Spring Break Lives On!

Snow Bunnies

Spring Break '09 is history, but it left behind lots of memories! (Retired or not, every teacher knows Spring Break will come!) The memories started the first day of the break(Saturday) when Jack's archery team at Jasper won third in state. What fun for the kids, their parents, and the coach. The memories continued the next day-- a sunny Sunday afternoon at Branson Landing with a little shopping, a little seafood, and lots of time to enjoy sitting on a bench people watching, (with a large dip of ice cream in hand). Despite the gloom so often reported in the news lately, folks were there, just as we were, making the most of a beautiful springtime day.

We didn't know then, but the sun was going to be a scarce thing the rest of the week. We mixed work and play--going into town for plumbing supplies and eating at Neighbor's Mill knowing when we got home the downstairs bath was calling (no! crying out!). We spent one grungy day pulling out pipes, cleaning up spills, and finally finding that pesky leak that had haunted us for weeks! UGH! It's done! Thanks, Jack!

With the weather not at its best for hiking or canoeing, we found other ways to occupy the rest of the week of no sunshine. We took a drive on a favorite mountain road. One that lets us look back at our house and cabin from a distance. We checked the river stage at Ponca and watched the Buffalo as its banks, swollen from the recent rains, overflowed and gushed over the low water bridge--always an awesome site!

We enjoyed guests coming and going this week as they spent part of their Spring Break in our cabin--a family with children, a couple who brought along friends--just happy to relax and enjoy the mountains. Friday night at the Ozark in Jasper with our neighbors was fun. Joe Villines and his guests, the Sherman Mountain Bluegrass Boys, a group of young talented guys from the school, entertained outstandingly and topped off the week--we thought! Then another surprise!

The weatherman kept telling us we could have snow Saturday--we laughed! He had the last laugh! It snowed all day and night--2 inches total! It was beautiful sight watching from the windows, as the snow flew across the mountains, covering the hills and valleys. As this was taking place, we noticed a large white bird flying through the snow following a flock of Canadian Geese. They circled the pastures and landed in a pond across the highway. It was a very large bird, and I immediately thought of the Trumpeter Swans. With our spotting scope, we were able to verify it was indeed one of the swan group. Obviously it was lost! We were able to slip close enough to the pond and the bird to get the number off his collar and report the sighting. He (she) later left the pond, and we haven't seen him (her) again. I do hope he caught up with his flock. Some were seen last week in downtown Harrison on the lake there. His number indicated he wasn't one of those seen there, but a part of the same group that should be heading north. Poor things! When man interferes with nature, things don't always work out as man plans. "The best laid plans of mice and men...etc." (By the way we caught two mice and Molly caught one during the plumbing episode!) But that's another story! Back to the swans---What will happen to the disoriented young swans remains to be seen. Will they make it north to their nesting grounds? Will they even find their "home" at Boxley again? Will they reunite with the rest of the flock again? Reverse migration! Explain this to the birds!

On Sunday, with still one more day before Spring Break officially ended, we took off for Little Rock , leaving home early in the snow for a visit with family and the joy of our lives, Jack Henry, who didn't let us down. The joy was contagious, and we are ready for the new week and the rest of spring with joy in our hearts and, as they say, a spring in our step.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

The "Stuff" of our Lives

Someone's Old "Stuff"

Jack and I have moved at least seven times in our married life. Each time the amount of our possessions has grown tremendously despite an effort to "cut back." As we prepared for our move from South Arkansas to Mountain Springs, we convinced ourselves we were "downsizing." We gave away, sold, and threw away 20 years worth of things that filled a barn, two sheds, an attic, and numerous closets and shelves in our house. We left that moving day with only a small amount of "stuff" and feeling quite liberated. Being human, we immediately felt the need to start accumulating more! I guess we didn't realize that we didn't really have to fill up the wonderful storeroom in our basement! Now, eight years later, we are back where we started--too much stuff!

This hit home when we recently sold one of the cabins and had to clean it out. There was no place to put it! We are now back to square one--too much stuff! I sometimes think our stuff takes on a life of its own. It is my theory that if you pack something away in a box, put it in on a shelf in a dark place such as a closet or basement for a few months then, VOILA! That "stuff" has multiplied like little cells as described in Jack's biology textbook!

I've often tried to analyze why we can't rid ourselves of things. It is our nature for Jack and myself to save things that we might need later. I inherited this from my family who couldn't throw away even a piece of string, because "we might need it someday." My mother explained it by saying they were children of the depression. However, we are not, yet we save things--from old towels to plastic jugs. "We might need them someday!"

There is also another category of "stuff", and it is harder to let go of these things--things that have memories attached. I have boxes of dolls and the clothes Mother sewed for them that matched the ones she made for me. In my china cabinet are the white dishes with a golden dragon imprinted on them that my dad sent back when he was stationed there in the war (there's another set in a box in the basement!). I have twenty-five old family quilts that won't fit queen beds neatly folded in boxes under beds. Too many memories!

And, clothes! Each season a box of "perfectly good" clothes is taken to the Humane Society thrift store. It's easier to let go of clothes for some reason. Though, it took me a long time to finally cut ties with the LLBean coat with snowflakes that I loved so much.

I have a small sign attached to my computer that says "The best things in life aren't things." In the next few weeks and months, it is my goal to move out, throw out, sell, give away or by whatever means necessary, all"things" that are no longer relevant in our lives. Today, I am going in town to start just that. It is an ongoing process, and I realize that means I must not bring in more "stuff "to replace the old "stuff". I will NOT go in the new dollar store for anything other than necessary items!!! Walmart is off limits!

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy..But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19,20,21