A Poem for Autumn

The morns are meeker than they were,

The nuts are getting brown;

The berry's cheek is plumper,

The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,

The field of scarlet gown.

 Lest I should be old-fashioned,

I'll put a trinket on. 



                                                                                              Emily Dickinson





Dreams of Autumn

 

Maple in Ponca

     The hot, dry winds blow across the brown crispy grass that covers the yard.  As I look out my kitchen window I see the those plants that are still alive crying out for a drink of water.  In a few minutes I will go out and relieve their thirst.  I am ready for autumn winds and rains to come, and come in abundance!  Here is what I am "thirsty" for.

Eagle's Rest Cabin at its finest

     

     Our little rental cabin, Eagle's Rest, stays full  most of the year with guests who come to soak up those cool mountain breezes. (Yes, even in the snow!)   They might take a hike down one of our hiking trails then come back to the cozy cabin for a soak in the whirlpool tub.  They might curl up by the fire with a good book!  Oh! My!  I can hardly wait to do the same!

Hikers on the trail to Hawksbill Crag

     No doubt, hiking the Ozarks is a spiritual experience. One is mesmerized by the palette of fall colors--maples of red and orange, black gums of scarlet, oaks of burnt orange, sassafrass of yellow, all framed by a sky of blue and earth of brown. 

Autumn at Mountain Springs 

      We sat on the porch at daybreak this morning-- with our coffee in hand--there was definitly a feeling in the breeze that promises us fall will come soon.  Until then, the thirsty plants are crying for relief!

 Trust in the Lord and do good.

Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act.  Psalm 37:3,7

Fall Full Blast!

Newton County Highway in the Fall

Every good and perfect gift is from above...James 1:17

       Jack and I make a point of never taking for granted the fact that we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth!  We really believe that, and many guests agree.  Proof of this is the fact that we and every other cabin/lodge in Newton County has a "No Vacancy" sign at the door, and are reluctantly turning away folks who want to visit last minute. Our October dates have been booked for weeks. We understand the lure of the Ozarks in autumn, and try to schedule our activities to allow lots of drives through the mountains and also time to participate in all the special events/festivals in the area this time of year. 

       We make War Eagle Fair an annual event--always going on Sunday afternoon.  Usually, the crowds are smaller and the shopping pace is slower--time to visit with vendors we know.  This year, the weather was perfect--cool and sunny.  And, the crowds had the same idea that we had! 

     We did enjoy the fair though.  And we always find a few special treasures we "need".  We  bought several Christmas presents for those who "have everything".  Bet they don't have a robin's egg-shaped bird feeder, or a hand-painted tin box for fishing flies!!!   Unlike the midway at the carnival, the food is not always fried.  The chocolate-covered strawberries-on-a-stick I got on the way out were somewhat healthy.

     Saturday afternoon the sun was out and so were the people as they participated in the annual Newton County Tour of Homes.  The old and beautiful "Orphie Duty" house has had a major facelift thanks to Steve and Jackie Ray from Kansas.  They lovingly and meticuously restored it and the surrounding fields and barns so it is once again the beatiuful old white home standing proudly by the side of the road in Boxley Valley. 

       Another stop on the tour was the old Villines Store--a small rock structure owned and brought back to life by Joe and Genevieve Villines, decendants of the original owner, Hez Villines.  The young couple choose to live and raise their two boys close to family and the farm that is a part of Joe's heritage.  The store is now a gallery for local artists.

       I have to stop and look out the large window by my desk. Oh! the beauty I see!   The gold, red, and yellow leaves are never still as the winds blow briskly across the mountains--another sign of fall in the Ozarks. It is not possible to describe such color!  Artists try as they paint greens, golds, yellows, reds, and every hue in between.  These colors are sandwiched between an azure sky and the emerald green pastures yet untouched by a killing frost. 

If we didn't remember why we kept coming back time and time again until we finally had to live here, we do now!

     Fall, a special time of transition from the business of summer to the slow-paced winter months ahead.  What a wonderful way to celebrate!  It is God's gift to all of us.

The earth is so full of a number of things

I think we should all be as happy as kings.

R.L. Stevenson

      

    

    

The Woolly Worms Are Back!

Behold, the Woolly Worm

 

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall!

      As we worked around the yard this week, we came across the famous woolly worm, a harbinger of cold weather. You never see them when you are searching for them. They only appear when you aren't expecting them! Like when you put your hand down to pull a weed or pick a flower. Then they will startle you with a little "fuzzy wiggle"!  They are never in a hurry, and had rather be left alone. The old weather tale about the size of the stripes is never clear to me.  Is it the wider the band, the harsher the winter?  Or vice-versa?  The picture above was taken last fall.  You notice the woolly fellow is solid black.  We had a historic ice storm in January.  Does that mean solid black means harsh winters?  As I recall, I also saw other last fall with various size stripes.  This year I have seen several--different width stripes.  One was solid tan!  There must be a better way to predict the winter weather. Guess we will just get ourselves ready for cold winter weather and meet it head on!  The generator is ready!  Let is snow!
     The guys at Handyman Hardware in Compton say the large number of bears we are seeing now are a sign of a bad winter to come.  Jack's trail camera attests to the fact that the bears are on the prowl.  Of course, they should be since they are storing up fat for the winter hibernation.  I read that they need up to 20,000 calories a day while getting ready for winter!  Gads!  Humans don't need that much in a month!

     The mama and cubs of several weeks ago are prominent visitors along the trail and are taking a large portion of the deer corn.  They are funny to see their antics on film as they try to get into the large barrel feeder in the tree.  We are also seeing a very large bear who has found a way to get his paws into the barrel!

     Signs of autumn are everywhere.  The trees along the highway going down into Ponca are already showing a lot of color, and everyone is excited and expecting a beautiful and colorful fall.  The elk are bugling full blast in the valley. (By the way, Color Fest at the Ponca Elk Center is the last weekend in October.)  I saw two hummers yesterday and none today.  (These are the stragglers and should be headed south soon. I'll keep a feeder out until I am sure they are gone--usually about the 15th of October.)
    The cool fog outside the window right now reminds me that summer '09 is history.  And, a  beautiful summer it was too, with cooler and wetter than normal days.  We are never satisfied--now we want everyday to be a bright, sunny fall day.  Then we will want bright, sunny and snowy winter days! 

In everything give thanks!  1 Thes. 5:18

 

We hail the merry autumn days,

When leaves are turning red;

Because they're far more beautiful

Than anyone has said..

                                 Charles Dickens

And A Good Time Was Had By All!

Cave Mountain Road

There is an air of excitement in the mountains this time of the year. The colors are glorious! A main topic of discussion is whether the colors have "peaked" and how do they compare with last year's. Who cares! We don't complain! The temperatures range from cool in the morning to "just right" in the middle of the day. It is a great time to do anything in the mountains!

I was in Jasper this week, and the little mountain town was bustling with visitors and locals. I stopped by Emma's Museum of Junk (by far the best little antique store anywhere!). I am on a mission to rid our house of clutter and "stuff". Emma needs "stuff" to sell in her store. We both agreed it was nice to let go of things now and then. But, it is hard to do. These are little treasures that I fell in love with through the years as I shopped little places similar to Emma's. When we moved to the mountains, those things were packed away in boxes and they have just taken up space in the basement for seven years. I hope Emma's customers will love these old and nostalgic things as I once did and take them home to enjoy. Emma and I agreed on a price, and soon my "stuff" will be on her shelves. She has a way of displaying items that make you want to take them home. I just hope I don't walk in her store some day and purchase some of the same items I sold her!

The same day we took Mother out to eat at one of her favorite little restaurants, The Boardwalk Cafe. They serve only organic foods, most is locally grown, even the buffalo burgers and elk sausage (all meat is farm raised, not wild).

