Five Things I Like About My State

Timely without being too political! I love it!



1. Although many friends are far off, since this is the hometown of several of them (as well as mine), they always come back...and I'm here to see them. Recent re-visiters have been Sarah, Betsy, and Emily...to name just a few. And it's really neat to run into old family friends or teachers here and there, some of whom I haven't seen in years.

2. Columbia's community events: Art in the Park every June, the Harvest Festival in September, Living Windows at Christmas downtown, the lighting of the big Christmas tree at Shelter, Homecoming parades and House Decs, the holiday parade where us Girl Scouts would ride each year, the Show-Me-State Games, hearing the cheers from Faurot from our balcony during home games, the Twilight Festival downtown Thursday nights in June and September...

3. The fall trees here are breathtaking. I know a lot of states have good fall trees, but it just seems like it gets better every year. Steve said during a recent visit that he'd just seen a tree with leaves in a color he'd never even known existed.

4. Everything is about ten minutes away from everything in Columbia. Everything. When traffic's an issue, it's maybe twenty. We are not a small town, and we're not a big city: as far as I'm concerned, we're perfect. Except maybe let's get an Archiver's.

5. St Louis is 2 hours away, and it DEFINITELY has everything I need. First: it has Emily. Second: Broadway shows at the Fox (I AM SO EXCITED FOR RENT! I don't have tickets yet, though. I check all the time to see if they're on sale.). Third: it does have an Archiver's. Fourth: It has an awesome zoo, and one of my favorite places on Earth, the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

5b. Kansas City is also 2 hours away, and it has its own appeal. First: The Plaza and some grrreat shopping. Second: It has unexplored scrapbook shopping. Someday I'm doing a shopping spree there. Third: My favorite museum is there, the Nelson-Atkins. And I've seen some museums, folks. Fourth: Better tickets were available for the NKOTB show here than at St Louis. Wheee!