SharivilleLife stories from Shari

Hello from very beautiful Kentucky,  Everything here is colorful.  The grasses are green, green and the rolling hills are displaying their wonderful fall colors.  We’ve had our share off rain and it seems that the trees have peaked and are starting to drop their leaves.  It hasn’t gotten out of the 40s in quite awhile.  Thank goodness for my cozy trailer.

We drove up to Mammoth Cave Park, it’s about 15 min from the RV park. Despite the weather the place was jammed, they bring in buses of tourists and school kids.  They have limited the number of cave tours now as the main season has passed.  Mammoth Cave Natl Park has over 367 known miles of cave passageways running beneath these southern Kentucky hills.  That’s something to think about.  It’s known to be the worlds longest cave.  In 1981 this park was designated a World Heritage site and in 1990 declared an International Biosphere  Reserve.  This is a magnificent American treasure.  I sized up  the various cave tours and have pretty much made up my mind not to go in.  My last experience at Wind Cave in south Dakota may have cured my desire to plant myself underground for any length of time before the actual time comes. I think there is plenty to do above ground anyway.  The park sits in the middle of 53,000 acres of hardwood forest above ground and they are on fire, not literally, with fall colors of gold, red ,orange and yellow.  Really a site to see.  I can’t believe that even in the New England states it could be prettier. I had a feeling Kentucky would be beautiful and so far I’m not disappointed.

We drove thru Cave and Park cities, all of these little towns close to the park are fairly tourist oriented.  I’m not fond of touristy stuff.  We drove into the largest city in the area, Glasgow.  We went to the Wal Mart, of course, and while shopping encountered Mennonite people.   They were dressed in black and grey clothing, nothing brite or colorful.  The women had on huge black wool capes.  When we left we could see why, they had arrived in horse drawn buggies.  Wal Mart provides a  special area for them where they can unhook the horses tie them up and let them graze while they shop.  I took some pictures as I’ve never seen the buggies in real life.  They have even provided a waste container so they can dispose of the poopies. They have a Community near here where they live without electricity or gas powered equipment. I cant identify with that, people themselves seem to be very serious and intense. I didn’t notice any smiles  or facial expressions, no joy. I wonder if it’s difficult for some of them seeing the rest of the world so different or……….maybe not.

We came home and I made some veggie beef soup for tomorrow, and used my George Foreman to cook a steak and Hamburger.  Guess who had what?  We added a salad and some delicious sugar corn and rolls.  Cookies for dessert,  I was going to make some baked apples but ran out of time, we were hungry.  Tomorrows another day.

Glad to hear everyone and everything is OK at home,  I heard from Bonnie and Liz.  Despite the fact that Liz has been terrorized by the raccoons, they are mischievous little rascals.. I guess they were playing with her and turning on a sprinkle near the spa. But then Liz never met a problem she couldn’t handle and she outwitted the rascals by putting a bucket over the faucet.  No Raccoon will buffalo her.  Well more later.             Hugs S and J.

It’s been cold and windy and rainy and we find that Denise’s trailer if better able to hold the heat than ours.  I still cannot think of a better person to have that trailer.  We do have a great heat pump it just seems to cool down faster.  Jerry is definitely on the mend, the truck is back to normal, and it’s the first day he wanted to escape my cooking and go to the Omelet House.  I have to admit I was also glad.

Then we decided to find May City, and the old Mennonite graveyard and barn.  Now that was another hilarious endeavor.  After 2 hrs. and 10 gallons of fuel, Jerry’s version, we finally found this noted landmark.  Around here they have the “best hidden,” brochure noted, must see points of interest.  We never did see a single sign, anyone who knows me knows I definitely rely on road signs. I have even enabled myself to read road signs along the road at 70 MPH. Well anyway after asking 4 different people and getting 4 different directions we finally found a farmer type , very nice man, who led us directly to the barn in question.  Only  to discover that we had already passed it and I had Jerry back up so I could get a picture of the nice red barn.  Somehow I was expecting a really big red barn. Anyway, it is a landmark because Mennonite people built their barns differently than others and although well preserved its one of the oldest barns in Osceola county. At one time near the red barn was a real settlement, a jewelry store, cigar factory, blacksmith shop, and grocery.

The Mennonite barns are distinguished by an overhang, or farbay, on the second story to provide shade for the livestock.  They say descendants occas return to May City area to visit the cemetery. The little cemetery was interesting, very old, the newest date was 1902, and mostly from the middle 1800’s.  There are only 26 headstones.  It seems most of the occupants were young children or babies. It must have been difficult and sad out here on the prairie’s trying to homestead.  It so reminds me of Little House on the Prairie.  I can only imagine the harsh winters and how soul wrenching to lose your babies to the elements and sickness.  It was a small and sad little cemetery.

It’s truly a beautiful part of America here,  There are over 200 different seasonal wild flower species among the prairie grasses.  This definitely adds to the ambiance of this part of Iowa.  I’m so glad we had extra time here, although not for the reason for the delay.  I got some nice pictures of the old barns, the one sad thing that goes with farm life and old barns is that there are far to many cats and kittens who really need someone to hold them and love them and take good care of them.  This is so sad to me and  I know to you too, Liz.   More to come I’m sure.   Hugs,      S and J.