Winter Wonderland in Arkansas

If there was any question that it was winter time in Arkansas, all doubt was laid to rest this past week as freezing rain pounded the northern half of the state icing all the trees and timber as well as the utility lines. The precip started about 6 o'clock Monday night and the icy drizzle lasted over 30 hours. We lost electricity Tuesday night about 6:00 and were without for 71 hours. We had lights about 5 o'clock Friday night. School was out the remainder of the week.

The world almost stops without electricity. We take it for granted until it isn't there. I don't know how many times I reached for the light switch simply out of habit. There were no land phones, cable, or internet as power lines were down. Of course, there wasn't any need to be concerned over cable since the TV didn't have electrical power anyway. (Double whammy if you will.) Many households were cold without alternate sources of heat and what do you eat without a stove to cook on just to mention a few of the dilemmas.

We actually faired quite well at our house considering all things. We have a wood burning insert so we could stay warm. A generator is a staple in Collin's shop and he had the gas cans filled with reserves ready for which time there would be a need. It's wonderful to be married to a man who has these kinds of toys, stays in a state of preparedness and almost looks forward to the time that he can utilize these power tools. I have my own version of "Tim, the Toolman", and what a lucky gal I am. We cooked on a gas grill, made breakfast on a griddle, and dined on cuisine from the crockpot. We made coffee daily and shared meals with my mom and dad.

We did not get off totally unscathed. We lost a large amount of tree limbs and had a tree fall over on Collin's shop doing some roof damage. And yet, for all the havoc caused by the ice storm, there was also so much beauty. The landscape was glistening in white, silvery crystals and everywhere we looked, the scenery was incredible. I happened to snap a few photos. I also had time to enjoy some magazines and since Riceland had no power, Collin was home as well. Bryan was in and out as even ASU experienced difficulties.

We've had quite a busy weekend. Needless to say, our yard was a mess and the cleanup began. I hadn't planned on yard work until late March and had planned on some leisurely Saturdays, but that isn't likely to be the case. We will be cleaning Mom and Dad's yard as well as Collin's mom and dad's yard next Saturday.

Many people in our area are still without electricity and do not have a promise of when to expect it. Many schools remain closed. We didn't have church today because there is no electricity in that area of the city. That is a first for me; I can't remember a time of not going to Sunday services because of power failures. I will be going back to school tomorrow and I must confess that I've become spoiled to being home.

In light of the weekend cleanup, I'm quite experienced in hauling limbs, racking, and burning debris. If you need a yard woman, just give a call.

Marcia

Stop and Smell the Roses

I despise cold weather. As soon as Christmas is over, I'm ready for May. I can't seem to pile on enough clothing, my feet are like two chunks of ice, and my favorite spot at home is standing in front of our wood-burning insert. Ah, there is nothing quite like wood heat. Our family room is always so nice and toasty.

Obviously, January is not my favorite month of the year even though I must confess, I would love to see just a little snow. There is, however, something that I do like about January and February in all fairness to months one and two of the year. It is a slower, more relaxed time that Collin and I enjoy when we don't have to rush and be busy on weekends. These two months of the year, we purpose to spend Saturdays sitting by the fire, leisurely sipping our morning coffee, chatting a bit, and reading the newspaper or similar tranquil activities. Several of those Saturdays, we get into our vehicle and take to the highway. Sometimes, we just piddle in the Jonesboro shopping areas and sometimes, we embrace more exciting adventures by going to Memphis or hitting the open road in one direction or another. Last Saturday was one of such days.

Collin's parents asked us to join them for the day on an outing to Hardy and Ozark country. We had a wonderful time. We did have one particular goal in mind; breakfast at a quaint little diner located at the end of the Hardy main street. I can't even tell you the name of the place, but obviously, no larger than Hardy is, one can easily find it. They serve breakfast all day at very reasonable prices and the selections are delicious. I highly recommend that anyone who hasn't eaten there should seek out this little "diamond in the rough." After our 11 o'clock brunch, we traveled on into the hill country for a drive into Calico Rock, Mt. View, Batesville, and back home. There is certainly not a great deal of beauty to behold this time of year, but the barren mountain tops still speak majestically and hint that the promise of spring is on the way when once again, the peaks will echo with green. Our day was enjoyable and our spirits were renewed.

