Are We Having Fun Yet???

OH MY GOODNESS!!! It IS HOT!!!

It's summer in Southern IL, hot, humid and getting hotter. I have just returned from the 9 Day Trail Ride, or as it
is to be known from now on, The 9 Day Encampment. Why the change? Ask the Forest Service. Enough said.



While at the "encampment" I once again visited the Story Cemetery. I walked the entire area of the one acre site,
attempting to find (count) graves. Since the only graves with "readable" markers are those of Ephraim and Caroline
STORY, it can be difficult to be certain where the others lie. There are still many, many sandstone markers at the
head and foot of the graves, no print, just rocks. The best I could tell there seems to be at least fifty graves within
the one acre cemetery.



Again, I am asking for anyone with any information about this cemetery or the placement of the marker for Caroline
Williford Story, to please contact me. This has become an obsession and I would really like to find out who knew
Caroline was Cherokee and went so far as to say so on her marker in both English and Cherokee.



Next week I plan to go on the "Sikeston Ride", weather permitting. A group of horseback riders and a few teams and
wagons will leave the Williamson County Fairground Thursday morning for a three day adventure, an annual event.
On Saturday we (hope) plan to arrive in Sikeston, MO at the JC Bootheel Rodeo. It's going to be hot and if we have the typical
weather, it will storm at least one day of the ride. Right now my horses are resting up and eating plenty of salt and
in turn drinking plenty of water in an effort to get ready for three long, hot days. Why would anyone do this, you ask?
I'm not sure about the other riders, my excuse is multi-layered. My riding "buddy" is almost 90 years young and an
inspiration! I go on this ride because he wants to, because he feels like doing this. How could I possibly tell him
I think it's too hot or too long a ride? How could I tell him my knees hurt or I'm too tired to go? So, as of right now the only
thing that will prevent us going is if it's too hot for the horses. It is supposed to be really HOT! Time will tell.

Hope everyone is surviving the summer. Remember to Live, Love and Laugh!!!