Thelma & Louise Part 5 aka Buttercup & Miss Daisy

Just the picture of this makes me itch! more later :)

This was our day to tour "On the Banks of Plum Creek" or Walnut Grove, both places they lived in Mn. and actually spent most of Laura's childhood. Although she really only writes about the "Sod House" part, they spent at least as much time if not more in the village of Walnut Grove. But the stories of Plum Creek were so much more fun.


Before arriving in Walnut grove we ate breakfast in a place called "Sleepy Eye" and we had a little homeless looking woman who sat with us and entertained us with her life story. Buttercup, of course was trying to avoid her, I found her quite fascinating :) And yes Sleepy Eye is named after this Indian who had what we would now call a lazy eye, or perhaps he had some sort of mild stroke.

And here we are at good ole Walnut Grove. This is where the TV Series takes place and the museum was mostly about the TV show and the stars etc. that have visited. It's their claim to fame and they were very nice. Although we left not sure they really knew very much about Laura Ingalls Wilder.

In her "On the Banks of Plum Creek" she writes about meeting Reverend Alden and how much she loved him and his Church. It was the beginnings of the First Congregational Church in Walnut Grove. He called her and Mary his "Country Girls" and she loved that.

This is NOT Rev. Alden.. Nuff said ~

I know we could never have traveled all those places in this covered wagon, we had our car bursting at the seams.. BUT AREN'T WE CUTE!

Laura lived 1.5 miles n. of Walnut Grove along the banks of Plum Creek from 1874 to 1876 Ma and Pa Ingalls settled on the property declaring their intent to homestead it. But then the grasshoppers came.. If you read the book, it reads like your worst night mare. and it happened 3 years and they gave up. Baby Freddie was born here.

The family of Harold Gordon bought the property not realizing it's historical connection. One of Laura's illustrators visited them in 1947 and informed them. The unusual depression in the bank of plum Creek was the location of the Ingalls dugout.

The Gordon family graciously continues to maintain access to the dugout site for Laura's fans. Visitors can still see the plum thickets, table lands, spring and other sites that Laura describes. They have left the dugout site as they found it so it is deteriorating. None of the buildings that Pa built remain nor is their exact location known. I personally wish the LIW Society had enough money to buy it and maintain it although the Gordon's have really done a remarkable job.

The Plum Creek that I grew up with in my mind!

I thought this was SO special!

There really isn't much to see except a slight indentation in the ground.

Buttercup was looking for a Letterbox here but didn't find it :( I tried to help by telling her it was a snake hole ~

Where Laura and Mary played.

A lovely path that walks you through what would be a wonderful experience except for GNATS!!!!!!!!!!! and I cannot express this enough. Minnesota needs spraying!

Just get me the Hell outta here!

I wanted to take a picture of every wild flower but it's hard to do when you are getting eaten alive!

I SAID GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!

This is the Bell that was in the First Congregational Church in Walnut Grove that Pa helped pay for. It's now in a Lutheran Church but very treasured.

So we moved on down the road after washing the blood off of ourselves! from being eaten alive I repeat!

This was the little Train Station that Ma and the girls got on to travel to Brookings to meet Pa to take them in to Dakota Territory

And then the Windmills started! and went and went and went! Actually quite mesmerizing!

WE MADE IT!!!!!!!! Away from Minnesota and their BUGS! I don't ever want to go back there unless they can tell me a month that the bugs leave!

South Dakota!

You think I'm exaggerating! It was an army and they saw us coming.

Spent the night in Brookings with no hot water, how special. But were in S.D.!!!!!!

Thelma & Louise Part 4 aka Daisy and Buttercup

If you think this is cute you should see Buttercups picture!

We were up and at it early, we were anxious to see our first "real" Little House places. Across the river we went and back in to Pepin Wisconsin. Lots of fishermen in town and we wanted to do our thing!

The Lady in their little Museum was very sweet and was very impressed that we knew the REAL story and that I had a first Edition Book. She was very nervous to sign it but she did and put a stamp in it too. It's really a special book to me because it was the first one I received "The Little House in the Big Woods". This is where Laura and Mary were born. Pepin has dedicated a small Park to Laura Ingalls Wilder and they have a LIW Society there but it seems to be struggling a bit.

This is at the location of the "Big Woods" house, but as you can see the woods are gone. They are attempting to plant tree's around the little log house reproduction and one day it will look more like it did in her description. It felt like very hallowed ground to me.

Standing where Laura and Mary played and all their cousins and where they drove off in their wagon leaving the little house all alone in the big woods:(

Of course Buttercup had me hunting for her "Letter Boxes"!!!!! and I found it! I found it I found it!!!!!

And she fills out all the "stuff" she needs to fill out and then I get to rehide it! She's special that way:)

We would have stayed at the "Little House" longer, but a big storm came up and hail came down and we got out of there pretty fast.

We visited several little Churches and communities while we were in that area. All mentioned in some of the biographies that are written about Laura.

We found this really cool old cemetery that had Many Ingalls on the stones. I'm sure they were related. I'm sure there are still many around that community related because some of the stones are not that old. I took this pictures because of the pretty bush :)

One of my most favorite places we visited! The Little Plum School! It reminded me of the grade school I went to. I wanted to rename it "LACAMAS"!!!!

