The image below appeared yesterday morning on a Facebook page I follow, “Backroads of Arkansas.” Reportedly it was captured Friday evening, “just east of Yellville.”
Originally I thought it might’ve been taken from a rise on the north side of US 62/412, two miles from The Mountain. But on closer examination, I realized that it’s the driveway of one of my closest neighbors. He’s off the county road, about 200 feet lower in elevation, and we have the same view to the west.
As if Nature wanted to gently remind Ozarkansans that springtime isn’t always balmy, at sunup Saturday the temperature was 48°F. We won’t ditch our jackets quite yet.
My precocious Redneck Malinois kept me warm. Smudge has taken to coming up next to me in the early morning hours, placing a forepaw on my chest so that she’ll know when I stir.
She and Scout let me sleep past dawn yesterday, which was a gift. We took care of routine business before I settled into a chair with my coffee.
I was antsy, and it wasn’t the caffeine. I felt the need to get crackin’, to accomplish something as soon as possible. And I had just the chore in mind.
I dumped the camper’s waste-water tanks for the last time.
That won’t relieve me of performing regular maintenance, of course, but now I can leave the gray valve open and declare victory over the balky black.
(Okay, it’s not balky — it’s freakin‘ broken.)
My daily USPS Informed Delivery e-mail said that I had a package waiting at the post office. As before, I wasn’t expecting anything.
It was the excuse I needed to get out and get after things I’d deferred long enough.
First, the package… a dear friend, having seen my post showing a made bed in the cabin, decided that I needed bed linens that are clean and free of previous attachments — that is, they’re mine. In the box was a sheet set and a bedspread with two pillow shams and two new pillows.
The linens’ design riffs on buffalo plaid (my favorite), with woodsy touches like pine trees, black bears, and bear pawprints. I’ve waited all my life to sleep on (and under) something this perfectly me. Thanks to my generous friend, now I will.
After the post office, I stopped at the smoke shop and then dropped by the weekly Yellville farmers’ market. I bought a small bag of cookies for a morning treat, as well as jerky and homemade salsa from Ozark Red’s Farm just outside of town.
On to Mountain Home and Home Depot, where I picked up a half-sheet of half-inch plywood and an eight-foot 2×3 — that’s all, enough for two simple projects I expect to knock out today. Stay tuned.
The first order of business when I got home was unpacking the new bedding and getting that laundry going. It was just one load in the washer (sheets), but three in the dryer (fluff new pillows, dry sheets, de-wrinkle bedspread and pillow shams with a damp bath towel). That took a few hours.
You didn’t think I was into this, or that I even knew how, did you? I am, I do, and it’s great to be doing it for myself again.
I think the new bedding looks great. Eventually I’ll add a black 18-inch skirt, if only to discourage the dogs.
Later, I took a bunch of measurements and did a lot of triple-checking in preparation for today’s work. Truth is, it won’t be that complicated. I just don’t want to mess up.
When the woman behind the counter at the Yellville post office handed me my parcel yesterday morning, I told her it was an unexpected gift. I said that I’ve been surprised and humbled by friends’ generosity lately.
“You embrace that,” she said, smiling warmly. “Embrace it. These people are blessed by blessing you.”
Life is so very good.
I intentionally took time to think about that yesterday — the total absence of stress, gloom, and other killjoys.
I consider, I choose, and I act.
And I approve.
It’s simple. It’s easy. It’s good.
Yes, a distasteful process lies ahead. But it casts a shadow over my todays only if I allow it to — and I don’t.
It’s great to be here.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable