On Sunday, March 9th, Mary and Larry Nelson along with myself left Cedar Rapids about 10:30 am for an adventure to Arkansas.   In Kansas City we visited  the Nelsons former babysitter for about 1.5 hours.  Larry, our driver, was not tired so we drove to Joplin, MO where we registered for the night at the Fairfield Inn.    Since it was after 8:00 when we stopped, we decided to walk across the street to a pub/grill for a late dinner.   We spent the next morning exploring downtown Joplin (there are still areas that have not rebuilt  after the tornado which swept through the town a few years ago) and than drove back roads to our destination of Bella Vista, AR where friends Joyce and George Sheldon live.  After greeting our friends, we headed to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (crystalbridges.org) located on 120 acres in Bentonville.  What an experience!  The museum was very well put together and we spent a delightful afternoon walking through it; the sad part was we did not have enough time to spend on the outside walking the various trails and seeing sculptures.

One side of museum to other

Outside sculpture

Nelsons, myself, Sheldons

We did have time to visit the gift shop where I found a birthday present for my grandbaby Savanna.  That evening we ate at Gusanos Pizzeria in Bella Vista.

The next morning, March 11th, we had breakfast at a local cafe and then headed to War Eagle Mill located outside of Rogers, AR.  It has been located on the site as early as 1832, but was destroyed three times, and last rebuilt in 1973. The mill currently operates as an undershot gristmill, and houses a store and restaurant.  After making some purchases and walking the grounds, we headed to Garfield where the Pea Ridge National Military Park is located.  The park maintains the battlefield of the 1862 Battle of Pea Ridge.  We spent time going through the museum and watched a film which was a  re-enactment of activities that transpired months before and through to the battle.  The day ended with our taking a self-guided driving tour around the battlefield.   On the way back to Bella Vista, we ate at the Whole Hog Cage which is a BBQ place located in Bentonville.   It was a very nice, warm day so the evening was spent on the patio off of the Sheldons apartment talking and sipping some wine.

After having coffee on March 12th, we headed for Lake of the Ozarks to visit Linda,  a friend of the Nelsons.   We had dinner at Shrimp Daddy’s in Sunrise Beach with  a single’s group that Linda belongs.  The evening was extended with our having a couple drinks at a local bar which was enjoyable.  Reservations had been made at the Guest House Inn & Suites at Osage Beach so we headed there once we said “good bye” to Linda.  The next morning, after breakfast and checking out of the motel, we did some shopping and had lunch at a French bistro.  It was time to head back home; we arrived at the Nelsons around 5:30 or 6:00.

Another good trip which was not very long but long enough that I was happy to get home to Beauty and Cutie.