Fun and Friends in Southwest Missouri

We had a problem with our truck on the way to see Mike and Kathy. The check engine light suddenly came on and Ron couldn’t get the truck to change out of second gear!  We turned around and ‘limped’ back into Marshfield to the Chevy dealer and got there 10 minutes before it closed.  We were praying as the guy used the diagnostic computer, hoping that he wouldn’t say we needed a new transmission.  God was definitely listening to us!  Turns out that a switch inside the transmission was stuck!  He cleared the code on the truck and he said “that might have fixed it but, if it doesn’t, bring it back in the morning.”  It has been shifting fine ever since.  What a relief!  Thank you, God!  We continued on to Mike and Kathy’s house got there just in time to get set up and go inside to eat the delicious meal that Kathy had waiting for us. We made plans to go to Kathy's work place to join her for lunch the next day..

 

Kathy works at Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Store, near Mansfield, MO.   'Bakersville' includes the seed store, flower and vegetable gardens, and a pioneer village that has a bakery and a restaurant.  The seed store sells only pure, non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated, and non-patented seeds.  The restaurant serves a vegan meal each day, made from vegetables grown in their gardens.  We met Kathy for lunch there on Tuesday and again on Thursday.  A large jar sat on the counter to collect donations for the meal.  The meal served on Tuesday was a pasta dish with herbs and garden tomatoes, baked breaded eggplant, sliced garden tomatoes, green beans, a cucumber salad, bread from the bakery, and a refreshing pineapple lemonade.  We were surprised that a vegan meal could be so tasty!  Later that evening we went out for Mexican food and margaritas….maybe not as healthy as lunch, but just as good!

Saw this sign on the seed store!

Kathy, Ron and I drove into town to meet Mike for lunch on Wednesday.  Afterward, the three of us all went for a ride on the Gator.  We stopped and visited with one of their Amish neighbors for a little while and then looked around in their leather shop.  Kathy told us that this family had made the harnesses for the horses at Branson’s Dixie Stampede!  As we pulled out, a barefooted Amish boy raced along the side of the Gator until we reached the road.  We continued our ride down some of the back roads, passing more Amish farms along the way.  When Mike got home, we packed a picnic basket and had our dinner with wine at a local winery.  It was a fun day! 

We were having a great time with Mike and Kathy but, when Friday came, it was time for us to move on to our next stop.