Delightful road trip Ohio to Missouri

A clap of thunder woke me up in the middle of the night, followed by some loud music.  🎵

    "Take me out to the ballgame."

    "Jingle Bells"

What in the world?

I went out in the hall, but didn't see anyone up.

The electricity had gone off too, as my fan quit.  After a bit, the fan came back on and the music stopped after playing perhaps 30 songs?  Ha!!

I woke up before the rest of the household.  When I packed my bags into the car I noticed the beautiful sunrise!   God is such a "Painter"!!!

It wasn't long before the others woke up.  Aunt Anne explained that whenever the electricity comes back on following "taiden" (outage), the door bell runs through all the songs in its repertoire.  How funny!  Evidently, Uncle Mahlon and Aunt Anne had gotten up and gone to the basement to make sure the sump pump wasn't overflowing from the heavy rain.  Then Uncle Mahlon went outside to turn on the generator.  The lid slammed on his arm and he tore his skin and began bleeding.  So Aunt Anne had to bandage him up.  What an exciting evening!

After eating a bit and getting coffee, I said my good-byes and headed home.  But before I did, I decided to go into Pandora and say "good-bye" to Uncle Wally's home.

Do you see that hump in the road?  When we were children, my Dad would drive the car real fast over it and we would get the willies in our tummies and we would just laugh and laugh.  I tried it, but guess when one ages, it doesn't do the same thing any more.

 Here is the church Mom grew up in.  The front area was added later.

The cousins had said they got a contract on the house!

One last good-bye.

I stopped for coffee, then missed the ramp onto 30 around Van Wert and ended up going into town.  I'm glad I did.  Look at this magnificent court house!  I would have loved to go inside!  Another time!

Some renovation going on downtown.

One thing I noticed on this trip - a LOT - was all the American flags out.  I think people are upset about what is going on in this country politically and are showing their patriotism.

Took 224 past Decatur, Indiana.  I saw a sign for a historical marker, but never did see anything.  I looked it up on-line later, and they boast a beautiful court house also.  I will need to stop when I come on this road again!

"A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones."

Proverbs 17:22

I took 69 south (a 4 lane) for awhile and then turned west on 26 to avoid Indianapolis.  I enjoy those rural roads!

Isn't this a hoot?

Frankfort, Indiana courthouse

This building had a big NHK sign on it.  NHK?  I grew up with NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) Japan Broadcasting Corporation.  Well, this is not that.  This is an automotive seat manufacturer that serves the Subaru plant.  I guess it is a subsidary of a Japan-based company.

At Frankfort, I assumed Google maps would take me south to Lebanon and onto 74, but it directed me onto this little coutry road!  It must know what I like!!

I looked south and there was a storm on 74.  Perhaps the Lord was orchestrating all this to keep me safe!?  Who knows!

As I was passing Danville, Illinois, I came across this rest stop.  I tend to stop a lot when I am driving by myself.  

This is one fine rest area!!  There was a trail called Pioneer Cemetery Trail and I decided to take it!  The walk would be good and I love old cemeteries!

I almost turned around.  It felt rather spooky being by myself in this wooded area.  Anyone could lurk around here.....  I decided I would go just a little more, and I was glad I did.

Hard to read the sign below, so here is what it says:  Edward M. Wilson's family members and others.  Some in unmarked graves.  Sleep the eternal rest in this place.  Wilson's history was carved in stone on his grave marker.  He came to the United States from Ireland in 1802, when he was seventeen years old.  He fought the British in the War of 1812.  In 1832 he came to Vermilion County and began purchasing land from the government for $1.25 per acre.  He farmed the land and eventually owned more than a thousand acres, including the land where the rest area and this cemetery are located.

The pioneer salt works were located in the river valley below the cemetery not far from this spot, and thousands of bushels of salt were being rendered each year.  One of the original rendering kettles from the salt works can be seen at the rest area.

The large granite marker is a replica of Wilson's original stone with his wife's information added.  It marks the grave of the Irish immigrant who fought in the battle where Francis Scott Key composed the Star Spangled Banner, and whose children were represented in court by Abraham Lincoln.

Loving this road trip!

I arrived in Hannibal just as the sun was setting.  Ready for a night's rest.