Something else we've come to enjoy is watching the birds outside our french doors. It is a balm to the weary mind, a remembrance of God's amazing creation, and the beauty found in the simplest things if we only slow down enough to recognize it and enjoy the wonder. We have hung two bird feeders outside our patio area and our little wooden swinging restaurants draw quite a crowd. One day, we counted 10 red birds at one time. We also have blue jays, wrens, robins, doves, and a rather large family of unwanted squirrels. But, hey, I guess they are God's creatures, too, and have to eat. Often as I gaze out the window watching, I'm reminded of God's promise that He will provide for our every need. He manages to feed the birds and yet, He loves us more.

So, I'm determined to find something good during these cold wintry days in spite of my shivering and shaking for I know that Spring is approaching when I must be busy cleaning my yard, trimming the shrubbery, and pruning the trees. There will not be free Saturdays to stop and smell the roses or in my case. . .

Pause and watch the birds,

Marcia

A Look Back at the Holiday Season

I'm a bit behind on my blog. With the holiday season approaching, life got hectic and my energies were put into other things, but what a wonderful time of the year.

I love Thanksgiving. The harvest decorations are beautiful and the colors of nature are my favorites. It's a wonderful time to be shared with family and friends when you really slow down just a bit and concentrate on life's blessings. This year was no exception.

We have a great deal of tradition steeped into Thanksgiving as we do Christmas. Micah and Rhyne drove in from New Orleans. Tuesday evening as soon as I could get home from school, the family had traditional chile supper with corn chips and shredded cheese. When the meal was over, we carried in the tree and trimmings and let the assembly begin. Although everybody was excited that the tree was going up and could hardly wait until the packages were placed below it's branches, Collin and I suddenly noticed that Micah fell asleep, Rhyne left, and Bryan disappeared. The two of us finished up the tree, and when all the family members suddenly reappeared, they all thought the tree was just beautiful. Sometimes I feel like one of those cartoon moms out of the Sunday newspaper with my kids. Micah and I did some shopping on Wednesday and we had our Thanksgiving meal with my mom and dad on Wednesday night. We celebrated the holiday with Collin's parents on Thursday evening and the rest of the week, I finished decorating the house.

December lead to other activities and celebrations. I invited the ladies that I work with to come over after school for some relaxation and refreshments. I think everyone had a good time; I know I enjoyed having them here. Collin and I were very busy with the Living Christmas Tree at church one of our December weekends. We attended the Riceland banquet with work associates who have become good friends and had a wonderful time. We also visited with friends at another open house hosted by friends from our church.

Christmas Day is very exciting for our family. We began the day at mom and dad's house having lunch about 11 o'clock. Micah and Rhyne joined us and we shared our presents with each other. Mid-afternoon we went to Collin's family's home for another meal and we had our family Christmas at home the very last thing. Both sets of grandparents came to our house with us this year to see what Santa brought everyone. After things quieted down, we all put on our pajamas and watched a DVD to wrap up the day.

New Year's was rather quiet for Collin and myself. Bryan had gone on a trip with friends from the university and our New Orleans children left to go home. The dust had all settled, the decorations were packed away for another year and we sat in front of the fire reflecting on what a special holiday season we had shared as well as a wonderful year and all our many blessings. As dear as my children are and as much as I love them and miss them when they are away from us, it's very special for just Collin and I to be together, enjoying the stillness of the moment and the peace of being home.

I love Christmas and all that goes with it; the sights, sounds, and smells, the shopping, the cooking, baking, and eating, the decorations, the secrets and the magic of Santa. I love beautifully decorated trees, Christmas carols, and remembering that a precious baby was born that changed the world forever. When it comes to Christmas, I always feel like a child at heart. The day has come and gone another year, but I'm already thinking about the next one. It's never too early to begin thinking about everyone you love and starting your shopping list.

Happy New Year, Marcia

Alabama Roadtrip--Family and Football

Collin, Bryan, and I, ushered in November 1 with a family outing. For what will most likely be the last big travel event for this year of 2008, we packed up and headed south to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the weekend. We were very excited about this trip and had literally planned this excursion for a year. When ASU announced they would play Alabama's Crimson Tide, our wheels were set in motion for two reasons--family and football.

Our cousin, Jeri, lives in Tuscaloosa and has been on staff with the University of Alabama for several years. She recently completed her doctoral degree and is the Clinical Coordinator for the Athletic Training Education Program. Obviously, we are very proud for her. We love traveling to see her and George, her pedigree mutt, and getting in a visit. And then, what a great opportunity to enjoy football in the 93,000 capacity stadium as ASU met up with UA. Although the Red Wolves didn't exactly chalk up a victory this time, they played a very good game against the then number two college team in the nation.

Collin and I had fantastic seats in the stadium and Jeri made arrangements for Bryan to walk right into the stadium and onto the field with Alabama's Million Dollar Band. Now talk about an experience; there aren't too many college students who will ever get that kind of opportunity. He had a wonderful time. Before leaving to come home on Sunday, we went back to the campus and got to see even more of this university and tour the grounds and facilities.

Back on the home front, we had some fantastic barbecue, two great nights of sleep, lots of visiting and catching up on the news of family and life's happenings, and just general chillin' and relaxin'. We watched a little more football on TV and we even had to stack a little wood. It was absolutely home away from home. We had a marvelous time and all to soon, it was time to head back. In spite of having to say goodbye, even the drive back to Arkansas was a treat. The fall foliage was absolutely beautiful on that sunny Sunday afternoon.

I'm convinced of two things. One, there is nothing quite like country southern living, and two, family is everything. Happy Trails.

Marcia

Red Wolves A-Howlin'

Fall always signals football season. Some get more excited about the sport than others. As long as our children were in high school, we went to all home games for two different reasons. First, because I teach school at Jonesboro, I was always interested in the activities and in watching the kids perform that I teach. Perhaps more importantly, both my children played in the band and I didn't want to miss any half time shows.

Now that Bryan has moved on to ASU and marches in the band, college football has taken on new meaning for our family and has altered our Saturday social calendar greatly. We now take in about five home games a year on crisp, cool Saturdays. This would not be complete without the added festivities of tailgating and (you guessed it), watching the band.

This has been a big year of change. ASU has been the "Indians" for more than 50 years, but this year, debuted a new mascot, the Red Wolves. From the young to the old, you can't help but catch the spirit. Everywhere you turn, you will see red and black. Everyone has on a Wolves t-shirt or sweatshirt. Colorful tents dot the hillside protecting the food tables and flags are flying signaling to passers-by that the pack is on the prowl.

We load our truck with grills, chairs, food, and drinks and head out early on game days to enjoy fellowship with our friends from church at Walnut Street. Collin has done quite a bit of the grilling this year which he really enjoys. Although we arrive early, families begin to drift in throughout the afternoon bringing in potluck dishes and sitting up their lawnchairs to get in in on the conversation and good times. About 4:00 or so, everyone falls into line and then finds a place to savor the goodies on the menu.

Then, it's on to the stadium for the main event. Excitement generates as thousands of people are making their way to their seats, stopping off at the sports memorbilia vendors to purchase shirts and caps, securing game foods from concessions, visiting with friends, and off in the distance, hearing the band warm up and the beat of the drums. Before you know it, Howl, zooms in on his motorcycle, leading the way for the wolf pack through the tunnel as they gear up for kickoff.




I've actually learned a great deal about football in the last two years even though I've been watching for 28 years at high school. I've discovered that a passing game is so much more exciting and I can actually keep up with the location of the ball. But my favorite thing that I wait for in anticipation is still the band. What mother doesn't enjoy watching her child do the thing he loves most. Bryan plays snare drum and I never take my eyes off of him. If you check out my pictures, he will be the second snare drum from the left.

After the game, we go back to our tailgate area to meet up with our friends once again and have a snack on whatever is left over before we break down the tents, load up, and head home. It's been a fun-filled day, but everyone is tired now and ready to go home. And guess what happens; by the next day, we start planning for the next game.

If this sounds like fun, come and join us. It's a standing invitation and everybody is welcome. You'll get hooked, no doubt. Come on now--let me hear you HOWL!

Marcia

On the Road Again

Last weekend, Collin and I loaded the truck, piled in, and headed out again; this time south on I-55 destined for New Orleans. Although we can usually drive it in seven hours, the trip really gets long when you've worked all day, don't leave until 5 in the afternoon, and don't arrive until midnight.

I think just about every time we go to visit Rhyne and Micah, we look like gypsies. On this venture, we carried down a washer and dryer. After living for three years in an apartment of approximately 525 sq. feet, they have moved into a much nicer and larger facility across the campus with washer/dryer hookup, and thus, the reason that we moved the appliances. Their apartment is really nice and they actually have cabinets and closets.

We had a great time and a great visit even though our time spent is short. We always travel on Friday nights, play on Saturday, and drive home on Sunday. Regardless, a little visit is better than none, and it helps alleviate some of the "we miss you so much" syndrome. How fortunate we are to have cell phones and e-mail.

On this visit, we obviously moved in the appliances and hooked them up, toured the apartment, went to see Micah's school and her room, shopped just a little, and ate out at the dinner hour. It was a full day, and all too soon, it was time to head to Arkansas.

As many times as Collin and I have made the trip, one thing or another kept us from coming home across the Causeway, the 20 mile bridge spanning Lake Ponchatrain. This time we crossed it and on this beautiful sun-shiny morning, it was gorgeous. If your ever down that way and haven't had the experience before, I highly encourage you to include it in your travel plans.

Marcia

Lazy Days of Summer

Although I've heard this phrase all my life, I've never quite understood it's meaning as it relates to my life. I suppose that because of the scorching temperatures associated with southern summer days and a drain on one's energy, you aren't expected to accomplish to much and it's a good excuse to sip sweet tea leisurely without a care or a worry. I sip a lot of tea, but usually on the run. I'm so busy in the summer in spite of what is supposed to my three-month school break (another misconception which I must address one day soon) that I often wonder how I manage a full time job teaching high school students, maintain my home, fulfill church responsibilities and social obligations, and find any time to spend with Collin. If I have any talent at all, I do believe that I've mastered the art of multi-tasking.

Summer officially ends today and as I stopped and reflected on all the activity of the the last three months wondering where the time had gone, I thought it was time to evaluate and consider all the good, all the fun, and all the important things that have happened in my life most recently aside from the routine tasks such as cleaning my house, laundry and mowing the yard.

Mid-May, Collin, Bryan, and I, along with my Mom and Dad, made a trek to New Orleans, LA. This seven-hour route has become very familiar to us over the last three years, but never has the journey been any more special than this time when we traveled to see our married children graduate with their Masters' degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Rhyne and Micah have worked so hard over the last three years not only to graduate with honors, but doing so in spite of trying to establish a home as newly-weds, surviving Katrina which involved three to five different moves, and both working two or three jobs each to keep from starving. While we were there, we toured the World War II Museum.

