dough makes for fun times!


It was a very good day!  ;-)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Rathsacks arrived from north and south!

Arrion, Ben, Alex and Kaylee arrived from Austin in mid-afternoon on Saturday. A little later, the kids Rathsack grandparents, Andy and Brenda, Ben's parents (obviously!) arrived from Springfield, Illinois. A full cabin and a fun time had by all. Just a couple of random photos, today.

Andy's birthday is this week, so we surprised him with a birthday cake. Alex and Kaylee each like cake, as well - surprise!


Kaylee is checking out Ben's heartbeat. It beats strong with Kaylee around!  ;-)


It was another very good day!  ;-)

Sunday, March 7, 2010

First day of 2010 to hit 70 degrees

What a nice day!

 

Do you suppose there will actually be two little daffodils here... Planted Years ago around the tree... now the tree is gone, but the daffodils still came up... I'll keep you advised!

  

Here is another little bunch in the backyard...



Super  gardener!  ;-)

It was a neat day - left over cake and all, as well!  ;-)

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Allison's Birthday Cake

This is Allison's birthday, so we had a cake for her; here with her mother. We also had strawberries on ice cream. Earlier in the day, we went out to Outback Steakhouse and Oyster Bar for a nice meal.


Here is Allison with her cake.

 

It was another very good day! In the 60s, too!  ;-)