Mike The Tiger In The Snow

This is a great picture of "Mike the Tiger" the LSU mascot in last weeks snow! I love this picture. A good friend from down south sent this to me today.

Christmas In Minden

This is Mama and Ellen at the Christmas Open House. Ellen brought her Sunday School Class over from Dubach to enjoy the day at the historic Fitzgerald House. My friend Kerry Easley and Jackie Lewis from Main Street Photography took the pictures. You can click on each picture to see it bigger.

Christmas Spirit Filled The Air

The Minden Historic Residential District Tour of Homes was a Christmas filled day for many visitors to the Historic Fitzgerald house in the heart of Minden’s historic district. The annual tour was held on Saturday along with a contest for the residents of the district. Tour chairwoman and president of the Minden HRD Association, Schelley Brown stated, “We were very pleased with the attendance. We had guest this year from Ruston, Monroe, Dubach, Shreveport, Marshall and the Dallas area. This year we tried something different and I think it really turned out great!”
Melissa Slaid, owner of the Fitzgerald house had her home decorated spectacularly for the season. Refreshments were provided by B Rose Catering and sponsored by Mrs. Jackie Lewis and the Minute Magazine. Santa was on hand with Kerry Easley of Main Street Photography capturing holiday memories for many as they climbed in the one horse open sleigh with Santa. The Minden Melodies were a delight for the day with a rousing round of Christmas favorites. This group was followed up by Tiffany Byram Harold Palmer; a grandfather & granddaughter duo on guitar. They finished off the day with all time holiday favorites including a little Elvis.
To add to the day the Minden HRD association sponsored a lighting contest with cash prizes and trips to Jefferson at the McKay House B & B. The judging was done by Mona Hayden and friends from Louisiana Road Trips Magazine. The winners were the East and West home owned by Bill and Billie Jean Green taking first. The Greens added yard ornamentation of an antique car was a shoe in for first. Second place was taken by Jay and Shelly Christy’s Broadway home. Third place prize was awarded to Melanie and Scott McCullough for their East & West home.
Ms. Brown stated “I was so pleased this year with the districts participation. We had homes that decorated that have never really decorated at all in the past. We also had folks that went the extra mile. I wish we could have given something to everyone. The entire city of Minden from the historic downtown area and all through the historic district is just beautiful this time of year and all the extra efforts really made us shine this year. I hope we can continue this next year and that it will continue to grow with more and more folks trying to outdo the other with the beautiful decorations of the beautiful homes in our area” For a look at Saturdays pictures go to http://www.mindenhrd.blogspot.com/

Burton Cummings

This was one of my favorite movies that you never see anymore and I have always loved Burton Cummings. Just had to add this to my blog.