In June, Collin and I went to Lake Norfork four days and relaxed at a camp site just off the lake. It was so peaceful and restful. Collin's mom and dad have a 27 foot camper that they let us use any time we want. It has all the conveniences of home and is perfect for just the two of us. Now the camping experience isn't for everyone, but we love it. In fact, we set around dreaming of the day when we retire and can travel the countryside pulling our camper seeing America. We have a great place to sleep comfortably and we have a stove and refrigerator so we're not going to get hungry. While on this adventure, we'd wake up about 7:30, drink coffee, set under the canopy and discuss life, all the while enjoying nature. About 9:30 we would decide we were hungry and have breakfast. By 4 or 5 o'clock, we would put something on our small grill for the dinner hour. Otherwise, we enjoyed reading, taking a walk, or just being quiet. We've been in a hurry for 29 years and we've decided it's about time to slow down every chance we get and enjoy a little time together.

As we moved into late July, we were off yet again in our home on wheels. We sojourned to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Now many folk have never heard of Oshkosh outside of a label on children's clothing. The city located on Lake Winnebago is like most other mid-size cities except one week out of the year when it becomes host to thousands of airplane enthusiasts as the home of the EAA or Experimental Aircraft Association. Wittman Field comes alive as a small city in and of itself when thousands of airplanes fly in and land at the World's Largest Airshow. These pilots and family members camp out with their planes which by the way takes up miles and miles of land area. There are many more thousands just like us that arrive in campers, set up tents, or whatever shelter they can muster to live at Wittman Field anywhere from a couple of days to an entire week. There is a grocery store built into this mini-city, bath houses on every corner, an open air theater, popcorn included, with nightly major motion pictures usually showing a plane related saga, a theater in the woods with live nightly entertainment, thousands of planes from war birds, to small and mid-size commercial jets, helicopters and more, not to mention the rows and rows of vendors in the fly market and four colossal-sized hangers of more vendors, souvenir shops, workshops and demonstrations. Even NASA is represented. We've seen greats such as Cliff Robertson, Harrison Ford, John Travolta, and Jeff Dunham. You cannot truly imagine this Air-Venture unless you experience it at least one time for yourself. The most amazing thing about this yearly show is the unique bond, interest, and camaraderie among the people who literally come from all over the world to experience the extravaganza. You will not meet a stranger--everybody is friendly, wants to visit, and share something special for just this one week. There are daily air shows and hundreds of people line the runways in chairs, on blankets, or just lying back on the grass gazing up into the sky mesmerized by aerial acrobatics and thundering F-18s doing fly-bys. Men, women, boys, and girls--there is something for everyone. Collin has gone for 13 years straight, and now that we have a camper, even I look forward to this trip and enjoy the excitement. We've met wonderful people that have become our lifelong friends, and for a week, we camp with them, cook and share meals, laugh, talk and have a great time. For two years, I've been the only woman in the camp. This year, I cooked breakfast for as many as 10 guys and 2 children. Now most women wouldn't count cooking for 12 and washing dishes much of a vacation, but I actually enjoyed this challenge and seeing the guys off on their day. At night, we grilled for everyone. Collin always pitched in to help. For those who might not know, this husband of mine is a master chef when it comes to barbecuing.

At the end of the week, we went by my Aunt Sis's house for a short visit before heading home. Family means everything to me and it's always great to see cousins that are distanced from us. And we can always count on more good food. Our family has always kept priorities in order that being, what will we eat and when.

School started for me on the heels of our return home. I did quick laundry, repacked and headed to Hot Springs for in-service meetings and then right back to school. It didn't take long for the kids to return. However, as an ending to summer, Collin and I, once again, bought groceries, loaded our camper and headed for Lake Norfork on Labor Day for the last fling of the summer knowing it is a long haul to Thanksgiving. It was a repeat of June and how we enjoyed ourselves vowing that we must plan more little trips just like this one the next year.

As the leaves begin to change color and summer days are behind us, our thoughts turn to football games and tailgating, hunting season, holidays, and hopefully, a few more road trips. We're headed south to New Orleans this weekend, and in November, we're off to Alabama to see the ASU Red Wolves take on the Crimson Tide. If you see a bright red Ford F150 out on the interstate, give a wave. It just might be the Elder's.

Marcia