Scenes of the Season

Thinking about leaf-peeping and sweeping views, we traveled up to Mt. Magazine State Park this week. It is the highest point in Arkansas and there's a very pretty new lodge on top of the mountain. To get there, we drove about three hours along 2-lane back roads past rolling pastures and tiny towns. The drive was fun, but when we reached the lodge, we found that the views were blanketed with fog, the trees were practically bare, and the weather was bitter cold. And thus we learned that November is a terrible time to visit Mt. Magazine. Oh well. In the spring, we'll go back up there for the views.

Luckily, we had anticipated the cold, and bundled up well enough to hike the foggy trails. It was actually quite beautiful - and quiet - almost like a medieval forest, nothing stirring except ourselves. The lodge was quiet, too. Restful and warm.


Katie hosted the most amazing holiday dinner party last night in Perryville. She served up one of her own turkeys, plus a spread of side dishes and desserts that would make Martha Stewart blush - all with a toddler at her knees trying to 'help' or needing a snack or getting into some kind of trouble. Life is way more complicated - and fun - now that Honey is walking.

More than twenty people turned up to appreciate Katie's handiwork, and we all ate ourselves silly. It was a warm, delicious evening. Good job, Katie!



I hope that all my friends enjoy a warm and delicious holiday, too, wherever you are.