Car Clubs Need New Lifeblood and A Shot In The Arm

This story is a little different than most I write. It is not quite as upbeat. I myself am at fault as much as anyone in what I am about to write about. Most of us join a club when we first get our antique cars. We join and we are all excited about showing everyone our “BABY”. We go to show after show, every cruise night, parade, picnic, and club meeting we can find. Then we join more clubs some local, some national. Then we start helping do shows. Then if you are like me you get the crazy idea to do your own show!
Then maybe your club nominates you to serve as president. You are so excited you do a good job (you think), you plan stuff for the club to do, you write stories, you do a web site. You go and go and go until one day you are just tired of going. Your car will not crank, it has nicks and pings and dirt on it. You don’t feel like you can really show it anymore in some of the past shows that it has placed high in. You are about to get in the rut that thousands of car enthusiast have found their selves in since car shows and clubs began.
You stop going to as many meetings and before you know it you missed a whole year of meetings. Your life is so hectic with work, kids, family, church, schools, and other organizations something has to give and since the old antique car doesn’t crank and look that great anymore the local car club that you are a member of and once took a very active part in is now suffering because you can’t help as much as you used to.
I myself am a member of the Ark-La-Tex Antique and Classic Car Association out of Shreveport. I am the past president of same club. I am also the Jr. Vice President of MOTAA. Over the last two years my attendance has become lax with my local club. I have also not been able to attend several MOTAA meetings like I should. The problem is life has gotten in the way of doing the things that I love and care about. I know many of you are in the same boat. You can only do so many things effectively!
My new job at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. is very time consuming. I am now putting on monthly events for the museum as well as all my other duties of day to day operation of the facility. I don’t know what the answer is to dividing your time so that your club does not suffer. I want the old car hobby to thrive as I know all of you do. MOTAA has some of the same problems in a different way. The lack of renewals for membership greatly effects what the organization can do. This very magazine you are reading is paid for buy YOUR dues! It is important to renew memberships in your clubs even if you don’t go to club meetings and functions. The dues are what will keep the wheels turning in these operations even when you physical help can’t be around. So if you are like me and don’t make as many meetings as you should at least renew your memberships to all of your clubs that you were once a part of.
Another thing that is a big problem with so many antique car clubs is the age of the members. I am 50 and for a long time I was the baby of our club! I may still be. We have got to get younger folks involved in the old car hobby. I have loved old cars since I was a kid. I can stick my head in an old car and close my eyes and relive so many good memories. I am sure most of you can do that same thing. The next paragraph may give you an idea on something to do with the younger generation in your area to get them hooked on antique cars.
I know that many of you subscribe to numerous car magazines. When I was a kid Mr. Wayne Chance would bring me all of his Hemming’s Motor News Magazines. I would sit for hours and hours looking at cars and bending pages back and wishing. I would circle them and look at them just hoping that one day I would be able to own my own. If you have old magazines find some kids to give them too. You never know what might spark a kid’s interest. Take them to car shows. Especially the grandchildren, wives and other relatives that may one day inherit your car. Think about it, if they don’t have an appreciation and learn to drive that antique car of yours and mine, it will be the first thing sold after we are gone! I hope that last statement got some of your attention. It is something that I think about, every time I hear of an older club member passing on to the big car show in the sky. His or her spouse and kids may have never gone to shows, parades, and cruise night with them. They never learned to drive that Model T or A and they probably don’t know just the right technique to get old Betsy to crank.
This year at the Father’s Day show I brought my only niece Aubrie with me. It was her first time on the mountain. She even got to help with the show. She rode for the first time in a Model T. She got to meet Henry Ford III and maybe she gained a little appreciation for the hobby. She is also the one that will inherit “Olivia” the 37 Buick one day.
My local club the AACCA is at a crossroads right now, as I am sure many of your clubs are. Do we keep plodding along or do we just give up the ghost? I hope AACCA keeps plodding along, as one of oldest car clubs in the Ark-La-Tex. It would be a shame to let it die after so many years, just because of lack of support. I hate to hear of any club struggling but I know most of them do. So for all of you club members of struggling clubs, make a little effort more often to go to meetings and especially if someone has made the effort to plan something, get out and take part. It may be the last chance you have to get with your club before it is a thing of the past. So until next time keep it between the ditches and renew all of your club memberships!

Schelley Brown
Jr. Vice President of MOTAA

Don't miss the 2008 Minden Historic Residential District Christmas

Click to enlarge picture

Minden’s Historic Residential District has big plans for holidays!
The Minden Historic Residential District Association announces their holiday plans. “Saturday December 13th, 2008 will be our way of saying Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Minden and the surrounding area.” announced association President Schelley Brown. “This year we are giving back to our community by not charging for our home tour. With the cost of everything escalating we felt that giving something back to our community was the fitting thing to do. We are also adding a home decorating and lighting contest for our home owners. Judging will be done the day of our home tour by three guest judges from other cities and winners announced at 6 p.m. at the close of the tour. We will be giving three wonderful prizes; 1st prize is $200 plus a one night stay at the McKay House B & B in Jefferson, Texas. 2nd prize is $100 and B & B stay, 3rd place prize is B & B stay! We hope that everyone in the district gets out and does some wonderful holiday lighting and decorating. We want the district to be a shinning example of holiday spirit for our visitors during this holiday season. We hope that this contest takes off so that in the future we will be included on the “Holiday Trail of Lights”. Minden’s historic homes are so beautiful and especially so during this time of year. Lighting trails draw huge numbers of visitors into an area and create big economic boost to everyone especially gas stations, restaurants and retail merchants. Everyone is looking for a way to entertain their family during this time of year.”
During the past two years the association has given back to the community with two historic markers that were placed in Academy Park. The association also has purchased more Christmas lights for the park, sponsored a large museum exhibit in the Dorcheat Historical Museum that tells their history and now Minden HRD has a wonderful new web site http://www.mindenhrd.com/ that tells about Minden’s historic homes, history and past citizens.
Melissa Slaid, owner of the Fitzgerald House has generously volunteered her home for the December 13th holiday event. This historic home located at 304 McDonald Street next door to Academy Park will be bustling with activity from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Visitors will tour one of Minden's oldest homes and hear its history from a "Ghost of Christmas Past." Take a step back in time with carolers on the streets, the taste of warm cider and cookies plus the magic of seeing Minden's historic homes in all their holiday finery. Have your photo taken in a vintage one horse open sleigh by Jackie Lewis of Main Street Photography. Join us at 5 p.m. for a group sing-along of old fashioned holiday favorites! Don't miss the holiday gifts on the veranda, to make your holiday unique. For more information visit http://www.mindenhrd.com/ and http://www.mindenhrd.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown 423-0192.

Blogs, Blogs, and More Blogs

BLOGS, BLOGS and More BLOGS!
This story has been in July 2008 issue of Louisiana Road Trips Magazine and in the Winter 2008 issue of The Minute Magazine
Well it is official I am now a Blogger! No not a jogger a Blogger! I do wish it burned more calories; but like everything else that I do it requires sitting at the computer. My friend Jackie Lewis introduced me to this concept and at first I thought this will be something handy. Little did I know that it would turn into one Blog after another.
My first thought was since I am involved in putting on so many events in Minden that one for that would be good. I also wanted a place to share my past stories that I have written and post pictures to go with it. Some of you may not know what a Blog is. It is sort of like a web site but you can do it yourself and you can do it very quickly. You can have one up and going in about 5 minutes! There are lots of places to do one; I myself use the Google Blog spot. If you like scrap-booking; which I do you will love to Blog. It is just like an online scrapbook that you can share with your family and friends and the rest of the world if you so desire. They give you the steps to do it and you go from there. You can upload pictures and even video clips and music. It is really something and it is all FREE! That is the best part about it, the FREE part.
If you would like to start your own family Blog get busy you will find it very addictive. I don’t post things everyday but some people do as a therapeutic outlet. It is a lot of fun and also can be very useful. If you have a small business or any business they are great to update what is happening.
I now have 7 BLOGS! My fist one is the one you want to go to because from this one you can get to all the others one from the links that I have added. My main personal site is http://www.eventsinminden.blogspot.com/ . From here you can read 40-50 stories that I have written plus you can see video clips and pictures. From this site you will see my other passions.
I knew we needed something for the Dorcheat Historical Association & Museum as a way of getting the word out about our progress and what was happening at the museum. It was also a way to advertise the cookbooks and our up coming events that we have been trying to do monthly. You can visit this one directly at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or just click on the link from my events in Minden Blog spot. We need all of you to become more involved in this museum. Remember it is a parish museum and if you are part of the parish that means it is your museum too!
The Minden Cemetery Blog is a favorite of mine, with a lot of the past Ghost Walk pictures and stories to go with it along with the Trench marker dedication and TV spots. Just click on the link from the main Blog above or you can go to http://www.mindencemetery.blogspot.com/ .
My next one of course was my Minden Cruisin’ For A Cure For St. Jude Car Show Blog. I also have a web site for that but with that it was on the current year. With the Blog it is past pictures and TV clips, plus the stories just go to http://www.mindencruisinforacure.blogspot.com/ or once again you can get to it from the first and main one.
The next one was the Minden Historic Residential District Association Blog. I am also proud to say that we now have an official web site that is under construction by Shaffer Design here in Minden is going to be wonderful when it is completed. I overwhelmed them at first with a disc of 70 plus folders of information and it is taking them some time to get it all ironed out but they are working on it. For the web site go to http://www.mindenhrd.com/ but remember it is under construction. For the Blog site and more information in general plus video and pictures go to http://www.mindenhrd.blogspot.com/ .
Then we come to my passion of the old car hobby. I did one for my car club the Ark-La-Tex Antique & Classic Car Association out of Shreveport. This club is one of the oldest clubs in the State and needed some recognition. You can visit this club Blog at http://www.aacca.blogspot.com/ . This one I am still adding information and will soon have stories of the members and their cars.
Now we come to a very important Blog that I did recently for my Daddy, Nolen Brown. Many of you don’t know it but my Daddy is a great song writer and has been most of his life. He has written thousands of songs and had many recorded by such greats as Roy Orbison, Bobby Bare, Mickey Gilley and others. Daddy also has a young girl name Carissa Amberly working with his song “Some Heroes Don’t Come Back”. This song has taken off and is played on the Bill Mack show on XM Radio. It has become an anthem of such for truck drivers, firemen, and our military. You can now listen to some of his songs and watch the video, on the Blog that I did for my Daddy at http://www.nolenbrown.blogspot.com/ and his web site http://www.nolenbrown.com/
I even did one for my wonderful friend and folk artist Cora Lou Robinson. Everyone loves Cora Lou’s work so now you can see it at the new blog site http://www.coralourobinson.blogspot.com/
Well as you can see I have become addicted to BLOGGING! Trust me you will too once you start. So until next time keep it between the ditches!

