What I Love About Missouri... (St. Louis, Northwoods: house, cost of, moving)

[Northwoods Voyager]

To all, as I posted earlier, do a search 'rednecks' It is humorous in parts and many definitions. Having suggested that again, I will say that there may be a redneck or two in St. Louis and/or county. It really depends upon your personal definition of the term. Good, bad, your choice. We are what we are and should be proud to be so.

Ifn y'all wants ta be called a redneck, then that thar be yer choice. I jest be a city girl by birth and proud of it, an' nowd ah be a country gal and durn ifn ah doesn't like thet too.

Nothing prettier or more fasinating than to be driving along a road at night in the country and looking over at a field and suddenly see this mass of little twinkling lights pop up out of the darkness and swirl around. Ahhh, there be fireflies here

[Lake Junkie]

About 3 weeks ago, I was sitting in my plastic adirondack chair in the edge of the lake as the sun went down...sipping a glass of good Missouri wine and letting the stress flow out through my toes...you know. As darkness fell, the fireflies came on. Within a few minutes, at least a hundred of them were floating about my chair and out over the water...reflecting in the water...it was indescribably amazing. Magic. I love that about Missouri.

And I think I must be at least a pinkneck...can you be part redneck, like part Greek or part Irish?

[MOHIllbillyWoman]

hmmmmmm pinkneck. Now, that is something to think about. LOLOLOLOL I love that. I can't wait until hubby gets home so I can tell him that one.

[ShadowCaver]

Lightning cracking through the sky, thunder booming, echoing in the hollers
Cool crystal clear blue water bubbling up via underground conduits
Multi-coloured moss & lichen covering rocks, trees, and hillsides
White puffy clouds dancing in blue skies
The bend of a pole, as the bobber dunks under the surface, channel cat on the other end

Deer, turkey, squirrels, rabbits, and birds playing catch in the woods
Grapes upon the poles, collecting energy from the sun, to be turned into wine
Stalks of corn, soybeans, cotton, milo, timothy, fescue, etc. waving in the breeze
Kids and others chasing the tractor, baling up the straw and hay
Going underground in one of over 6000 caves, spending hours/days, collecting images, mud, water, seeing critters, while exploring, surveying

Hotrods, semis, RV's, wagons, trucks, vans, cars playing leapfrog on Route 66
The distant historic sound of Civil War battles, barely audible on sacred ground
Diving into the water filled pits that provided clay for bricks and pipes and pottery
The sweet taste of blackberries, freshly pulled, juices staining fingers & lips
Face feeding in the city that gave birth to, improved, or nurtured ice cream cones, 7-Up, hamburgers, gooey butter cake, pork steaks, ice tea, Twinkee, Dr. Pepper, peanut butter, toasted ravioli, Aunt Jemima flour, & hot dogs

Sipping the wondrous liquid nectar known as wine, produced by some of the best vineyards in the world
Watching the musical boys give their all, playing the fastest game on ice
Sitting around a popping campfire on the gravel bar along a Ozark stream, pulling legs with stories, as the fireflies dance in the darkness
Going hiking in some areas that a human ain't never stepped upon in ages
Listening to the ol' folks hee-haw their stories of the "good 'ol days"

Bouncing upon the curious geologic wonders of elephants, immortalized into rocks
The sound of leather hitting redbird wood, the ball arching towards the Mississippi
Tractors digging down, pulling that sleigh filled with weights, as crowd cheers
Riding the waves between the calm pools, sitting in a tube, raft, john boat, canoe
Male sheep, dressed in blue and gold, kicking, throwing, and running, under the shadow of the tallest monument in the country

Eating some damn good BBQ, thanks to Henry, in the city that has the 2nd number of fountains, in the world
Going from Italy to Germany to the new world, all within the same city, in less than 20 minutes
Gettin' ah edumakation at dee ancientist univercities an kolleges dis side of da Missississississipee
Walking upon the rumbles of most powerful 'quake known to hit the continent
Hearing feet dance to the tunes of blues, bluegrass, rock, country, jazz, etc in fairs, carnivals, festivals, and concerts

Chasing the shadows of Huck, Tom, Becky, Frank & Jesse, Johnny Fry, Daniel, Harry S, Laura, and others across the wide lands
Hearing and watching folks entertain over 8 million people, each year
Sitting under a tree, nose frostbit, toes numb, watching frost flowers bloom, as you wait for that buck you've been tracking for months
Doing the Ozark wave, to strangers and neighbors, going down the blue highways
Watching dragonflies darting above the farm pond, along crick banks, catching their prey

Hearing katydids sing, as lizards bask in the sun, and black-eyed Susans bloom
Starting an auto in dark cold winter, with the realization that the battery provides such convenience, thanks to the galena brought to the surface
Red-tailed hawks and bald eagles, catching updrafts, soaring into the clear ether
Reliving history at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, hearing pins drop at the International Bowling Hall of Fame & Museum
Standing on the edge of a grand gulf, stepping into a castle, watching barges heave their load up the Big Muddy

Catching leaves as they fall from the autumn sky, building piles to jump into
Hunting 'shrooms, discovering Native American artifacts, gigging in the dark night, tasting a ripe persimmon
The yawmping of a coon dog, leading the party through the thickets in dark of night
Dying from laughter, as poor fool comes back empty handed from an evening of snipe hunting
Feeling the feel of warmth and compassion, of home upon entering her borders - oh, and also the humidity, freezing rain, sleet, and thunderstorms

[Lake Junkie]

I'm in tears...I just thought I loved Missouri.
Thank You.

[Northwoods Voyager]

What do I LOVE about MISSOURI: The many nameless souls that appreciate her fine, wonderful, glorious, and untamed beauty, as well as the countless burgs, villages, towns, cities, and un-named bend in the road destinations. These souls are also what makes OUR state what she is and I appreciate them

[Haven]

What I love most about Missouri?

My sister.

Beyond that, I love how soft the air is.

I love the excitement when I see the dark clouds on the horizon and hear the thunder.

I love sitting outside at night and watching the fireflies.

I love that Kentucky Fried Chicken has a buffet.

I love that people wave to me when I drive past, even though they've never laid eyes on me.

I love all the birds that come to my feeder.

I love the dogwoods that tell me the long cold winter is over.

But most of all, I love that my sister is there.

[MOHIllbillyWoman]

ShadowCaver, that was and is so beautiful. Thanks for that. GAWD!!!! I wish someone would buy our property down here so we could get our butts up to Springfield area.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by Haven

What I love most about Missouri?

My sister.

Beyond that, I love how soft the air is.

I love the excitement when I see the dark clouds on the horizon and hear the thunder.

I love sitting outside at night and watching the fireflies.

I love that Kentucky Fried Chicken has a buffet.

I love that people wave to me when I drive past, even though they've never laid eyes on me.

I love all the birds that come to my feeder.

I love the dogwoods that tell me the long cold winter is over.

But most of all, I love that my sister is there.

Dear Haven...I have a hunch your sister wishes you were here.
To enjoy the soft air.
And sitting outside (in the lake) at night watching fireflies.
To share the KFC buffet.
And waving at strangers.
Planting dogwoods...
Yes, I'll wager she wishes you were here.

[Haven]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

Dear Haven...I have a hunch your sister wishes you were here.
To enjoy the soft air.
And sitting outside (in the lake) at night watching fireflies.
To share the KFC buffet.
And waving at strangers.
Planting dogwoods...
Yes, I'll wager she wishes you were here.

You forgot eating boiled hot dogs with good Sonoma Wine.