Hocomo

On Monday of our vacation we stayed pretty close to Mom's house as we were pretty worn out from the long drive and then the long day Sunday exploring Boxley Valley. We slept in a little and I asked Mom to show me again the old school where my Grandpa attended first grade. I knew the approximate vicinity but could not remember exactly how to get there.





The last time I visited the school we took photos from the road as the owner of the property had fenced in the school. This time we decided to venture a bit closer and walked up the owner's driveway for a closer look. As we approached the fence with our cameras the farmer, on his tractor, shouted to us that we were welcome to go through his gate and into the pasture for a closer look! We didn't hesitate and headed to the gate.



I'm afraid the building may not stand many more years and was happy to capture some shots of it.


My mom standing in the door:
 


Nearby there is also an old spring house that was surrounded by some pretty fall colors:


I'm very thankful that my husband will generally stop when I yell "stop" so that I can simply step out of the car for a photo. He doesn't always know what I've spotted but if possible stops anyway. That day, one of my favorite photos of the trip was snapped:

Boxley Valley

After our hike in the "Lost Valley" we drove around in Boxley Valley looking for the elk that  are seen reguarly along the roadside. As we waited and drove we stopped for photos:

















And Finally, the ELK!!!









I had never before seen elk in the wild and had never heard one bugle except on tv. What an amazing experience and sound. Now I understand the lines of cars with people stopped on the roadside, watching, waiting, cameras ready. What a beautiful beautiful place!

Boxley Valley: The Hike in Lost Valley

It was a beautiful walk through the woods, to the natural bridge, crawling up over huge rocks, up to the waterfall that with recent drought provided just a trickle, on to the cave at the end...and back down.

Heather and Marty walking the trail:





All the gals paused along the trail on a fallen log over the creek:




An old hollow tree that appears to have been burned. Each of the kids took turns standing inside the remains for a photo. Heather:




My niece Nicole:





Heather, my sister Lacey, my niece Nicole and my mom walking together:





My cousin's daughter Lea looks so tiny below the massive rocks!





Heading up over the natural bridge to the waterfall on the other side.




Just too funny not to snap



Up up and up the trail climbed





Just outside of the natural bridge the view was stunning. Straight up rock bluffs all around.

Wordless Wednesday

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Boxley Valley, AR

After our detour in Cotter, Arkansas we proceeded onward toward Boxley Valley. The hills and valleys were breathtaking! Just before we reached our destination all 3 cars in our group stopped above the valley to see the panoramic view. The beauty and the colors literally brought tears to my eyes. It had been so long since I'd seen vivid fall colors and I was in awe of the beauty God created for us to enjoy.

Cotter, AR

Last week my family and I traveled to West Plains, MO to spend a week of vacation with my extended family. We stayed with my mom and step dad in the home where I was raised. Trips back home always bring back so many childhood memories! I love the Ozarks and find beauty in so many places so close to Mom's home.

Mom and I made many plans for places to see throughout the week. She and I have long loved to take walks, enjoy nature, and of course take photos!

We arrived on Saturday with a big family get-together on Saturday night (photos and post to come soon!). Sunday most of the family decided to join us to travel to Boxley Valley, Arkansas. Mom had told me of a valley where she had hiked to a waterfall and watched elk. She thought it would be beautiful with the fall leaves turning colors. She was so right!

On the drive to Boxley, not far into our journey, we stopped just outside Cotter, AR to enjoy a pretty view. We all decided to take a closer look and drove down to the bridge we could see. My sister and her husband knew the area well and led the way.







We ventured up onto the train tracks for more photos...


.....and then down the tracks to the tunnel we could see in the distance. Of course not one of us was brave enough to cross the bridge so we climbed back down, drove back across the river to a campground where my sister Regina knew the way to the tunnel on the other side.


My daughter Heather and my husband Marty:




The view from inside the tunnel:



Silhouette of my mom:

Autumn Road Trip

I'm sure you've made plans for a day with your family and along with it had high expectations for a great outing! We've all been there....and then to just have the day spiral completely out of control and nothing goes accoring to plan. Saturday was like that. I can laugh about it now but at the time, as my friend Bill would say, The MAD FAMILY takes a trip!

What a day! I had the day worked out in my head that we'd all get up early and head to Lost Maples Park to see fall colors, take some family photos and head home, arriving in time for Heather to attend a youth event. Do you see yet where I'm headed with this? We didn't leave the house until 2 HOURS after I'd planned to be gone, leaving us much less time to accomplish all I wanted. Remind me not to make plans for my family to get up early on a Saturday morning for a while....And of course we couldn't just hit the road and get to our destination. I had to stop to buy sunglasses because I've broken YET ANOTHER PAIR, and who can be out in the bright sunlight without shades?? Not me! Then of course we had to stop for snacks because I was starving and hadn't eaten breakfast. Then, what was supposed to be a 2 hour trip turned into THREE hours and then a one hour wait before we could even pull off the highway onto the park road. Traffic was so backed up.











It seems the fall colors are abundant in the Hill Country this year and EVERYONE was out to see them at Lost Maples and this weekend was the peak weekend to see all the colors. After we made our way to a parking space we waited in line for what seemed another eternity, and probably was close to another hour, to even buy our permits to enter the park. By this time we knew there was no way we'd have Heather back home in time for her youth event...and we had no cell service to even call anyone to let them know she wouldn't be there. (Having no cell service was enough to put Heather in a fowl mood--no more texting her friends--let alone the fact that she'd miss her fun evening plans)






I had high expectations of seeing fabulous fall colors everywhere after hearing all the excited conversations going on around me while I waited in line to buy permits. Everyone was talking about how the colors have never been as vibrant or abundant as they are this year and how if there are colorful leaves at all, it only happens about every 3 years. I also heard someone say the lines have never been like they were Saturday. Imagine that! So, even if we'd decided to leave and wait until next weekend to return the chances are likely that the leaves will have already fallen by then. So, we stayed.






Even though I know Texas fall colors are never like the fall colors I'm familiar with from growing up in the Missouri Ozarks, after hearing all the buzz about this year's colors all around me, my expectations grew for what we'd see in the park. Although what I did see I'm sure is spectacular for all these Texans, this girl; who is accustomed to seeing rolling hill after rolling hill covered in so many spectacular, vivid colors; was disappointed. Yes, I saw a great park with wonderful views, etc. Yes, I saw many trees dressed in reds, oranges, and yellows. But, nothing like what an autumn day in Missouri can be. Despite that, I did get some shots of pretty fall colors, even in Texas! Who'd a thunk it??!!