A Beautiful Day Of History

This is me and Jim McDaniel (Jim played J.Y. Webb)

The 5th annual Minden Cemetery Ghost Walk was a big success. “By 11:30 the line began to form for the first tour. This year as in years past we had plenty of out of town guest come to learn a little Webster parish history. We even had one person from Alaska take the tour and several from the Dallas area. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. In fact I think this was the best weather we have ever had since we started this 5 years ago.” stated Schelley Brown tour organizer.
The weather was perfect for a day of history as visitors strolled on their hour long tour. This year the tour included over 10 stops with famous authors, early lumber barons, the unknown soldiers that were injured in the Battle of Mansfield, business leaders and their wives from before the Civil War.
To see a civil war encampment that included a wagon, cannon, horses and mules along with a tent made the day seem like the hands of time had rolled backward over 150 years. All the stories were very informative and done with research by family members and historians to make this day as factual as possible. Many of the actors and actresses were actual decedents of the people they portrayed which made the day a special treat. Some of the stops had actual artifacts from the people that were portrayed that included actual pictures of where they lived and family portraits. Background sounds of bagpipes beckoned you from across the grounds as a lone piper played his lonesome songs.
The Minden Cemetery Association reported that around 200 people participated in this year’s tour. The annual tour took in over $1,600 that will help with upkeep of the property. The Minden Cemetery operates on donated funding for the upkeep of one of oldest Cemeteries in Webster Parish. “We are always in the need of funding. People don’t have any idea how expensive it is to keep up a cemetery as large as this one”, stated Ms. Brown an association board member. A DVD of the day will be available for $10. If you would like to learn more about the cemetery or donate to it’s funding and how you can help please contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or visit the web site at http://www.mindencemetery.blogspot.com/ pictures are posted on this site.

A Ride With The Railroad Folks

A Railroad Folks Motorcycle Ride

Click on the Picture to see the picture album.
On Saturday October 18th, 2008 about 25 motorcycles and 40 + riders met up in Blanchard, Louisiana for an all day ride in East Texas. Most were employees of the KCS Railroad. This was a great ride and almost 300 miles round-trip for us. We went to some great places that I had never seen before. Our good friends Ronnie and Vickie went along for the ride with us and I think they loved it as much as we did. Our first big stop was T.C. Lindsey & Company store in Jonesville, Texas. What a great place. This store has been in operation since 1847. It is located on Farm Road 134 in Jonesville, Texas. It has everything and some greet hoop cheese! Check it out it is like stepping back in time. And everyone knows that is what I love best! Next after the general store we went to something that I liked even better. The Scottsville Cemetery is wonderful. It is really something to see if you love cemeteries as much as I do. The monuments were fascinating and the chapel was just a wonderful. I don’t know if everyone else liked it as much as I did but it was really something to see! I did a little research on the cemetery and found this site. It tells alot about the family and the monuments. http://www.texasescapes.com/EastTexasTowns/Scottsville-Texas-and-Scottsville-Cemetery.htm Next stop the 71st Annual East Texas Yamboree in Gilmer, Texas held since 1935! The crowd really comes out for this. Thousands of folks were lining the streets of this small east Texas town. We ate at a sandwich shop then made our way around the square. I spotted a local museum so off we headed to check it out. The Historic Upshur County Museum is a nice local museum and Danny learned that he and Don Henley of The Eagles has the same birthday! Must be why he is the biggest Eagles fan in the world! We bought a cookbook (a really nice one at that). Meet back at the bikes and at 4 p.m. off we went to our next stop and dinner. Avinger, Texas and the 5-D Cattle Company is the best! Don’t miss this trip and great dinning experience. It is the back roads of America where you find all the good stuff. Well after dinner some went on back to Jefferson, Texas but we went back to Minden. We made it in about 9:30. What a day it was. So until next time keep it between the ditches!

