decoration weekend 2012 day 2

This morning we had breakfast at the motel and then headed north toward Humansville.  We had a good nights rest and glad that we decided to make this a two day event.  Our first stop was the Plum Grove cemetery where we always brought mom to visit the grave of her brother Merton Stone and then it was on to the Humansville cemetery.  After that stop we headed for Hopewell but on the way we drove into Flemington past where Uncle Jay and Aunt Nellie used to spread out the big dinner for those that came to the cemetery on decoration day.  I didn't recognize the house on their plot and there was a bunch of junk scattered around so I didn't take a picture.  There was a barn or two that I believe was Uncle Jay's.  We haven't been to Hopewell in the past several years but since it is really on our way from Humansville to home we will probably make it a regular stop in future decoration day trips.  After visiting the Riverside cemetery here in Jefferson City we still had time to stop by the supermarket and still made it home right at noon, time for lunch.

For today's pictures click on yesterdays photo link as I just added those taken today to the same album.  I deliberately took all the photos before any decorations as I wanted this album to be the markers only where we could go back any time and recall dates if needed.  After decoration all of the cemeteries appeared to be in full color, well maintained, and beautiful.  The peonies at several grave sites had long since finished blooming but there were yuccas at some and as we drove through the countryside this weekend the yucca was in full bloom and pretty everywhere.

We are so glad that we made this trip and by splitting it into two parts we are home early and can relax while the masses fight the traffic lanes on their way home later today.  Our travels were with very little traffic and in some areas we were all alone.  That was until today when we got back to Camdenton it was both lanes nearly full all the way from there to Jefferson City.

We do hope that all of our family have had a safe and wonderful holiday weekend.

decoration weekend 2012 day 1

Jo and I first thought we would make a long days outing and try to visit all grave sites of our kin.  We had planned to make that trip on Monday the 28 and if we started early the trip was possible but we would be getting home late that evening.  Yesterday we decided to stretch the trip to two days and so we left the house this morning and headed for the Bethlehem Cemetery which is on the Shannon/Oregon county line near Thomasville where Jo was raised.  Both sets of her grandparents, Ledgerwood and Ledbetter, are here along with a few of her uncles and aunts.  We took pictures of each marker and have posted them in our webshots albums.

Bethlehem and Greenlawn

Since we have made this a two day event that gave us some additional time to explore today.  Starting around 1967, I believe, we began an annual tradition of joining Jo's folks at a forest service campground near Willow Springs for the memorial weekend camp out.  From the campground Jo and her folks could then go visit the graves at Bethlehem cemetery and for several years Jo, the kids, and I also got to visit with Neva in West Plains.  During this weekend is where both Kenneth and Phyllis learned to fish and the rule that "the one that catches them is the one that cleans them.  Their grandmother was the one that taught them to clean the little sun perch and bluegill that they caught.  Each year the keepers kept getting a little bit bigger but even the small ones seasoned the campfire skillet quite well.  The fish were always hungry and it seemed like there wasn't even any need to bait the hook, but grandpa always made sure that we had a good supply of worms.  Both kiddos learned that beside cleaning their catches they also had to be able to thread a worm onto the hook..  This campground was called Noblett Lake and the dam with facilities was built by the CCC many years ago.  There was one of the camp sites that we tried to get each year but it was first come first served so it was not always possible.  That preferred site was near the creek below the dam plus there was always a wild strawberry patch nearby that made for sweet pick'ns.  Today when we left the cemetery we headed back to Noblett lake to revisit those memories.  We were disappointed that the campground road was closed so we couldn't drive through or stop to hunt for wild strawberries.  There still was a picnic area along the upper body of the small lake and today several folks were making use of the picnic tables under the shade trees along the banks.

After our visit to Noblett lake we then headed for Springfield and a visit with Lola, Jo's mom.  After that visit we picked up Wilma and took her with us to the Greenlawn cemetery in North Springfield to visit the graves of Jo's dad and Wilma's husband.  Then the three of us had a nice dinner out before taking Wilma home.  Jo and I are now settled in to our motel room and will head north to Humansville tomorrow morning.