Ozarks Alive

09/16/2025

What topics are on your mind related to the Ozarks? Could be random history things to current happenings or anything in between. I’m going to make another video soon where I’ll answer some of your questions, so please send them my way. (If you posted last time, I’ve saved those ideas for future possibilities as well.) Thank you!

09/14/2025

Yes, I am the person who works on my rug hooking while listening to little jones . (If you’re unfamiliar, this group has some of the original members of Big Smith — a very popular Ozarks band — and is fabulous!) I took it as a great compliment when one of its members told me (in a positive way) that working on my project while they played was very “hillbilly.”

Just call me Hillbilly Kaitlyn. 😊

09/14/2025

What do we do in the middle of all of this?

In days that feel so heavy and so difficult, we must remember that joy and beauty surround us — especially here in the Ozarks.

I think we must remember the good — and if it’s hard to see, we continually remind our minds that it does exist.

We don’t ignore the fact that there are many tough issues that must be addressed and compromises reached — but with the underlying consciousness that neighbors are not our enemies. God is the judge, not us. Love is our job.

Let us strive to remember that we live alongside many people who want to do good. We recall that hate never brings joy.

We enjoy the world around us — a place filled with peace and meaning, regardless of what else is happening.

We remember that happiness is ours to find: It’s still out here, even on days that feel different.

The same as it’s always been.

09/13/2025

Bennett Spring State Park along Missouri’s Laclede/Dallas county line is a nice destination — as a kid, my family often came here to have picnics and feed the fish. (You can’t do that now as the hatchery is under renovation, but hopefully you’ll be able to again when it’s done.)

It’s a piece of Missouri history and naturally beautiful. If you’re looking for an economical destination, a visit could be as simple as one of those picnic lunches and a sofa or treat from the park store, or dinner at the vintage lodge.

09/13/2025

Conway comes together for community — literally.

This weekend is Conway Community Days, the small Laclede County town’s annual festival that features all the joy you’d expect at such a gathering — music, a dunk tank, carnival, root-beer-float stand and more — as well as a few extras, like the meat auction fundraiser.

Another smile-worthy moment was the permanent, vintage, colorful carousel that lives in its own building and has drawn kids for generations.

This idyllic landmark is one I’ll write about more later. For the moment, let’s just say it was incredibly sweet to see this landmark in action: From the many young faces lined up at the gate — ready to climb atop a horse, giraffe, buffalo or even a chicken — to the family legacy. It was operator Jacob Stasiak’s grandfather who brought it to town years ago, and it’s been going during community moments ever since.

As one attendee put it, “I just love this festival.”

09/12/2025

Betty Craker Henderson is our next Legacy Ozarker.

The children's librarian, writer and Ozarks enthusiast has lived most of her life near Monett, Missouri. Along with her husband, Benny, she was also instrumental in keeping the McDowell Gold Jubilee — a music party in rural Barry County — going for many years.

As a side note: Betty is also the only person I can think of in recent memory to use the phrase "as poor as Job's turkey." I've got to keep that at the ready in my mental book of comparisons!

Read more about her life here:

Legacy Ozarker Betty Craker Henderson has spent much of her life near Monett, Missouri. She is a former children’s librarian, writer and musician.

09/11/2025

Ozarks courthouses are a neat way to “see” a local story — like in Neosho, Missouri, where today I saw these beautiful murals featuring Newton County history.

This certainly isn’t the only Ozarks courthouse I’ve seen with murals. But regardless of where we live, something like this reminds that we have a choice: Do we see blank walls or an opportunity for beauty and civic pride?

This food for thought isn’t only about murals. Let’s think outside the box to find ways we can celebrate who and where we are.

09/11/2025

Spend an extra five minutes. That’s what I’d say.

So often we’re in a rush, allocating only so much time for “this stop” or “that activity.” I’m guilty of that, too. Even though I have the good fortune of experiencing many meaningful and fun Ozarks activities, work and obligation is typically intertwined – just as it is for a lot of us. That reality adds pressure when it feels like so much needs to be done, leaving us in a rush to get to the next thing.

But if you can stay an extra five minutes, please do.

Soak up a few extra moments; make a few more memories. Like this morning, when I stayed a few more minutes at quilting. I didn’t feel like I had the time – but really, what difference does five minutes make most days?

I bet your future self won’t regret not spending more time – you’ll be grateful that you decided to spend a little more. I bet you will be grateful for slowing down, spending a little extra time, and giving yourself the present of presence.

09/10/2025

The red benches were what caught my eye as I stopped in Miller, a small town in Lawrence County, Missouri, that dates to 1890 and was once described as a "lively little city."

While life remains, times have changed. Today, the sleepy community of nearly 700 still has a hardware and gun shop (that I’ve heard is a draw), a library, a thrift stop that I never fail to frequent and other landmarks of a small town. Those are alongside a few vacant storefronts — not unlike other small communities.

Yet among it all are those benches.

Somehow, even though I didn’t know a thing about them, seeing those dozen-or-so benches made it feel like someone cared.

I wondered if they’d been there for a long time, or were a more recent addition, so I stopped by the hardware-slash-gun store and asked that seemingly random question. Turns out, local students made them years ago as a project for the town. A few years later, another class refurbished them.

Why does that matter? To me, it reminds me that small things can make a big difference. Whether it’s kids passing by who helped make them or rehab them – or someone using them to relax at the recent fall festival, the 75th in Miller’s history – it’s a reminder of civic pride.

That folks who live here, care. And that’s what helps keep community spirit alive.

09/08/2025

Folk-minded friends: Soon, there's a special chance to hear about the history of the Missouri Folk Arts Program's Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program. Barry Bergey, Missouri's first state folklorist, will be in Springfield on Sept. 21 to speak about the program's history and early years.

Since its inception in 1984, TAAP has helped sustain traditions across the state through more than 450 pairings of master and student artists to share traditions — like fiber arts, music, herbalism and more. TAAP represents meaningful, important work and helps our traditions continue to evolve.

Set for Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m., the talk will be held at the Shoe Tree Listening Room and is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but it's limited to 50 people due to space constraints.

Read more here:

The Missouri Folk Arts Program’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program has helped sustain community traditions for more than 40 years. In September 2025, Barry Bergey, Missouri's first State Folklorist, will be in Springfield to share more about its story.

09/07/2025

The former Sycamore School near Chesapeake, Missouri, is a quaint example of a rural school put to modern-day use. Eighty-five years after this landmark was built by the WPA — per the plaque, and complete with matching outhouses — the Sycamore Community Center still serves as home for local events.

I love seeing old buildings being put to use — and in a way that brings neighbors together.

09/06/2025

Today took me to Eureka Springs for the Original Ozark Folk Festival, a tradition that began in the late 1940s. I’m thinking of the people who brought this bench to town more than a century ago — something that, in a way, connects me with them. That thought makes me happy.