Arkansas Style WHITE Christmas!

Never in all my life have I had a white Christmas. This year I drove to my son Tom and his wife's home to celebrate Christmas. Little did we expect to be given a great white Christmas. We had a great time too. Food was just great, and the treats were fun to eat. Cheese balls, and crackers, cookies, fudge, and other fattening things I should not have been eating. Oh well, it was Christmas for Heaven Sakes!

 When it snows, it GOES! Actually, it snowed like this for at least 2 hours, maybe more.

 You couldn't make out my car hardly. At least 6 inches of snow on the hood. And everyone says it hardly ever snows here.

 Tom and Ashley's home. Very nice little neighborhood.

 Snow ball fight anyone?

 Here is my Arkansas family enjoying the snow. It was a lot of fun for all.

 This is the back yard of my home in Cherokee Village. Snowed pretty good here as well.

 Take my picture, fast! It is COLD out here.

 Looking to the north of the back yard.

 Looking to the south of the back yard.

 Snow, snow, snow.

 Not much traffic this after noon.

 All this white stuff was new to Aedan. But he had fun with it!

 Looking out the north side of the front porch.

South side of the front porch.

Random Photos

I want to add a few random pictures to add some color to our Mission here in Arkansas. We are located in the Ozarks. I don't remember visiting the Ozarks specifically with my family as a child, but I was aware of it by name. I had in fact traveled through Arkansas on several occasions (via I-40), but never taken time to visit there. Here are some random pictures I want to share.

Downtown Historic Hardy Arkansas.

 Kathy Bassham's Pudding. YUM.

 Hillbilly U-Pump Gas Station. I got a kick out of this, and it was the only one I have seen.

 Kathy has purchased several quilts while we have been here. This one is all hand sewn, and we found it in a antique shop in Hardy, Arkansas.

 This quilt was bought from the Quilt Palace in Glencoe, Arkansas. It is a newly machine sewn quilt.

Memphis Tennessee Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple.

 I am always being given hand made items like this bottle of salsa from the Buchanan's.

 We have several Amish families north of Salem, AR (Last count was 8), and Kathy wanted me to take a picture of her in one of their buggies. She was extremely interested in these people, and their customs. This is a vegetable stand where you can purchase lots of fresh veggies.

 This is a map of Lake Chanute, in Cherokee Village, AR. We live here. This community was created as a retirement planned community. The current population is 4600 people. If it would have been filled to it's entirety, the community could have had (in my personal estimation) more than 50000 people. It just never took off, and a large majority of the homes here are sitting unoccupied.

 Our lifetime friends Tom and Kelly Craig came to visit for a couple of days.

 I counted 8 deer in Bob Bassham's front yard as I drove up to the house. Somewhere in there was a Buck!

 I know, I know, Thanksgiving is past now. I sure wish I could have bagged one of these, and cooked it for that day. Fact is, I never got close enough to catch one with my bare hands!

 We visited Blanchard Springs Cavern's which are located near Mountain View, AR. It was really interesting, as I have never been in a cavern before. The stalactites, and stalagmites were colorful, and plentiful. Which one is which? 'Mites are the ones on the bottom.

 This formation looked like a city.

 

 More beautiful, colorful formations.

 Kathy behind the sign at the cavern site.

More formations.

 Downtown Mountain View, AR. This is Moo Moo's yogurt bar. YUM!

Elder Gregory, Elder Hernandez, and Elder Clement in front of the Arkansas Little Rock Mission Office, located in the North Little Rock Stake Center. Elder Gregory was our District Leader, and a very good one at that! I am impressed with the maturity of these men, and their devotion to the work here in Arkansas.