The day was bright, sunny seventy-two degrees and we had been reclusive for about long enough. "Want to go to the coffee house for lunch?" I asked. "Sure," replied BBBH.Our first stop was at Mier. Mier (pronounced "mere") is merely a wide spot in the road, so to speak; except that the road now bypasses the town via a viaduct. The purpose of the stop was to get a couple of pictures of the schoolhouse, for it was here that my two middle children began their public education.
The school corporation is to be applauded for repurposing this fine old building to use as the central offices.
To the right of the viaduct is this shaded bower with a fine set of steps someone has constructed to elevate pedestrians to the roadway above, though I can't imagine a valid reason for going up there via this route.
Once inside, Shari served us the soup-of-the day (yes, I know the French expression, but this is Marion) which was potato-broccoli with cheese and, I shall add, with deliciosity. I also had the baked oatmeal with apple/cinnamon syrup on one
side and peach/mango syrup on the other. The oatmeal bar is a granola-like concoction with nuts and berries. Also delicious. I liked the apple/cinnamon syrup better.
The coffee of the day was Peruvian, a full-bodied single-origin and very good. BBBH had a latte, whatever that is. I drink coffee.
When you are in Marion, Tuesday through Saturday, do not miss brunch or lunch at this venue!
BBBH and granddaughter Jenn visit on the deck.
9 comments:
A great day for your outing. Or was it a mini-adventure?
Now that sounds like a memorable day from start to finish. I, too, appreciate when power-that-be appreciate their old school buildings enough to repurpose them instead of knocking them down or fall into disrepair and disuse.
You triggered my inner roadgeek there in Mier. 13 and 18 clearly used to intersect right in downtown Mier. That bypass sure seems like overkill given that it looks to have been built to avoid an awkward railroad crossing a mile west of town.
Congrats to decision-makers for keeping the buildings and preserving the beauty of this place.
I'm sure that if I lived in Marion I would be a regular customer at this cute little coffee house. (My favorite coffee house here moved - purchased an old used car lot and attempted to convert the building. Not really enjoyable to go there now, though the coffee and food are still great.)
Chuck, it was a great day. Perhaps it only bordered on adventure; but it is about as exciting as our lives get nowadays.
Shelly, I am sometimes conflicted. Weighing the cost of renewal/renovation of old buildings vs. building new is a ticklish business, and I have become less critical of those who choose the new. But I hate to see the old destroyed.
Jim, I think you nailed it, for 18 parallels the tracks on the south side. The crossing you mention was a jog across the tracks, then continuation on the north side. So I think that whole mile-long angle of 18 to the south-east was built to make the swing over the viaduct. Too, old 13 would have crossed the tracks at the south edge of Mier. Two birds with one stone. I believe the road I was standing on when I took the picture of the overpass was old 18. I lived in Converse six years in the sixties, and I have never known the road layout in any way other than the current one, so I've no idea when the overpass was built.
Vee, the Oak Hill school board did a nice job of preserving this nice old structure. Sorry to hear that the "new" locale of your coffee shop lacks the ambience that you enjoyed.
Interesting. I never knew there was a "place" there. I wish someone local could figure out what to do with the old school building here.
You ived in Converse six years in the sixties? I came to Upland in the fall of '65, and was there through fall of '69. It's a small world.
Shark, the highway does rather swoop around it. We moved to Converse in '63 and left in the summer of '69. I taught at Greentown (Eastern Schools) during that time.
Unreal! We could have passed on a street somewhere, or been in some church service together. I love it!
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