Harris BrakeJack and I just got back from our first real vacation since moving to the mountains and taking on the cabin business--one that didn't include visiting relatives--though we do love our family. We found a lovely little lakehouse on a small lake near Perryville. Other than an early Father's Day celebration on the weekend with the four Jackson Henrys, we spent a few days of peace--just the two of us. No phones, computers, emails, nothing (0f course tv and movies! ) Fishing wasn't so great, but we did spend a lot of time on the dock with a fishing pole in hand. Got lots of practice casting and reeling in. A flock of Canadian Geese had set up residence on the lake and regularly checked on us as they made their rounds of docks and yards around the lakeshore.
My favorite time was the late afternoon rainstorm that lasted through the night. The wind, a little lightning and thunder, the clouds blowing in from across the lake--we watched from the porch until dark. The little bedroom with wrap-around windows on three sides made sleeping in the rain that night wonderful! Worth the whole trip!
Time to go home, and we took the long way home seeing parts of the Arkansas countryside we had not seen in our many roadtrips around the state. I always watch, as we drive north, for the first glimpse of the mountains. It will be somewhere around Russellville. As we travel Highway 7, we are feeling more and more at home. If you love the mountains you will know what I mean. Soon, we are on Highway 16 driving through Deer, Nail, and Swain. The views on both sides of the highway through here are unbelievable! Then on to Highway 21, by Mossville Church, and down into Boxley Valley.
As we drive by the mill pond, we notice the three Trumpter Swans. Yes, these are the ones they released this winter as part of a reverse migration imprinting experiment, and the ones we thought flew north for the summer. Seems they have been visiting up near War Eagle area for a few weeks, and have now come back to Newton County with little indication they are going anywhere else. Officials had hoped they would fly to Iowa, and return in the fall, bringing more with them. I guess they have other ideas. They seem as happy as "larks" or in this case, "swans", as they paddle around in the marsh, nibbling and splashing, and chattering to each other.
Could be the swans feel just like we do, and why we chose as our cabin slogan--"You will want to stay forever!"
I leave you peace; my peace I give you...John 14:27
