BAXTER COUNTY EXPEDITION!

Baxter County Arkansas is in the north central part of the state, in the Ozark Mountains, and borders Missouri to the north.  Its western boundary is mostly marked by the meanderings of the White River.  The county seat of Baxter County is Mountain Home, Arkansas, and the photo below, is a mural in the downtown historic district, and shows my son (G), and his wife (S), when they came to visit for the time of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.  

I did not want to pass up the opportunity to have a photo with my son, so here is another photo, showing the historic Baker Building, on which the mural is painted.  The Baker Building was originally built on the square in 1892, and is part of the listings on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, originally called the Mountain Home Commercial Historic District.  As of 2023, the name was rebranded as "The Baker District" (www.bakerdistrict.org) 

The tan, three story building in this photo is the Baxter County Courthouse, and sits in the center of the town square.  That third story is significant because around 1912, Cotter was booming, while Mountain Home was in a slow down, so there was talk of moving the county seat to Cotter.  However, there was an Arkansas law that stated a county seat could not be moved from a three-story building, so a third story was quickly added to the Mountain Home structure.  The current courthouse was completed in 1943.  The giant inflatable screen on the lawn of the courthouse was being put in place by a popular restaurant on the square (Rapps Barren), for the purpose of broadcasting a sports playoff game.  

Photo shows G and S on balcony of Rapps Barren Brewing (www.RappsBarrenBrewing.com), which is on the site of the historic Baker Building, of 1892 origins. Of course, it has undergone an extensive and expensive and lengthy restoration, which is detailed on their website.  Rapps Barren was the original name of Mountain Home, Arkansas, because it was started on land owned by Simeon "Rapp" Talburt, who built the first home in the area in the early 1830's. The original cabin is on display in Cooper Park in Mountain Home.  The name of the town was changed to Mountain Home in 1856.  

 

I was thankful for the beautiful weather during their visit, that enabled us to enjoy our meal al fresco.  

The square was cordoned off to auto traffic on the Saturday before the eclipse, so we enjoyed a game of cornhole, with photo showing G and S on one end of the game.  

  I had given G a cornhole game with a Razorback on it, so he has had the opportunity to practice and should be good at this!

 In fact, he did outscore me by alot! 

My tee shirt message is "Sight for Sore Eyes" sold by the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce (www.mountainhome.com) , in reference to the Great American Solar Eclipse.  However, "A sight for sore eyes" is probably what I looked like, when I found myself squealing wih deight and jumping up and down, as I (FINALLY) landed a bag in the hole!

One of the restaurants in the downtown entertainent district has convereted an empty alleyway into a charming outdoor cafe area.

This cobblestone building has been on a corner in the commercial district for decades, so I was saddened when I saw it being town down.  But to my absolute amazement, every single stone of it was saved, and put back in place, on top of newly refurbished walls, around newly refurbished windows!!  I was AMAZED and pleased with the restoration process.  It is now a vrbo rental, and the photo shows G and S, enjoying the outdoor patio setting.  

Another old building downtown was converted to the Scoop Ice Cream shop (www.thedelscorp.com).  The photo shows my loved ones, choosing their "scoop of love".

With our delicious ice cream cones in hand, we took a stroll down the street to get a selfie photo, with a beautiful blooming pink dogwood.

Another activity during the G and S visit, was a look at the "hot rods" parked at the local Hardee's restaurant for their "Shine and Show" event.  

After getting a mother/son photo with a car that reminded me of a car that belonged to my maternal grandparents.  My memories of this car include riding in it with my grandparents (Grover and Effie), while eating a treat my grandmother made---a biscuit sandwich containing egg and sausage---McDonalds copied their idea!  Since my grandparents car was sold to someone who wanted to convert it into a street rod---maybe this used to be their car!

Another stop I wanted to show my visitors was the local hospital, and in particular, a plaque place there, in honor of my husband.

My shadow makes this hard to read; likewise, it is hard to think about how much he is missed.  But the plaque (as well as photos I have of him) are an impetus to repeat Philippians 1:3 verse that says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."  The verse helped me change my attitude of extended grieving that he was gone, to an attitude of gratitude, for the time we had together.  

I also wanted to show G and S the beautiful campus of Arkansas State University Mountain Home, and in particular, their wonderful, new walking trail, that is paved and meanders through lovely parkland, for enough mileage to get your 10,000 steps.  

G and S told me they wanted to continue the healthy habits they have been working on in California, while they were here in Arkansas, so they continued to run or walk on the roads near my home.  The photo below shows G as he returns from a four-mile run, and I asked him to raise his hands for the photo, even though he was hot and sweaty and tired.  The image is my visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening---it's painful!  But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."  Hebrews 12:11 

My loved ones and I enjoyed a "peaceful harvest" of sightseeing, as we walked around popular areas in the county, giving thanks that none of us required assistive mobile equipment, because we try to stay physically active!  Showing my loved ones around Baxter County, Arkansas, gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia






 

ALPINE HELEN EXPEDITION!

