Arkansas Vacation - Day 6

 Morning on the deck, overlooking the chickens and goats.  I want to move out of the city so badly.  I keep telling myself, someday, someday.  It's our last day out and about and we are taking our time departing this morning.  Mister has been in the kitchen making some biscuits and coffee which is now being served out on the deck.  Yes, I could do this daily.  Would he want to?  Well, that's a whole other question.  For the moment though, everyone is content.

Or at least I thought so.  Coffee cup in hand, Mister is off to commune with nature in an up close and personal manner.

Okay, it's just the dog, I guess.

And with that, it's time to pack up and get moving once again.  The GPS is set for Murfreesboro and it just doesn't take too long to get there.  No stops along the way and Crater of Diamonds State Park is soon found.  Here is where my research once again fell apart.  I had no idea that the place would be well occupied with diamond seekers, nor that I couldn't just walk the grounds without paying the "seek for diamonds" fee.  Drat.  This is as close as I can get and off in the distance is the crater.  C'est la vie.

We do take a bit of time and walk through the visitor center inside - some pictures are worth sharing.  These are two scales by the Herman Kohlbusch Balance Company.  The smaller one is a Pocket Diamond Scale, circa 1908.  The second is a portable scale and used until the late 1960s to weigh visitor's diamonds right here at the crater.  I've also taken a picture of the impact diamonds have had here in Arkansas.

Some charts that interested me and might do the same for whoever is reading this.  Crater of Diamonds is correctly named because the search area is within the crater of the Prairie Creek Volcano.  There's a piece of trivia to pull out when you get a chance.  

On the way into the center, we passed a small hiking trail and now backtrack to it.  It is a Wildlife Observation Blind Trail and a chance to walk and hold hands for a bit.  Yep, sometimes we just need that, like any couple.  Look at the center picture --- that's pretty cool.

And this one too -- 

Unfortunately, the only wildlife we are able to observe from the little hut are mosquitoes.  I sat down for just a few minutes and soon Mister was swatting away.  Time to go, but, otherwise, it would be fun to just sit here and watch and listen for a bit.

Into Texarkana and as we drive along I discover that the road we are on is State Line Avenue and it absolutely divides the city in half, with each half in a different state.  You can wave at your neighbors across the street and be in Arkansas, while they are in Texas.  So odd, and yet, cool.  A drive by of the Ace of Clubs House, which I had wanted to see, but it is closed due to COVID.  At some point, people will learn how to cope with this virus, cos it ain't leaving.  Just my two cents worth.

I'm ready for a beer and there is a brewery right near us.  As we drive up to it, I remember that there is supposed to be a beautiful theater here.  Lo, and behold, we have parked right in front of it purely by accident.  The ticket office is open and we go in to ask if there are tours available.  Normally, that's a yes, but she is alone right then and since we didn't schedule it . . . I ask if I can just get a picture or two and she hunts down one of the other employees to show us around a bit.  Mister stops and talks with him while I try and take a few pictures.  This is now called the Perot Theatre --- now.  It has been a landmark since 1924 when it opened as the Saenger Amusement Company's "Gateway to the Southwest" theatre.  

It has been fully restored by the City of Texarkana, TX in 1979-80.  Yep, we're officially back in Texas.  The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  Texarkana natives, H. Ross Perot and his sister Bette, through the Perot Foundation, contributed much of the restoration costs in memory of his parents, Mr. and Mr.s Gabriel Ross Perot.  In recognition of this contribution, the Texarkana, TX City Council renamed the building.  It actually has a function going on that evening, which is why they are short staffed out front.

Check out the pictures and wish, like me, for just a brief step back in time, to have experienced this place in its peak.

The screen was added a few years back and now, with the limits of traveling show due to COVID, it is about the only way the theatre can be used right now.

That was fun and a bonus stop.  Just across the street is this mural.

Looking another direction is this one - 

Now for that beer.  At the end of the block that the theatre sits on is Pecan Point Gastropub and Brewery.  Okay, in we go.  We are the only ones there.  Bizarre.  I can't remember the last time I went into a brewery late on a Friday afternoon.

The beer is okay.  Yep, just okay and perhaps that explains the emptiness.

We decide to give one more place a try - Redbone Magic - 

Again, completely empty.  HUGE and empty.  And stinky.  Is it me or is my nose working overtime on this trip?

I let Mister order and head to the patio as I really don't like the smell of the place.

The patio is large as well.  Where are all the people?  Did we miss a memo or newscast?

Opting for just a sampler as we are still on the road seems smart and we are soon on our way again.  The beer --- I wouldn't go back.

I WOULD like some dinner and there is one more brewery 'kind of' along our way.  It's a slight detour but I'm willing to give it a go.  Now if you think this is all crazy, know that by now it is 5:30 and we stopped at the first pub at 2:30.  Three o'clock for the second one.  It's been a bit.

Anvil Brewing is next up.  It's the spot above not to the left.  The picture on the left is their storage facility.  My bad as I tried to get in.

Here we meet Leslee and Nicole and good beer and great food.  Yes!!  We have a really nice time visiting with the locals and sharing stories.  These ladies know how to run a place and kept everyone happy the whole time.  It is a must return for us.  The Reuben sandwich is famous and rightfully so.  Go.

Two hours later, it's time to hit the road.  As we depart Pittsburg, there are a couple of great Halloween yards nearby and we drive slowly enough to grab a few pictures.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Cheshire Cat.

And that's it.  Another vacation complete and in the memory banks.  I'm needing a day to recover and then life can start once again.  Now to start planning the next trip, cos we still have days to burn this year.  Not a lot in a row, but days to fill.  Stay tuned, we may find something y'all are interested in.