Indiana State Fair begins Friday!

In just two more days, Governor Eric Holcomb will kick off the 2019 Indiana State Fair. It will be 17 days of the best of the best of the state, with animals, plants, midway rides, fair food, tractor contests, bands, a daily parade and more adventures and exhibits than you can shake a stick at! LOL!

Once again I'll be spending extra time at the fair covering stories about local 4-H members and their families at the fair.  I've enjoyed going to the fair each and every year, but this chance to see the fair from a new perspective of two has given me a better appreciation for the vast diversity of adventures waiting to happen.

I'll be real honest here, you probably won't find much here on the blog during the next two or three weeks, but you can see some of the sights of The Great Indiana State Fair by following along on Instagram. Check out the state fair's webpage for details about discount days and the schedule of events. I hope to see many of you at the fair.

Road Trip ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder's Rocky Ridge Farm

Do your children have favorite authors? Did you when you were growing up? One series that I enjoyed as a child and then our girls read and enjoyed were the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. That is why we were so excited to get to stop at Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, MO recently and visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum. This was a road trip worth remembering!

The last time we traveled through this Southwestern part of Missouri was 2013. At the time, we did not realize just how close we were to Rocky Ridge Farm until we were on our way home again and simply could not fit in a visit. This time, when Arlene learned we were planning another trip through the area, she stated “WE HAVE TO visit Rocky Ridge this time - no matter what else we do!” 

Our trip began on Arlene’s 18th birthday, and after almost an entire week of amazing stops around Missouri and Oklahoma we arrived at Mansfield, MO and Rocky Ridge Farm. On the property are Laura and Almonzo’s Farmhouse, and the Rock House. These two homes were where Laura wrote all nine of her Little House series of books, including Farmer Boy. Getting to learn more about Laura and Almonzo’s life was a real treat for all of us, even Kurt. For Arlene and I, who both write regularly, standing inside Laura’s homes provided extra inspiration to keep writing, keep refining our writing skills, and to remember that we each have a story to tell the world.

When you first arrive at Rocky Ridge, you will stop at the new (2106) museum center. Here you will purchase your tickets for visiting the homes, see a fantastic museum filled with Wilder and Ingalls family memorabilia, and visit the gift shop. This museum center is a welcoming sight for the 30,000 annual visitors to Rocky Ridge Farm. The staff are warm and welcoming, the museum displays are well done, and the restrooms are clean and bright. We were especially excited to see Pa Ingalls’ fiddle on display. Each September the farm hosts Wilder Day and Pa’s fiddle is brought out and played. How exciting that must be for visitors since so many of Laura’s childhood memories were centered around her Pa playing music on his fiddle. The tickets are designed as souvenirs and make excellent bookmarks to remind you of your visit.

Take your time on your trip through the museum. Enjoy the movie that tells about the history of Rocky Ridge and the Wilder family. On the day we visited there were a variety of guests. Some families with younger children, and several older couples, as well as singles. While it still would have been interesting to go by myself, I am really happy we took the whole family to enjoy the adventure! If you are headed to either Springfield or Branson, MO you should definitely make this a stop on your trip! Mansfield is 45 miles East of Springfield, MO and about an hour and a half Northeast of Branson.

Once you are finished in the museum you can walk the path over to the farmhouse. For those with mobility issues, there is a limited mount of handicapped parking near the farmhouse. The museum and homes are open from March 1- November 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday- Saturday, and on Sundays from 12:30-5:00 p.m. (Closed  Easter Sunday)

For the historic Farmhouse there are guided tours every half hour, which begin at the back of the house in the kitchen (the first room built) and end in the room by the front porch. A huge thank you to our docent Sarah, as our entire group had questions and she patiently answered all of them that she could. You are not allowed to take any photos in the historic homes or the museum. But you are allowed to take as many of the outside of the homes or in the gift shop as you want. Even if you could take photos in the homes, the photos would not do justice to your trip. I’m so glad we made these family memories together - for those will last a lifetime! 

On a side note, to those interested in historic preservation and museums in general, I was amazed, yes, amazed at how well this historic site runs! They do not receive any royalties from the Little House book series, due to a decision made by Laura and Almonzo’s daughter, Rose, to gift the rights to a family friend upon her death instead of back to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association, as Laura had wished. Having spent several years volunteering at a living history museum, I understand just how expensive it can be to maintain and interpret historic homes. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association has done a fantastic job stewarding the resources they have, caring for the homes and making this a phenomenal road trip destination! They operate on ticket sales, donations, fundraisers, and gift shop sales. Truly amazing! They are to be commended for their hard work and diligence to continue to make this adventure possible for Little House fans of all ages. Tickets are reasonably priced at $14 for adults and $7 for children 6 to 17. Five and under are free.

Back to the farmhouse…

For those of you who have read the Little House books, or watched the TV series, you remember that Pa called Laura his Half-pint. That name was so appropriate when you realize Laura only grew to be 4’11” tall. While not a particularly rare height at the time, the life-sized cutout of her in the farmhouse kitchen gave us all a moment’s pause as we thought about the home. As she and Almonzo built their beloved farmhouse, they had it scaled for themselves. That means all of the counters, cabinets, doorways, and chairs looked a little small when my 6’4” tall husband was standing next to them. Almonzo had Laura’s Adirondack-style chair built with extra wide arms because she loved to sit in it and write her newspaper columns and books. Laura wrote with pencil and paper, something not many authors do anymore, but a habit I find refreshing because it causes me to stop and think about my words, instead of typing aimlessly. Laura’s daughter Rose was also a writer, and probably preferred a typewriter, since Rose was rather progressive.

The farmhouse was built room by room as Laura and Almonzo saved enough money. So many things inside reminded me of my great-grandparents’ home. The Wilder Home Association preserved the home after Laura passed away in 1957, so they entire feels is late 1940’s to early 1950’s farmhouse. You’re probably wishing I could describe it all, but I just cannot - you have to see it for yourself to truly appreciate it! Amazing - simply amazing. It’s like Laura and Almonzo just stepped out for a bit and will return any moment.

At the other end of the property, just a few minutes away by car, is the Rock House. This home was a gift from Rose to her parents, a Sears Roebuck catalog house (The Mitchell) that was built on Rocky Ridge Farm, covered in stone, and dubbed the Rock House. When Laura and Almonzo moved in, it had all the latest conveniences. While living here Laura wrote the first four of her Little house books. Later, Laura and Almonzo returned to their beloved farmhouse where she wrote her other five books. The Rock House is a self-guided tour with a docent available to answer your questions. Rhonda was there during our visit and shared some interesting stories about the Rock House and the Wilders’ time living there. 

As a family we agreed that you should set aside at least two hours for your visit, but three would be preferable. There are several benches around the museum grounds, and we stopped to have a picnic lunch after viewing the Farmhouse before we visited the Rock House. The Association is working to raise funds to restore the Wilder family walking trail between the two homes. I would like to return after the trail is finished and walk the ground that Laura and Almonzo called home, while thinking about my own writing. Before she wrote her books, Laura was well known locally for her articles in the Missouri Ruralist, a farm journal. Visiting her homes in Mansfield opened up a better understanding of her adult life, past her book, The First Four Years.

After we were done at Rocky Ridge Farm, we drove back into Mansfield to the cemetery to see where Laura, Almonzo, and Rose are buried. It was encouraging to see how the town where Almonzo and Laura lived more than 60 years ago still loves them and honors their memory today.

Later that afternoon we drove about 15 minutes north to visit the Baker Creek Historic Seed Company. As I was looking at all of the heirloom seed varieties, I wondered how many of them Laura and Almonzo had grown. All in all, it was an excellent day filled with adventure!

You can help keep Laura’s legacy alive. Visit Rocky Ridge in person, purchase gifts from their online gift shop that is open all year long, or donate to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association. 

Keep up with the happenings at Rocky Ridge Farm by following their Facebook page.

A big thank you to Jean Coday, Anna Bradley, and all the amazing staff at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum for helping us plan and enjoy our visit!


To see more of the pictures from our road trip to Rocky Ridge, visit our Instagram account.

Road trip ~ Wonders of Wildlife ~ Wildlife Galleries

In September of 2017, Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium opened in Springfield, Missouri. These two destinations are attached to the famous GrandDaddy Bass Pro Shop in Springfield. Our family has visited this awesome Bass Pro Shop before as Springfield is a great overnight stop between Indiana and Oklahoma. For those of you who have been to Branson, MO, or are planning a trip there soon, Springfield is about one hour north of Branson.

When we learned that the Wonders of Wildlife - Wildlife Galleries were already open, we knew we needed to include a stop there on our recent family road trip. We are so glad we did! We also visited the Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium, but that will have to wait for another Road Trip post because there is simply too much to tell you all in one day!

If you’ve ever visited a Bass Pro Shop I’m sure you’ve seen some taxidermy animals in their displays. Bass Pro Shops are known as  destination shops for all sorts of outdoors things, not just fishing. They are also a place where families can enjoy seeing mounted, stuffed animals, as well as live fish, and often alligators as they wander the store. (The people wander the store, not the alligators - LOL! ) The Wildlife Galleries go even further than the typical store displays. I know I won't be able to do justice to just how awesome of an adventure this was for us, but I’m going to try.