Helen, Georgia is located in the northeastern area of the state.  The German flag on their sign below, reflects the fact that the city made an economic decision, several decades ago,  to brand itself like a Bavarian alpine town in the Alps Mountain Range, based on its proximity to the Appalachian Mountain Range.

The town is situated along the Chattahoochee River.

A lovely Riverside Park provides a respite for visitors to the area.

The photo below, of me with a round hay bale, painted to resemble a jack-o-lantern, should be a clue that I was visiting in October.

In keeping with Bavarian traditions, Alpine Georgia hosts an Oktoberfest that not only occurs in October, but also on the weekends of the month before and the month after!

The photo below shows one of numerous Alpine-themed murals that are located throughout the town.

The murals provide a wonderful photo opportunity to remind people they are actually in the USA, and not Bavaria!

The couple below is wearing the traditional ethnic attire of Bavaria.  The leather shorts with suspenders that the man is wearing, are called lederhosen .  The female is wearing a Dirndl, that consists of a closefitting bodice with a low neckline, a blouse worn under the bodice, a wide high-waisted skirt, and an apron.

I could not resist having my photo made with these four young fellas, sporting their lederhosen, as well as the traditional Bavarian head covering, called a Tyrolean hat (because it originated from the Tyrol area of the Alps). 

Even if you do not have the traditional attire, there is a photo opportunity where you can put your head into the opening of the sign below, and be a "Bavarian for a Day"!

Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810.  It originally took place in the 16-day period leading up to the first Sunday in October.  The Oktoberfest in Helen lasts much longer than the original!

I read on Wikipedia that in 2014, 7.7 million litres of beer were served at the actual German event.  I have not seen any statistics for amounts served at the Helen, Georgia event, although it appeared to be substantial!

 

A 1969 zoning ordinance that was adopted in Helen, Georgia, mandated that all architecture must be a replica of that which would be seen in a Bavarian alpine town.  The street scene below illustrates this concept.

Besides the unique shops and restaurants a visitor can peruse, there is also a town plaza, where one can enjoy the tunes played by street musicians, such as the one shown in this photo. 

I did all my exploring on foot, but one can also choose a horse-drawn carriage tour around the village.

 

 

If you want a different type of "horse power", there is a miniature train to hop on!

Tourism is a key economic activity in Helen, catering mostly to weekend visitors from the Atlanta area.  Special arrangements can be made for parking motorcoaches.

The village is also very popular for motorcyclists, who enjoy the amenities of Helen, as well as the beauty of the surrounding mountain roads. 

Since I was exploring on foot, I had no trouble accessing a lovely mountainside park, that sits on a hill overlooking the town.  The picturesque gazebo provides a great meeting place!

Looking through the wreath of autumn leaves gives one a bird's eye view of the downtown happenings

The park is also a good place to enjoy the autumn colors of the many hardwood trees surrounding the park.

One can also take their picnic meal to enjoy in the park, if they prefer the woods to a restaurant!

 

The park gives a good view of a very unique building, built with a windmill!

Outdoor dining can also be enjoyed at this riverside restaurant in the downtown area. 

 

The stores stay open later during weekend Oktoberfest, as illustrated by this twilight street scene.

This bridge near downtown is a popular crossing used by pedestrians, and the lights add a festive atmosphere.

Portions of the walkway beside the river are paved, and serve as access points to those who want to enjoy a restaurant beside the river, as opposed to a restaurant that sits above the river.

 

There is also a lodging property located adjacent to the river, which would be very convenient for festival attendees coming from out of town

Another interesting feature along the riverwalk, is the section of "love locks", placed there by couples who want to "lock" this visit into their memories!

Because the main highway that goes through downtown Helen ( Georgia Highway #75) can be somewhat congested during weekend festivals, readers might be interested to know there is a bypass route, labeled Georgia 75Alt, that would enable a driver to avoid traffic jams one might encounter on autumn weekends. 

One can visit the website of www.helenga.org for information on activities available throughout the year.

I felt very blessed to be able to take a walking tour of this quaint location, and want to credit the Grace of God, and the encouragement I have received through a healthy living program, called First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) for still having the ability to walk.  One aspect of the program (besides encouraging exercise and healthy eating) is to regularly work at memorizing Scripture.  Something that helps me memorize, is to have a visual picture in my mind, of some aspect of the verse.  I found such a visual aid in the hillside park, at Helen, Georgia, when I saw this paved PATH.  The memory verse has the  word "path" in it:--Hebrews 12:12-13 says,  "So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.  Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong."  (Week 5)

I hope YOU can mark out a straight path for your feet, that will lead you to visit the Alpine Village, of Helen, Georgia.  If you are like me, it will give you "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia