I love an old town square with a majestic courthouse in the middle. Butler Missouri has a fine square. The buildings are original and well cared for. Because court was in session, I was unable to go inside the courthouse for a touristy visit. So I crossed the street to peruse around the square.
I especially enjoy boutiques, so I started with the Bold Daisy shop.
Inside, I met a mother, Angie, and her 23-year-old daughter, Hannah. I mistakenly made the assumption that the shop was owned by the mother. I quickly learned that the daughter is the proprietor. She creates all the above earrings, and even designs each card on which they are showcased. Hannah is a remarkably creative entrepreneur. Inventiveness may run in the family, as Hannah’s grandmother (Cholista) and her aunt (Kelley) created the crocheted earrings and gnomes below, repectively:
Hand-crafted items seem more meaningful than machine-produced wares. I think they make special gifts. It was a delight to visit with this family and be in the presence of such imaginative artisans.
A few doors down, I found the town newspaper — The Shopper. I chatted with the owner, Doug. His paper is a blend of advertisement and news. He has a section of newspaper quotes from previous decades. One notation from 1921 states: “A large crowd attends the ministerial alliance meeting in Rich Hill. Subjects include dancing, drinking, gambling, sabbath discretion, pool halls, etc. A notice is made for pastors to unite to clean up Rich Hill.” That was quite a list of topics to cover at that meeting of the preachers! It is delightful to read about our great+grandparents’ world. I am glad Doug provides this for his readers. If you are in town, stop and talk with him. He has many entertaining tales from the past.
I moved on to Rocking Chair Quilts. Just stepping inside causes elation. The vivid, happy colors surround the visitor with inspiration. No wonder the displayed quilts are created with effervescent beauty.
