Old Barns, Old Times

Villines Barn on Firetower Road       

    
     Wonder why so many folks love old barns?  It could be childhood memories. I can still remember every "nook and cranny" in my grandparents' barn.  Or maybe it's the nostalgia of a simpler way of life.  I love them and over the nine years we have lived up here, I have "collected"  quite a few.  Some are no longer with us.

Hedges Barn near the Buffalo River

      Jack and I discovered this old barn on a hike several years ago.  It was once part of a homestead that was bought by the Hedges, who built a unique house nearby.  The house mysteriously burned on a New Year's Eve in the early days of the Buffalo National Park land acquistion.  The barnyard drops off in the back to the river. We were startled by several elk (who were startled by us!) when we walked out in the clearing.

Alice's Barn in Boxley Valley

     This is a common sight in this field.  Alice is an artist who lives in an old, remodled house down the lane beside the Boxley Church.

Parker-Hickman Barn in Erbie

     This historic homestead has been preserved by the park service.  The old house is nearby and both are open to those interested in seeing how folks lived in the Ozarks years ago.  It is at the trailhead of Cherry Grove Cemetery Trail and part of the Buffalo River Trail.  Decendants of the Hickmans still live in Compton.

Waymon Villines' Barn on Hwy  21

      We drove by this barn many times before I asked Jack to stop for a photo.  I'm glad we did.  Not long afterward, a storm blew it over.  Many barns suffer the same fate.

Mike Clark's Barn on Bradshaw Mountain Road

     The first time we saw this barn it was unpainted and neglected with a few scraggly goats out front.  Mike (you see him in front of the barn) retored it after recovering from back surgery.   He raises goats, turkeys and a few other barnyard animals on his mountain farm.  The animals look out each morning over a magnificent view of mountains and valleys.

     Oh my!  So many barns and so little space!  We will have to continue at another time.

For everything there is a season...A time to tear down and a time to build up.  Ecc. 3:1

From the Fullness of His Grace...

Ferns and moss along the trail

Yesterday, Sunday, May 17, 2009, was one of those perfect days to store in my "memory bank" to pull up when I need a cheerful thought. The church service at Boxley Baptist was special. We honored a member, and former missionary to the Phillipines, who after retirement, moved back home to his Ozark family farm. He is a distinguished white-haired gentleman who has been blessed with Bible knowledge and the ability to teach. He spent 28 years in the Philippines teaching and organizing churches, and has spent his retirement teaching Sunday School and being a blessing at our church. He has always kept in close contact with his Philipino churches and friends. And now, he has agreed to return to Manila, where he will teach this semester at a school he helped found. He will be training ministers to pastor churches throughout the country. As he said, "God has used this once 'barefoot mountain boy' to spread his word." We wish you God's blessing, Art.

On the way home from church, we turned into the river access road at Ponca. There was a flurry of people coming and going, unloading canoes and kayaks and other gear, for a float down the Buffalo River. We decided to take advantage of this beautiful spring day in the Ozark Mountains by taking a hike. The trail begins at the low water bridge. We would hike this section ending at Steel Creek Campground--two miles. This is only a small part of the Buffalo River Trail. After a quick lunch and little preparation, we were off! The trail was a delight--high above the river, shady with cool breezes blowing, across streams and waterfalls, through rock formations and up rocky slopes. The best part was near the low water bridge where one can stand on the rocky overhang and watch below as floaters make their way upstream. (We never laugh (too much) at the antics of those with "less experience" we've been there!) Along the way we see stretches of cool, green, mossy flats that are fascinating to me. We finished the hike with a light snack at Steel Creek Campground and a few minutes strolling on the river bank studying rocks--fossils and, my favorite, heart-shaped ones.

As we were walking back through the busy parking area, on our way to the car, dodging folks, cars, and canoes, we passed by an old man whose appearance reminded me of someone who may have spent a long winter in a log cabin on a mountain!) He was sitting in his old truck with the window and door open, watching the parade of hikers, floaters, and sightseers. He called out to us as we passed by,"Great day to be alive, isn't it?". We couldn't agree with him more!

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.

John 1:16

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

Sharing Boxley Favorites

Sharing Boxley Favorites Cookbook

Speaking of "the heavens", (see previous entry) our Ladies Ministry at Boxley Baptist Church is excited to announce the publication of our newest cookbook, SHARING BOXLEY FAVORITES. It is a collection of recipes by some of the "best cooks along the Upper Buffalo River".

