Springtime Notes

Negotiating the slide on Highway 103 near Mountain Springs Cabins

The above picture was taken this week. We have watched this slide since last summer when it was only a bump in the road. The recent rains have turned it into a major hole--one of the biggest potholes you will find anywhere. And you think you have potholes on your street!! So far there have been no accidents. The highway people are watching it daily, but say it will have to dry up quite a bit in order to make repairs. Many people believe this is the result of clearing the mountainside (the downhill side) of all trees. Several years ago it was woodlands.

The Trumpeter Swans have left the valley--hopefully for their summer home in the north. In the meantime, the tremendous rains of late have resulted in a beaver dam breaking, which made much of the pond water drain out. Again, it is what happens when man intervenes with nature. Several years ago someone trapped all the beavers from the pond, and now the dams they were keeping up have broken.

On a happy note: the little female bluebird is still watching me from the window. She sits on a chair and keeps me company while I do my Bible study each morning. (This is absolutely the truth!) Her suitor is trying very hard to convince her to move into the nearby house that we set up on the porch rail. It is only a few feet from her perch at the window. This morning I saw a sweet little bluebird moment. I actually watched him as he brought her a tasty? (in the bluebird world) tidbit. She was perched on the rail and he flew up and put the worm/bug in her beak. She accepted it gratefully, which probably encouraged him immensely. Jack says she will set up housekeeping when it is time. He also said the little fellow must be madly in love to put up with such a crazy female!! Of course, he was referring to birds only. (Not to any humans we might know!)

The storms and rains haven't slowed down springtime. It's here! We are taking a hike in the afternoons on those beautiful days in between the rains to look at wildflowers and check for morel mushrooms. We did a short hike up Leatherwood Creek starting at Beaver Jim's cabin across the low water bridge at Ponca. Beautiful! Have seen many flowers, few mushrooms!

We have not inherited the earth from our fathers, we are borrowing it from our children.

Native American Saying

Hikes, bikes, and flower gardens

Camille on the Hideout Hollow Trail near the Buffalo River

Jack and I are planning an early spring hike to McFerrin Point near Compton, on Saturday. It is our favorite, and one we always do in the spring when the turkeys are gobbling. We have hiked this trail in snow too. The view is always breath taking! If the weather is clear, you can see down into the fields along the river. If there is fog hanging in the valley, the scene with the sun coming up is spectacular.

Since Hideout Hollow is near by, we usually do that one too. The falls there should be flowing. These are two hikes we recommend to our guests. They are not too extreme for inexperienced hikers, but full of photo opportunities. Check in next week for a report on our excursions.

A bike trip is also in the plans. My friend, Darlene, convinced me to get a bike last year so we could ride the valleys (not the mountains!). I lucked out when I found a good bike--one with all the gears-- at a sidewalk sale at Walmart with a price tag of $11. I have certainly gotten my money's worth from that bike, even though I really can't get the hang of all those gears!

On our trip to Little Rock last week, I purchased an old, fat-tire bike--the kind I remember riding as a child--at a pawn shop in Perryville. I had planned to use it as "yard art" (something my city-dwelling son can't understand! ) It has a large basket for pots of flowers, and other neat features. However, the more I look at it, the more I am thinking I might ride it. The man who sold it to me said, "all it needs is new tires" (paint job not withstanding!) If you are driving through Boxley Valley, or along Highway 103 and see a vintage bike (I won't admit to 'vintage" rider). Just give a "HONK" and I will wave and move over!

More outdoor activities are coming up. The days of watching a dormant flower bed from the window and feeling smug that I don't have any yardwork to do is over. Little green shoots are making their way up through that new layer of mulch. Many are weeds, or "extras" and must be dealt with. Every year I am amazed at the number of plants that propogate by seed or roots and come back to the point of making themselves a nusiance. But, I still say "there is no such thing as too many flowers".

Jack helped me clean out the water garden near the steps. I am always a little leary of that job, since I never know for sure what may be lurking under those water soaked leaves and rocks. This year it was only an unlucky frog who probably thought he had found a great new place to spend the winter. Soon I will have the fountain bubbling and little fish swimming happily in their new home.

Wow! Thinking about all these activities makes me tired! But, ready to get out of doors and do something!

This is the day that the Lord has made,

we will rejoice and be glad.

Psalm 118:24

A Day In the Mountains Is Like...

Curious Bluebird

The outdoors was calling---wind, the dogs, the birds, the warm temperatures all seemed to beckon me. There were patches of blue sky showing between puffy, billowing clouds--a sign rain may be moving in tonight. I was reading through a mind-boggling book on how to increase web traffic in one weekend. I am now into my second week and reading! I think I will pull Maags into this. HTML is to much for my mind to sort out!! Besides, my little bluebird friend is waiting at the window.

