Just in Time

People say it was a cold, long winter here in Arkansas.   We got here just in time for the season to change.

One day, Tom and I drove around the top of the lake to see what's there.  We first stopped at the dam and walked down to the water where people were fishing for trout.   Someday we (I) hope to kayak this stretch, when the air  is warmer.

 
Then we drove on over to Eureka Springs, a Victorian town that is popular because it's fun to see and has lots of restaurants and shops.

My family lived here during the first six years of my life.  I have pictures of my mother and us, dressed in fairy costumes, performing at some event, in the small stage here in Basin Spring Park.

As we drove back from Eureka Springs, we stopped up at Thorncrown chapel, a small, tall building designed by Faye Jones, a relatively famous architect.    When you go in, you are asked to sit.  That was just right because we both noticed how peaceful we felt just gazing out at nature on all sides.

We are still appreciating coming home to this cabin on the lake.  We've been driving a lot, back and forth to Fayetteville mostly, an hour and 15 minute trip.  We realize how good it is to come home to a quiet beautiful place. 

Tom's son Jon came up from Shreveport area to spend time with us and to see more of the backroads of Arkansas.  He is a major in the Air Force.  He has a Jeep and had planned some places he would like to see.  One of them was Lost Valley near the Buffalo river.   See how I included a picture of our beautiful native columbine hanging on the ledge in this picture from Lost Valley.

We checked out possible camping sites as we went.  One of them was Haw Creek falls, just below the Hurricane Creek Wilderness area.

Jon was kind to stop the Jeep and let me get out to take pictures, mostly of native flowers that I spotted here and there.

Our last campsite was at Buffalo Point.  Here we had a view of the river and an easy walk down to to rocks on top of the cliffs along the river.  See our rigs?  My Airstream van and Jon's Jeep.    

This is that view from the top of the cliffs.   A good place to just sit and watch the river.  Later, when it's warmer, this section will be filled with canoeists, floating from upstream.

From that campsite, Jon turned south, toward home.  We walked the trail down from the lodge toward the Indian Rock House.  You may be noticing that this was a good time of year to see waterfalls in Arkansas. 

Back at the cabin, we noticed that the leaves had all pretty much come out.  This is sunset through them.

As to our plans, we still don't have any.  One minute, we say we'll rent another place when this lease is up (end of May) and other times, we say we'll take off on a trip, either to the east or the west.   You can see how indecisive we are!  It's a little stressful.   It's difficult living here, but not living here, not being able to take part in routine life here because we are so far away from my home.   I had told the couple renting my house that they could stay 'til Fall.  They did say lately, after acknowledging that I'm at the house a lot picking up and dropping off things, that they will begin looking for another place.  They want a more permanent arrangement for themselves anyway.    So one day, we'll hear that they have found a place.

The funny thing is, that we may not want to stay there once we try it again.  But it'll give us a good base and basis to decide whether we want that, or a place farther out somewhere.

Enough of you having to read all our thoughts.    We'll get back to you on this!