MO visit with family

May 17^th, 2012

I arrived at my niece’s house in MO on the 17^th of May after five months of not staying in one place more than two weeks. I was looking forward to just resting and re-cooping from all my dawn till dusk photography and photo editing late into the night.
Well my visit turned out to be almost as hectic as the prior five months. This was my longest visit with family in the last 45 years. I think we tried to make up for lost time with all the planned and unplanned activities. We had a wonderful time visiting near and not so near natural and historical locations. And of course we shared lots of meals – lots and lots of meals.
One of the parks we visited was Trail of Tears State Park. If you ever find yourself in Southeast MO I highly suggest you pay a visit to the visitor center at this park. There is no entrance fee to the park or visitor center. There is a fee for camping. The campground is on the banks of the Mississippi River with hookups. The visitor center has a 20 minute movie explaining the story of the “Trail of Tears”. It is very well done and brings a personal touch to the story by following the lives of a Native American grandfather and his granddaughter who were forced from their homes then forced to march hundreds of miles to a relocation area. Many Native Americans died during this atrocity. We also visited Taum Sauk mountain, the highest point in MO. We spent a day walking around the huge pink granite boulders at Elephant Rock State Park. We visited museums and nature centers.

This and the next couple of posts will contain photos of my visit.

Family Portrait Taken at Nieces House
Great Niece and Great Great Niece are missing from this photo.

Great Niece Heather with her daughter Kaleena Mae
Kaleena has both hands. I used my iphone and the shutter speed was slow.

Beauford Covered Bridge

Bollinger MIll and Beauford Covered Bridge

View From Highway 61 MO

Scene on Highway 21 MO

Elephant Rocks State Park MO

Niece Marie at Elephant Rocks State Park

View From Taum Sauk Mountain
The highest Point in MO 1,772 ft

Tug Pushing Bardges up the Mississippi River
Looking North from Trail of Tears State Park

Tower Rock has been carved by the Mississippi River. It has a Oak, Pine, Hickory, and Beech forest growing on the limestone tower. It is located near Cape Girardeau MO.