HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Sun, 5/11. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY Mom! and to Erin and Susan and all the other special Moms out there! We are thinking about you and hope you have a great day.

Historic Nebraska City is where Arbor Day was founded, where Lewis & Clark's legendary expedition passed and where John Brown made history by hiding runaway slaves in a cave.

At the Lewis & Clark Center, which overlooks the Missouri River, we learned that the Lewis & Clark expedition spaned from 5/14/1804 to 9/23/1806 with 3 boats, 33 people, 1 dog, 30 tons of supplies and gifts for Indian tribes. It was a weary trek along the Missouri River, but rewarding as they were the first Americans to explore the LA Purchase. They recorded their discoveries in journals and identified 178 plants and 122 animals new to science. This is "Seaman," a replica of Lewis' black Newfoundland dog, who retrieved squirrels, geese, deer, and other animals brought down by hunters and guarded the boat and crew from grizzlies. "Pee Dee" (very much alive), is a black tailed prairie dog.

We found the exhibits and interactive displays to be unique, fun and educational!

As we cross the Missouri River and into Iowa, the scenery changes to vast green and hilly farmlands on both sides of the road.

What the heck is broaster chicken? We have to stop and check it out. Not only do we have lunch at the M.C. Grill in Cornell, IA , but we find a "substitute Mother's Day family" to have lunch with.

We also find out from the May-Johnson Family that up the road a bit is John Wayne's birthplace and the movie location site for Bridges of Madison County. Thanks ya'll, we'll be on our way.

"This kind of certainty comes just once in a lifetime." Ring a bell? In Winterset we found the Roseman Covered Bridge featured in the novel and movie Bridges of Madison County. A small house on 2nd St, also in Winterset, was home to the one and only John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison in 1907 (Jim Mayberry, take note).

"Time to move on, Pilgrim."

We love Iowa's agricultural countryside and as we drive through the city of Des Moines, it is charming as well. Dinner at the Old Spaghetti Works was casual and comforting. Why not stay here for the night? Thanks Tim! for making my Mother's Day a day to remember.