I was playing teacher ~ My pupil didn't mind!

It had all the modern conveniences!

We just HAD to ring the bell! We had to I'm telling you!

Ewwwwwww this teacher looks mean!

This is the Durand County Court House. This is where Pa came to sign over and sell the Little House in Big Woods. It also was the scene of a "Hanging".. Quite a long involved story about two guys who committed some horrendous crime and one was captured and a mob drug him out and hung him from an old oak tree! Isn't it amazing how every little town has something fascinating in the closet !

In Laura's book she talks about how Pa took Ma and the girls to the edge of this beautiful lake and she tried to carry all these pebbles home. It's hard to imagine this beautiful lake in that little bitty girls eyes. In my mind, when I have read this a zillion times, I never imagined it that big .

So cute..SO CUTE CUTE ! were about where they were when they crossed the lake when it froze solid.

Then we were back on the Minnesota side and on the LIW Highway. We didn't know there would be this much to see. South Troy Minnesota is where the Ingalls family were when their baby boy "Freddie" died. The exact spot where he is buried is not marked and never been totally identified but they have this little very respectful little monument and a lovely little Church.

This shows Freddie's death certificate.

Very sad, but very nice to know he was not forgotten.

On down the highway we past by Rochester Minnesota which is the site of the Mayo Clinic! I didn't stop~

We were very close to Spring Valley where Almanzo's family but Buttercup said nooooooooo we had to move along!

This was really one of my favorite days. I have many favorite days but this was fun just wandering around the different communities. It was just a great deal of fun. Mostly it was fun to be sharing the day with my "Buttercup" :)

This was our final stop. Found out Marlon Brando went to boarding school there! and was kicked out!

On the road with TWO(count them) TWO BOYS!

To the Beach to the beach to the Beach! Papa and I took two of our little boys to the beach! Liam had never seen the Gulf and Riley had seen it but didn't get to play in it cuz it was so cold!

It was our 'back to school bash'!

Doing the happy dance at the first motel! WOW were they glad to get out of the car!

And the next day we arrived!

Oh man were they happy to get their feet in the water! and hands in the S A N D !!!!!

He just wanted to squeeze and squeeze it!

I loved wearing his shirt in Alabama :)

Watch out Liam your just a half a body away!

My very handsome guys!

He LOVED jumping the waves!

He never got burned!

If someone walked back in the dark, that could be dangerous!

He doesn't see the shark approaching :)

On the one rainy day we went to the Sea Park and saw Dolphins and seals and all sorts of stuff!

My favorite picture of Riley. He's watching the Sea Lions.

A great evening on the beach.. Oh boy we hated to leave!

At the motel on way home. They had a ball swimming!

This was just "some" of the commentary on the way down there!

L= Liam

R=Riley

P=Papa

G=Grandmommy



L: We need lots of gas!

R: Were not driving a semi!

L: What’s a Semi??????

P: A really big truck.

L: As big as yours?

G: No baby it’s like those long ones that have trailers.

L: Then how much gas do we need.

P: LOTS!



L :Watch out car!

L: Got your sun glasses on Riley?

R: Nah, don’t need them.

L: Are we on the Florida Hwy?

L: I think Riley fell out!

L:I’m hungry! (we’ve been on the road 25 minutes!)



L: There are too many TN cars. After we leave TN. We will be in California!

G. Where did that come from???



L: When I get to FL I’m going to ride on a humpback Whale!

L: We need one of those!!!!! (Jet Ski)

R: OH YEAH!!!!!



L:I want to see a movie

R. Ok Toy Story 1,2 or 3?

(15 min later)

L: It’s OVER!

R: NO WAY!

R: Are we going to eat at Shoney’s?

G: NO!

R: ahhhhhhhh

G: Ok, if you eat liver and onions we will.

R: NO WAY

R. Are we stopping soon?

P: No we need to go 150 more miles.

R: Papa, can you go 200 miles per hour???? :)



L: Have you seen my suitcase?

P: No. Did you bring clothes?

L: No.

P: are you going naked?

L: YES!



L: SINGING LOUDLY

P: Someone shoot that boy!

R: Bang bang! I DID!



Day 2

L: I’m hungry!

L: Where is my Bunny?

L: Papa are you lost?

P: No, I’m trying to find a place that feeds monsters



L: I’m FULL! (5 min)

L: Were on the way to Florida, I want to be buried in the sand again! Will you do that Papa?

R: Are you going to open your mouth under the sand J

L: (LOUDLY) California here we come! (we have no clue)



L: I have a hamster! I give him fries and he gives me sugars!



P: (we had stopped to walk around) We are just pulling up here a little you don’t have to put on your seat belt.

L: I’ll just run along behind!

P: uhhhh nooooooooo



P: Were going to go in to a storm

R: I AM THE GOD OF THUNDER!

L: When we get to Florida it won’t rain!



P. Look guys were going over the big bridge!

R: OH WOW.. Is that the ocean?

G: It’s the bay

L. Bay bay bay bay… I’m so excited!



L: Papa you have a dumb GPS

P: Yes we know


R: Were here!! Can we go in too?

G. oh absolutely! :)