All Over the Ozarks

After such an outstanding hike, we stopped at the Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging General Store in teeny tiny Ponca, AR, for some yummy nummy ice cream treats.  The Ponca area is unique and full of character.  We fit right in.

 

 

At the store we were told to head down the street to the Boxley Grist Mill that is only open a handful of times a year and just happened to be open that day.  We were not disappointed.  Mommy likey old historic buildings.

 

This particular old historic building dates back to 1869, and it was built by the Villines family, a prominent family name in the area.
The Grist Mill restoration was started in the 1980's by the National Park Service and is now being restored by a grant from the Gorgas Science Foundation.  Thank you, rich people who love history.

 

 

Crazy full day, yes.  That's right.  We really pack it in, because we want our children to do this:

 

So we can sit here:

And look at this:

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Once everyone got rested up, we were off again to stare at elk in the nearby Boxley Valley.

 

This is the face of a girl in awe over the majestic elk in front of her.

Our cabin was tucked away from the world, so we had to drive a bit to eat dinner.  We chose a fabulous little town called Jasper and ate at a seriously dusty but interesting joint called the Ozark Cafe.

We stuffed nearly every second of this day with fun.  By the end of the day, everyone was more than ready for bed.

Nighty night.