Joseph, the owner, was happy with the business they were getting throughout the week. We both wished for several months of fall weather that brings out the tourists. We ordered our favorite winter meal, Janet's Cajun gumbo. The couple are originally from New Orleans, and the seasonings reflect that!

Saturday was a good day to do some yard work. I always leave some plants standing for the wildlife in winter, but some of the grass had to go! Got one bed done with two more to go! For another day, no doubt! It was a good day all around with the Hogs winning and the cabins full of nice folks who came to enjoy the Ozarks.

We capped off the weekend with a hike to Hawksbill Crag up on Cave Mountain. I really prefer to call it by the name most locals use--Whitaker Point. We went with a group of friends from church and packed a picnic lunch. There were about 15 of us--all ages, from 3 to 63! Lots of fun, even though this was not your "quiet walk through the deep woods" sort of hike. Seems like everyone else had the same idea. This is probably one of the most publicized scenic areas anywhere in the Ozarks, and people come from everywhere to view it, especially when it is clothed in fall colors. We even met a group from Japan! This was our third time to hike there--only about 2 miles round trip--not too strenuous, but hold on to the little ones as they near the bluff line.

Today, it's back to school for Jack, and back to the cabin business for me. Looks like another beautiful week to be living in the Ozarks, or anywhere you live for that matter. It is especially a good one for me. I am having a birthday on Friday, and I plan to celebrate all week!

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

John 1:16

Happy Fall!

Welcome to Mountain Springs Cabins

Did I say that springtime was my favorite season? Oh no, I changed my mind! The cool mornings, the hint of color on the mountainside, the call of the bull elks in the valley all remind me that I love this time of year best! Autumn!

Since I was a little girl, I have loved the autumn (of course I should, I was born in the fall--not saying which year!) I can remember raking leaves(mostly jumping in big piles of them), jack-o-lanterns, Halloween wiener roasts and Trick or Treating around the neighborhood, inside birthday parties when the weather didn't cooperate. Later on, the fall brought high school football games, Homecoming dances, mum corsages from someone special, and wiener roasts with s'mores at the deer camp.

When Jay was young, carving the pumpkin was a big deal, as well as choosing just the right Halloween costume. As he grew up, he and Jack would wait anxiously for that first cool, crisp Saturday of squirrel season followed soon after by the deer hunt. Never mind if they brought home nothing but stories that now are wonderful memories.

Now, fall is a time for walks in the woods down by the spring, favorite drives through the mountains (more on that later), early morning elk watching, wild geese flying over the house, and wiener roasts, especially those marshmallows!

We drove down this weekend for Jack Henry's second birthday. Two years of joy to celebrate! It is no doubt every day is a party for a two year old. Two doting grandparents had a wonderful time--even enjoyed some time with this parents! Then it was time to go back to our mountain home.

Driving south reminded us of the contrast in the seasons in the lowlands and the mountains. On the way home, Jack suggested a detour through unexplored territory. We followed the Highway 7 detour that goes through several little communities--not a convenience store/gas station for 48 miles! Beautiful countryside--old barns, deserted homesteads, cattle grazing on pastures of a few large ranches, country churches with old cemeteries next door (both still in use),little mountain streams, and wide open vistas was worth a little extra driving time. By the way, Highway 7 is scheduled to reopen next week after repairs of a slide near Pelsor.

On this first day of autumn, I look forward to more of "why I love this time of the year." Every morning, I will check the leaf color change on the mountains just outside my window as I work(?) at my computer. As the season moves on, I will linger over lunch on the porch, find a dozen reasons to go outside, and, even hang out the laundry on my new clothesline more often. I will walk (or maybe ride my four-wheeler) along the trail to the spring and look up at the blue sky through yellow-gold-red maple leaves. I will take my thermos of coffee, leave early as the sun comes up, and drive to the valley to elk watch.

And, of course, I will have a wiener roast. (I am wondering about those chocolate and strawberry marshmallows I picked up on a whim at the store.) This year, Jack and I are discussing just where to build the new campfire ring. We expect to need it soon enough when a little boy comes to visit and discovers the pure pleasures of sitting around a campfire, roasting hot dogs, and making s'mores on a cool autumn evening in the mountains. Making mountain memories!!

