Spring 2025
Spring! I am certainly looking forward to it. As I write this column, I am surrounded by the snowy residue of a late winter storm. It was -4 degrees when I awoke this morning.. When this is published, we will all be enjoying the birth of spring and the delights of another Missouri happy season.
I have been comforted during these cold days by my faithful feline friend. I have a tuxedo cat named Socks who loves to sit on my lap and to sleep on my bed. I like cats, but Some people don’t, including my retired dentist friend Steve. For those who like cats, a cat cafe is a real treat, and there are several of them in Missouri. Some of their locations are The Cheshire Grin Cat Cafe in St. Louis (TheCheshireGrinCatCafe.com), Bertha’s Beans in Columbia (BerthasBeans.com), Bristocats Cat Cafe in Jefferson City (PhpCatRescue.org/baristocats) and Whiskers Cafe in Kansas City (WhiskersKC.com).
Checking out their websites will let you see some cute cat pictures and read rules and times of operation. Most of them are coffee shops that also serve food. The cats are in a separate room from food prep, and you must agree to not pick them up or to pull their tails if you go into their room. Children must be supervised by an adult. Some of the cats are available for adoption, and they are all usually very happy to sit on visitors’ laps. I know my friend, Steve, will not be visiting, but I may make an IRL visit.
For those who like bicycling, Missouri’s Katy Trail (BikeKatyTrail.com) is a great asset. The trail is 239 miles long and is the former MKT Railroad right of way. It crosses most of Missouri and is available for hiking or biking. Horseback riding is allowed on two segments of the trail: Sedalia to Clinton and Tebbetts to Portland. Over half the trail’s length follows Lewis and Clark’s path up the Missouri River, where you can ride beneath towering river bluffs while eagles circle overhead. America’s longest “rails-to-trail” project is flat and scenic.
The little town of Marshfield hosts a Cherry Blossom Festival every spring in mid-April. It is the featured festival on page 46 of this issue. The festival, which can be found online at CherryBlossomFest.com, has a lot of varied activities including welcoming descendants of our nation’s presidents who will share stories about their family. Marshfield is the birthplace of Edwin Hubble, who was responsible for the Hubble Space Telescope. The courthouse in Marshfield has a 1/4-size replica of the telescope, which can be seen at RoadsideAmerica.com/tip/10463. Photographs taken with the still operating space telescope can be viewed a Science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/.
I hope you have a wonderful spring in Missouri. If we should cross paths at a cat cafe while enjoying a cup of coffee or checking out the replica space telescope, please say hello. Wherever we meet, it is always good to see a friend in Missouri.
I have been comforted during these cold days by my faithful feline friend. I have a tuxedo cat named Socks who loves to sit on my lap and to sleep on my bed. I like cats, but Some people don’t, including my retired dentist friend Steve. For those who like cats, a cat cafe is a real treat, and there are several of them in Missouri. Some of their locations are The Cheshire Grin Cat Cafe in St. Louis (TheCheshireGrinCatCafe.com), Bertha’s Beans in Columbia (BerthasBeans.com), Bristocats Cat Cafe in Jefferson City (PhpCatRescue.org/baristocats) and Whiskers Cafe in Kansas City (WhiskersKC.com).
Checking out their websites will let you see some cute cat pictures and read rules and times of operation. Most of them are coffee shops that also serve food. The cats are in a separate room from food prep, and you must agree to not pick them up or to pull their tails if you go into their room. Children must be supervised by an adult. Some of the cats are available for adoption, and they are all usually very happy to sit on visitors’ laps. I know my friend, Steve, will not be visiting, but I may make an IRL visit.
For those who like bicycling, Missouri’s Katy Trail (BikeKatyTrail.com) is a great asset. The trail is 239 miles long and is the former MKT Railroad right of way. It crosses most of Missouri and is available for hiking or biking. Horseback riding is allowed on two segments of the trail: Sedalia to Clinton and Tebbetts to Portland. Over half the trail’s length follows Lewis and Clark’s path up the Missouri River, where you can ride beneath towering river bluffs while eagles circle overhead. America’s longest “rails-to-trail” project is flat and scenic.
The little town of Marshfield hosts a Cherry Blossom Festival every spring in mid-April. It is the featured festival on page 46 of this issue. The festival, which can be found online at CherryBlossomFest.com, has a lot of varied activities including welcoming descendants of our nation’s presidents who will share stories about their family. Marshfield is the birthplace of Edwin Hubble, who was responsible for the Hubble Space Telescope. The courthouse in Marshfield has a 1/4-size replica of the telescope, which can be seen at RoadsideAmerica.com/tip/10463. Photographs taken with the still operating space telescope can be viewed a Science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/.
I hope you have a wonderful spring in Missouri. If we should cross paths at a cat cafe while enjoying a cup of coffee or checking out the replica space telescope, please say hello. Wherever we meet, it is always good to see a friend in Missouri.