EMINENCE MISSOURI
I some times wonder why we spend so much money and gas to travel to far away places. Right here in Missouri less than 100 miles from St Louis we have beautiful springs, rivers, and miles of Ozark mountain roads.
The first photo is of the old mill at Alley Springs. Alley Springs is located on the Jack's Fork river about six miles from Eminence MO with a population slightly over 200 people. The population is about the same as when I was ten or else they have not changed the sign.
The next spring is located off of the highway and is called Blue Springs. This spring is the bluest color of any body of water that I personally have seen. In addition the spring is relatively small yet extremely deep. The depth of the water is in excess of one hundred feet and the water is very cold. Tourist have not yet found this spring in any great numbers.
The next photo is located in the town of Van Burma MO. About twenty five miles from Eminence by road but less distance if you are traveling in a canoe on the Current river. Van Buren boasts that Big Springs is the largest spring in the world. The daily water flow is 643,000,000 gallons of water.
The last photo is the first spring you would see if you are traveling south on Highway 19 toward Eminence

Round Springs is beautiful but gentle as you really do not see the water flowing up or out. Round Springs probably covers the largest land mass of the four springs. I first saw Eminence and the springs when I was ten and traveled by Traiways bus with my grandparents from St Louis.

I have many memories of that trip and I will list a few for you.
*** I spent over a week living on what I would call an Ozark rolling hills farm with a cabin and family right out of depression movies. They were relatives of my grandparents.
*** I swam in the nude with boys and girls in a creek with all families present and it appeared to be a common event.[no one was older than ten or eleven]
*** I used outdoor toilet for the first time in my life
*** I ate our main meal each day at noon time.
*** Refridgeration was in the on property spring fed creek.
*** I can still taste how very cold the milk was no matter how hot the outdoor temperature.
*** I purchased a pair of above the ankle work boots to wear to school from the local general store.[ in St Louis we called them boondockers at the time] I was the envy of my city school friends.
*** I saw all of the springs except For Big Springs as we had to hire a driver and car as my grandfather did not own a car.
*** I saved the big one for last. The sheriff evacuated us from the farm we were staying as there was a family that was murdered and the killer was still on the loose. I experienced an actual man hunt by the sheriff, deputies, and a sworn in posse like in the movies. On Friday of that week I attended my one and only mass funeral. I believe it was a family of four but It could have been more. My last experience was witnessing men in front of everyone begin to shovel dirt on the caskets. I can still hear the sound of the dirt hitting the metal.
This trip my first ever was in the summer of 1948 and since then I have been back to Eminence many times. Even thought I am a city boy I continually feel the beauty, quietness and my family heritage pulling me back to Eminence.
Eminence is the county seat of Shannon county and my mothers first name was Shannon. Hmmmm

A DAY AT THE RANCH
Part Two
I had to show picture of me driving the four wheeler to prove to all doubters that I really accomplished the task. I know my friend Dave in Ca. would say no big deal as he has been riding a Harley for a lifetime. For me the thrill of the speed and wind was right up there with the exhilaration one experiences when you first come out of the water on skis. In addition I had to show family friend Chuck on the right as he was having fun with us. There were eleven of us for the day not ten.
The twosome photo of course is the two that started all of this over forty seven years ago Ed and Nancy.
The last photo is the younger Tritschler family featuring princess Kayleigh with grandson Donovan both sharing the spotlight in front of parents Edward, and Karen.
Our daughter Sherri has a tradition of taking pictures of all first time visitors to the ranch. [I call it a ranch because my son in law Shawn is from Texas]
unfortunately the Taylor family daughter Terri, Joe, and grandchildren Todd and Kelsey were unable to join in the fun.