September

A road like brown ribbon, A sky that is blue, A forest of green with that sky peeping through.

Asters, deep purple, A grasshopper's call, Today it is summer, Tomorrow is fall.

Edwina Fallis

The Best Things...

Can you find the butterfly?

This is the day that the Lord has made; we will be glad and rejoice in it!

Psalm 118:24

This is a "Count Your Blessings" day!

We never tire of saying our Mountain Springs guests leave as friends. A new "friend" who has recently come to Eagle's Rest Cabin is Sandra McClure, a wonderful artist and photographer from Van Buren, who is also an art teacher. In visiting with her, we were able to see our mountain through her artist's eyes, and, thus, were reminded to count our blessings in our life at Mountain Springs and the Ozarks.

Sandra and her husband, daughter and husband spent a weekend with us--visiting some of the scenic areas from the comfort of their car since their son-in-law was hindered with a cast on his foot! They were celebrating an anniversary and birthday. In the cabin journal she thanked us for "sharing our butterflies" with her. It was our pleasure, Sandra.

A visit to her website, www.artwanted.com/sondramcclure is worth a few minutes of your time, and will give a lift to your day, as it does ours each time we click in. The photo above is one of hers, and she has posted others on the website. I can hardly wait to see what paintings spring forth from her photos of the area!

After the recent storms, the weather is clear, cool, and just right for hiking to waterfalls. Sitting on the porch (too cool? sit at the window by the fireplace) in the early morning with that first cup of coffee and watching the mist rise over the mountains is a blessing in itself! The elk are bugling in the valley,(another blessing to experience) and many trees are beginning to show their fall colors. It promises to be a beautiful and blessed autumn season!

The best things in life aren't things!

Where Did Summer Go?

Hummingbirds at the feeder

No doubt, the hungry hummers are asking this question as they drink our four feeders dry several times a day! I am looking out the window as I write, and a cool rain is falling, with predictions for more this week. Temps have been in the 60's at night now for almost two weeks. Growing up in the south (and I don't consider the Ozarks south!) I have never been a fan of long, hot, humid summer days that linger well into what should be the fall season. But, here we are mid-August with what seems like the end of summer. I'll take it!

There is a maple tree down the road that always gets in a hurry for autumn. Every year its leaves turn brilliant yellow weeks before the other trees have even thought about fall color. We watch for it every year and think of it as a promise that no matter how hot the August days, autumn is right around the corner. The tree is a mass of yellow and gold--this week! Is that a sign of an early fall and winter?

The NEWTON COUNTY TIMES published a picture of a hornets' nest only a foot or so off the ground. Old-timers claim that is a sign of a long, cold winter! Maybe, but the same week our neighbor found a hornet's nest in his last year's deer stand--rather high up in the tree! I haven't seen many woolly worms yet. I think the saying is the more stripes the colder the winter or the less stripes the colder the winter, or something like that.

The rains and cooler weather have breathed new life in the flower garden. The cool breezes inspired me to get out there and pull a few weeds. And, of course, move a few rocks. My rock patio is a never ending project since the rocks on our mountain are never ending. I am limited only by the size of the rocks I can move from one place to another. And, now with Jack's new tractor, the size has increased immensely!

A friend gave me a few Koi to put in my little pond by the patio. They are reproducing in her natural spring pond so fast she has to give them away! I went to the pet store to get the esssentials necessary for caring for them. Believe me, they aren't "free" fish any longer! We are trying to decide what to do with them over the winter. Looks like they may be a "school of fish" in more than one way. Jack will move them to the large aquarium he inherited when he began teaching science at Jasper High School.

Well, the hummers are flying around the window again. A sure sign that the feeders are empty. They show no sign of heading south, so I guess fall isn't really upon us yet. But I will enjoy these wonderful days no matter what the calendar shows!

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall.

Robert Louis Stevenson