April 2017 - Part 1 - Trip To Branson

I miss sharing the everyday happenings of life here in southwest Missouri with my readers, so I thought I'd spend some time this afternoon to share a bit about our happenings in April. This will be the first of a three part series.

APRIL 2017 - Part 1 - Trip To Branson

In early April my husband, John, and I took a much needed, long awaited trip to Branson, Missouri. Branson is only a couple of hours or so away, so it makes for a nice get-away within easy driving distance from our home.

Our trip started with a stop on the way down to visit my longtime friend, Dorothy, her children, and grands. Dorothy and I met in the fifth grade and have been friends for going on 45 years now. It was great getting in a good visit with her and her family.

After leaving Dorothy and her family, John and I headed on to Branson where we got checked into our hotel, then enjoyed supper and a show at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. It was the first time we had ever been and we really enjoyed it. My favorite thing, of course, was the bison! 

After breakfast the next morning we went to the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery and, in the afternoon, to the Titanic Museum. I have pictures taken at the hatchery, but none of the Titanic as picture-taking was not allowed.

That evening we attended the first of six sessions held over a three-day period of the 2017 Branson Victory Campaign held at Faith Life Church in Branson. While there we ran into friends from our own town and they just happened to be seated with us on the last night. It was an awesome time of faith, fellowship, teaching, and learning. It is our hope to attend again next year.

On the way home from Branson we stopped at the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield near Republic, Missouri. My great-grandfather fought there during the Civil War, so this has been someplace that I have wanted to visit for a long time. I'm so glad that we finally did!

While there my husband got his National Park Senior Pass which, not only saved us money on that particular visit, but gets us into all national parks for free from now on for the rest of his life, which is pretty cool! We sure are hoping to do a lot of traveling in the days ahead!

Well, that's it for Part 1 of my April 2017 series. I hope you've enjoyed spending a little of our vacation time with me and I will see you again soon!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

For Part 2 of this series - April 2017 - Part 2 - Spring on the Hearth and Home - click here.
For Part 3 of this series - April 2017 - Part 3 - It's All In A Day's work - click here.

Book Review - The Fifth Funeral by Terryl W. Elliott

The Fifth Funeral by Terryl W. Elliott

"In 1876 a boy is born who will link over 150 years of history to the present.

While its cast is filled with many famous and infamous figures, William Warnott's story is really one that reflects both the tragedy and triumph of an American life.

His story is unique primarily due to the whims of coincidence and longevity....Otherwise, it could be the story of an ancestor belonging to any one of us!"

Growing up in Eastern Jackson County, Missouri, in the 1960's, stories about the Civil War, Order No. 11, Frank and Jesse James, William Quantrell, and others, were the norm. The war had been fought, and ended, only a hundred years previous, and just about every family we knew had a relative, an event, or a story of some kind, that related back to it all in one way or another. The stories were always exciting and, more likely than not, captured the imagination of whoever happened to be listening at the time. Thus, my love of local history and lore was born.

As a child, the stories of Frank and Jesse James were so prevalent and real, that 'the boys' as they were often referred to, felt more like family than the bushwhackers, thieves, and killers that they were made out to be. (In the circles I grew up in, they weren't viewed that way at all!) And everybody had an opinion as to whether it was really, in fact, even Jesse James that Bob Ford killed that day in ol' St. Joe. What about J. Frank Dalton? Wasn't it possible that, in reality, he really was Jesse James? Maybe Bob Ford didn't kill him after all. So many questions. So many opinions as to what could have been, and as to who was who and what was what. Like all the others, as I grew up and studied things out on my own, I had my own thoughts and formed my own opinions. But, it was this book that I'm about to tell you about that totally changed my thoughts and opinions forever.

The Fifth Funeral - A Suspicious Tale Of Bushwhackers, Outlaws And Longevity by Terryl W. Elliott is the story of William Warnott and his connections to Jesse James. Mr. Elliot (the author) first met William Warnott on October 28, 1995, when they both attended the fourth and, hopefully, final funeral and reburial of Jesse Woodson James in Kearney, Missouri. Jesse had been dug up (again) by some folks who were trying to prove, once and for all, using DNA and other modern forensic techniques, that he really was who he was supposed to be, and put all the rumors, myths, and legends to rest.

At the time of this first meeting I don't think Mr. Elliot realized what an adventure he was about to embark upon, but, as the story unfolds, it becomes quite clear that, in Mr. Warnott, Mr. Elliot, did indeed, discover a treasure trove of historical information that, quite frankly, blew this reader's socks off!