Boo Benefit 2008

Boo Benefit 2008

Click on the picture to see the picture album.

For the last few years we have gone to the Boo Benefit Annual Bike Rally for the Louisiana Burn Camp for Children (Camp I’m Still Me). This year over $200,000 was raised to help burn survivors! That is $50,000 more than last year. What a great event to support!
"The Boo Benefit Ride for Burn Survivors," commonly known as The Boo Run, draws people from all over interested in helping the Percy Johnson Foundation and Louisiana Burn Camp for Children.
Last year they registered 7,000 people with an overall attendance of 15,000, according to Boo’s wife Patsy Chaler, event organizer. This year they expected 18,000 in attendance. It was more like 30,000 folks in Jefferson, Texas. The streets were packed as you can see by the pictures. At last year's event, more than $170,000 was raised with all proceeds donated to the Percy Johnson Burn Foundation.
The benefit event began in October 1998 in response to the efforts of Charles "Boo" Chaler, a burn survivor. Boo Chaler was burned over 95 percent of his body in a welding accident earlier that year. Several friends knew of Boo's love for motorcycle riding and began the benefit in his honor while he was still hospitalized at Louisiana State University Burn Center in Shreveport.
Chaler and his wife Patsy donated the funds raised to the Percy Johnson Foundation and began a benefit to aid severely injured children and their families. In April 2002, the Chaler-Rods House was purchased by a grant from the Foundation to house out-of-town families of burn patients who cannot afford hotels for extended stays.
The Red River Street Rod Association and all my Street Rod friends are very much involved with the Louisiana Burn Camp and with The Boo Run. In fact they have been bringing the Boo Bike to my St. Jude Car show for the last few years and selling lots of tickets. So far I have not won the new Harley maybe next year.
The three-day event includes live music, a poker run, bike show, bike games, style show, and silent auctions and all the other bike activities that you expect and a few you don’t. So make your plans for next year. Book your rooms early. I always stay at the McKay House B & B.
For more information on The Boo Benefit Ride for Burn Survivors, call Boo or Patsy Chaler at 903-935-6005 or 903-930-4931, or visit the Web site at http://www.boobenefit.org/

Look Who Is Running For President Now!

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=370743&altf=Tdifmmfz&altl=Cspxo

I thought I would give it a try. Hope you support me! This is so funny just click and watch! We will be having a big party when I get to my new house!

Sunday Harley Ride

Just another short ride on Sunday afternoon with friends. I love the picture of the cotton fields. We ride to eat, eat to ride! Click on pictures to enlarge them.

Shirley & Marcy

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe. So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her. She said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed. The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole week. As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?' Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.' 'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.' 'Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us? 'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!' The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you, And be gracious unto you; The Lord lift His countenance upon you, And give you peace. May Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you today and always. I know you smiled! I sure did.

Find Your Spot

On my recent trip to Arkansas I met a woman that moved from Vegas to Eureka Springs because of a web site. The site is http://www.findyourspot.com/ . Well I told a few folks about it and I even took the quiz to see where I was suppose to be living. This site really works pretty good for a relocation site. Just answer a few question and boom you have the perfect place to relocate. Most of you that know me know that I have always wanted to go to the Blue Ridge Mountain area and also to Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, North Carolina. Well Mount Airy was the first place that popped up that was perfect for me. Other included places around Branson and several places in Tenn, Arkansas, Alabama. I always knew I was in the wrong place it didn't mention Louisiana!

The State Of Arkansas, Louisiana's Good Neighbor!

The State Of Arkansas, Louisiana’s Good Neighbor!