And that's not all! Scattered throughout the book are photos and art work by professional and amateur artists in the area. The cover picture is by Tim Ernst a well-known nature photographer who lives on Cave Mountain. Other contributors (everyone, by the way, gave us permission for publication without charge) include Alice Andrews, Don Kitz,artists, and Ed Porter, Don Nelms, and Michael Dougherty, professional photographers who live and and work in the area. Other pictures are by members of the church.

You will also find a history with photos of the church and Boxley Valley.

It is truly a treasure for all who live or visit the Buffalo National River area.

For information on how to purchase a copy email me , Camille.

Price is $15 plus $5 mailing.
All proceeds go the the Ladies Of Purpose for mission projects throughout the year.

'Tis The Season!

Indian Creek Falls

The morns are meeker than they were,

The nuts are getting brown;

The berry's cheek is plumper,

The rose is out of town.

Emily Dickinson

The view from my window is deceiving! Sunshine, blue skies, trees of yellow and gold on the mountains across the valley, birds soaring high in the sky--all make up a perfect October day. However, the brisk fall winds remind us that October is a month of contrasts. One day warm and sunny, the next day a chill is in the air. The dogs are confused! They bounce out of the door expecting the warm temps of yesterday. A few minutes later a scratch at the door means "let us in, the wind is blowing us off this mountain!" This goes on all day! A cold front moved through last night bringing much needed rain and colder temperatures. Looks like a fire will feel good tonight!

I love this change of seasons that we will experience in the next few weeks as fall moves into winter. The cold fronts move in from the north, and are visible for hundreds of miles as they slowly make their way into the mountains. The dark, ominous skies forecast a change. It is energizing and exciting to watch as the winds whip through the trees and send leaves sailing across the yard and down into the hollow. It's a time we rush to save delicate flowers still blooming on the porch and secure all chairs and other loose objects that have been a part of our summer days.

Have I told you I love fall? Okay, at least a dozen times!

These are the days when Jack and Ed take a hike to Indian Creek--Jack is always awestruck with the beauty of the area. This is the month we slip away for a leisurely trip to War Eagle Craft fair, sit on the banks of the river, and have a lunch of corn dogs and ice cream. These are the afternoons when we hop on the 4 wheelers and ride across the road to Delano's mountain pastures. When we reach the summit, we stop and look back across Kenner Creek to our own house and cabins--so far away, they look like a Google map! These are the nights we have a wonderful Italian meal at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. (So good we have to take the Tiramasu home for later.) Or go to the Ozark Cafe on a Friday night for not only a good meal, but great music with Joe Villines and friends. These are the days we can linger over coffee late into the night as we visit with family and friends that have come for the weekend. And, the days when we look forward to meeting new cabin guests and renewing friendships with returning guests who all want to be here in October.

These are the days I hang out my laundry on my new clothesline just because I want to be outside and feel the breezes blow the sheets over my head. The days I refuse to listen to television and choose, instead, to pull out a book saved for just such a time. The days I sit by the window and do an extra Bible study lesson. The days I meet the horses at the fence and give them a good currying. The days we listen to the Razorback game wearing our "Hog shirts" and cheer or cry depending on the score. On one of these days, I find a reason to take a drive up Highway 103 to Green Forest and Berryville, and maybe on to Eureka Springs, alone and quiet in the car--medicine for the soul. The road is a ribbon through the mountains and valleys. At one point, you can look in the distance and see another stretch of the same highway miles away.

These are the days we pick up walnuts that have fallen in the grass, mow the yard wearing a coat, discover the turnips in the late fall garden have grown to be enormous since we last checked! And, in the evening we stop whatever we are doing,gaze across the valley and marvel at the folliage colors that have deepened since yesterday. On one of these afternoons, I pick the last roses of the summer and collect the wildflower seeds to save for next year. We stay out long enough to see a beautiful October sunset. We notice the big orange ball of the Harvest Moon as it rises over the mountains when we drive home from Sunday night church in Boxley Valley.

This is the season that, unlike summer that lingers too long, flies by too quickly. It is too soon gone. It is a season to drop everything and get out and do something!

"In October in Blue Hill the world was so pretty it set everyone in a good mood. Houses were thick with the scent of apples bubbling on stove tops, and gardens lay ripe with the flowering of good green kale."

from THE BLUE HILL MEADOWS by Cynthia Rylant

The True Story of Mama Dog

Mama Dog

Recollect that the Almighty, who gave the dog to be companion

of our pleasures and our toils,

hath invested him with a nature noble and incapable of deceit.

Sir Walter Scott

I knew my neighbor, Darlene, had a soft spot for dogs when she first visited us and fell in love with one of Maggie, the Jack Russell's, puppies--Cricket. At the time, Darlene had a lot of irons in the fire--including a move from South Louisiana, and building a new house. On every visit to Mountain Springs, she would stop in and check to see if Cricket was still with us. Finally, she gave in and "adopted" her. She is now her constant, and sometimes exasperating companion. Cricket joined two older dogs, and quickly made her place in the dog family.

