Tourist From Egypt

  Yesterday I had an exciting telephone call, it was from a nice young man who wanted to take a tour of, My Old Historic House. He was traveling between Chicago,Ill. and St.Louis,Mo. It seems some one had mentioned that they should tour the 1845 Historic Elgin/Cottrell House Museum in Clarksville,Mo. I made the appointment for the next morning. I asked where they were from and they said Egypt. I said, pardon me, and he repeated Egypt. They are visiting family in Chicago and St.Louis.. They had a rental car. I guess today with all the modern devices it would not be hard to travel all over a strange country.
   The couple arrived this morning, right on time. First we had a small lesson in American History, about the time of the Civil War. I was prepared and had a few books open to pages  of pictures about this period. I then explained that was when the house was built and why I had decorated it to that period.  One picture I had was of the Lincoln home in Springfield,Ill. Mr. Lincoln was our president at that time.They were very  attentive and seemed to really enjoy there lesson and tour.

   It was also necessary to explain why there was a huge wall of sand bags covered in plastic out my front door. They understood very easily as they have the flooding Nile  River in Egypt.
  I was so happy when they asked if there were any favorite spots in St.Louis as well. I said I am sure your family will know, but give them a list of mine, including the Brewery Tour.
  It is a lot cooler today in Missouri than it has been. I had not turned on the air. I used this to my advantage. Telling the young couple, when the house was built in 1845 there would have been no air, just open doors and windows.

   The saga of, My Old Historic House continues. Last Tuesday I had a group of Red Hat Ladies for tour and lunch, today a nice couple from Egypt. What's next, maybe you can come for a tour as well. I will always leave the lights on and Sissy will be at the tour with a jump and a kiss.
                        Happy 4th of July.

VINES and other things.

Kentucky or Virginia creeper on a carriage house next door.

This is a good hotel for birds. they arrive every evening and fight for the best spot. 

Kentucky or Virginia creeper , creeping on the back of My Old Historic House.

A wall covered in Ivy at the Village Black Smith Shop.

  As I went to work this morning I could not help but notice all the beauty that was around me. Sissy does not move fast, she has to sniff and smell and roll , so we don't get anywhere in a hurry. The first thing I saw as I left my side door this morning was a pile of shipping pallets, a giant roll of plastic , big pile of sand and several piles of sand bags. Not the best greeting in the world, but better than the river under my feet. Oh yes, I forgot to mention the famous blue Porta Pot , just standing there in a spot of honor. The sun is shining today and we have not had rain for almost 3 days. The river is starting to fall and finally I can  give my attention to something other than a flood.
    I am not sure how many take the time to read my blog. Sometimes I wish I had a way to tell. Often comments are made that suggest they only look at the pictures. I have been there before. I always  put a little thought and attention into my blog post. I realize there are only so many bloggers out there and they all are not my followers, and not even all of them really like and care about every blog one can post. I used to do a little history lesson with mine. Tried to add a little humor and often told a story or two. I see some bloggers change a pillow or two, add a bow, buy a new plant and them seem to get just as much attention as I do. Wouldn't you  like to just say the truth once in awhile? I would, but I know it is not correct, so often I just go with out any comment what so ever.
    Well, I got off track there for awhile. Sorry!  Back to my walk and all the beauty this morning. I just love Vines. The wilder, the more they over power, the better. Ivy is a favorite. I have come to learn that it is not a good thing. It does tend to dig into surfaces and cause rot and damage. It is wonderful for rock walls and old fences. Can not hurt them and adds a real beauty that only ivy can do. I love it also because it stays  green all winter. In spring it is electric, bright and vivid. All the new growth just looks like a gift from Heaven. In winter the leaves turn deep hunter green. They are stiff and great for winter bouquets or Christmas decorations. It will last for weeks when cut and one does not even have to put them in water. I love a long bundle, tied with a bow and hug on a door , window or top of a mirror. So simple, so natural and so cheap.

The creeper behind my house covers the window. looks so cool inside.

Love the creeper and the brick combination

Creeping up to the roof.

Creeping on my neighbors carriage house. Her father took this off last summer and it is already back.

   I have a passion for a vine that is somewhat of a monster. I believe it's common name is Kentucky or Virginia Creeper. Well it not only creeps, it spreads,vines and takes over. You can pull it down and it will be back in a few days. I have always said that if you stand still, to long by it, it will vine up your legs. It does not dig into wood or motor, so is not as  bad as ivy. I don't care, I just love it and I let it grown over the windows on the roof and where every it wants. Ever few years we tear it all down and let it start over. If I didn't, I am sure it would devour the whole house. I keep it toward the back. I love the look of the vine covered windows. It makes the room  feel cool and creates great shadows about the rooms. The birds love to roost in this  wall of vines. Every evening, just about dark, there is a huge ruckus as the birds fight for there spot that night.

This is the wild Clematis I was talking about. Growing here on a slave cottage wall.

A closer view. It is beautiful, but  a devil. Be ware.

   We have a wild Clematis that I hate. It is beautiful when it blooms. Has masses of all these little white blooms that produce masses of seeds that produce masses of new vines. It is a pest.It can grow several feet in a week. Kills other plants as it does so.If you want to grow some, be ware, it is awful hard to control. It likes wet, dry, good, bad soil and even grows out of cracks in the sidewalk. The blooms are worth it, especially when there is a huge mature vine that bust open in full bloom. I don't let it grow at my house, but my neighbor has  a huge one and it so beautiful when it blooms. Looks like a big giant wedding veil or bridal bouquet.

