Walking to Grandma House

Patsy has told us about walking from here to Grandma's house when Grandma lived across the creek from us.  The way I understood her to tell it is that she walked down to Dry Creek, then down the creek until she was at the back of Grandpa's land, then up the hills and hollows to Grandma's house.  It may be that she followed the road instead of going down the creek and through the fields but I don't think.  

Yesterday, I walked around the road to Grandma's hours, 5 miles, then back through the field this side of their place where the fence runs right west of their yard [I think the Horn's of Horn Bean fame lived on the place to the west of Grandpa when Daddy lived there], down the fence line to the hollow behind their house, down the hollow to the eastern fence line [I think Jesse Maples owned just to the east of Grandpa when Daddy lived their], down the fence line to the back [north] of Grandpa's land, then on across the next little rise, down the steep hill to the bottom land along the creek, and there was the creek.  The one Daddy and his sisters and brothers walked to when they were kids. Then across the creek and up the David Combs land [Jack Robinson's land], along the back of Floyd's land, and up the fence line home, about 2 miles from where I wonder off the road at Grandma's house.

When Helen gets back here and Betty comes up, we can walk across the creek to Grandma's together.  It will be such fun.

Starting out at sunrise, 7am.

Road just past Daddy's house.

Deer in Dan's pasture.

Top of Meek Hill.

JR Snow's cows.

Hill just past Coin Church, going toward's Eldridge farm.

Pam and Marie cleaning the Church, without Helen.

Eagle in field across from Eldridge's turkey houses.

Grandpa's place.

Lane to Grandpa's house.

Ducks on Grandpa's pond.

Grandpa's house.

In the field just west of Grandpa's fence line, not far from the road.  The white mark in the distance just of the left of the cedar trees is the water tower on the Rock Quarry just across the hill from our land.

If you click to enlarge, the whitish speck in the distance just to the left of the dead tree in the foreground is Helen's house.

The fence on the west side of Grandpa's place, and the hollow behind their house.

Across the fence, and going down the hollow to the eastern property fence line.

Standing on the pond bank, I can see the top of Grandpa's barn.

Grandpa's homeplace, from the hollow below that little pond.

Down the eastern fence line, looking off south toward's Dry Creek.

Looking back up the eastern fence line to Grandma's house.

Down the eastern fence line south towards Dry Creek.  I am sure some of these wooden fence posts were put in by Grandpa and his sons.

Looking towards Grandma's house.

Closer view, via the camera.

View back up the hollow towards Grandma's house.

South down the eastern fence line toward's Dry Creek.

East / South fence lines looking south.

Corner posts.  The fence to the right is Grandpa's eastgern fence line. The fence running horizontally, is the fence between Grandpa's place and the one between him and Dry Creek.  Unless, Grandpa's place ran all the way to Dry Creek.  I cannot remember if it did or not.  The people that own Grandpa's place today, have never owned all the way to Dry Creek.  Morris heirs own the land across the fence here today.  I am going to the court house and get the land records to see exactly what Grandpa owned.  And, it will probably tell who owned the land on each side of him. 

The cedar corner post, with the corner rock behind it.  I am sure this post and rock have been here for 100 years or more.

Me at the cross-roads.

Again.

My new to me walking shoes.  Bass brand with leather uppers and substantial soles, just my size for $6.  I think they cost a lot more than that new, and whoever bought them must not have walked much because they are just a good as new.

Across the fence and looking back toward's Grandpa's place.

The knoll, just across the fence, looking south toward's Dry Creek and home. 

Across that knoll and up the next one, then down this steep hill, toward's Dry Creek.

Bottom land.

Trees at the edge of the bottom. I was not sure where Dry Creek was, but when I got to the trees and looked down the bank...

There was Dry Creek, about due north of Grandpa's western fence line.

The creek.

Up the creek, looking west.

Down the creek looking east.  See the rocks across the creek in the distance?

Rocks across Dry Creek.  If you look at Dry Creek on Google Earth, satellite view, you can actually see these rocks. 

Across the creek.  The little Rex Robinson house in the field on the horizon.

David Comb's fence at the top of the bluff on the southern bank of Dry Creek.  You can see the creek off to the left.

