Oklahoma! Where the wind comes right behind the rain?
Well, I don't know about behind rain, but it sure blows in June! Jojo and I headed out on May 16 for Tulsa, to pick up my friend Melanie at the Tulsa Airport. Melanie has been my friend for many years, and moved to Seattle several years back. Though she lives a far cry from Missouri, we still remain friends with the same interests, and together, it doesn't seem like it has been months and months between visits. Sisters with different DNA. This is the point the true adventure begins (leaving out the few times I made wrong turns getting to Tulsa). The three of us headed out of Tulsa and on to Bartlesville. By the time we got checked into our hotel, and a quick dinner, we rested up for the next day. One of the real purpose of our trip was to visit the Mercantile in Pawhuska. Made famous by the owner Ree Drummond (AKA The Pioneer Woman of the Food Network). For those of you who don't follow food network. Ree Drummond is a blogger/home chef /rancher wife and mother. Her show on Food network has earned quite a bit of fame with her no nonsense recipes of food that her family likes. When we arrived in Pawhuska, it was bigger than we thought, but obviously the Mercantile was the most famous business in town. There was a line of people stretched halfway down the block.
For the store? No, for the restaurant.
We find out that that was the line waiting for seating for lunch and it was only 10am! So, we decide to wait. It was a cool morning, with that famous Oklahoma wind, so Jojo waits in the car. The wait in line was about 90 min long (90 min sounds shorter than an hour and half), so I could walk back to the car a few times to check on the sound asleep puppy in the back seat. Finally, we get seated and the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous.
We learned later that Chef Curtis Stone designed the kitchen. The food was delicious, and HUGE portions.
f we knew when we ordered, we could have easily shared our sandwich and had plenty.
Someone near by had the chicken fried steak, which filled a huge plate. Definitely Rancher portions. We ordered desert to go as they looked decadent. we spent quite awhile checking out the beautiful wares in the store and then headed upstairs where we found the bakery. After getting a sight of all the delicacies, we ordered desert and enjoyed it while looking at the beautiful building and family photos on the walls. Finally ready to leave we drove west of town and found the Drummond ranch. Ok, truthfully, Melanie had googled it, and GPS helped us find it. We drove partway in the drive where we could see the lodge. Heading back to Bartlesville, we decided to stop at Woolaroc.
Woolaroc is museum and wildlife preserve that belonged to Frank Phillips founder of the Phillips Oil company. Woolaroc was a weekend getaway and retreat for the Phillips. When we pulled up to the gate to pay admission, I ask the woman if it was ok if Jojo got out in the picnic area if I promised to pick up after her. She had been in the car all day and I know she would appreciate some time to walk around. The lady told me the property was pet friendly and she was welcome in all buildings except the lodge because of the old wood floors, but I was welcome to carry her in there. Wow. That makes big perks for Jojo! After walking the grounds, we go into the museum. Jojo was so well behaved. She walked quietly beside me like she had been in a million museums before! after leaving Woolaroc, we headed back to Bartlesville, drove by the Phillips home and back to the hotel for the night. The next morning, we headed back down towards Tulsa to get on the historic Route 66 for the trip back to Kansas City. We stopped in Foyl, Oklahoma which is where Melanies family is from. We drove around Foyl to find her grandmothers house, only to find out it had burned down just a month prior to our arrival! Then we went to the family cemetary. We wantered around the quaint little cemetary looking for her family and I found this amazing tree that had been carved into an angel.
What a great way to create "art" on a grave and take advantage of an old tree. We drive around Ft Scott, Kansas and then a break as we drove into the Historic site of the Marais des Cygnes Massacre, Wonderful markers telling the story and well maintained grounds. Down on the cliff, we could see what we thought was a marker of the Massacre, but after we walked down to the site, it had either been removed or stolen.
Regardless, well done Kansas State Historical Society! Arrived back in Kansas City around 7pm. After we realize that Jojo was not welcome at the hotel Melanie was staying at, an impending storm, coming into KC and another one headed for Branson, Jojo and I decided to head home. We said fond farewell to Melanie, and look forward to another adventure.
