Fall in Northwest Arkansas

Fall has always been my favorite time of year, even though in North Texas, only one or two trees actually changed colors and that wasn't until Christmas time. My romance with fall likely has something to do with having a November birthday, but it is also because I love the rich jewel-tone colors that blanket the landscape, the crisp rustling of leaves under my feet, and of course, dressing up in costume for Halloween. This morning was clear and cold, promising more color changes before all the leaves fall. Witnessing a true Fall (and all four seasons for that matter) was one of my main motivators for agreeing to the move to NWA and I am finding it is all I had hoped for. I hope these photos will give you a little taste of fall as well. Now, go jump in some leaves!

Tanyard Creek

My husband will attest that if I go too many days without seeing the outdoors, getting some sun on my face, or at least driving with the windows down, I get very cranky. On this particular Friday,
I had been in the house for days unpacking boxes and getting stir CRAZY so I ran to the car with my camera to escape to the first park I could fine. Now, being new to the NWA area has its advanteges -- mostly that everything is new territory to discover! A few decades of hiking and camping in Texas leaves for few unexplored areas, so it is nice to be surprised by breathtaking views again. Tanyard Creek fit the bill on this "must escape" day and answered my unspoken need-- to be filled with awe for the beauty of God's creation.

Our New Home

We are excited to report that we finally found a house in Arkansas and are moving out of the condo this Friday. Our McKinney home has not sold, but the company will buy it on October 1 so we aren't too worried about that. We haven't been back to Texas for more than a whirlwind trip of fixing up and moving some more stuff, but hope to make it to church on our next visit. We are moving to an area in NW Arkansas called Bella Vista that used to be a retirement village, but has grown into a great place for families to live. It has 7 private lakes with great fishing, 9 golf courses, 5 country clubs, a gun range, and a few other amenities that we get with our $24.00 a month POA dues (no, that is not a typo -- gotta love Arkansas). We opted to downsize just a little to allow me to find a less demanding job this fall so we didn't get on the lake, just around the corner from it. Our across the street neighbors have lakeview/lake access, so we plan to invest in a lot of wine to cultivate those friendships. :-) However, we have a great wooded lot with common property behind us so we have lots of trees that will change in the fall and a great deck to enjoy the nature view. You can learn more about the great area at http://www.beautifulbellavista.com/ and make plans to come and see us!