LITTLE ROCK — We had some lovely sunny days this week with temperatures in the 80’s but cooler, windy weather arrived on the weekend. The neighborhood is getting slicked up as the field north of our house and the yard up at the corner have been mowed this week. We still have several iris blooming and the bright yellow border plant adds a welcome touch of color around the front porch. The mock orange on the north fence and the wisteria on the cellar have begun to blossom and scent the air with their pleasing fragrance. The peonies have opened too, adding their beauty to the scene.

We’ve had a number of interesting activities this week. We met at the library early Tuesday afternoon for a photo of our J.G.T. Club donation. That was followed by our monthly library commission meeting where we conducted several items of business. We honored commission member Eda Montag with a “going to the dogs” theme and made final plans for our book sale and hamburger fry. We enjoyed a tasty supper of fajita strips in creamy mushroom soup served with egg noodles.

Niece Laura came in for a visit Wednesday morning and stayed until her mother came to pick her up for a shopping trip. After she left I went out and made calls on several businesses, selling hamburger fry tickets. I found a few bargains at some of my stops and purchased a couple of books, a tote bag for a friend and a new pair of cowboy boots for my little great-niece. When Jim came in from work that evening we took his pickup out to nephew Dustan’s house so he could replace the brake booster. I took the boots and they brought a sparkle to his daughter’s eyes.

Thursday morning I picked up a watch I had taken in for repair and sold several more hamburger fry tickets. I joined friends for the chicken and noodle luncheon at the museum.We had a good visitand enjoyed the delicious meal. It was job shadowing day and grandson A. J. went to work with Jim in Bentonville. I went up and visited with Joe, Heather and the grandkids while Jim went to a meeting that evening.

I worked at the office a few hours Friday morning while Jim mowed the yard and used the weedeater. He was tilling the garden when I came home and when he finished that job we made a trip to Siloam and did a little shopping. We stopped in Gentry on our way home to pick up fried chicken, fried okra and potato wedges for our supper. Aunt Mary called that evening to tell us Uncle Holland had heart bypass surgery that day but was doing well.

We purchased fishing licenses Saturday morning and drove into the country after breakfast where Jim repaired a couple of lights. We picked up grandson A. J. and his friend Travis in early afternoon and took them to the city lake in Sulphur Springs for a few hours of fishing. We didn’t catch any fish but we enjoyed listening to the birds and watching the ducks and geese swimming nearby. Four fluffy goslings snatched at blades of grass, dragonflies hovered over the water and tadpoles and minnows were visible near the bank.

We made a trip to Southwest City Sunday morning, then I fried sausage patties and cooked eggs for breakfast. We had a brief visit with Joe and the kids, saw his completed porch railing and Jim watched a golf tournament when we returned. Brother Richard came up that evening to bring Mama a pot of petunias and a Mother’s Day card. We had a good visit and he ate supper and spent the night with us, returning home Monday morning. A nice rain moved in after nightfall and watered the garden.

-Susan Holland

Susan Holland, who works for the News Herald, is a lifelong Benton County resident.

News, Pages 4 on 05/13/2010