A DAY AT THE RANCH AND RIVER
[ranch is my name]
Our daughter Sherri and her husband Shawn have some property near Salem MO. That I have nick named STONE FAMILY RANCH. Last Saturday ten of us met there for a day of fun and rest.
The first photo from the left is grandsons James [his middle name is Edward], Paul his older brother and
their cousin Donovan.
In the second photo is James, Paul, Kayleigh, and Donovan sitting on off the road vehicles. For the first time in my sixty eight plus years I drove one of the vehicles on a country road. Except for the fact it had two extra wheels it felt,ran,and handled like I would expect a motorcycle to handle I definitely need more experience before I venture off the road.
In the afternoon we went to Akers ferry on the Current river to cool off in the spring fed river.
The Current river is a river that I have canoed at least three or four times in my life. Simply it is beautiful, dangerous in spots and ever changing. My family has a life long association with the Current River as my grandfather was from Eminence MO.

In the third photo is two cousins Donovan on left and Paul on the right.

The fourth photo is two cousins who are less than two weeks apart in age. Paul the oldest is on the right and Kayleigh the prettiest is on the left. It seems impossible but both start school next week.

ST LOUIS PAST Part Ten

Do you remember McDonald's on the river front? Do you remember the flood of 1993? Do you remember when 2nd street was next to the levee and now it is named Lenore K. Sullivan Drive?
Look at the first photo and notice that the street lights are where the street is located. Notice the trees that run up the hill toward the arch and they are under a lot of river water.
My memory says I was standing two or three steps up from the last landing on the arch stairway going up from the river when taking the photos.
Again,I am going by memory but I believe photo two is the Robert E. Lee restaurant that is now closed but located in Kimmswick MO.

I am reasonably sure the last photo was McDonald's on the river and it has been shuttered maybe since the flood of 1993.

The flood water was effecting the entire area as River Des Peres was over its bank, Missouri river destroyed entire towns,and the Meramac river was overflowing.
We could use a little of the 93 water in 06 as my grass has burned up in the drought of 2006.

GRANTS FARM
THE PLACE TO WORK

In 2003 I made a fun decision to work part time at Grants Farm.
The first year it was a fun place to work. Starting in 2004 it became a wonderfully fun place to work. The difference is in 2004 I began a love affair with the Clydesdales as one of the photographers taking photos of our guests with the Clydesdales.

In addition once in awhile I bring my camera to work and shoot a few candid photos on my lunch hour. The top photo is Erin at about age six days.
The middle photo is again of Erin as she takes her first steps at about age two or three days.
In the last photo it is again Erin at about two to five days old.
I have so much fun as the photographer that I literally do not feel the heat on those hot days of summer.
If you want to have fun come join us as a guest at Grants farm.

A STAR IS BORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday night Nancy and I had the opportunity to see a future Broadway star make her debut.
Bekah Harbison performs a lead singer role as Baby June from the musical Gypsy and again a big moment in the finale from Annie Get Your Gun.
In between she performs many show tunes as a member of the chorus. In fact I do not know how she can remember all the words to so many songs.
The play is very good and Bekah is the emerging star of the show.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
ANN and STEVE
A little bird [HA HA] told me today is the 34th wedding anniversary of Ann and Steve. My memory says the wedding was on a Friday.
The attached pictures are not my best but remember they are thirty four years old. This was also before digital cameras, auto focus 35mm cameras and computers.

In the first photo of course is Ann and Steve and in front from the left is my daughters Terri and Sherri and the next two girls are Joes daughters Susie and Kelly. In the second photo is my ten year old daughter Sherri and her eleven year old sister Terri. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Ann and Steve

I WISH I STILL HAD

The bottom photo is a 1951 Buick and is the first car I ever drove. In addition it is the car I drove on my first date with Nancy McCoy.

The middle photo is a 1954 Ford and the first car I ever owned. My memory says I paid $300.00 and borrowed the money from my grandpa. It only took me six months to pay him back.

Notice the rear fender skirts that my friend Al Rowbottom helped me to install In addition notice how wide the white on the tires and the big hub caps. Nancy and I were at the old Kiel Auditorium one night parked directly across from a police station. When we returned to the car the hub caps and fender skirts were gone.

The top photo is a 1963 Chevrolet Impala and the first new car that we owned. It was fire engine red hard top convertible and eventually had an under the dash air conditioner. We drove the car for six years and it had over 125,000 miles. When we purchased I was making $6,000 years and we were able to afford a new car with everything on it that we wanted. Six years later I was making $12,000 a year and we could no longer afford an Impala with all the trimmings. The result is real world inflation.

