Sunday morning we all got up and began the final task of putting everything back in suitcases and making sure we weren't leaving anything behind at Mom's. (Despite double checking everything, we always leave something!)
Mom and Jerry decided to follow us as far as Heber Springs, Arkansas on our trip back to Texas so they could show us the Trumpet Swans that migrate there each year.
As we left Mom's; Marty, Heather and I made a quick stop 1/2 mile up the road to say goodbye to Grandpa. Not knowing if I'll ever see him again made this a hard stop. The last trip we made to Missouri back in the spring, Grandpa told me then it would probably be the last time I saw him. He was wrong. This time he was much more optimistic, telling me, "next time you see me, I'll be another year older." I didn't stay long because I knew I was about to cry and didn't want Grandpa to see me cry. As I closed his front door and stepped onto his sidewalk the tears fell and the memories came rushing back: memories of all the cousins chasing each other round and round the yard; the time one Easter Sunday when Grandma found a rotten egg and tossed it out the door, only to have it land on me! Who knew a front yard could hold so many memories for so many people! I will save most of these memories for another post. There are plenty as I spent almost as much time with Grandma and Grandpa as I did at home.
While I stopped at Grandpa's, Mom and Jerry stopped to pick up Mom's cousin JoAn to take to Arkansas too. We're all photography buffs and Mom knew she'd love another opportunity to photograph the swans. For Christmas, JoAn has given me a subscription to a photography magazine!
When we were almost to Heber Springs the road ran along the top of a dam and I wanted to stop! There was nowhere to pull over on the dam so I quickly called Mom on her cell phone and said, "We're pulling over. I want to walk back across the dam for pictures." She told me if we drove all the way back to the other side we could pull into the John F. Kennedy memorial park and there is a lookout point over the dam there. So we did, and there's a view of the dam, but not of the water and valley below the dam, which is what I wanted to photograph. So, back across the dam we drove to park at the end and Mom, JoAn and I walked back to take pictures leaving the rest to wait in the car (they chose not to go with us for some reason). JoAn tired of the long trek back so Mom and I continued on alone. It was worth it. The view was breathtaking!
The view of the dam from the lookout.
A glimpse of the river from the lookout.
Views from the top of the dam:
How awesome to watch the birds flying below me!
I zoomed in close on the churning waters far below.
Mom as she photographs the view.
When we got back to the car and the rest of our family, we found a rock perfect for posed pictures! This is my mom.
Next up: the Trumpet Swans!
