MARK TWAIN

Where are the scrappy pages?  Where are the journal entries.  Well, they've all been on hold for VACATION.  For the first time in AGES our family of 5 took a trip, that wasn't related to the holidays w/ family, a wedding, a funeral..well you get the idea.  Just the FIVE of us...and where did we go?  Way off the beaten track to a small town...Hannibal, Missouri.  (Okay, our trip was slightly related to family, we were gong to Nauvoo, IL for a family reunion.)  But along the way, we stopped for three fabulous days in Hannibal.
This is our first Morning on the Mississippi.  Looking out across the big muddy to the Illinois banks.  I'm actually standing on what is left of an old bridge that spanned the river.  You can even see the "avenue" on the other side where the bridge "landed"

We walked around the river front that morning and decided to climb up some 200 odd stairs to the Memorial Lighthouse.  There's a story behind it.  Much of Hannibal is back filled with stories and history.  Storytelling is in their blood...and rightly so.  We found the statue of Tom Sawyer and his companion and partner in "crime" Huck Finn.  You know I had to take the tourist shot!

The kids and I were very excited to go on the cave tours.  We visited one of two local caves,  Mark Twain's Cave.  I was kind of concerned how Sarah would do but to my delight and surprise, she enjoyed it more than I gave her credit!  She did AWESOME when they turned out the light!  Words 'nor pictures do the tour justice.  All I can say is GO!!  Enjoy.  The groups are small, people are friendly and the tour guides are colorful experienced storytellers.  Grab yourself a copy of Tom Sawyer and refresh yourself with the story, as there are LOADS of references to it and Mark's childhood.

One of the reason's OUR family enjoyed the cave tours... well let me put it to you this way.... a constant, consistent temperature of 52 degree's.  ALL YEAR LONG.   And we've been experiencing what kind of temps down here in Texas?   'Nuff said!
Another thing much enjoyed was the River Boat tour.... a lazy hour chugging around the Mississippi and an awesome Riverboat Capt' who again was a great storyteller.   But not just stories, he threw in facts and info and you were actually LEARNING something and having fun.  If I home-schooled, this would have been a JACKPOT.. but I don't and we still walked way relaxed, refreshed, inspired and just a wee bit smarter.

Since we've been home, we've been gearing up for school and it's finally here!   We're into day two and I'm happily sitting in my "studio" catching up on challenges, finishing some unfinished projects and working on little things.  I'll soon be posting some of these, along w/ more pics from our adventures with Tom & Huck along the Mighty Mississip'.   Dave & I have vowed to go back to this little big town and enjoy the Bed & Breakfast Hotels, the walking tours, the arts and some more caves.  The town holds festivals and art shows and it's a photographers dream..... until then.  One last parting pic.