When you open yourself up to life, Life opens up to you!: Into To Arkansas

September 7 – 13, 2021

Out of Oklahoma and into Arkansas we go. The environment slowly changing, more trees and mountains as we enter the Ozarks. I'm not sure how to express this but there was a shift inside me. I felt lighter, a contentment I didn't know was missing filled me. When we stopped at a rest area for lunch, we took a walk around and it hit me. I knew these mountains and these trees, no not these in particular but the nature of these. They were familiar, they were of the east, they spoke to my soul and I didn't realize how much I missed them till then. Large leafed oaks, maples, hickory, I could easy name the trees as I saw them, the mountains were as I know them in my heart. I was home.

The west is beautiful but it has a harder, more rugged feel. The immense-ness that is the Rockies, Cascades, and Olympias, can be overwhelming. The desert is fascinating but hard, dry, arid, with it's gray green colors of creosote and desert sage bushes, starkness that goes on for miles and the sharpness of cacti. The flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest, many are the same as the East Coast but bigger, denser, with evergreens that seem to go on forever. Incredible beauty all of it, and I look forward to going back and experiencing so much more of it. For now I breath differently, my soul sings: I am home.

Our first stop in Arkansas was in Russellville:

Lake Dardenelle State Park. Wow, did we pick a good one. What a beautiful park. We were lucky enough to score a site right on the water's edge, actually we were first to be a different site, upon checking in we asked if any of the lake front sites opened up. Lo and behold, there had been a cancellation just an hour before we got there! Oh this is going to be a nice relaxing stay. Lovely walkway along the lake, great roads for biking, even a short trail for hiking. The staff so friendly, the visitor center large with a store, huge aquarium with fish from local area, and nature center, boat rentals, marina, playgrounds, large sites, and clean facilities.

Wonderfully wooded and that lake, what a lake. 34,000 acres of beauty. A boater's dream. Several Red
Headed Woodpeckers played in the trees around our site, this was a first sighting for me. Striking birds with that bright red head and large white patch on tail feathers. Two great herons liked to fish in front of us, you want to talk patience, watch herons fish. Many other birds can be found there and the park is a designated as an Audubon Bird Area.

Once again one we would be quick to come back to. We seem to do well with state parks.

After a rejuvenation 4 days, we headed over to Shirley, AR. and a very different campground;

Golden Pond RV Park. Golden Pond is one of the campgrounds that is used primarily for long term

RVers, working in the area. A bit long in the tooth, needing a good amount of sprucing up. Not quite neglected just run down, managed by an older couple who would rather sit on the front porch of the office, jawing with whomever stopped by. There was a small pond with a trail to walk, wouldn't exactly call it golden, maybe if you squinted in certain lighting, LOL For those of you who saw the movie Golden Pond with Henry and Jane Fonda, nope not that Golden Pond. Hahaha. It did have a cafe on site but we decided not to partake. One of the best parts were the goats! They had several goats, a small fish pond with waterfall, an above ground pool heated by a wood burning stove (now that's different), and a sweet friendly dog. It worked for the weekend.