Janice M Cali
New Roof and Arkansas
The Mountains of Arkansas
Last week was a very expensive one for me. After all the torrential rains we've been having my roof finally gave out. Now mind you that roof wasn't all that old, had cost more than a couple of $$$ and now it needed replacing. That was more than a shock. $6500.00 to replace a nine year old roof, that should have lasted 15 to 20 years. This would be the third or fourth, depending on how you look at it (I'm not going to explain now maybe later).
But, on the good side I got to take a nice long day trip. Jerry and I decided to go up to the Ozarks, just over in Arkansas and, you'll never believe it, Oklahoma.
Remember I'm the pessimist in this group so looking at the good side of anything is very unlike me, but I am. I believe that this is a good thing, it's going to save me some very costly ceiling repairs, repairs to the walls, etc. So a new roof is a good thing.
And, because I didn't want to be here the whole time they were roofing I ran away to the Ozarks and got some really nice pictures which is today's reason for me writing this blog.
Below are some of the pictures I took while we were in the mountains. Please remember the Ozarks are some of the oldest mountain ranges in the Continental USA and therefore are not the highest, most dramatic in the country, they are merely some of the most beautiful.
The first photo, above, is of the mountains of Arkansas and in the distance, Oklahoma. Some people mistake these for the Smokies but in reality they are the beginning of the Ozarks. Imagine the distant mountains are at least 100 miles away.
Mountain Lake
I love the mountain lake. It is in a state park, Queen Wilhelmina State Park to be precise. This is a lovely state park with a great lodge at the top of one of the mountains. It was so nice, a restaurant in the lodge with an overview of the surrounding mountains. The lodge is open year round and I can just imagine how nice it would be to sit outside wrapped in warm clothes with a hot toddy just watching snow come down and the silence that snow brings. Then going inside and sitting by the large stone fireplace. It's a dream and maybe it will come true this winter. I'm going to save up for that trip.
The Trees, though bare, have a great view
This was a strangely enticing scene. Not the best photograph of the lot but this is how the trees now look. One reason is all the rain we've been having in this area, it has washed most of the leaves off the trees so the color is mostly gone. Until you look back at the mountain and the roads.
Amazing Arkansas Stick Bugs
As we were driving off the mountain we stopped to take some pictures and at this one pull off there was this wood seat, well it had been, and there was a whole bunch of stick bugs. These are the most amazing bugs, designed to impersonate sticks on trees or the ground. The female is the largest of the bugs and the males considerably smaller. What we came upon and photographed was a mating of stick bugs. There were about five smaller male bugs and one large female. It was amazing, funny and at the same time lovely. The bugs are fantastic to view and finally only the two were left.
As we got ready to leave the romantic stick bugs, a stink bug came over the top of the wood the others were on as if to say, “what the hell do you think you're doing down there? There are people watching!.” He was a very judgmental stink bug. Unfortunately I didn't get a good picture of the stink bug or I'd put it in here too.
Judgemental Stink Bug
Finally, as we were leaving the mountains I looked back and saw the road, with the glorious colors that fall brings. I was able to imagine the colors as they had been about a week before. Unfortunately the previous week was a rainy one so I wouldn't have been able to see the the colors in the glory of their light with the sun shining down on them. Maybe next year.
Arkansas Fall Road
As we drove off, there was this through the window. Not a great photo but the mountains saying good bye.
Good bye Sunset