Same view, closer via camera, looking up the creek.

Down the creek.

Floyd's barn, and if you look closely maybe the red roof of Floyd's old house.

I am getting tired and looking for home.  Whose trailer in the distance?  Son's?  No the Marr boy's.

Oh, boy, Helen's trailer and my house in the distance.

A horse, a horse!!! Home at 11 am, four hours and 7 plus miles later.  Sisters, we will have so much fun walking this in April.

Dan's goats.

Everybody is sick

Robert was first with a really bad cough and fever, then Papa, and tonight Hannah is coughing her head off.  Happy Valentines Day.

I got Emmy and Hannah from school and took Em to a friend's in Hollister.  I went to the big W up there and got a few groceries plus real-tree sheets for the boys room and new crazy zigzag sheets for Hannah.  Looking at them on the bed makes me dizzy. I bought me some new underware and a set of nice P. J.'s.  But, I did not get home with my stuff.  I will either go back tomorrow after them or have Son get them Sunday when he retrieves the girl.

I checked on the neighbor's house at noon, and it was fine.  The living room was about 50 degrees and the bath and kitchen were toasty.

I did not go to work today because of the sick boys.  I made good use of the morning and got the house cleaned and my room straightened up.  It was really piled up, but looks nice now.

I have not walked the last two days.  I may have to walk 10 miles tomorrow.

Helen

I got the package.  Some of them fit and some are too small. I will save them and you can wear them when you get back here.  Several people have asked about you at Church.  Joyce asks every time I see her.

Robert has been sick all week with a cough and fever.  He is not running a fever now, but is still coughing.  And George is sick with the same thing.  I am going to have to make George go to the doctor.

I have been walking all week, but today I am  supposed to go buy groceries.  I may have to take George and the boy to the doctor instead.

Anyway, I am at mile 149 on my trip, about 12 miles from Waynesville, Missouri

Home for Christmas

Sister suggested that as long as I am walking everyday, I should pick a destination and map my  progress towards that end.  In searching my imagination for possible destinations, I looked for the place and person I would most like to visit. I have decided that in the year 2015, I want to spend Christmas Day with Charles and Sarah Powell in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  I am going home for Christmas, by way of Perryville, Kentucky and South Boston, Virginia, visiting relatives along the way.

Fredericksburg is about 1160 miles from my home, so if I walk 100 plus miles each month, I can make it by Christmas.  It is a good thing I started early.  I left here on the first day of the year, and by the end of the day January 3rd, I was a couple of miles past Burlington, Arkansas.  By January 22, I was on I-44, just past Springfield, Missouri.  A couple of days ago, I passed Lebanon, on my way to St. Louis, where I will be about 310 miles from home.  Yesterday, I made it to mile 141,where I camped on the Eastern bank of the Gasconade River. I am now almost halfway to St. Louis. 

Route 66 bridge over Gasconade River.

I used Google to find my mileage between points.  They suggested I might want to book a flight and that a walk like this could be very dangerous.  Still, I am undeterred. 

Today, in Lebanon, it is supposed to be about 55 degrees.  Good walking weather.

I have always wanted to see Yellowstone.  I think that will be my next destination.

Early Sunday Morning...

At five this morning, I awoke and jumped out of bed thinking I was late for work  Then, I remembered this was Sunday morning.  I could not get back to sleep, so at 6, with a bright moon out, I went for a walk, up the Meek Hill then on over to Coin Bridge.  This is taken at the top of Meek Hill just before I started down the hill towards Jr. Snow's.  If you enlarge it, you can see our lights on the left of the pic.  I think my light is the third one from the right.  The other two I think are Dan's house and his barn.

JR's horses.

Hannah has been decorating her room.  She was really proud of her design.  She said, "I did it myself."

Glorious Day

We went to the Elk center at Jasper and the kids loved seeing all the animals (dead) and the big cat fish in the tanks.  Plus I bought Tim Ernst's Waterfall book and got a bunch of free maps.  Then we went on to Twin Falls by Camp Orr on the Buffalo, to Natural Bridge and on to Kings River Falls.  All three kids had a great time and so did the  old folks.

But the best pictures was taken just a mile from home.