Barbeque, Blues and The War ** Helena, Arkansas

The weather was perfect Saturday for a short day trip. I headed down Crowley's Ridge Parkway to Helena, Arkansas.

My first stop was Ray's Dairy Maid on

Highway 49 near Barton.

Check out the menu.

Ray's was featured on Alton Brown's

 "Feasting on Asphalt 2".

 

I believe Alton and his crew enjoyed Nana Dean's coconut pie.

I decided to try the barbeque.

 

 

Helena has a rich musical history.

The King Biscuit Flour Hour

radio show was broadcast from Helena featuring blues artists from the delta.

 

This weekend there was a Civil War reenactment of the Battle of Helena.

 

Helena is located on the Mississippi River.

There is a river walk atop the levee.

Spring brings high water along the levee.

 



Mural on the flood wall.

The Delta Cultural Center Museum

The museum is housed in a lovely old railroad depot.

 Confederate Cemetery

The cemetery is located high on a ridge.

The river is visible from this point. 

Down the hill from the Confederate Cemetery is the Maple Hill Cemetery.

I didn't seen any maple trees but magnolias were plentiful.

The Arkansas champion gingko tree is located in the Maple Hill Cemetery near the entry gate.

 

 

♥andPeace,Myra

 

Monte Ne

 

The Tower

Monte Ne

On a football weekend several years ago in Northwest Arkansas, my husband and I drove out to Monte Ne. I enjoyed walking around the property on a perfect fall day.

 

According to Wikipedia, Monte Ne was the creation of William Hope Harvey, financial theorist and US Presidential nominee.

Monte Ne was a planned community and health resort near Rogers, Arkansas from 1901 through the mid-1930's.

If you are interested, history of Monte Ne is plentiful on the internet.

 

The project was a financial failure.

In 1964 the majority of the remaining structures were submerged by the creation of Beaver Lake.

 

The property is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.

 Graffiti decorates the interior walls.

 

The property is owned and managed by the US Corps of Engineers mainly as a boat ramp.

 

Harvey commissioned a theme song for Monte Ne.

It was written by Edward Wolf and copyrighted by Harvey.

 

"Beautiful Monte Ne"

 

Beautiful Monte Ne, God's gift to man they say

Health resort to all the world is beautiful Monte Ne

Rosy cheeks and purer blood they gain there day by day

in mountain air water rare at beautiful Monte Ne.

 

♥andPeace,Myra

Turkish Food Festival

 

Recently Raindrop Turkish House in Little Rock hosted a Turkish Food Festival. The last two summers my husband and I have enjoyed traveling to Turkey so we took advantage of the food festival to visit with friends and enjoy some of our favorite Turkish dishes.

 

Gyro, sish kebab, kisir, borek, baklava and numerous other Turkish specialties were prepared for tasting.

 

 

Homemade baklava.

Double yum!

 

There were art demonstrations.

 

 

 

Turkish ceramics

 

 

Ebru - Turkish marbling art

 

No party would be complete without music.

 

 

A nice selection of Turkish products was available for sale.

 

Pretty pillow covers.

 

Evil eye souvenirs.

 

The festival was a good way to spend a dreary Saturday afternoon.

 

 

Raindrop House is offering a Turkish cooking class in the fall.

I hope my schedule will allow me to participate.

 

 

♥andPeace,Myra

Bulldog Restaurant

 

It is strawberry season in Arkansas.

On a weekend drive to Little Rock I stopped at Bulldog Restaurant in Bald Knob for a quick lunch.

 

 

Bulldog is well located where the highway leaves the delta and the mountains begin. It is a traditional pit stop for travelers on the way to mountain and lake destinations to the north. A turn southwest will take you to Little Rock.

 

The menu is simple and inexpensive.

There is always a daily special.

I often order the chicken fried steak sandwich.

 

Even though the strawberry shortcake was the in season daily special, I opted for the homemade chocolate pie.

I can make strawberry shortcake but I don't make chocolate pie.

 

The farmer's market across the street is open for the season.

It is another good reason to take a break in Bald Knob.

 

Bulldog Restaurant - Highway 367

Bald Knob, Arkansas

 

♥andPeace,Myra