More Sites in Indiana

                                                Fairy Garden at the James Whitcomb Riley home

Little pixy people
Winged above the walk
Pouring from the steeple
Of a mullein-stalk.

After we left the James Whitcomb Riley house, we headed for the Kentucky border. On the way we went through a berg named Metamora. The area looked liked it had seen more prosperous times. At the south edge there was the area for Whitewater Canal National Historic Site.

 

 

This canal was built when Indiana wanted to be a part of the canal systems that were a short-lived method of commerce. It was expensive to build and bonds sold did not make enough money. Eventually, Indiana became the only state to ever become bankrupt. Even today they are a pay as you go state and operate only with a very balanced budget. I think the rest of us could learn a lot from Indiana!

It was so cold while we were there that we did not linger long. We passed on a canal ride. The horses were resting in their little shed between pulls. We passed on walking among the shops, but we did visit the grist mill, always a favorite place for us. I bought a bag of stone ground corn meal there.

Then it was to our kids...hugs, games, books...one evening we made ice cream in baggies by shaking. Oh, the two year old and four year old loved shaking those bags, but they loved eating ice cream they made even better. The pumpkin patch was so, so cold on Saturday morning. Even the farmer felt sorry for us and gave us a special price since we had braved the cold and it was end of the season.

When we left, we returned to Indiana and made a brief stop in Madison. We had been here before, but it is such a lovely river town we like being here. The weather had warmed up so much and the streets were full of shoppers. We parked in front of a wonderful used bookstore! I could have stayed at Village Lights Bookstore all day.

                                                                 

                                                           

                                             Mark Twain room inside bookstore




But we meandered into some resale or flea market shops. Found this darling basket from Putney, Vermont in one. I don't need it and am not sure how I will use it, but it was too sweet to leave.

The car was loaded and a bundle of it was dirty laundry. The only thing to do was head for Missouri.