Click On Each Picture To View In A Larger Size!
Sometimes even though Louisiana is a great state you want to look for something totally different for your summer vacation. I usually look just a little north at the “Natural State” of Arkansas. This year, with the price of gas being almost $5.00 a gallon in some places, I was struggling to find that perfect place to go where you get the most “BANG” for your buck. Eureka I found it!
If you love historic homes and historic places in general this “City That Water Built” is the perfect destination for you. The town was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1970. If you visit you will know why instantly. It is a fast step back into another era of time.
My first decision to make was finding the perfect place to stay. I found it in the “Pearl Tatman House”. This is not your typical bed & breakfast by any means. This “Painted Lady” has been featured in several books about Victorian homes across the United States. Since historic home preservation is so important to me, I always like to know the history of where I am staying. It gives you a since of belonging, if you know who has walked the floors before you.
Dr. Pearl Tatman, the first woman doctor in Arkansas, built her house in the late 1880s. ‘Doc Pearl’ lived in the charming three bedroom Victorian until her death in the 1940s. It has been said that she died in bed leaving on her feather pillow a crown of feathers ... a sign that she is now an angel watching over all who visit the house.
Here is more historical information from the "Ladies Exhibit" Board Text: No person in the history of Eureka Springs is so revered in remembrance as the woman usually called 'Doc Pearl'. Pearl Hale came to the health resort in the 1890's, a young, unmarried woman who had already received her medical training. She began the practice of medicine as physician and surgeon, setting up an office in the Duncan block on Spring Street, and soon became almost indispensable to the people of Eureka Springs who sought her help.
In a time when young women did not enter into professions and most were trained simply to be wives, mothers and homemakers, Pearl Hale shone as a courageous individual. In time she added home and marriage to her busy life through being married to Dr. Albert Tatman. Their lovely home 'Cozy Corners' was one of the most gracious centers of social life and both took part in the literary and drama society. They adopted an orphan baby girl whom they named Daisy.
Pearl Hale Tatman devoted her life to the people of Eureka Springs and served them well for more than half a century, continuing the practice of medicine long after Albert's death, until advanced age brought her career to an end. (Doc Pearl passed away in 1944 and left her home in town, now named in her honor, to Daisy). The most repeated word used in praising Doctor Pearl was "saintly", and there is little doubt that it was truly appropriate.
With all this in mind, taking a step back in time was easy to do. The beauty of the home and convenient location is a perfect setting for a relaxing stay. The home is built on Spring Street which is the heart of the historic loop in this historic town. You are within walking distance of the magnificent Crescent Hotel, a block or so from the railroad depot and not much further to the eclectic downtown area. You also are on the Trolley and carriage route just right outside your front door. This home is unique for the fact that it is not your typical bed and breakfast. You get the entire house to yourself! This is the perfect and affordable setup for girl’s trips, family gatherings, and vacationing or traveling with friends and other couples.
The owners live off-site so you are privileged to the run of the home. This includes a well stocked kitchen, a washer and dryer placed in what is called the ‘Out House’, formal dining room, living room, three romantic bedrooms, all charmingly furnished with antiques and accessories that create a feeling of comfort and warmth. A wonderful two person Jacuzzi room built into the side of the mountain, three bedrooms with an upstairs bathroom with a claw foot tub, a beautiful fieldstone patio with a small koi pond with fountain surrounded by comfortable Adirondack lawn chairs is all yours to enjoy during your stay.
Don't feel like making your own breakfast? At the Pearl Tatman House, you can choice the "Personal Chef" package and have your breakfast prepared for you! This was something that we just had to try. One morning we wanted that pampered feeling so we ordered in. The breakfast was amazing and you don’t even have to get out of bed to let “Chef Denise” in. You can lie in bed and smell the fresh coffee brewing and go down at your leisure. Talk about taking advantage of relaxing.
And now for that extra incentive for calling this home while in Eureka Springs! There are two porches or verandas that overlook East Mountain. As you sit in the rocking chairs in the morning, the sunrise over the mountain takes your breath away as you witness the spectacular view of the Christ of the Ozarks Statue with the sun rising over his out stretched arms. This site alone is worth the trip! You can check all this out on line at http://www.pearltatman.com/n.com/, the homes owners are wonderful folks to work with.
Speaking to the Christ of the Ozarks, you don’t want to miss “The Great Passion Play” now in its 40th year of production. If you saw the play years ago you need to go back. So much has been added. They now have a Holy Land Tour during the day as well as several museums and a large restaurant. You can spend all day just seeing everything they now have to offer. http://www.greatpassionplay.com/
