A short girls' trip to Branson this week was great fun. We went to the quilt show at the convention center.
I am not a quilter, nor will I ever be, but my friend is
and I love seeing the craftsmanship
and art in these quilts.
We also got to shop and eat—a particularly good Indian restaurant for dinner one night. The crowds were down,
which was good for us, and traffic was at a minimum—another win. We watched the forecast and cut our trip short by one day, since heavy rain and storms were rolling in Thursday afternoon. So we spent our last morning at the College of the Ozarks. What a wonderful institution and time well spent. Full-time students do not pay tuition, and the college does not participate in any federal loan programs. Instead, students work at a myriad of jobs on campus to cover many of their educational costs. We of course, toured the greenhouses
(and I bought some plants). The student worker at the time was not a horticulture student, but an engineering major. Other students were making candles, stained glass, working in the restaurant, making jams and jellies, and a myriad of other jobs. The College of the Ozarks has a low acceptance rate--with just 14% of applicants admitted each year, and a total enrollment of slightly less than 1500 students. It boasts one of the highest graduation rates among colleges across the country and has only full-time students. Founded in 1906 by a Presbyterian minister, it is a conservative school that takes education and work experience seriously. We were impressed by all the students we came into contact with. We toured the greenhouses, where they not only grow plants to sell, but they raise lettuce hydroponically,
and have two greenhouses full of orchids.
We went to the candle making
and stain glass workshop,
the mill, the museum and ended with a wonderful lunch in the Keeter Center
—which reminds me a lot of Mt. Magazine lodge. If you ever get up to Branson, stop in and see this campus. We came home with not only plants, but stone-ground grits, cornmeal, some jam, soap, and a candle—all student products.