Stop! I want to get off this ride

The past week has been crazy-back-to-back stuff and the time has passed by in fast-forward mode. Let’s go back to last Thursday.

Steve - Colorado Guy

Last Thursday – November 5th – my buddy Steve (Colorado Guy.com) drove into town. Tim and I took him out to dinner at Lin’s Garden. Steve love Chinese food. Steve was in town to attend his first-ever Razorback Football Game. Believe or not, Steve is a HUGE Razorback Fan. So, after dinner, Tim and I took Steve to the Hog Heaven Store at the local shopping mall. I believe he ended up buying 4 or 5 Razorback shirts and other items during his visit to Arkansas. We gave Steve a little tour of our town and then loaned him maps and hiking guides. He hiked the ‘Goat Trail’ the following day while Tim and I had to work. Long story short – Thursday was full. Up at 5:00 AM and didn’t get home until 10:00 PM or so.

Last Friday – November 6th – after working all day (again), my brother-in-law (Trent Mallett) arrived in town for the weekend. Trent’s nephew, Ryan Mallett is the quarterback for the Razorbacks this year and the family loves to watch him play.  Tim took Trent fishing over on the War Eagle River.    After I got home from work, we took Trent out to eat pizza at Johnny Brusco’s in Bentonville and then went to a local high school play-off football game. Well – the boys went. I went to Wal-Mart. Another day that was completely consumed by work and visiting family/friends.

Trent fishing on the War Eagle River

Last Saturday – November 7th – Razorback Football Game Day. Steve (Colorado Guy.com) and his buddy, Charles arrived at the house around 8:15 AM for pre-game pancakes. I think they were a little shocked that we had to leave so early for an 11:30 AM game kick-off time. But, by the time we drove down to Fayetteville, parked, rode the shuttle, visited with Mallett family tail-gating party, and climbed the ramps to the very top of the stadium, it was just about game time. We had great seats and perfect weather conditions. High 70’s and breezy. Can’t beat that with a stick! Razorback’s beat the South Carolina Gamecocks and need one more win to be bowl eligible. (We’re going again this weekend to watch the Hogs play Troy State.)

Steve, myself, and Charles

 

Parents of QB's (both teams) meet during tailgate party

View from our seats

Last Sunday – November 8th – Yard work. Lots and lots of yard work. I began blowing the leaves out of the flower beds onto the lawn and Tim ran over them with the mower to mulch them into the grass. The backyard was not that easy. My yard is a black hole that sucks every leaf in the neighborhood into our yard. I used the blower and blew all the leaves out of the flower beds. By the time I did that, I was knee deep in leaves in areas close to the house. So, I then used the vacuum attachment and mulched the leaves up, poured them into a big pile. This took all day. ALL DAY! Tim mowed. I mulched. My back will never be the same. Ever. Did I mention I did housework after working in the yard all day? I later tried to stay up and watch the PBR finals. My sister, Dauna, won a free trip to Las Vegas as the first round season winner of Fantasy PBR. She played against the second round season winner and she is the 2009 PBR Fantasy Champ! You can read more about it over on her blog.

Tim - taking a mowing break. Gus begging for ice. Check out the leaves!

Tim's idea of the perfect day.

This past Monday – November 9th – Tim took Friday, Monday, and Tuesday off and with Veteran’s Day (yesterday) he ended up with 6 days off in a row. He went fishing again. Where was I? Working. Again.

Tim - this is what makes him happy!

After work, we drove to Cassville, MO to watch our son-in-law’s football team win the first game of the play-offs. They were State Champs last year and we’re hoping for a repeat. Another day that I didn’t get home before 10:30 PM.

This past Tuesday – November 10th – Work and fell into bed by 8:30 PM. I needed some rest.
Yesterday – November 11th – Work, out to eat, Wal-Mart, home at 9:30 PM. Dang! I need some ‘west’ (name that movie).

As we round out this week, I’m preparing for the Mallett family to arrive for Saturday’s game. I still have to clean my house after work, do laundry, cook food, and try attend another play-off game for my son-in-law’s football team.
And, Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.

I think I may be getting too old for this lifestyle. Let me off this crazy ride. Vacation needed. Medic!

Lost Valley

To continue with the Lost Valley Hike from our Sunday outing.  Lost Valley is a beautiful trail in the Buffalo River National Park.  It isn’t a difficult hike at all and about 2.5 miles round trip. 

My only regret, that we didn’t visit the valley two weeks ago when the trees were still holding onto their leaves.  I bet it was gorgeous!

Clark Creek runs through the valley.

The upper part of Clark Creek runs through the rocks.

Literally runs through the rocks.  Above this point, behind this huge rock face is another area where Eden Falls pour down the mountain side.  I didn’t climb to Eden Falls this trip as my balance is still somewhat out of whack.

Looking down the creek while standing in front of the pool.

As we drove out of Ponca past Boxley Valley – the Elk were grazing in the fields.

The Elk are protected in this area.  They are really beautiful. 

The Buffalo River National Park is probably my favorite place to go on a day trip.  There are other places that are equally as beautiful and I hope to share them with you at some point.  Just have to find the time to get-out-there!

Happy Tuesday y’all – Starwoodgal. 

How to tame a husband.

Remember a few weeks ago I wrote about how my husband suffers from S.A.D.D.  – (seasonal affected depression disorder).  Well – he was just about to go nuts because it rained AGAIN most of this week.  However, Saturday and Sunday it was beautiful.  He had to work Saturday morning, but we went to the Razorback Homecoming game Saturday night.  Hogs won 60 something to 20 something.   And, yesterday – ‘he just had to do something outside’.  I suggested we rake up the leaves that have covered the entire patio, but that was a no go.  So we headed over to Boxley Valley along the Buffalo River National Park.  We had a much earlier fall color peak this year and most of the trees had already dropped their leaves. (Remember my patio is buried.)   But with all the water we’ve had this week, we knew the many waterfalls in the area would be flowing and decided we’d take in a few short hikes. 

Our first stop was in Ponca, Arkansas.   Ponca is a very small community, but there are a couple of river outfitters there and cabins available for rent throughout the year.  We usually put our canoe in the water here at the Ponca low water bridge.  Thursday of this past week it was the ‘covered with water bridge’ as we had lots of rain on Thursday.  Here’s a view of the Buffalo River – taken from the low water bridge.

After watching kayak and canoe paddlers leave the bridge, we drove down to Steel Creek just in time to watch a few of those paddler pass by.

Bluffs at Steel Creek.

Looking down river – Steel Creek.

We drove down to Mt. Sherman and the Kyle’s Landing road.  Camp Orr (Boy Scouts of America) access turns off of this very bumpy and steep road.  My husband attended boy scout camp many, many, MANY years ago at Camp Orr.  The Twin Falls (actually triple) are very easy to get to and access is just past the entrance to Camp Orr.

Trail to Twin Falls.

See the falls through the trees?

See – really three falls, but they still call it Twin Falls at Camp Orr.

We went on two short hikes Sunday.  Our second hike was a revisit to Lost Valley Trail.  I’ll post those tomorrow.  Needless to say – Tim got his ‘outdoor’ fix yesterday.  The weather was perfect.  He spent yesterday evening snoring on the sofa.  I guess I wore him out hiking.  Ha!

Y’all have a great Monday. 

Starwoodgal