fall back

I had a lovely time in Missouri, but it was a very fast trip, spanning various states, and multiple time zones, all in a 4 day stretch. Add to that staying up way too late watching chick flicks and giggling, and you have the recipe for one tired mama. (Let me clarify-my mom and the aunties were still going strong, I think I even slowed them down sometimes!)
It is so amazing to me how beautiful this country is. I think it's strange that people want to travel, so they think they have to leave the United States and head to some foreign and exotic land. There is so much to be seen here, so much breath taking beauty, right here, connected to the very soil where we live every day. Domestic travel is great for lots of reasons, but one is that ticket prices are usually much less costly, and when you arrive at your destination, everyone there (pretty much) speaks your language! Your money is good to go, without having to exchange it, or figuring out what the current rate of the U.S. dollar is. (math is hard) My favorite part though, is that you may have some relative (distant ones work too-look them up!) that will meet you at the other end, and lend you their couch to sleep on, and be your personal guide to the city. It doesn't get much better than that!
My Aunt Loretta was our gracious hostess this time, and was glad to show us all around the secret treasures of the St. Louis area. The food was fantastic, the weather was clear and crisp, and the company, as always, was my very favorite part. It is so neat for me to get to see places that are different from where I live. I saw ginkgo trees that were loaded with fruit, and picnicked at a state park that was filled with tall, thin trees, with sparse, yellowing leaves, that had white papery bark. I saw oriels and even a lone (brownish and kind of disappointing) cardinal! The dirt was a different color than my dirt, and the river rocks were paler than the ones we dig out of our garden. The actual earth there was made of different things than at home. I wanted so badly to go out in the evening and catch a jar full of fireflies, but the season had just ended and they had all disappeared. (my cousin told me they died, but I think they maybe flew south-since that's what I would do if I was a firefly)
We bought antiques, and took walks through crunchy leaves. We laughed. We shopped at vendors that had things from all over the world. I ate a caramel apple as big as my head. (I had help) I got a sweatshirt that was made in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro (which I LOVE!) And I didn't even need my passport.




It was a great trip. I need a nap.