No, They Are Not Just Dogs!

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Kate

Eros

My dogs are family and treated like family. Yeah, I’m one of those!! If they don’t like you I probably won’t either. If you visit my house I guarantee when you leave you will have dog hair hitching a ride. I can’t imagine what life would be like without them. Kate is a 2011 model and Eros a 2012. Kate had a few problems when she was a pup. She had crystals in her urine and had hip surgery at a year old.

She slept on the couch and I slept on the floor beside her. When she was healed up she became my ride dog.

I am a retired farrier and she loved going to the barns with me. She took her riding shotgun seriously.

Then there is Eros. He was so little when he was a pup. He now ways 124 pounds.

He can be pretty intimidating. He is a big teddy bear. He is definitely a “protector”.

“A dog is the only thing on Earth that loves you more than you loves yourself.” – Josh Billings

They both have their own personalities. They are good listeners, loyal, and give unconditional love. They are always glad to see you and add joy to your life.

Now don’t get me wrong. They can get sick and leave a big mess to clean up and they can just simply be a pain in the butt. They are a huge responsibility. All in all I still say they are worth it.

Nope they aren’t just dogs. They’re family.

Featured

Slow down and …………………..

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Life is made up of special moments which make it worth living.

There are many cherished moments that are missed due to the stress and fast pace of daily living.

We must slow down and remember how precious it is to be alive and to love.    Lessons Learned in Life

In Memory of Kate and Eros

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“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”

Will Roger’s

Some people may not understand how someone could make this statement, but to those of us who have experienced the unconditional love of a dog can understand what he is saying. I consider my dogs family members. They are just pets you say. They grieve, get depressed, and feel pain and happiness just like humans.

Call me crazy if you like, but you won’t find a better listener and they lift us up when we are down. Maybe I am getting senile, but I agree with Will Rogers.

In November of 2019 and January of 2020, I lost two of my best friends to cancer. I miss them dearly. I write this in memory of Eros and Kate.

Caledonia, MO

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“The houses, streetscapes, and landscapes they constructed remain, in great measure unchanged, from the nineteenth century.”

Thomas Flanders in preparation for National Registry listing, 1992

Caledonia, Missouri, can be found in the Bellevue Valley in Washington County. A large part of this small town, 25 buildings, was declared a National Historic District. It is home to Tyro Masonic Lodge who holds the title of being the oldest continuously operating lodge in the state. The Craighead House has the pleasure of being the oldest house in the village still standing. The 2010 census reported a population of 130. The town was founded in 1819 by a Scotsman named Alexander Craighead and he named it Caledonia, Latin for Scotland.

Several shops and boutiques can be found in Caledonia. Brushed, Caledonia Vintage and Gifts, Katie’s Place, Old Village Mercantile and Miss Molly’s Shabby Chic are a few of the businesses operating in town. Once you have taken a tour around town and if you love the outdoors there are many attractions that can be found near Caledonia. Whatever your desire, hiking, swimming, fishing or just exploring, you won’t have a problem finding a place to accommodate you. To name a few, Hughes Mountain Natural Area, Buford Mountain Conservation Area, Elephant Rocks State Park, Johnson Shut-Ins, or Taum Sauk Mountain, highest point in Missouri. One item I found interesting was that 20 years ago, the town was abandoned, and the buildings were empty. Apparently, the town is made up of some very determined citizens. They hold many events over the year. Their most known event is the Pumpkin Fest. You can find out more by visiting http://www.caledoniamo.org and look at their calendar.

I am lucky enough to live 2 miles from Caledonia. I love visiting the quaint little town. There are so many things to do you won’t be bored.

Remember to be kind to one another and to spread the love.

True Story!!!

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You just can’t make this stuff up. The above skeleton was placed in the water a day before a Halloween party. Folks walk on the bridge at night and shine flashlights into the water. It is made out of concrete and looks nothing like a skeleton. The party went on and was a success. No one tried jumping into the water to safe the skeleton.

Well, it all started a couple days after the party. One afternoon the Madison County Sheriff showed up. She had also brought the coroner. She explained to us what they were there for. They are looking for a dead body. It seems while the mock skeleton was in the water someone walked upon the bridge, saw the head and hands, so immediately took a picture. They then posted the photo on FB, where someone circled the skeleton and said they needed to contact authorities immediately.

Meanwhile three days have transpired from the time the picture was taken to contacting the authorities. Problem number one, someone had already stolen the head. Then problem number 2, there was heavy rain that caused the river to rise, and you couldn’t see the hands. They got someone to wade in and look for the hands. “Mission Accomplished.” They were now in possession of two concrete hands, remember someone had already stolen the head.

