Welcome to the June 1904 issue of Hearth & Holler.
Summer is arriving in Honey Hill Country. Hollyhocks are blooming beside garden gates, hummingbirds are darting through strawberry patches, and neighbors are gathering for festivals, suppers, and visits on shaded front porches.
This month, we’ll meet one of Honey Hill Country’s most beloved shopkeepers, stroll to Inspiration Point with Willow Meadows, visit a Jeffersonian garden in full bloom, enjoy strawberry season at the Packet House Hotel, and travel with Felicity Merriweather to the St. Louis World’s Fair.
So pour yourself a cup of something good, settle in, and spend a little while with us.
We’re glad you’re here.
Contents & Contributors
We hope you’ll enjoy this first monthly visit to Honey Hill Country. Simply choose any article below to begin your visit, or return here at any time to continue where you left off.
Willow Meadows
COME WITH ME . . . .
Strolling Through Honey Hill Country with Willow Meadows
“Where the Hollers Meet the Sky”
If this is your first visit to Honey Hill Country, Willow Meadows knows exactly where to begin.
Come along for a leisurely June walk along a ridge trail filled with birdsong, woodland paths, local lore, and beautiful views. Along the way you’ll cross footbridges, wander through cool hollers, follow winding trails to one of the finest views in the country, and experience the beauty hidden in the places between the places.
By journey’s end, you will discover not simply where Honey Hill Country is — but why so many people love calling it home.
Henry Calder
ALONG THE BACK ROADS
“The Place Folks Simply Call Ethel’s”
Step inside one of Butterfield’s favorite country stores, where blue-ribbon pickles, fresh sandwiches, and small acts of kindness are always on the menu.
Margaret “Maggie” Greenleaf
THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE
“A Visit to a Jeffersonian Garden”
Step through the garden gate to discover a peaceful Jeffersonian garden filled with hollyhocks, hummingbirds, butterflies, and one unexpected little resident.
Silas Thorne
ALONG FENCE ROWS & WOODLAND PATHS
Field Notes from Honey Hill
“Hummingbirds — Tiny Jewels of Summer”
Slow your pace and wander along the fence rows with Silas Thorne as he discovers the tiny hummingbirds that bring some of summer’s brightest moments to Honey Hill Country.
Lillian Harper
WHERE FOLKS GATHER
“Strawberry Days in Honey Hill”
Come join friends and neighbors for one of Honey Hill Country’s sweetest summer celebrations, where fresh strawberries, warm conversations, and simple moments together remind us that the best gatherings are never hurried.
Myrtle Mae Meadowbloom
OUR COUNTRY KITCHEN
“Strawberry Season at the Packet House Hotel”
Step into Our Country Kitchen, where the sweet fragrance of fresh strawberries welcomes visitors to the Packet House Hotel and every table promises another taste of summer.
Before you leave, Myrtle quietly tucks one of her favorite seasonal recipe cards into your apron pocket to take home.
Felicity “Grace” Merriweather
OFF WE GO! HERE, THERE, & EVERYWHERE!
At the St. Louis World’s Fair
Come spend the day at the St. Louis World’s Fair with Felicity as she follows bustling crowds, discovers remarkable new inventions, and finds delight around nearly every corner in one of the greatest gatherings the world has ever known.
Clarence “Clary” Moss
WELL NOW, THAT’S INTERESTING . . . .
Pull up a chair with Clary Moss at The Possum & Mule Exchange, where wagons, mules, hot coffee, odd trades, old stories, and Honest Mike Shaye’s good name all come together in one of Butterfield’s most unforgettable gathering places.
Hickory Pinenut
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE
Step over to the other side of the fence with Hickory Pinenut, where everyday happenings, familiar frustrations, and life’s ordinary moments often reveal an unexpected smile when viewed from a slightly different perspective.
James Milson
FRONT PORCH REFLECTIONS
As our June visit to Honey Hill Country comes to an end, I invite you to join me on the front porch for a few thoughts on hope, gratitude, and the ordinary moments that often brighten our days. Sometimes the things we need most arrive quietly and ask nothing more than to be noticed.
Pen-and-ink illustrations have been created for this piece with the assistance of AI . . . lovingly prepared and styled for the world of Little Red Bear.
James Milson - The Writing Pages 