My long walk

I will be leaving this area soon, but I had the opportunity to go for a nice long walk. There have been workers up on the water tower that rises high above the town. They've been scraping and repainting it. While walking I heard sirens blaring as fire trucks went whizzing by. I found out that there is a big chicken house on fire. This is an area with lots of chicken houses that grow chickens for the big Tyson plants in the area. Apparently one of them burned today. How many fire trucks are needed for a chicken house fire? Well I lost count, but every volunteer fire department in the county must have responded as fire trucks just kept coming and coming.

My long walk took me to the cemetery on the outskirts of town. I love walking in cemeteries. I guess it is my interest in history that causes me to enjoy walking in a cemetery, because they really aren't the most cheerful places to go. The cemetery I visited today had tombstones dating from the 1800s to the current year. There are lots of Italian names. A lot of Italian immigrants settled here in the heyday of the coal mines. As I walk I take special note of the children's graves. There are so many children buried here. Some of the old graves have been disturbed by the roots of some big trees on the far side of the cemetery. I'm not sure why the trees are allowed to stay but I have to admit that they are a nice source of shade. I walked around the trails of the cemetery and it was slow going since there were so many tombstones that caught my attention so that I had to stop and read them more carefully. Who were these people? What were their lives like? How did they die? I'm so curious. But all I can do is wonder, so I walk on. It is a beautiful, green cemetery, framed with a forest of trees on all sides and view of Sugarloaf mountain in the distance.

tornado warning and snow flurries

Wow! The weather here in Western Arkansas is crazy. Last night we were under a tornado warning. The tornados missed us, but we did get thunderstorms. It was really cold this morning. 35 degrees is pretty cold for this area in late March. This morning we had snow flurries. I guess it is the last hurrah of winter.

There is a lot of family hanging around and so things here are kind of wild. Laughter, debates (arguments), stories, games...

Everyone is getting ready to go bowling. Fun for everyone. Gotta travel about 30 minutes to get to the bowling alley. A trip to Las Americas restaurant for some mexican/Central American cooking. It is a little dumpy place, that makes some great Papoosas.

Cold rainy morning

I awoke to a rainwashed day. The air is crisp and smells wonderful. Before the storms moved in yesterday there were people out mowing their lawns. Is there any other sound that is so associated with summer? Today the newly mown lawns are getting a drink so they can continue their cycle of growing and mowing.

Rice for breakfast. Appropriate, since Arkansas is a rice growing state. Not this part of the state though, its too mountainous.

As I sit here typing I can look out the window and see a beautiful blooming redbud tree, with bright green of newly emerging leaves surrounding it. Now I have to decide where to explore today.

Arkansas

I am staying with family in a little town in Western Arkansas. It is showing many signs of spring here. In fact not long after my arrival we got hit with quite a hail storm. It lasted awhile and left a few dings on my car. Oh well, just some souvenirs of the trip I guess. I love this little town. There isn't anything here to attract visitors. It's just a place where people go about their lives. There is a school, and a gas station with a little cafe in it. There seems to be a bank and a Mason's lodge. And there are a lot of churches.

The trees are coming out green with a promise of lushness soon to be. Mountains surround this town. Sugarloaf Mountain and Poteau Mountain and several rounded hills. It's very close, if not a part of the Ouachita Mountain range. The Ozark Mountains and the Ouachita mountains make up the U.S. Interior Highlands and are the only mountainous region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. In fact anciently they used to be a part of the Appalachian Mountains.

This town lies on the border of Oklahoma, and the residents have a choice of shopping in Fort Smith, Arkansas or Poteau, Oklahoma. Poteau is probably closer.

The people are friendly and wave as they pass you in their cars and trucks. There are many small towns in this area. All have their own charm, and seem to have a mix of old time residents and newer move-ins.

The weather is crazy in the spring here. Like today. It started out warm and as a cold front moves in, we are experiencing thunderstorms and the before mentioned hail storms. There is even a chance of snow in the forecast for Saturday, but the snow will probably stay a little further north, but cold is definitely on the way.

I plan to sleep well tonight and enjoy the storms raging outside. (Please- no tornados!)

Almost There!

I'm almost there. The next place on my itinerary. As I drive through the backroads of America I see many things. It is amazing to think of all these people going about their daily lives. They live in the spot I have traveled many miles to see. I will be here briefly and then on to the next place. But for now I will stop and enjoy their food and their culture. I will reflect for awhile on the beauties of this place. Come and check back soon and I will tell you all about my destination. I'm almost there.