One of our favorite things was our dinner train ride with the Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway better known as the ES & NA. We arrived around 4:30 to check out all the vintage trains and train equipment. Then with anticipation we heard the sound of the train whistle and the conductor call “All… aboard…!” We boarded our vintage dinning car equipped with white linen table clothes and china. Then we were off for our trip. Now this train doesn’t go fast and it doesn’t go far but we loved it. We especially loved the best Prime Rib dinner that we had ever had in our lives. All this was topped off by flaming Baked Alaska for dessert in the shape of a train with flames coming out of the smoke stack! Don’t miss this experience if you are in this part of Arkansas. http://www.esnarailway.com/
We had lunch the next day at the historic Basin Park Hotel and then we sat a while in the heart of the town the “Basin Park”. This is a great place to sit and people watch and just relax and hear the different street performers and take in a little local art and culture.
We toured War Eagle Mill http://www.wareaglemill.com/ not far from Eureka one day and for a memorable evening, we visited the most famous- or infamous- haunted location in Eureka Springs the Crescent Hotel http://www.crescent-hotel.com/ . Constructed in 1886, the hotel has also been a girl's school and a cancer hospital run by an unscrupulous charlatan. Perhaps the most haunted building in Arkansas, the Crescent Hotel is said to be home to nurses pushing carts down the hall ways, young school girls on their way to class, Dr. Norman Baker on his way to conduct another autopsy, and the most famous ghost in the hotel, Michael the stone mason. This old Hotel is a must see and you will want to take the ghost tours at night. We missed the ghost tour but we didn’t miss the incredible meal in the Crystal Dining Room! This is also the place that you can book your carriage ride of the area. If you don’t take a carriage you can always take a nostalgic ride on one of the many trolley rides offered.
Now all of this was done from Saturday afternoon with check out Tuesday morning. We were only halfway finished with our vacation. We were now headed to the Music Capital of the Ozarks.
Established in the 1870s, the town of Mountain View, Arkansas is famous for the preservation of folkways and traditional music. It was only natural for the Arkansas Folk Festival to be founded here in the early 1960s, and the Ozark Folk Center State Park followed in 1973. The Center which has been coined as the nation’s only center that preserves Ozark heritage and presents it as living history. The Park's interests are in the areas of: The cultural and social history of the Ozarks region in pre-modern times. In the area of pioneer crafts this is generally interpreted as before 1921 and in the area of mountain music before 1941 http://www.ozarkfolkcenter.com/ .
Music plays a vital part of the aura of the area as, historically, Saturday nights would find locals at a “pickin’” in a neighbor’s house or yard. The custom continues today, musicians join locals and play music late into the night hours all around the small town square and the newly constructed three gazebo’s in the “pickin’ park”.
Music is not only vital, it is the soul of this town and there is a determination to keep the tradition alive through programs such as the Music Roots Program, where via the local school system, area musicians teach young people to play the old tunes on traditional string instruments. This was the part we enjoyed the most, seeing young children (so young that their feet didn’t touch the floor when they sat in a chair) not sitting behind a video game but sitting behind a banjo, mandolin, or dulcimer.
Our place of residence while in this part of the Ozark Mountains was the Wildflower B&B, which was built in 1918 and restored in the early 1980s as a B&B. The Wildflower was originally the Commercial Hotel and is still known by many of the locals as just that. Many area businesses started in what are now downstairs guestrooms that were at one time used as commercial rental for print shops, bakeries, beauty shops and lots more. The Wildflower owners J.R. and Pam are wonderful folks and the breakfast will definitely keep your belly full until lunch time! We loved sitting on the porch with a good cup of coffee in the morning and visiting with the different guest. Many are regulars of this B& B and after a day or two we understood why! http://www.wildflowerbb.com/ We will be back for sure too!
While staying at the B&B right on the square, visitors can enjoy hearing music drift through the streets as they sit on the porch and take in the night breeze of the evening. We were entertained on into the night by a piano player that just happened to stop by with his piano in the back of a truck. After unloading this to the porch earlier in the day we were pleased to just sit and enjoy the sites and sound later that night as the crowd gathered lawn chairs in tow.
The town, located deep in the Ozarks is surrounded by mountains and rivers, offering many outdoor activities that include caving at Blanchard Springs Caverns this is a must do when in the area. They even have Caroling in the Caves at Christmas time.
Well as always vacations are over too soon. Friday morning came around too fast and we were on our way back to Louisiana. Don’t forget if you ride a motorcycle or in car you want to take advantage of Arkansas being at you back door. It is one beautiful state rich in history and heritage and some great back roads. So until next time keep it between the ditches. Check out http://www.eventsinminden.blogspot.com/ for more about what I am up to in and around Minden, Louisiana.