Before they left, we had great conversation and the case of the dead body, had been solved. All of this over something that looked nothing like a real skeleton, or so I thought, but someone thought differently. As far as the case of the missing head, it still has not been found.

Thanks for reading. Be kind to one another and spread the love!

Snow: You Either Hate It or Love It

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I happen to be one who loves the snow; however, the snow fall here in southeast Missouri doesn’t stay around real long. If I had to deal with it all winter long, like those in the deep north, I may be on the other side of the fence. Even if you are a hater of snow, you have to admit; it is quite beautiful.

NOTICE: All pictures are the property of Double D Acres LLC and cannot be used, reproduced or copied without written permission from Double D Acres LLC.

The Love of Flyfishing

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My friend David Tripp an avid flyfisherman.: The Love of Flyfishing

“If you’ve got short, stubby fingers and wear reading glasses, any relaxation you would normally derive from flyfishing is completely eliminated when you try to tie on a fly.”

Jack Ohman – Fear of Flyishing 1988

I can relate to what Jack Ohman is saying. I wear reading glasses, and have short stubby fingers riddled with arthritis. Bending over and picking up the fly, that I thought I had passed the line through the eyelet on the fly only to find I wasn’t even close, however is good exercise.

Another favorite of mine is when you have spent 20 minutes tieing the line onto the fly, and you tighten the knot down snug. Now you grab your clippers and snip off the extra line on the tag and you also snip the line to the fly! Arghh! Time to sit down, calm your mind and start all over again.

Now one of my favorites. It’s 100 degrees and you have sweat rolling into your eyes and you are attempting to tie on a fly. You work diligently tieing on your fly and with one setback after another, to your amazement you have finally accomplished your mission. You walk to the water and begin to make your cast. In your excitement of finally succeeding, you failed to survey your surroundings to make sure you could make your cast without any interference. Whoop, whoop, BAMB!!! Your fly manages to wrap itself around a limb. To free it you are going to have to break the line and lose your favorite fly (Note: When you lose a fly it is always your favorite). I have seen this happen several times, to the point I have thought about just showing up with a step ladder and for a fee, retrieve their fly. Then I could buy more flies . Awww, the joys of flyfishing and I didn’t even touch on the subject of tieing a tippet to the leader.

Thanks for stopping by and remember to be kind to one another and spread the love.

Don Robinson State Park

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My fiancé and I decided to check out Don Robinson State Park on New Year’s Eve. We arrived around 9 a.m. and it appeared that it was going to be an unusually warm day in January. The park opened January 26,2017 and this was our first visit to the park. Recent rains had left the trail pretty muddy in spots and we found that the trails weren’t marked very well but we didn’t get lost. It turned out to be a very nice day. Good hike.

There are 3 trails located within the park. 1) Sandstone Canyon Trail: Rated – Moderate/ 3.9 miles – Estimated time 1 hour 39 minutes 2) Sandstone Canyon Western Loop: Rated – Easy – length 2.3 miles – Estimated time 56 minutes 3) LaBarque Hills Trail: Rated – Moderate – Length 2.9 miles – Estimated time 1 hour 16 minutes.

Each trail has its own unique views. You can walk along a trail atop a sandstone canyon overlooking the LaBarque Creek. You walk past caves, cliffs and glades, through dry woodlands with oak.

Don Robertson State Park is a public recreation area that consists of a little over 800 acres located in Jefferson County Missouri. The entrance gate opens at 7 a.m. and closes one-half hour after sunset. There are 42 species of fish found in LaBarque Creek. There are nearly 650 species of plants and numerous songbirds can be seen within the park. There is a public bathroom.

Anderson Campground

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I took this photo near Brushy Creek, Texas. It is the Anderson Campground, commonly called the Brushy Creek Arbor. Families, who most came from Brushy Creek located in Anderson County South Carolina, began settling the area in the 1850s.

In 1873 land was set aside by a local Methodist congregation, to be used as a religious campground. E.S. Jamison acquired the land for sixty dollars of gold. A building was constructed to be used for religious meetings. A spring provided water for the campground where religious camp meetings were held each summer.

Weeklong services were held, and the local residents attended and lived in tents. They brought their own provisions and sometimes stayed for weeks. Sermons were preached several times a day. People of several faiths were represented and took part in baptisms and religious services.

In the 1870s, a sanctuary for the Brushy Creek Methodist Church was erected and in 1894 it was replaced by the present building. The popularity of religious camp meetings began to decline in popularity and came to an end in the 1980s. Even though not many arbors were able to survive, Brushy Creek survived for over 130 years.

On September 6, 1981, a Texas Historical Commission Marker was erected on the site and Anderson Campground received a National Register of Historic Places designation.