Summer 2024
Summer in Missouri can be both magical and challenging. Farmers are working hard, either praying for more rain or praying that it stop. Daytime temperatures can be oppressively hot, but those summer nights bring cool breezes and gentle relief. A summer evening on a farm porch sipping a glass of lemonade while listening to the soft music of night birds and insects and inhaling the even softer scent of honeysuckle or fresh cut hay is a delight. Those nights in my youth were wonderful. One of my treasured memories involves a June evening, a full moon and a gentle breeze stirring the leaves of a silver maple tree.
We can’t go back in reality to those good days of the past, but we can make new memories. Even if we don’t have a country summer porch, we do have our window to the world in our computer screen and, hopefully, some time to travel IRL in Missouri.
In order to help you plan some trips, I have searched out a few internet sites for your cyber-travel visits.
Remember drive-in movies? If you are near my age, you have likely seen some movies at a drive-in. There are not many of them around anymore, but you might get a chance to revisit the past or give your kids an experience they will remember at a historic drive in at Carthage. There was something special about those drive-in nights. I don’t usually put Facebook sites in my columns, but I will make an exception for the 66 Drive-In Theater, which can be found at Facebook.com/66drivein. The drive-in is open during the summer months and shows mostly new movies, with the occasional blast from the past. On Saturday nights, you can see two movies for the price of one. At that price, you won’t feel tempted to load up your friends and family in the trunk of the car to sneak them in. Just kidding, I would never do that.
For me, one of the best things about summer (Spring and Fall, too) is baseball. I spent years as a youth coach and now enjoy watching my grandson play for Chaminade High School. This summer, he will be playing club baseball, and I hope to see some of those games as well. My wife and I are faithful Cardinals fans and we watch them as much as we can. This season has not been too great so far, but we still have hope. A great tour opportunity is the tours of the stadium. Read about them at MLB.com/cardinals/ballpark/tours . Don’t forget the Royals, they have a similar tour in Kansas City: MLB.com/royals/ballpark/tours .
Do you enjoy wine? Did you know that before prohibition, Missouri was the leading wine producing state in the country? That industry has made a great comeback in recent years. We now have many fine vineyards with new ones opening frequently. MissouriWine.org will help you learn about Missouri wineries. Included in the listing of wineries is Becketts Winery: BeckettsRestaurant.com/winery here in my hometown of Glasgow. You can sign up for a free membership on the Missouri wine page that will provide you with information, discounts and information about special programs at the many wineries. A leisurely tour of one or more wineries is a great summer activity. Most offer free tastings and outdoor tables where you can sip and converse while enjoying a lovely view.
I hope you have a great Missouri summer. If we should cross paths while enjoying a glass of Missouri wine or if you see me at a baseball game, be sure to say “Hello.” New friends and a nice visit can really make the summer a good time.
J.Y. Miller lives in Glasgow and is a regular contributor to Show-Me Missouri. His e-mail address is jymiller@ShowMeMissouri.net.
We can’t go back in reality to those good days of the past, but we can make new memories. Even if we don’t have a country summer porch, we do have our window to the world in our computer screen and, hopefully, some time to travel IRL in Missouri.
In order to help you plan some trips, I have searched out a few internet sites for your cyber-travel visits.
Remember drive-in movies? If you are near my age, you have likely seen some movies at a drive-in. There are not many of them around anymore, but you might get a chance to revisit the past or give your kids an experience they will remember at a historic drive in at Carthage. There was something special about those drive-in nights. I don’t usually put Facebook sites in my columns, but I will make an exception for the 66 Drive-In Theater, which can be found at Facebook.com/66drivein. The drive-in is open during the summer months and shows mostly new movies, with the occasional blast from the past. On Saturday nights, you can see two movies for the price of one. At that price, you won’t feel tempted to load up your friends and family in the trunk of the car to sneak them in. Just kidding, I would never do that.
For me, one of the best things about summer (Spring and Fall, too) is baseball. I spent years as a youth coach and now enjoy watching my grandson play for Chaminade High School. This summer, he will be playing club baseball, and I hope to see some of those games as well. My wife and I are faithful Cardinals fans and we watch them as much as we can. This season has not been too great so far, but we still have hope. A great tour opportunity is the tours of the stadium. Read about them at MLB.com/cardinals/ballpark/tours . Don’t forget the Royals, they have a similar tour in Kansas City: MLB.com/royals/ballpark/tours .
Do you enjoy wine? Did you know that before prohibition, Missouri was the leading wine producing state in the country? That industry has made a great comeback in recent years. We now have many fine vineyards with new ones opening frequently. MissouriWine.org will help you learn about Missouri wineries. Included in the listing of wineries is Becketts Winery: BeckettsRestaurant.com/winery here in my hometown of Glasgow. You can sign up for a free membership on the Missouri wine page that will provide you with information, discounts and information about special programs at the many wineries. A leisurely tour of one or more wineries is a great summer activity. Most offer free tastings and outdoor tables where you can sip and converse while enjoying a lovely view.
I hope you have a great Missouri summer. If we should cross paths while enjoying a glass of Missouri wine or if you see me at a baseball game, be sure to say “Hello.” New friends and a nice visit can really make the summer a good time.
J.Y. Miller lives in Glasgow and is a regular contributor to Show-Me Missouri. His e-mail address is jymiller@ShowMeMissouri.net.
Spring 2024
Spring is certain welcome this year. Missouri gave us a mild winter, until it didn’t. We finished up with snow, ice and very cold temperatures. Here in Glasgow, I had frozen pipes and stayed in the house as much as possible.
