During some of our long days driving around America, my husband Murray and I got to thinking of some of the bands we liked who could be playing in the States while we were there. So, after googling a couple of possibilities, we looked up Rend Collective (my favourite band) and discovered they were playing at the right place on the right day! It just took a few little tweaks to our itinerary,(happily, booking.com reservations can be cancelled with a refund with 24 hours notice) and an early start out of Memphis to be in Kansas City that night for the concert. So exciting!!
Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri (the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder from 1896 until her death in 1957), was already on the itinerary, as the Little House Series were amongst my most favourite books growing up. It was convenient for a lunch stop on our journey as it is located about midway between Memphis and Kansas City. There is a museum here and you can tour the two houses on the farm. It is a very special place to visit as the farmhouse was built a little at a time by Laura and her husband Almanzo and it was here that she wrote her famous books, beginning with Little House in the Big Woods. The next book, Little House on the Prairie is probably the best known as there was a television series made of the same name. In the farmhouse and the museum you can see Pa’s fiddle, Laura’s writing desk, original letters, Laura and Mary’s slates, Nellie’s stationary calling card, their quilts and many more personal items. It was a dream come true for me to visit here! Reading the books in my own farmhouse growing up, I never imagined I would have the privilege to do this. It was quite an emotional experience for me to be here and experience it all.
After a simple, but lovely picnic lunch from Laura’s Lunch Pail we hit the road again. We arrived in Kansas City just in time for the concert. Rend Collective were amazing to watch – so much stage energy! What a blessed day – living out my childhood dreams and seeing my favourite band in concert. The locals were surprised to see Aussies floating around – they said they don’t see too many tourists in Kansas City!
Since arriving back home my kids have been inspired to read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. Did you grow up reading the Little House books? Who was your favourite character?