LAKE OUACHITA, ARKANSAS

Wow... what a wild ride.  As we were preparing to leave Greer's Ferry Lake when the camp host came by and informed us the park was closing. Then we learned that all Government Parks and Campgrounds we closing due to the Government shutdown. Oh no... that shot our plans out of the sky. The only thing we could do was head down south to the Ouachita Lake and the Hwy 27 Fishing Village. Even though the park is just outside of the fishing village it was made by and is advertise as an Army Corps campground but it is privately own by the owner of the fishing village. The corps owns the land but it is run and maintained by the owner of the village due to his winning a lawsuit. So he had to lower his fees to match theirs and he has to honor the Senior Passport. This card is what we use to get the rates at half price. We came straight down to this park and were the first here but it has since started filling up. I don't know if it is local fishermen  or full time campers like ourselves. I tend to think most are local.

I have not been able to get on the internet because of poor reception... and I mean very poor...1 bar..no bar. But I was able to get a couple of emails out. We have no telephone reception... no how...no way. So please forgive the slowness of my writing the blog. Also, I cannot upload but a very few photos if any.

We are about twenty plus miles from Mt. Ida, and about twelve or so from Story, Arkansas.  Mt. Ida is known for their quartz crystals. It is where we have always come to get our crystals.  I absolutely love the energy here. It is so nurturing and healing for mind, body, and soul. But I am not sure I want to winter here because it gets cold... ice and snow country.  Guess that depends on what the government does.

I have been busy harvesting chestnuts and roasting them. There are three large trees that are loaded. The deer hit them at night and we hit them during the day. And there are still plenty on the ground... a bumper crop. They have to be dried before they can be stored. That is a chore but worth the work. Phil had his first taste of fresh chestnuts and he is hooked...lol. I really don't mind as he is helping with the collecting of them and putting them up.

This photo is the view that we have in front of us.  I took it the day we arrived...

This is the same area but I was standing just pass the bench in the above photo. It was taken the next morning...

 

Directly across the lake lives an American Bald Eagle. I just happened to have my camera in hand when he started harassing the herons. What you don't see in the photo are the two bluejays that were harassing him lol...

 

I love this photo of Phil fishing from the bank...

 

Except for the park needing  to be mowed the area is beautiful and serene. We are on the west side of the lake. On the east side is Hot Springs.  This is a large lake and my photos only show this tiny area...

 

 

And here is a photo of our campsite. We sit on a bluff with the lake a few feet below us...

 

Even though we feel chained to this area until there is a "change" in the government.... we are still dancing.... Hope that you are too...

 

KEEP ON DANCING

LAST DAY HERE AT GREER'S FERRY LAKE, AR.

Once again we start our packing so  we can move to the next campground. We are moving to the Kennedy Park just outside Heber Springs, Ar. It is on Collins Creek which flows into the lake. We decided against Dam Site Park which is directly on Greers Ferry Lake. That too, is a pretty park but the Kennedy Park is right beside the fish hatchery. Which means there are lots of big trout in the creek. This photo shows a few...

 

When we first arrived here two weeks ago I found this baby watermelon growing at the campsite next to us...

 

 

I watched it grow into a nice looking melon but then the mowers came and killed it.. I cut it open and found that it was just starting to turn pink. What a waste...

Phil took his boat out to get his trot lines in. I was standing out in the water when I glance up to see this boat coming straight at him...

 

I am happy to say that the boat slowed down and turned slightly to miss him and he came back safely to shore...

 

 Poor little SuYang thinks she has to get into the water every time I do. She swam out to where I was standing then turned and went back to shore. This is her standing waiting on me to come back to land. She is getting to where she loves the  water so I will have to watch that she stays out of it come this winter...

 

 

We had a storm blow in and it rained some. Supposed to be more rain all this week...

The yellow has given way to golds, browns, and reds and the trees are so beautiful to behold...

 

I took this next photo when I was standing in the water taking the photo of Phil and his boat...

 

There are some trees that have just begun their color change within the park. They did not start their display as soon as those close to our area did. I find that interesting...

 

 I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this tree stump covered in fungus mushrooms... they formed a heart!... What a rare sight to see!...

 

Phil is really becoming a Grill Master and I am getting spoiled lol.

So, as this day ends we close everything down and we get ready to travel the highway tomorrow. The weather report says it could be stormy tomorrow but...

 

NO MATTER HOW WILD THE RIDE

 

 REMEMBER WE JUST...

WHAT A DAY!

OMG.... it's my birthday...

I thought it was going to be one of those days that I should just go back to bed and I wondered why I even got out of it...

