A nice day overall, yet still colder than it should be. Headed south in the truck this morning with the intention of visiting the town of Owensville Missouri. Turns out that this is actually the town my grandmother came from, not Hermann itself. A town of about 3,000, it was big enough for a McDonald's and a Wal Mart Superstore. They were both open of course, but the county museum I was counting on visiting was closed for the season. The sign said it would be opening back up again starting this Saturday. But of course that is to late for what I wanted to do. Still, I did manage to stop in at the local library and look through all the reference books they had concerning family's who had lived in the area. Never did find anything tied to the Havelka name in any of the obits, military lists and burial plot lists I went through. But I did find close to a dozen people in the local phone book with that last name. Not that I was going to do anything about that knowledge. I'm just not the kind to go making cold calls to someone who may or may not be related, and who would have no idea who the heck I am. But it did look promising enough that I may end up here again someday when everything is open.

   I did get a chance to wander around their little town area before  moving onto the town of Redbud and doing the same thing there. I just made a loop south and then east before winding up again in the town of Washington. Had meant to go back to the art gallery I had stopped at yesterday with the intention of checking out the price on some regular prints of some of the paintings I saw yesterday. The lady who waited on me then remembered me of course and we picked out three 11"x17" prints of a couple of my favorites. She even took them upstairs where the actual artist was working and had him sign them for me, so that was kind of cool.

   Took the long way home just because it gave me a chance to see even more country I had never seen before. It was late afternoon by this time and the deer were starting to come out to feed. Also saw 5 different batches of turkeys out in the fields as well as one flock of snow geese. The turkeys back here are really big ones. Much taller than the Rio Grand type we have back in Colorado. Either that or they just have better habitat back here and grow bigger because of it.

    Watched a movie this evening, the 2nd Sherlock Holmes one with Robert Downey Jr. Still like those movies for some reason. Going to read a couple chapters in my book and then head for bed. I have a feeling it is going to be a long day tomorrow.