These climbing red roses have been blooming ever since the flood started in late April. What a gift they have been.,

An ivy covered blacksmith shop on Main Street here in Clarksville,

One of many rock retainer walls found in town. Love the pink and purple combination.

A wonderful Wisteria covered patio says welcome and also strikes a little mystery as to what might be found inside there.

See the Juniper vine down  the rock wall and highlighted by the bright yellow Clorelopis .

    Vines were not the only thing I noticed as I walked to work. Beautiful flowers are in bloom all over the two blocks between, My Old Historic House and my antique mall. Roses,one of my favorites, have been especially  beautiful this year. The wet and cool have done there do. I have had a hug red climber going at it for weeks. One of the buildings here in town has a small wild flower garden. It is really out of control now. One would have trouble keeping up with it, especially  with all the the rains we have had this spring. I love wild flowers and I love them out of control Another thing we seem to have an abundance of here in town are rock walls. Built to retain banks they are beautifully dotted in the local landscape. I especially love when the plants vine there way down these rock walls.
    Even in the middle of a Mississippi River flood that started 51 days ago, here in Clarksville,Mo. There is a lot of beauty and much to be thankful for. I hope you all can come some time soon for a real tour. Just step over the shipping pallet, sand bags and by pass the porta pot and enjoy the beauty you will find here. Maybe some day soon we will be back to normal. What ever normal is? Just take  some time to see the beauty around you. Richard and Sissy
 

A local wild flower garden growing out of control due to all the rain and coolness we have had this spring

The red is so bright

The purple is alive

Dainty yellow adds a touch of elegance close to the ground.

Beauties and the Beast.

The river creeping through the park and making way toward my house. Thank goodness the sand bag levy is there to hold the Mississippi back.

This is my side yard looking toward the river. As you can see the sand bag levy is in my front yard and the beautiful blooming Magnolia trees are just a few feet behind.

    Well guess what? The old Mississippi is at it again. We just can't seem to catch a break. Lots and lots of rain up north, snow melt and more rain coming. I guess it has to go some where. We are lucky here in my little town. We built a sand bag levy a few weeks ago when the river came up with only a couple days notice. It went down just about as fast. Well, we thought we might just need to wait before  we took all those sand bags away. Well, here it comes again. According to the weather forecast, Core and every one else with an opinion, we are not through yet. This  rise is not two high. Only about 5 foot over flood stage. I am really calm with it, as the last one was a foot more and we made it OK. They are saying we are going to have storms the next two days, starting tonight. The towns up north of us had huge rain falls over last weekend. 10 to 12 inches in spots. That makes the Salt River and Mark Twain Lake over flow and guess where they dump? Right into the Mississippi above us. We have a wonderful Mayor, who is sharp and on top of it all. We also have a couple of city employees that work endless and seem to be able to do most anything. Last time we had the National Guard and Americorp. I have not heard if they are coming back yet. They are a blessing as well.
   In between all the down pouring rain, wind and river rising, my yard has become a paradise. One of my favorite things in the world are my two magnolia trees. They were planted in 06 when I first bought, My Old Historic House. They were babies. Only about 6 foot tall and I could reach around them. They have grown to almost 20 feet now. This is the second flood they have been through. When I first planted them in the summer, we had a huge ice storm that winter. They were bent double. I thought sure they were gone. They came out of it and bloomed for the first time the next spring. This past April we had a 10 inch snow and it was very heavy and wet. It came in a total of about 9 hours. Again my Magnolias were bend double. I went out with a broom and shock it off. An hour latter it was back. I have a few small limbs that broke, but otherwise, they are doing great and starting to bloom. In the 08 flood, there was water all around them. I spend endless hours with pumps and there blooms brought me much happiness. They are so beautiful and the smell is a gift from Heaven.

This is the view from my front porch. Sand and sand and more sand and then the river

You can see the levy is only a few feet from my front porch

   Roses are loving this cool damp weather and they have been blooming there heads off. What more is there to ask for. Look out the window, walk out the door and see so much beauty. Then turn your head and you see the,"Beast." sand bag walls, loads of gravel, black plastic and right behind it all is the creeping river. Slowly it has covered the park and is edging it's way toward the wall. Some will creep under and pumps are required to get it back out. I make numerous trips out in the night to check them. They especially get a work out wen we get these  2 and 3 inch rains in less than an hour. It doesn't seem like we can get a nice , soft and gentle rain any more, we have to have a storm and a flood. This old world is a strange one. One never knows what might hit you next. I guess the best advice comes from the English. "Keep calm and carry on".That has been my new theory through this, my 2 major flood in less than 5 years.
    I hope you enjoy my flowers as much I am. I wish you could come some time for a tour. It looks a little sad to see the sand bag wall in the front yard, but then, It really is a good BEAST, as it so far, as kept the river at bay. Please come anytime. I will leave a light on and Sissy will always meet you with a jump and a big kiss. Richard

Red roses on the arbor

What are these?

A dark peach colored rose.

" The Beast."