A Missouri spring always brings more than just an end to the winter storms and cold. It brings the promise of new life along with green grass, sweet flowers and weather that can be enjoyed in shorts and t-shirts. It also brings the opportunity to travel in our beautiful state.
I have searched some internet sites to visit online or to help plan for IRL travel.
Echo Bluff State Park, near Eminence, offers some wonderful opportunities for your travel. At EchoBluffStatePark.com, you can read about all the typical park activities, including a lodge, cabins and both tent and RV campsites. The park also features a great restaurant, the Creekside Grill with both indoor and outdoor seating. They also can host wedding receptions if spring has you in a romantic mood.
The Magic House on Kirkwood in St. Lous is a unique place to visit with children. MagicHouse.org/about-us/, explains the attraction’s history and purpose. It is a tax-exempt non-profit that is dedicated to the education of young people. The mission statement tells the story: “The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum will engage all children with hands-on learning experiences that spark imagination, pique curiosity, enhance creativity and develop problem-solving skills within a place of beauty, wonder, joy and magic.”
The Magic House was founded in 1979 and has continued to grow both in size and in programs since then. An award-winning educational destination, The Magic House was recognized in 2021 as the #2 children’s museum in the country by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice.
This website, OnlyInYourState.com/missouri/wolf-sanctuary-hiding-mo/, promises “A howling good time”. It tells about the wolf sanctuary in Eureka, just west of St. Louis.
Sometimes, we want a relaxing adult weekend. OnlyInYourState.com/missouri/the-remote-winery-in-mo-thats-picture-perfect-for-a-day-trip, might give you some ideas for that get-away. Charleville Vineyard Winery and Microbrewery can be found off the beaten path in Ste. Genevieve. The website provides numerous photos, and the winery offers wine tastings and sales along with their own craft beer. They have a historic cabin which houses a rustic bed and breakfast.
Almost everyone loves the ragtime music of Scott Joplin. He lived and worked in Sedalia for a time and in 1902, he rented a room at 2658 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis. That location is now the Scott Joplin Museum. MoStateParks.com/park/scott-joplin-house-state-historic-site, features photos of the museum and sound files of some of his music, including “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer.
Another ragtime piano composer, who is not as well known as he should be is Lee Edgar “Jelly” Settle, the composer of the Missouri Waltz. He lived in New Franklin, and is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery just north of the town. You can read about the somewhat controversial story of the Missouri Waltz at this site at JYMiller.net/HCGSnews2023feb.pdf. That will take you to one of the newsletters of the Howard County Genealogical Society: JYMiller.net/HCGS.html. Full disclosure, I am the president of the HCGS, and I do a slide show on the Missouri Waltz.
I hope you enjoy a terrific spring in Missouri. If we should cross paths while watching wolves or enjoying a glass of Missouri wine, be sure to say, “Hello.” Sometimes, the best part of travel is to share an experience with a friend.
A Missouri spring always brings more than just an end to the winter storms and cold. It brings the promise of new life along with green grass, sweet flowers and weather that can be enjoyed in shorts and t-shirts. It also brings the opportunity to travel in our beautiful state.
I have searched some internet sites to visit online or to help plan for IRL travel.
Echo Bluff State Park, near Eminence, offers some wonderful opportunities for your travel. At EchoBluffStatePark.com, you can read about all the typical park activities, including a lodge, cabins and both tent and RV campsites. The park also features a great restaurant, the Creekside Grill with both indoor and outdoor seating. They also can host wedding receptions if spring has you in a romantic mood.
The Magic House on Kirkwood in St. Lous is a unique place to visit with children. MagicHouse.org/about-us/, explains the attraction’s history and purpose. It is a tax-exempt non-profit that is dedicated to the education of young people. The mission statement tells the story: “The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum will engage all children with hands-on learning experiences that spark imagination, pique curiosity, enhance creativity and develop problem-solving skills within a place of beauty, wonder, joy and magic.”
The Magic House was founded in 1979 and has continued to grow both in size and in programs since then. An award-winning educational destination, The Magic House was recognized in 2021 as the #2 children’s museum in the country by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice.
This website, OnlyInYourState.com/missouri/wolf-sanctuary-hiding-mo/, promises “A howling good time”. It tells about the wolf sanctuary in Eureka, just west of St. Louis.
Sometimes, we want a relaxing adult weekend. OnlyInYourState.com/missouri/the-remote-winery-in-mo-thats-picture-perfect-for-a-day-trip, might give you some ideas for that get-away. Charleville Vineyard Winery and Microbrewery can be found off the beaten path in Ste. Genevieve. The website provides numerous photos, and the winery offers wine tastings and sales along with their own craft beer. They have a historic cabin which houses a rustic bed and breakfast.
Almost everyone loves the ragtime music of Scott Joplin. He lived and worked in Sedalia for a time and in 1902, he rented a room at 2658 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis. That location is now the Scott Joplin Museum. MoStateParks.com/park/scott-joplin-house-state-historic-site, features photos of the museum and sound files of some of his music, including “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer.
Another ragtime piano composer, who is not as well known as he should be is Lee Edgar “Jelly” Settle, the composer of the Missouri Waltz. He lived in New Franklin, and is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery just north of the town. You can read about the somewhat controversial story of the Missouri Waltz at this site at JYMiller.net/HCGSnews2023feb.pdf. That will take you to one of the newsletters of the Howard County Genealogical Society: JYMiller.net/HCGS.html. Full disclosure, I am the president of the HCGS, and I do a slide show on the Missouri Waltz.
I hope you enjoy a terrific spring in Missouri. If we should cross paths while watching wolves or enjoying a glass of Missouri wine, be sure to say, “Hello.” Sometimes, the best part of travel is to share an experience with a friend.