Today is our anniversary. The husband always says “Well we haven’t made it to”______ fill in the year. Well we made it to 49. After our long road trip last fall for our anniversary we had no plans for today. I asked the husband to take me to a favorite spot, somewhere I’ve never been. He said I’de never make it because his favorite spots are out in the wilderness where he loves to hunt. There are no paths, lot’s of ruts and lots of tromping through underbrush. Besides that it requires a lot of driving on short notice. 135 miles round trip. Ok, think again. Let’s go up to DeSoto Bend. I hadn’t been up there in a very long time. Like since the girls were small. A very long long time ago. Only about 45 minutes from Omaha it is on the Nebraska Iowa border. A Federal Wildlife Preserve it is home to the Missouri River, Cottonwood Trees, Bald Eagles and in the fall millions of Geese.

Personally I was just hoping to see some eagles and lovely fall trees. Well I did get a close up of a milkweed pod!

As we were driving up I was watching the trees and thinking how this hasn’t been a very pretty fall. It just seems like we went from green to crisp with non of that gradual slow movement of color. We had a bitter cold snap earlier in the week and now the leaves are just done and dumping. Then it occurred to me it is the draught. Everything is just dry and dusty and of course the trees are going to reflect that. Makes me appreciate those years when you turn your head gasp and stop in your tracks at the beauty you are beholding. Well maybe next year!

First stop was the Visitor’s Center where they have a display of all types of creatures you will find in the park.

They had an actual eagles nest on display and I was shocked at how huge it was.

About 6′ in diameter. We walked past deer, coyote and beaver pelts, an interactive display for the kids that had some skeletons, birds nest, turtle shells and feathers and eventually made our way to the Bertrand Display. The Bertrand was a post Civil War Era Steamboat that sunk near DeSoto Bend. It was rediscovered in 1967 by two young Omaha men and recovered in 1969.

This was a very interesting display. Sunken treasure has always captured my imagination and as an antique lover I found myself reading every description of the items. The steamboat was destined for the Montana Territory and carrying goods that the miners needed to settle the land. Lots and lots of shovels, saws, and axes!

Tons of bottles, a small collection of ironstone, that had been restored. Lovely glasses,

and lots of bottles of Bitters!

Do you even know what bitters are? I of course had heard the term but was never able to associate it with anything. Turns out it was any “Medicine Mans” concoction. Usually starting with whiskey and ending with herbs. Bitters for every ailment!!!

Crates and crates of the stuff. Different manufacturers different shaped bottles. Lots of bottles of Pickled Cucumbers (oh, pickles) along with Brandied fruit!

Amazing what survives a ship wreck.

Beautiful glass vessels for kerosene lamps and then there were more crates.

Crates of munitions, lead sticks, bullet forms, interesting stuff.

Powder Flasks and Shot Pouches

One of the most fascinating things was this pair of boots made from buffalo hide. The hide would have been shipped back east to make the boots. The fur was turned inside out for better insulation and buckles were added to the outside to keep them closed. Then they were shipped back to keep the feet of a Montana miner warm during the winter.

So cool, and then there were the leather boots with nail studs on the soles of the boot. Love the pattern. Inspiration and artistry is everywhere.

a rubber coat that would have been used by the captain looks like it could have been made yesterday.

I bet it was heavy.

After that we drove thru the park finding a lot of the trails closed but there was something very peaceful about driving along the Missouri River on a straight tree lined road with just a hint of fall still hanging on to the trees. What wild life did we see? Well I saw a squirrel in a tree, oh and there was a possum sniffing out bugs on a log, and a pair of red tail hawks. No geese yet, no eagles, no beaver or deer. Oh but yes there were what the husband said was Coots bunched up on the river, and of course the old coot sitting next to me in the truck! We’re heading out to a simple dinner but so far a good anniversary.

Thanks for stopping

Shelley