Adventures along the Mississippi

Photo source: Bill Herndon
flickr

The past few days I have been visiting friends who live along the Mighty Mississippi west of St. Louis. There has been much rain recently and the river knows no bounds. Flooding has created waterfront property where, until recently, there was none. The sign above was erected along Hwy. 79 in Missouri after the 1993 flood and states: It's called Flood Plain because it is Plain that it Floods. 

(I am delighted that I found a photo online to share with you as I didn't think to take one.)

Further up Hwy. 79 from where I was staying is Hannibal, home to Mark Twain and a place I visited a few years ago on the Fourth of July. It seemed fitting to be there on that particular day. Now the road is closed in places due to high water. 

On that Independence Day visit to Hannibal, the whole town was out celebrating the holiday. It was quite festive with bands and booths and bunting. I tried at quite a few stores to purchase a hardback edition of Twain's Life on the Mississippi but could only find it in paperback which surprised and disappointed me. 

On this past weekend trip, I did manage to make a pilgrimage to The Village Bookstore in Warrenton, Missouri and walked away with a sack full of books. No surprise there! It is a great three-year-old store located in the heart of old downtown and is owned by Valerie Hays. 

I will have more to report on that adventure tomorrow, so stay tuned.