The hectic round of activities that marks the end of the school year is finally over. Another class of seniors has graduated and the class members are off to new adventures, some attending college or trade school, others joining the military or starting new jobs. We can be proud of the fact that we have such a good school system in Gravette, one that provides each student top-notch preparation for the future. The long lists of awards earned and scholarships received attest to the high caliber of this year's graduates.
Scattered showers over the last couple of weeks have kept the lawn green and the garden plants growing but we're still in need of more rain. The purple vetch is thriving in the hay field and it won't be long before the summer haying season begins. Honeysuckle is still blooming beautifully in the fence row. The mock orange on the north fence is covered in creamy white petals that add to the display. A tiny wren has built a nest in the birdhouse on the front porch and often serenades us sweetly from the holly bush nearby.
Jim was having trouble with his lawn mower since a broken part on the deck was causing it to mow an uneven swath. He finally called and ordered a new part from the repair shop in Gentry. A few days later I made a trip to Gentry, picked up the part and bought a new set of blades. While my friends and I were in town, we also investigated a yard sale and I found a set of lacy curtains for our kitchen and bath. They were a real bargain, too, only a couple of dollars, so I promptly made a deal and put them up soon after arriving home.
On a busy day, while I attended a volunteer appreciation breakfast and awards ceremony at the high school, Jim mowed most of the yard and started the weed eating. The next morning I joined fellow Lions Club members to do some cleanup work at Hillcrest Cemetery. While we pulled weeds, trimmed trees and bushes, Jim finished using the weedeater and replaced a pipe that had frozen and burst under the kitchen floor. We stopped for a delicious lunch at the Mexican restaurant and returned to the cemetery in the afternoon to plant a few more flowers.
Jim and I enjoyed a drive to Siloam Springs and a delicious buffet meal on Sunday afternoon, then at midweek I rode with him when he went to work at Noel. While he cut and laid several floor tiles, I read the latest issue of my Rachael Ray magazine. I was able to help with a few little chores, removing some spacers, carrying a few tiles and doing some cleanup. We left that job site in early afternoon and drove to a new home being built on Stateline Road. Jim worked there for a couple of hours while I strolled the grounds, admiring the greenhouse, flower and vegetable gardens and poultry pens, and started reading a new book.
Jim took me out to eat Friday evening and we took advantage of the opportunity to sleep a bit later Saturday morning. After my morning cup of tea, I visited the farmers' market and bought a couple of nice firm heads of cabbage, one green and one purple. I returned home to cook a late breakfast and, after our meal, baked a pan of fudgy brownies. I took them along that afternoon when I went to our monthly quilt class where we enjoyed a variety of tasty snacks, got instruction on a quilt block and learned how to make handy bibs from old pillowcases.
This promises to be another busy week with a dental appointment, museum commissioner interview and city council meeting all on my calendar. The longer days allow me to get in a few more chores in the evenings, watering the flowers, filling the birdbath and fish pond and weeding the strawberries. It's a lovely time of year, warm enough to revel in outdoor activities but not yet too hot to be uncomfortable.
Susan Holland is a life-long resident of Benton County and an employee of the Westside Eagle Observer. She can be reached by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 05/25/2016