St. Louis Style

Boxer Day at the Farm

Yesterday we went out to our farm in Pike County to celebrate Boxer Day with our cousins. It was fun having a little snow!

Sunday....Go on a Day Trip to Clarksville, MO

Tomorrow is going to be sunny and 60.....perfect for a day trip along the Hyw 79 river road to Clarksville, MO.  Have lunch at Clarksville Station Restaurant and then go shopping!  See below for information on a new shop opened by Richard Cottrell of his McPherson/CWE antique store fame.

"DEAR TED- JUST WANTED TO INVITE YOU TO COME BY MY NEW SHOP- ROSE COTTAGE ANTIQUES AND GIFTS- LOCATED IN 1850 ANTE-BELLUM COTTAGE-  303 SOUTH SECOND- IN CLARKSVILLE, THIS WEEKEND- IF YOU ARE IN THE COUNTRY. I AM HAVING CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE. SAT. AND SUN. 10 TO 5 EACH DAY, COME BY FOR SOME CHEER AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY THING HERE THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR SOME ONE ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST. HAPPY THANKSGIVING. RICHARD COTTRELL- OWNER"

 

Below is a pic of Richard's house that faces the Mississippi.

 

Stark House, Pike County, MO

This has always been one of my favorite houses in Pike County, Missouri.  Built by the Stark family who were in the fruit tree market for years. One of the family members, Lloyd Stark, was our governor.  This house sits on a tight bend in the street and I am sure a few people have gone off the road while marveling at it.

Outhouse

I took the day off to go to our farm today in Pike County. Gorgeous day. Hiked with my cousin Rosalee for about 4 miles. This is our fancy two-holed outhouse.

Lunch @ Clarksville Station Restaurant, Pike County

Earlier this week I took my cousin to lunch at the Clarksville Station Restaurant after visiting the lovely Ashburton Farm that I blogged about a couple days ago.  After lunch we took 79 from Clarksville and drove up along the river to Hannibal to see the Rockcliffe Mansion. What a lovely drive and especially this time of the year.

 

 

Rosalee enjoying carrot soup at the Clarksville Station Restaurant.

 

A lovely home in Louisiana, Missouri on the way up to Hannibal.

Ashburton, Pike County Missouri

Across the street from our farm in Pike County, Missouri is one of the original plantation farms of the area....Ashburton.  John Winn Davis bought a large tract of land from Walker Gilmer Meriwether who owned Aberdeen, a 1233 acre tobacco plantation. Mr. Davis build Ashburton in 1840.  It was a duplicate of his home in Hanover County, VA and also the Davis home in England....both houses were also called Ashburton.  He used slaves to accomplish this over a five year period. It is noted that he had 20 slaves. Mr. Davis fired bricks to build his house in his own kiln and even fired an additional 500,000 bricks to build nearby St. John's Episcopal Church in Eolia, Missouri....which is the oldest Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi. In the late 1800's they added a third story on the house. I had the treat of visiting this farm for the first time today. It could be for sale for the right offer....over 350 gorgeous acres....contact me for more information.

Everyone loves kittens!  They sell houses and farms!

The Pig Lawsuit

Could you believe that these cute little pigs have caused a lawsuit against my 80+ year old Aunt Bunny!They are antique, French garden statues cast in lead.

You need to read about it HERE.

Farm Pics-2

Back in the 70s my grandfather put in a small in-ground pool up at "the house on the hill".  It makes a hot day on the farm bearable.  Don't think it is too fancy....you are always swimming with frogs, grasshoppers.....and Saturday we were attacked by flies from the neighboring cows. 

Farm Pics

Yesterday I was able to carve out some time and go out to our farm in Pike County.  It is nice that it is only an hour away and I can go out just for the day.

The house was built in the 1850s.  It looks bigger that it is....the brick section is only one room deep.

You can see below that there is a frame part of the house in back.  This was probably built before the front section.  Notice my bamboo is going crazy....I am going to have to do something to restrict it, though have not had the energy.  I think I need a panda.

The smoke house.

Free-range beef!

Clarksville Station Restaurant

Of course yesterday I was a good son and spent the day with my mother.  We drove up to Clarksville in Pike County to have lunch at Clarksville Station Restaurant.  Then we went to our farm house and did some gardening and spring cleaning.  Yes, I had my mother working on Mother's Day.

The farm house has always been the place to take things that we not good enough for the city.  Somehow over the years this has meant sleeping pillows.  We took some new ones out and proceeded to find old pillows everywhere....closets...bureau drawers, etc.  The  back of the car was loaded with 14 old pillows, a broken vacuum, and my comforter from college....all ready for the dumpster.

On the gardening front I planted zinnias, Castor beans, morning glories, dill and nasturtiums.  Wait a month or two and the fruits of my labor will be featured here!