1967 A BIG YEAR but ONLY A
LITTLE TRIP
In 1967 we were living in Independence MO., career was moving forward and life was good.
We spent the first four months in a brand new house and then rented a two story house from a friend.
Our trip was visiting grandparents in St Louis then west to Branson,south to Hot Springs Ark. And then on to Okla.City Okla.
The first photo was taken in Hot Springs Ark. Right before the driver turned the tram over on its side. I probility should have sued the Motel as they owned the tram and did not even comp. out our room. One of the girls had a deep scrape but neither mom or I can remember which one.
The second photo is from Silver Dollar City and I guess it was about 40% of its 2006 size. Branson may have had one show but we decided to keep moving south.
Ultimately we were headed for Okla City Okla. because I wanted the girls to see a pumping oil well on the state capitol grounds. My first real business trip had been to Okla. And I witnessed this active oil well and it really impressed me. I guess I was easily impressed in my younger days.

OUR FIRST BIG TRIP WAS 1966

We left St Louis on a Saturday morning in June and returned fifteen days later. In between we were in Memphis TN., St Augustine Daytona, Fort Lauderdale,Orlando and St Petersburg all in Florida.

We saw the Atlantic ocean and walked on a sandy beach for the first time in our lives.
Somehow, some way we went to Marineland, Silver Springs, boat ride on Biscayne Bay, drove out to the Keys, Busch Gardens [before rides] Cypress Gardens, and Circus Hall of Fame in Sarasota. We spent one night in Orlando with Nancy's cousin Bill and his family{ this was when Disney World was only in Walt's dreams}.
Out of fourteen nights we spent two with relatives and the rest we were in motels.
We had two criteria for staying in a motel. If near an ocean we stayed on the beach and there always had to be a swimming pool.

This was before the advent of Mastercard and Visa. My memory says I left St Louis with $369.00 and a Standard Oil credit card for gas purchases. I believe we arrived back in St Louis with $8.00. All things are relevant as my salary at the time was $650.00 and Nancy did not need to work outside of the home.
It is hard to believe that it has been forty years.

IT WAS HOT
We lost our power Wednesday about 7;45 PM I am sitting on my old Busch stadium chairs trying to stay cool on my deck. Thursday morning we gave up and Nancy and I moved to Sherri's house for what we thought would be a few hours. We moved back on Saturday with no power but it had cooled off. Nancy wanted to clean our refrigerators before the food started to smell and the evening turned delightfully cool so we slept in our bed.
Sunday we went to church and then on to the Fox theatre to try to get tickets for Les Miserables.
Once again our luck was with us as we bought two tickets in the center of row FOUR. This was our second or third time to see Les Miz[neither one of us can remember] but obviously the best seat we ever had. It was a terrific performance. The longest standing ovation I have witnessed. Les Miz is easily my number one choice for best musical story.
The best news was on the way home we called our house and the answering machine answered. After 92 hours we had POWER!!!!!!

THE OLD!!!! MEETS THE NEW!!!!!!
It is hard for me to believe that old Busch stadium had an entrance at the end of the walk way shown on photo one.
Sometimes I wonder how many times I stood on the walkway either to meet someone are to try to make a ticket purchase.
Does it not seem impossible that old Busch actually fit on the spot located east of the walking bridge?

From the outside new Busch entrance certainly has the yesterday look with all the brick work.
From the inside a baseball diamond is a baseball diamond.
The third photo was taken from the right field foul pole on the third level.
My overall opinion of the new stadium is
**** If you can afford the better seats $75.00 and above your sight lines are better than old Busch.

**** If your seats are no higher than the third level you might have better sight lines than old Busch.
**** If you are in the fourth level your sight lines are no better than old Busch.
Overall new is full of extra nice amenities but the old is full of so many great memories.
I would certainly be interested in your views of new Busch versus old Busch.