The curious little female bluebird has been a constant visitor at our windows for at least 3 weeks. We have given up trying to reason with her. No, little bird, you cannot make your nest in our house this year! Last year she took up housekeeping in a box beside the door. It was a birdhouse meant to be just a part of my outdoor decorations. She had other ideas and persuaded her beloved to join her in making her home as close to humans as possible. We startled her quite a few times when we opened the door just a few feet away from the nest. Nevertheless, despite dogs, humans, slamming doors, and other bothersome things that would have run most birds away, the bluebird couple managed to raise a couple of fine little ones.

We never knew exactly when the babies left the nest. We heard little chirps coming from the box when we walked by for a week or two. Then, one day while we weren't at home, our bluebird guests moved out. We think we saw the babies several times in nearby trees, flitting and fluttering, trying out their new wings. It is always interesting to see mom and dad devotedly bringing the independent little things their bug-meals just as they did when they were babes in the nest. We never stop being parents!

Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone.

The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come,

And the singing of doves fills the air.

Song of Solomon

A Time for Everything

We are so ready for Spring!! The picture above was taken by Ed last weekend when we had one of our biggest snows of the winter--7 inches! The snow soon melted, and patches of green are showing up everywhere. That is good for our wildlife, who have had a hard time this winter. The deer herd, which was numbering 20 or so last week, has dwindled to a few stragglers who are probably waiting around to see what we plant in the garden. We are discussing what we will have to do to save the garden (and flowers) this year. It is one thing to throw out a little corn for desperate wildlife in the winter, but quite another to offer them an "all you can eat" buffet all summer!

Bluebirds!! Everywhere I look, as walk around our 65 acres, I see bluebirds flitting around our bluebird boxes. We cleaned them out a week ago, and bluebird couples are already moving in. We have one bluebird female who flies up to the window on the porch, attaches herself to the screen, and looks in as if to say she really would like to make her nest in the living room. Maybe she sees the many bird figures and nests I have on display, and thinks she would like to join them!

Jack spotted the first martin scout on a unexpectedly warm day just before the snow hit last week. We quickly got the martin box up. Minutes later the sparrows were checking it out! We have discovered martins will usually run them away when the time comes to move in.

We are planning a wonderful week with cabin guests coming for Spring Break. Besides minding the cabins, we are planning a few hikes to see waterfalls and early spring flora-- maybe even look for morels; do a little garden prep, including planting potatoes--old timers up here say plant potatoes on St. Patrick's Day. And, of course, we will slip in a visit with the grandson and family on Easter.

Remember--There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecles. 3:1

Happy Spring!!

The Littlest Deer

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds...
You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.
You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delights.
Ps. 36

My eye caught a movement outside as I walked by the bedroom window. On closer inspection, I saw a very small deer scraping up the last of the bird seed I had scattered on the ground for the quail. He, no doubt, was hungry as he was scavenging for every crumb left by the birds. He was one of the smallest deer I have seen other than young fawns in the springtime. Jack said he was probably a late summer fawn and born to a young mother. There were no other deer around.

I continued to keep an eye on him the rest of the afternoon. We can only guess as to why he was here alone. Did his mother get killed by a car on the highway? Did he get separated when dogs chased the herd? I worried and watched--hoping he would be reunited with his deer family soon. I didn't want him to wander away from the safety of our place.

After a long while, he meandered around to the front of the pasture, still just outside the yard fence. With almost human like actions, he wandered to the left for a few steps, then turned and walked a few steps in the other direction--just like a lost child. I could almost read his mind-- "where is my mother?" He stomped his foot a few times like deer do when seeing something they don't understand, and he kept looking toward the east pasture where we feed the deer herd every afternoon. I too, was searching for another deer to come to his side. Nothing!

I watched him slowly curl up in the dead grass --a lesson I'm sure he had learned from his mama. He was positioned so he had a good view of the feeding area. Being a patient and trusting little fellow, he seemed to know if he waited in the safety of the grass long enough, help would come. I continued to check on him every time I passed the window (I passed the window a lot!) He was so camouflaged in the brown grass that I often lost him. If I scanned the area long enough, I would see a little ear twitch and, I would be comforted to see him still and waiting. He wasn't sleeping, but watching, trusting, hoping.

