There they were, covering the ground like thousands of tannish-brown worms. Earlier the pin oak tree had spewed tons, gobs, buckets full of green pollen that coated the car, windshield and all. And then the huge tree, which was about five feet tall when planted a half century ago, began the blossom shedding process -- hence the wormy mess that tracks into the house like so many stick-tights.
Does this mean a bumper crop, many tons of acorns this fall, competing with the sweet gum tree which always, almost always, is worth several gnashings of teeth as its spiny seed pods litter the yard during the long winter months?
Ah, yes. Complaint time is over. Instead the beauty of green leaves, the shade provided and the oxygen such trees add to the air more than compensate for those other seasonal expectations.
Ah, yes. Now it's time to change gears and offer a big thank you to ASH&TD. What's that, you say? It's a thank you to the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department for the 6-mile strip of fresh, smooth pavement recently installed from Spavinaw Creek Bridge on Highway 59 north to Sulphur Springs. Thanks again, ASH&TD.
There are many other topics that could fill the inches of the 'Cuff this week, gardens being planted, lawnmowers that won't start, thoughts of graduation by this year's crop of seniors as that long expected achievement is recognized. Look out, world ... they're ready to take over.
And the week can't go by without a mention or two of the current political season. Current might be an an appropriate word to describe it, a roaring, dangerous, destructive river of name calling, pouting, demanding, liar accusations and charges of illegal, crooked, cheated, disgusting phrases, some of which do not deserve mentioning here. Oh yes, there is one other phrase that pours from candidate lips: "I'm the one who will unite our party."
Fat chance, it would seem. And even more liable to fail by the eventual winner as he or she attempts to unite the nation. Basically, that is what is really needed, a uniting, positive spirit that America longs for and that Americans of every faith should be praying for.
We have had too many years of division, suspicion, railroading actions and, yes, I'll say it, outright lying to the citizens, all blown up and out of proportion in a continual stream by the news channels who feed in a frenzy on every utterance from their favorite or hated candidates.
The one thing that worries this old codger is how far we are slipping into becoming a completely socialist country -- something that economist Friedrich von Hayek described in his book "The Road to Serfdom" so many years ago.
I won't bore you again with all the postulates and possibilities that loom on the horizon as America seeks to right itself for the future. I will remind you that von Hayek theorized that "free stuff" is a fatal symptom that will overtake the capitalist society which has brought America this far "free," often done with a compassionate promise that evolves to a demanding chorus, eventually to riots. Heaven forbid. "Free" is a great word that catches the youth, as well as many of the older at heart. The watchword that must grab hold of our citizens is this, "Free is never free. It always has a cost." And teetering closely to the tipping point when that unexpected (or ignored) cost kicks in, with a vengeance.
May reality and common sense prevail!
Dodie Evans is the former owner and long-time editor of the Gravette News Herald. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
General News on 04/27/2016