ALOHA!!!!!!!!! In ST LOUIS
Nancy and I only need the slightest excuse to get out our Hawaiian clothes. Our youth minister Jimmy Thigen recently gave our high school graduating seniors a luau to celebrate their achievement. Why he invited seniors in age I do not know but it was a very enjoyable evening.
In the second photo we have one great chef Ronnie Rochell and his wife Paula. Ronnie started cooking the pig on Saturday evening and did not finish till Sunday about 7:00 PM. Nancy and I attended a Luau in 1984 on Maui,Hawaii and spent $80.00 [in 1984 dollars] and Ronnie's pig tasted better.

The third photo shows four of our elders Alan, Mike, Keaton, and John entertaining the group with their own interpretation of the Hula.
It truly was an enjoyable evening and Ronnie needs to open his own restaurant.








Moving McKnight Rd. Elders

McCoy FAMILY REUNION
ST Louis Branch
June 26,2006

I know I am late but my excuse is my digital camera is broken and I had to use the old fashion film.
Uncle Steve and his two youngest proteges James and Spencer entertain at the family reunion.


Kelly and Joe Brennan








Joe,Sandi and granddaughter Karli











Nancy and Aunt Denise












Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Annie










Stevie and Jesse

DAVID & LINDSEY
JUNE 24th 2006
I realize I am behind the rest of the family blogs but my digital camera is broke so I had to be old fashioned and use a film camera.

The first photo is of Lindsey and her dad walking down the aisle.
The second photo is of David and Lindsey making a commitment to each other in front of family and friends.
The third photo is right after Eric introduced for the first time Mr. And Mrs. David McCoy.
The last photo is later that day at Windows on Washington of David with his parents Jim and Denise.
[believe it ir not Jimmy is the baby brother of Nancy]
To me it seems like only a few years ago when I drove my family in a six inch plus snowfall to David's first birthday party.[Denise thought no one would come]
I guess time goes fast when you are having fun.

COOL THOUGHTS ON A HOT DAY

One of my favorite parts of the world that I have traveled too is
PEGGY'S COVE NOVA SCOTIA.
When I took the village picture I was about one hundred feet from the light house. I then walked about fifty feet behind were I was standing and shot the photo of the raging ocean.

To me this is a microcosm picture of life. In one direction the picture is calm and serene and fifty feet away the water is deep, cold, raging and if you fell off the cliff you could lose your life. In fact there is a sign on the lighthouse door giving a warning that the rocks are wet and dangerous and a fall into the water could result in loss of life. In all my travels this is the only life threatening warning that I have read.
Nancy and I had wanted to go to Nova Scotia for many years and finally fulfilled our dream in the fall of 1993. One of our current travel goals is to return to Nova Scotia and include Newfoundland in our next trip north.
There was a TWA plane crash in I believe 1997 and it was right off the coast of Peggy's Cove. There were no survivors as the water is terribly cold.
[ I entered the village picture in a photo contest of my employer Bank of America and the picture placed third]

OLD PICTURES ON A HOT SUMMER DAY

Recently I have featured most of the grandchildren. On this hot summer day I thought it might be interesting to take a peek at the older members and older pictures of the family. The first photo is of Nancy and I celebrating our first anniversary in New Orleans May of 1960. In the fall of 2004 Nancy and I returned to New Orleans [thank goodness] and had dinner again at the Court of Two Sisters. My best guess is the 1960 dinner cost $20.00 and I know the 2004 dinner cost $110.00

The second photo is of our two daughters Terri and Sherri taken in May 1964. I apparently took many photos from Dec.1963 till the fall of 1966 using the drapes as the back drop. Some in color and some in the old black and white format. The two year series of photos are some of my all time favorites.


The third photo is our son Edward running the two mile race in the Clayton Invitational in the spring of 1986. Oh by the way he won the race!!! In all probability his best two mile time of his career.
The last photo is our oldest grandson Todd [sorry to put you in the older category] running the mile in 2000.Todd went on to be a soccer player and retired from his track career.
I hope on this hot day you enjoy the cool old photos. Originally written 7/3/06
.but before I could publish I had computer challenges.