Also Sabbath, November 2, 2013

After a wonderful last day at work (!) on October 18, I left right after lunch.  It was wonderful because of:

-- a dozen roses on my desk when I arrived
-- two farewell cards

-- take out chinese for lunch

Paula's firepit and cabin

I came home and packed and said goodbye to John.  Within about 90 minutes, I was at my old friend, Paula's house in Mountain View.  Before long, we were sitting around her outdoor fireplace in front of their picturesque cabin. 

Being too eager, we put our tin-foil wrapped potatoes and our shish-ka-bobs on the fire too soon and though somewhat charred, still we had a great appetite and a wonderful meal!  It was overcast, so we did not see the Harvest Moon that we all knew was up there.  I had also looked forward to seeing stars since it is so very dark out there in the country.

Paula and David at Greer Spring

Paula slept with me in the little cabin loft and that was such a comfort to me in my frazzled and worn down condition.

Sabbath, I helped Paula with the kids' Sabbath School at Willow Springs Church.  We left afterwards and picked up our picnic supplies and David, Paula's husband, and drove east through Alton to Greer Springs.  The day was glorious, the colors just developing, and the company precious!  It was a short hike down to the Springs, which come out of a cave and form a beautiful rushing river.  A second spring comes up right into the river, with a gorgeous aqua colored turbulence.  Paula and David had been there recently and so they knew to walk downstream where we conjectured on the use of a cable-car strung over the river.  It was locked up tight but nevertheless we had to sit in it and imagine its purpose.

We walked on along the river, finally heading up and

emerging just where they had seen an old, abandoned mill, Greer Mill.  From there we walked back along the highway to the car.  We drove on to Falling Springs where we found our sunny picnic table and enjoyed a wonderful meal.  A picture of that spring is now on my timeline.  It was an old homestead and mill and a lovely spot!

Back at the cabin, we made our fire again, this time making tin-foil packets of potatoes, vegetables, hot dogs, and mushrooms.  They came out so good.  This evening was clear, the stars bright, and the moon rose with great majesty over the trees. 

Sunday dawned bright and clear and crisp.  Paula and I worked very hard to create two raised beds for her spring garden.  We hauled old top soil from her back yard, raked up leaves in the back woods, gathered decomposing hay, and finally shoveled goat dirt to make the piles which looked like

freshly dug graves.  Then we planted cabbage and turnip seeds.  We felt so good about our accomplishment and Paula was delighted!  I am so grateful for the friendship and comfort I received from Paula and from David...THANK YOU!

By mid-afternoon, I left and drove the scenic Route 76 over to Becky's Vermilyea’s house in Mountain Grove, enjoying more beautiful fall colors.  Her husband Bayard died in April and she is always happy for company and I needed hers! We ate a yummy supper and went to bed early, both of us being tuckered out.

Monday we did the majority of her berry patch, clipping old canes, she working with her chain saw and I with clippers.  When she went to work, I visited with Michael and Benita Alexander.  She had apples so we made two large apple crisps then took a walk around her home.  After supper at Oriental Hut with Becky Nancy Littrell, we joined Benita at her church for Kids Crusade.  It was by far the best "evangelism" that I'd ever seen with a couple who did a very inspirational and entertaining ventriloquist act and other short "vignets" which blessed kids and adults alike.  A very personal and touching altar call followed where we were invited up to the altar where a trained adult spoke with the kids and then prayed for them.  I was very inspired!

Tuesday, Becky and I finished the berry patch and she was thrilled.  I did some errands, then visited with both Loretta and Evelyn.  Back at Benita's, we worked in her garden and made some progress which encouraged her.

Wednesday, I stayed at Becky's and worked around her yard, cleaning up perennials and raking and gathering leaves to pile onto her raised bed.  I made lentil soup for our trip and had supper ready for her when she arrived home.  Everyone needs a wife like me!

Thursday morning, we headed out early to Arkansas where

Becky and Sylvia reflected in a rain puddle at Pedastal Rocks

Sylvia Mason had arranged a wonderful three day hiking adventure.  After lunch and a short tour of her coon-cap business, we packed up their van and with her wonderful son, Daniel, we drove over to Pedastal Rocks where we had our first hike.  The day was beautiful and the rocks were amazing and the outdoors so refreshing.

Sylvia is like a long-lost cousin to me, her parents and mine having been classmates in nursing and medical school.  So we had known each other as kids but had not seen each other since we were teens, probably. 

From Pedastal Rocks, we drove on to Jasper where Sylvia had rented a little house for our two nights there.  After supper and visiting we were all glad to head to bed.

On Friday, we had a long 7 1/2 mile hike in the Ponca Wilderness.  Our destination was the Goat Trail, an indentation in a massive bluff above the Buffalo River.  I had seen a picture of it when John and I were in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and had wanted to hike it.  But, oh, boy, it was amazing and almost frightening to be at times on a four foot ledge which descended 400 feet down to the river.  We maneuvered it without difficulty, thankfully, thoroughly enjoying the views down to the very pretty river, over to other bluffs, and up to the mountains all around.  After the hike back up, we were ready for a rest and lunch!

Sabbath, we took two three mile hikes.  The first was to

Lost Valley.  Each day we saw the increase in fall color and this day was the peak, we thought.  This hike meandered through forests, following a wet-weather creek, and gradually up to the base of some majestic bluffs.  As we followed it up, we came to a cave, which we explored.  David, Sylvia's husband, had joined us Friday evening, and he lent me his head-lamp.  We maneuvered through narrow passages ways which eventually opened up into a large room where a stream emerged from the ground.  Interesting!  Now, let's get back to the sunshine!

Next we drove up the mountain and made the hike out to Hawk's Bill Crag, also called Whittier Point.  Oh, wow, oh wow...it is supposed to be the most photographed spot in Arkansas.  The colors were magnificent and everyone knew it was peak weekend.  Sylvia and David had never seen so many people there!  We ate our lunch overlooking the valley and enjoyed the scenery to the full.

That night, we returned to Masons enjoyed their daughter, Melody's beautiful new cabin, built with site of Sylvia and David's home, right on their pond.  I had watched its progress on Sylvia's facebook and to see it all completed and to enjoy sleeping in it was such a pleasure.

Becky and I were together almost 7 days and she was

wonderful to be with.  Thank you for your love and care, Becky! 

Sunday, we headed home to Becky's and from there, I came home, after 10 days of being away.  I am glad to be home.  It is strange for both John and I to be home together all day.   I managed to keep busy and now tomorrow, we will head back down to Chattanooga to see our kids.