The Fifth Funeral is only 97 pages long, but oh! What a tale it tells! After their initial meeting at Jesse James' funeral in Kearney, Mr. Elliot made arrangements to visit with Mr. Warnott and his family near Holden, Missouri a few weeks later. At that meeting Mr. Elliot met with, and interviewed, Mr. Warnott, who claimed to be 119 years old at the time. The story that William Warnott tells, and Mr. Elliot unfurls in the pages of The Fifth Funeral, is both amazing and spellbinding. When it's over, it is completely up to the reader to believe Mr. Warnott's story or not, but, I, personally, believe every single word of it, and, for me, it takes all those thoughts and questions about Jesse that I've struggled with in my own heart and mind since childhood, and lays them to rest once and for all.

About The Author -

"Terryl W. Elliot is a writer, poet, and historian whose work has appeared in various local and regional publications. This is his first book. He lives in Independence, Missouri with his wife, Sharon, and their dog and cat."

A Personal Note -

I found this book through my daughter, Amanda. She works at Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site, which is right next door to the James Farm at Kearney. Amanda met Mr. Elliot when he visited Watkins Mill a while back, and, if I remember correctly, gave her a copy of The Fifth Funeral. Amanda read the book in an afternoon, aloud, to me, over Skype. It was so good that I ordered a copy of it from the Jackson County Historical Society to share with my husband and my dad. My husband devoured the book upon arrival, and my dad and I plan to spend an afternoon in which to read it through together soon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Civil War, Missouri, Jesse James, or outlaw history.

#williamwarnott, #terrylwelliot, #jessejames, #williamclarkequantrill, #civilwar, #jacksoncountymissouri, #missouri, #missourihistory, #jchs

Spring In Missouri - Morel Mushrooms

Morel and Violets (photo credit)

It's springtime in Missouri. And I have this one, special cousin who faithfully brings me a bag of freshly picked morel mushrooms to fry up for my dad every spring.

My dad and my cousin's dad were brothers-in-law. They used to hunt mushroom together in the spring. I can remember years when they brought home trash bags full of them! What a treat to be feasted on!

My uncle has been gone for many years now and, as long as my dad was able, he would carry on the tradition by hunting mushrooms with my cousin. My dad's health will no longer permit him to get out and hunt them now, but every spring he says the same thing. "The mushrooms ought to be popping up about now. I sure wish I had me some!"

And every year, almost without fail, within a day or two of my dad saying that, my cousin shows up with his annual offering. It's come to mean an awful lot over the years...especially this year.

Morel Mushrooms Picked By My Cousin A Couple Of Years Or So Ago

I've had people ask, "What do you do with them?" and "How do you fix them?" So, I thought I'd share a short piece on how I prepare morel mushrooms.

The first thing you have to do is make sure that they really are morels and not false morels. This can easily be done by simply cutting the mushroom in half. Morel mushrooms are hollow all the way through the center; false morels are not. If it's the right time of the year (the first warm days of early spring usually following a warm rain), they look like a morel mushroom, and they're hollow in the middle, then you're good to go!

To prepare, start by sorting the mushrooms out, making sure there are no slimy ones. Cut each mushroom in half lengthwise, and put them in a bowl of salt water. I use quite a bit of salt in mine and stir until it's dissolved. Soaking the mushrooms in salt water ensures that any little critters that might be living in them come out of them. I usually soak the mushrooms for several hours or overnight. Then, drain the salt water and rinse in fresh water.

Drain the rinsed mushrooms in a colander and allow the water to drain well before going on to the next step.

To cook, I heat about 1/8" to 1/4" oil in a skillet, or frying pan, on medium to medium-high heat. (I've found that coconut oil works exceptionally well for this, but you can use whatever oil you have on hand.) I put enough flour in a plastic bag to coat the mushroom halves by placing them in it and shaking. After mushrooms are well-coated with flour, I place the mushroom halves in the skillet, salt and pepper to taste, and fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and the mushrooms are crispy.

When I take them out of the oil I lay them on a plate that has been covered with several layers of paper towels and allow them to drain for a few minutes before serving.

Depending on how many mushrooms you have you can make a whole meal out of them, or you can serve them as a side dish to whatever else you might wish to serve them with. The main thing is...enjoy them! Because morel mushrooms are, generally, only enjoyed for a very short time in the early spring.

For more information on morel mushrooms, feel free to visit this link from the Missouri Department Of Conservation. There's even a video where you can tag along on a mushroom hunt. Fun!!! :)

Are there any other morel mushroom lovers out there? If so, I'd love to hear from you!

Have a blessed day! And Happy Mushrooming! :)

Until Next Time...
~Rebecca