It wasn't surprising when Darlene called one day to tell me she had found a very hungry and dirty old hound female dog at the river, and she was in need of some loving care. So she brought her home, bathed, fed, and doctored the poor thing. Her idea was to feed her and find the owner. However, it was soon apparent that the owner wasn't interested in being "found". We are quite sure she was abused, as she is very meek and skittish when corrected in any way. Two days after bringing her home, the hound gave birth to nine fairly healthy pups! Thus, the name "Mama Dog"!

With Darlene's nursing background, Mama and her family thrived. I told her that Mama obviously believed she had died and gone to "Dog Heaven" and had taken her pups along!

With some convincing on Darlene's part, the pups were adopted by families with similar "soft spots" for animals in need. However, no one was willing to take a skinny, abandoned female hound dog. All the time, Mama was working her "charm" on those she came in contact with. Her only sceptics were our husbands who were convinced that a deer hound on the mountain would be the end of wildlife of any kind. Mama proved different. She might run a rabbit around the yard in the early morning, but she wasn't interested in chasing deer for hours on end--which is why she probably was never claimed by the original owner!

Nowadays, Mama Dog spends her time in her own "dog heaven"--our mountain neighborhood. You might find her basking in the sunshine in Darlene's flowerbed, guarding the yard from critters, or sleeping in her very own bed in the basement. Occasionally, she may look up the hill at one of the cabins. She has a way of knowing who "needs" a visit, and who doesn't. Numerous guests mention her as the "cabin dog" who comes to the door, offers a paw (if you don't respond, she will offer the other paw), and, in her own way, Mama welcomes you to the mountains. She has had several names--Molly, Lady, Rose-- and answers to any name that is spoken in a soft voice. Both cabin journals have several stories about her. She does have a way of encouraging one to offer a snack, but she doesn't insist, and will leave if not welcome. Children are her joy, and a little kind attention from a child is all she wants in life (other than a scrap now and then)!

Wouldn't we all be better off if we were so easy to please, and content with our lot in life?

Life is good on the mountain for dogs and people!!!!

Finding the Good Times

Buffalo River Memories

Do you listen to the nightly news? Wouldn't you like to throw something at that anchorperson who, almost cheerily, reports, "gas prices have reached another all-time high today"? Doesn't your heart break at the latest reports on war casualties, or news that another child was molested? Isn't it maddening to hear about celebrities gone wild? While we know these things exist and have to be dealt with, it is comforting to realize that there is still good news out there.

Here is my version of the nightly news:

This weekend, an extended family from the Springfield area found relaxation and made wonderful memories at Mountain Springs Cabins. They resolve to come back again and pick up where they left off. Their hike to Hawksbill Crag was a highlight of the trip.

Saturday, a Mountain Springs family, ages 18 months to 96 years of age, celebrated an early Mother's Day, and a few birthdays. On Friday, part of the group was spotted at Branson Landing dining at Bass Pro's White River Outpost Restaurant on Lake Taneycomo. They were photographed as they relaxed by the "dancing" fountain energizing with caramel lattes and brownies. They were later seen walking through the parking lot carrying a large number of shopping bags and lots of happy memories. When asked to comment, they said they would return someday--with more money!

Sunday morning in Newton County was a day for many people to worship the Lord in one of the many churches throughout the county. Though there was still room for more, there was a sweet spirit as they sang and praised God for safety from the recent storms and abundant rainfall that will mean a good hay crop. Those in attendance were thankful for jobs, families, and being able to be in the Lord's House on such a beautiful day in the Ozarks.

Sunday afternoon, two deleriously happy grandparents took their grandson, with his parents, picknicking at Steel Creek Campground on the Buffalo National River. While there, little Jack Henry was introduced to the the joy of skipping (throwing) rocks in the river--a pastime for all ages who visit the river. They hope to be blessed with the pleasure of returning many more times to watch as he improves his skills at rock skipping. He is reported to have said "PopPop", which 'some' people interpret to mean "I Love my Pops, especially when he rides me on the tractor".

Today, with the Lord's help, we can expect more extremely wonderful spring weather, bluebirds singing at the window, goldfinches and hummingbirds by the dozens at the feeders, cattle contentedly grazing on the hills, flowers blooming in the backyard, and peace on the mountain.

Count your blessings! I am counting mine right now.

From the rising of the sun, to its going down, the Lord's name is to be praised.

Psalm 113:3