 

My bike stopped working, my family had forgotten me, and nothing was going right. After a couple of hours I gave up hope and decided that it was nothing more than another day in my life. This day was going to be whatever I made of it. So I put on a smile...said my morning prayers...

 

Then Phil gave me a big birthday hug (he had already given me an early present) and he begin working on my bike...

 

 

It wasn't long until my daughter called to wish me a happy birthday and to chat.  She is such a sweetheart and I love her dearly... This is photo taken of her and Tim...

 

 

Here is my favorite photo of her and our granddaughter (Tona) taken years ago. Tona is now a grown woman with children of her own...

 

 

 

While talking with her on the phone I receive an email that was a real surprise and really made my day. Because of a computer crash I had lost touch with my younger sister (Pat).  I was thrilled to hear from her to say the least. Was also surprised to learn that she found me when she googled my name it directed her to this blog...

 

 

Because of family and friends this turned out to be the best birthday ever... I love my life and I know that I am blessed. I dance with Angels...

 

I pray that you too dance with Angels and it is a dance of joy....

 

KEEP ON DANCING



 

 

AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR

Hello again. There isn't much going on with us. Phil is putting in the new holding tank. He has had to do a "make it fit" with it. Meanwhile, I have started another plastic bag rug. I try everyday to get out on the bike and enjoy the autumn changes taken place. The trees are changing from yellow to red.... gorgeous to behold.

 

A couple of days ago Phil and I ran into these two men playing washers.  It is a game something like horseshoes. They explained how it is played.  Seems you try to get  the washer into a little bucket sitting inside the wooden box to get a point. There is a hook on the lid and if you get your washer to stay on it, then you get an automatic win. We had fun watching them play and talking with them. They were really nice.

 

 

Later I watched Phil using his cast net to catch minnows for bait fish. Although he caught some he didn't go fishing lol.

 

 

They have a unique playground here in this park. This is a big plastic ship for the children to play on. While out riding yesterday I stopped and watched to children playing pirates... I loved it. They were having a great time pretending to be raiding pirates with treasure aboard. As I watched they made a imaginary man walk the plank. Hid a treasure chest and battled a shark to get it on shore. They were having a great time...

The far side of the park has just about emptied of people so I ride over there to meditate and watch the critters. That is where I found this little foxy lady... a fox squirrel...

I also spotted this box turtle. He didn't like me at all. When I moved he hissed. I noticed he has tiny puncture marks on his shell. Maybe, that was the reason he had an attitude. Don't believe the saying that turtles are slow... this little guy could move out pretty fast... which he did...

 

 

I haven't seen any honey bees on the flowers here. But there are butterflies and bumble bees pollinating the plants...

 

Although this hummingbird was really too far away to get a good picture.  I did grab a quick shot of him for Ida...

 

Well... here it is that time of the ending of the day and this edition of the blog.

 

 

Find your beat...and

 KEEP ON DANCING

 

MOTHER NATURE IS WEARING HER SUNDAY BEST

The weekend has arrived and the park is filling fast. There is going to be a fishing tournament and I expect even more people will show up. It has rained all day today but is supposed to clear tomorrow. Should be noisy around here with all the boats coming and going. Guess we will stick close to home this weekend.

I found a photo taken just before arriving here. Not sure where it was taken. It is an old manure spreader, an old milk jug, with some geese decoys. I do remember it was in a person's front yard. Manure spreaders were used to fertilize the gardens and pastures years ago...

 

Our first day here at this park there was a flock of wild Canadian geese that flew in. Most landed right in front near the swimming area but a few came in next to us. They are very wild and weary of any movement. I managed to stand on the patio and get one photo. Once they spotted the girls the whole flock flew away...

 

  

Here are a couple more barn scenes that I found that I had over looked during my last posting...

 

This next old faded barn almost looks like a house. The only reason I say it is a barn is the big double door ...

 

Small home and large barn that have fell on hard times...

 

 Really not sure what this building shell was. There is a road coming down off the hill as you can tell. Maybe someone removed the tin off the barn. Or could be it was never finish. Fun to try to guess it's story... Barn, house, shop, or what? Your guess is as good as mine. 

Here are some photos taken of the autumn colors that are showing around the park... Mother Nature is starting her show...

 

 What a color show it is...

 

 Took this next photo standing near the swim beach looking back at our campsite...

 

This next one is a cypress tree on the beach...

While I was taking the fall color shots I let the girls run and play.  They had a blast running here and there checking out stuff...

 

But all things come to an end. This was my last photo of the day as we left the swim beach behind us...

But tomorrow is another day. The inner song we each have will once again animate us to dance to the beat of our hearts. And once again we begin our dance with the Angels...

 

DANCE ON...