Finally, I couldn't wait for regular feeding time. I fired up Jack's four-wheeler--the sound the deer recognize as "feeding time", and drove to the feeding area to put out some corn. It didn't take long. I saw the little fellow standing, within a few yards of the four-wheeler, watching me from the edge of the trees. As I left, he was already out and nibbling the scattered corn. My question now was--where were the others?

The herd finally came, a few at a time from every direction. We think there was something, probably dogs, that scattered the herd that day. I watched as the "littlest deer" blended into the herd. I could never tell if his mother was one of the group. However, I was relieved to see him the next afternoon come up the hill, on time, with the rest of his "family". I will continue to keep an eye out for our "littlest deer". And, I believe Someone else is doing the same.

Our World Is So Full....

Wildflower Falls at Mountain Springs Cabins

As Jack and I drank our first cup of coffee before daylight this morning, we discussed the weekend and decided it was perfect! The rains came, the winds howled, it snowed, we had unexpected guests, and we cleaned two cabins!

Friday was nice. I drove in to Jasper to visit Mother, then hurried home to decorate cupcakes and make a casserole for the Valentine's Banquet at the church. We got the cabin guests at both cabins settled in just before leaving for the church. The food was delicious, the company wonderful, and the music outstanding. Joe Villines brought his guitar and banjo and sang for us. His family has lived in Boxley Valley for over a hundred years. It is encouraging to see him and his young family living and working here. He will be singing at the Ozark Cafe in Jasper this month and into the spring.

Saturday morning we got a call that my favorite cousins would be driving up to visit for the afternoon. They arrived in a rain storm. We had a couple of hours of catching up (not enough by any means!) Then they left in another rain storm! They will be back. We aren't too far from their new retirement home on Greers Ferry Lake. Jack made a trip to Berryville to check on a tractor, and came home the proud owner of a new (slightly used) tractor. He has dreams of a summer filled with tractor "work"!

Then, the rains came! It made "springs pour into ravines so streams gushed down from the mountains...Ps.104:10 It is one of life's "little joys" to curl up on the sofa by the fire and hear the raindrops pound the roof and splash over the gutters. Our mountain is so in need of rain! It was a night to watch a good movie. We thought "South Pacific" with Glen Close was perfect. Jack followed the story, but cringed everytime they broke out in song. I loved it and sang along, remembering most of the lyrics from my teenage years when I owned the original LP. The night was my version of Some Enchanted Evening!

Sunday was still cloudy as we went to church. Jack and I were in charge of a lively Sunday School class of first and second graders! We fed them left over Valentine cupcakes which, I'm sure energized them for Children's Church later. The sun was peeking out as we walked out of the church house. We could hear the roar of the river from the parking lot. We drove down to the Ponca low water bridge to check the river. Water was gushing over the top. Logs and other debris were sailing past. This weekend will bring out the kayakers and other brave, and experienced floaters. This isn't a time for the inexperienced! It is fun to watch them though.

Hopefully, this is the beginning of a great floating season for all, lasting to early June.

We capped off the weekend with cabin cleaning, which, thanks to our considerate guests, didn't take long. We even had time for a little hike/four-wheeler ride to our own Wildflower Falls. We check often to keep leaves and debris from building up. In another month or so the wildflowers will be peeking through.

I stitched a quote on a pillow years ago. I still have the pillow, and I still love the meaning of the quote.

The world is so full of a number of things, I think we should all be as happy as kings!

We Gather Together...

Fix these words of mine
in your hearts and minds...
Teach them to your children,
talking about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road.
Deut.: 18-19


On a spring-like day in the middle of February, four generations of our family gathered together to celebrate the birthday of the eldest of the Jackson Henry Carpenters. How blessed this family was on this day. No matter what happens in the the days to come, this day will be remembered as a gift to us all.

Our precious Jack Henry, the fourth and youngest (17 months) Jackson Henry, was at his finest. What a joy he has been to his parents, and the rest of us. A note to soon-to-be grandparents-- always pray, not only for good health for an expected little one, but also that the Lord will give him a spirit of joy. It was an answer to this grandmother's prayers.

We often have multi-generational families rent one or both cabins for a few days. Family members travel from all directions across the country to gather in a cabin in the mountains of Arkansas for a gift such as the one described above. For a few glorious days, the real world and its worries are left behind--grandparents get fun time with the grands, mom and dad find a peace and serenity of their own--and the children shout for pure joy as they bask in the freedom and adventure of being outdoors.

Notes in the cabin journal attest to the wonderful memories families will take home. I will always treasure the note left by, Sophie, aged 10, describing her time here at Mountain Springs Cabins--"I want to stay forever!" she wrote in large, child-like letters across the journal page.