So let’s jump in and get started! The Wonders of Wildlife National Museum Wildlife Galleries have over a mile of galleries to walk through. This is the largest collection of taxidermied animals I have ever seen, but it is SO much more than just stuffed animals! To begin with, these are immersive displays, many of which include sounds and or smells. The African display was amazing… but more on that later! This huge collection of wildlife galleries walks you through the history of the conservation movement. It highlights some well known conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy and the National Wild Turkey Federation, as well as some lesser known ones.

To begin our journey, we entered the main doors of the Bass Pro Shop and went up the escalator to the museum entrance behind a huge bronze statue of a buck. Feel free to use the elevator if that is more your style. Upstairs you will walk through a small museum gallery about the history of Bass Pro Shops and then be greeted by the friendly staff who can help you choose your adventure for the day. Go for the combo pass so you can see both the wildlife galleries and the aquarium. Trust me on this one - you will want to see both! 

The staff will explain the timed entry system they use when the galleries are busy that helps ensure every visitor gets to enjoy their adventure. On the Wonders of Wildlife website they recommend allowing at least one hour for the wildlife galleries. As a family we all agree you should plan for 2-3 hours for this part. If you order your tickets online you can choose your time in advance. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends. 

Your trip though the museum begins with tribute to the Indians who lived here first and includes displays of native dress and artifacts, as well as quotes from native leaders. 

Then you will travel through the Lewis and Clark exhibit. This interesting collection was made after plein-air artist Charles Fritz travelled the route Lewis And Clark took on their historic voyage. His experiences, combined with Lewis & Clark's journals, were the inspiration behind many of these pieces.

Your next encounters will be in the North American Wildlife Galleries. This section of the museum has many excellent tableaus celebrating our National Parks and the wildlife found therein. Each scene is tastefully done with excellent attention to detail from the main taxidermy specimens to the painted backdrops and foregrounds filled with rocks, logs, and small game.

Your enjoyment of the displays has obviously been on the minds of the set designers. The fronts are done with anti-reflective museum glass and placed at an angle so visitors of all heights can get a front-row view of the action packed scenes. If you are wanting to practice your nature photography skills, or teach some to your children, this would be an excellent location to practice. The scenes are designed to fill you with wonder and awe of the magnificent wildlife that surrounds us.

Lighting within the hallways is purposefully dimmed (but not dark) to draw your eye into the action, like in this scene of a grizzly bear chasing wolves at Denali National Park.

I never realized just how huge a Bull Moose was until I rounded the corner and found myself face to face with one. This museum lets you get up close and personal with the wildlife. 

After the National Parks you will enter the Heads and Horns Big Game room. Here you can learn more about conservation, big game hunting through the years, and even have a chance to take a selfie or two with some bears or a musk-ox.

By now you may be wondering “just how big IS this place?” It is huge! Fear not, there are benches placed in larger galleries, and in front of the video screens where you can sit and rest a spell if needed. There are restrooms discreetly placed throughout the Wildlife Galleries, and there is always a staff member nearby if you have questions or need help finding a specific gallery.

Think you are having a bad hair day? Check out the porcupine or beaver exhibits and you will immediately feel better. :) 

There is a rather large gallery of Bucks and Bulls that showcases an amazing range of deer and elk from North America, both those you might be used to seeing, and some that are a little … unusual.

Along your trip through the Wildlife Galleries you will learn more about various conservation groups like including those I mentioned earlier, and some lesser known groups. There are areas that talk about each group’s beginning, mission, and current scope of service. 

If you make it to the Wonders of Wildlife Museum by July 5 of this year, you will have the opportunity to view the traveling Portraits of Courage exhibit. This is an excellent collection of paintings done by President George W. Bush that honors America’s military servicemen and women.

Even with all of this there is still more to see. We all enjoyed the room with the live Gentoo penguins and the stuffed narwals. There is an area dedicated to the Inuit and the northern-most animals they live amongst. Kurt enjoyed the walrus scene. I liked the narwals best. The girls both laughed at the antics of the penguins.

The last area you will travel through is the African exhibit. I read online that the creators spent a year on this area alone. It really shows. It not only looks like you just stepped off of a plane to go on safari, it smells like you are in Africa! I am pretty sure that if we let her, Emily could have spent an entire hour just in this one gallery. She has always loved African animals and would wander from scene to scene and then come back and get me to “come see this one.” This gallery is one huge room where you take a winding path past zebras, elephants, and giraffes and end up face to face with a male lion. Amazing!

We give this museum an A+! The attention to detail, the friendliness of the staff, and the sheer amount of awesomeness contained within the walls is amazing! When we finally made it back to the car, one of the girls commented "Worth every penny of admission and then some!" I could not agree more. We will be back to visit again, and we are planning to bring friends! 

We want to give a huge Thank You to the staff at Wonders of Wildlife who hosted us for the day. When you take your own road trip, be sure to let them know you heard about them from us here at Home Sweet Life, it will let them know just how much their hospitality was appreciated!