Mulberry Manor

One of my favorite places to stay is Mulberry Manor.  This 1800's rambling farmhouse is an amazing place to stay.  It received its name from the area it is in.  The community of Mulberry was formed in 1860 near a local wagon road between Sparta and Castor Creek Louisiana.  In 1880 a local doctor, E. N. Warren filed an application for a post office.  The post office operated  until 1900 when it was closed down and transferred to Alberta and Castor.  

Mulberry Manor is now the residence of my daughter and her family. This historical marker is just a short ways down the road.  From the information they have been able to gather, It seems that Mulberry Manor was built by the owner of a sawmill operation sometime between 1860 and 1880.

My daughter with her husband and three daughters now enjoy the country living that Mulberry Manor offers.  They are constantly working to improve the house and the farm.  They grow a large garden and have started an orchard with lots of fruit trees.

Mulberry Manor is a busy place where everyone has to pitch in and help.  The girls love being outside and helping with the animals.

Mulberry Manor has chickens, bees, a miniature cow and even a donkey.  The animals are a big part of what makes Mulberry Manor so special.

The Mulberry Manor property also has beautiful flowering trees, wildflowers and ponds that are great for bird-watching.  

I get to spend this coming weekend at Mulberry Manor.  Spring is one of the best times to visit.  I can hardly wait!

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Little Missouri Picnic

Yesterday was a beautiful spring day. We decided to take a picnic and go to Little Missouri Falls. It is quite a long drive over rough gravel roads to get to the Falls.  Although the road was in very bad condition it was a beautiful drive.  This past week there has been a lot of rain. Along the road we came across this small man made dam that we had never noticed before.



At the parking area for the falls there is a very nice picnic area along the banks of the Little Missouri River.  My parents and my sister and her daughters went with us.  We had a very nice picnic even though the wind was blowing briskly.








The Little Missouri River plunges through a cleavage creating a spectacular waterfall during periods of high water. Then it tumbles over a series of natural rock dams 2 to 4 feet high, intermixed with relatively quiet pools. then it continues as a cascade for several hundred more yards.  From the picnic area there is a foot bridge across the river that takes you to a half mile, out-and-back trail with a few steep grades. The trail climbs a series of steep steps to the edge of the cliffs overlooking the river. From here you have a great view of the area above the falls.









There were no dogwoods in bloom yet, but there were some redbuds and wildflowers.







We had a lovely afternoon, a great picnic, and it was good to get to spend time with family.

A Mulberry Manor Easter

A couple of years ago, my daughter and her family moved from the hustle and bustle of Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the very small rural town of Castor, Louisiana.  Castor has a population of about 300 people, and town life centers around the Castor General Store and the Castor Cafe.

Because the area that their house is in was at one time the town of Mulberry, they have named their place Mulberry Manor.  Over the past two years they have been working hard on Mulberry Manor, doing lots of repairs and remodeling on the old farmhouse, putting in a big garden, clearing land, planting an orchard and raising chickens.

This weekend we visited Mulberry Manor for Easter.  We had a great time.  We attended the Marthaville SDA Church where I had been invited to speak.  The topic I spoke on was Who Do You Think You Are?  My son-in-law's grandparents were instrumental in starting and building the Marthaville Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

My grand daughters had a great time dyeing and decorating Easter Eggs.  Easter morning the rain held off long enough for hiding and finding the eggs out in the garden.

Even though it rained most of the weekend, it was beautiful.  Spring is much further along in North Louisiana than it is here in Western Arkansas.  The dogwoods, redbuds and wildflowers are in bloom. Mulberry Manor is a beautiful place in the spring.