[Rainbow Island]

Originally Posted by Old Hippie Lady

I grew up in Mountain View Arkansas, and left just after highschool graduation. I have wished many times that I had stayed and raised a family there. The scenery is incredible, the area is very clean, and the music is wonderful. The local, long-time people are generous and friendly. Their major complaint is that new residents want to change things when they move there, thus making it like where they came from. They wonder why they would want change. The local talk in Mountain View is that they are 50 years behind and would like to be at least 100 years behind!

Where did you move to? They are 50 years behind and that's why I love it. You can go to the Ozark Folk Center (really neat place) and see how they done things way back when. If you are ever close to Mountain View, this is a must see. Also Blanchard Springs Cavern.

[sandgirl]

Originally Posted by RogMar

The smell of the woods

I love the smell of the woods after a rain, Rog

One of the things I love about AR is that I live within walking distance of the Strawberry river. I take full advantage of that. I love to sit at the river's edge and admire God's creation or look for arrow heads. My family and I are looking forward to floating down it this Spring. Oh and the mist above the water--love that too.

[greenacresusa]

Ah at last a topic that I can get into "Why I love Arkansas!!". Even though I'm glad not everybody loves Arkansas (wouldn't want everybody moving there and spoiling it) its so good to see people with the same feelings about AR that my wife and I have. We love it for all the other reasons mentioned in this thread.

I was born and raised in an area that used to be farm country, my grandparents and other family and friends had farms that I worked on as a kid. But over the last 30 years the city folks found out about it and have wreaked our area. More traffic, people, crime, etc has moved in. They have made a hell out of an area that used to be heaven. But when years ago my wife and I knew we had to get away when we retire we found Arkansas and fell in love with it on our very first visit. And the feelings grow stronger with each passing visit. We bought land below Evening Shade that we will retire on in a few years. We love the people, the land, and the feel of the area. It's almost like coming home to where I grew up was like 50 years ago. We can't say enough about the area!!! When we first bought land friends here asked why, do we have friends out there? We said we didn't but do now!!!! Every time we have to leave Arkansas to travel home we make plans for our very next trip out to our land and start counting down the days to the next visit!

Can't wait to see more people and their takes on this great topic.

Glenn and Deb

[CESpeed]

Originally Posted by RogMar

Hey.....!!

How many time shifts are you going to go through?


I had a friend.

Good friend, I worked with him for years.

He bought a cabin in Maine. In the woods. Says to me, "I'm gonna retire, and live the rest of my life in that cabin."

Stocked it with 6 months of MRE's, generators, etc.

He retired. I called him, and said, When you goin'?"

He says, "Soon....I contracted to so-and-so for a year.

I called him before the year was up, and said, "When ya goin'?"

He says, "Soon....I contracted for another year, the money's just stupid, can't pass it up."

Before the year was up, his brother called me.

"Uh...yeah....he's dead, man. Pancreatic cancer. Got the word and 6 weeks later he died. We're going to have him cremated and spread his ashes at the cabin."

I guess he made it.

Money's nice. There's times I haven't had it, and times I have.

However, there's not enough to take the place of a warm afternoon on the porch with the dog at my feet, my wife at my side, and Mr. Booker's best in my glass.

Watching the deer frolic.

If I had my way, I'd be there already. Unfortunately, UHaul and my new potential landlord want money in order for me to come.

Living in LA, CA is expensive and the second they get whiff someone's trying to leave, their bills tripleso that can't afford to.

I'm dancing as fast as I can!

[Luvvarkansas]

Originally Posted by CESpeed

If I had my way, I'd be there already. Unfortunately, UHaul and my new potential landlord want money in order for me to come.

Living in LA, CA is expensive and the second they get whiff someone's trying to leave, their bills tripleso that can't afford to.

I'm dancing as fast as I can!

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble getting away. Wow, 2010, when you were originally looking to leave in just a few months, weren't you? I can't imagine being stuck in a place like L.A. We weren't able to take our last regular trip to the cabin last fall, and may not get to take our next usual one in the spring, so I kind of know how you feel.

You know what....I'm going to pray for you today, that God will make a way for you to leave earlier than you're thinking you'll be able to. God has made a way when there was no way for my family so many times, and He can do the same for you. Keep your eyes peeled for something good to come along!

[Luvvarkansas]

Oh man, I was working on a LONG post about why I love Arkansas and accidentally navigated away (to check on the name of a flower) without opening another tab....lost it all! Waaaaaaahhhh! I'm not going through all that again, I've got to get off this computer. Maybe another day. *sigh* I wonder if there is any way to recover something like that?

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by sandgirl

I love the smell of the woods after a rain, Rog

One of the things I love about AR is that I live within walking distance of the Strawberry river. I take full advantage of that. I love to sit at the river's edge and admire God's creation or look for arrow heads. My family and I are looking forward to floating down it this Spring. Oh and the mist above the water--love that too.

You hit another one.

The Strawberry winds around me here & there, and one of my neighbors has quite a bit of frontage, when he plows, I go down and snatch arrow heads, then sink some chicken liver chunks on a treble hook.

Pocket full of arrow heads, stringer full of catfish.

Ahhhhh...but alas....still no Neiman Marcus!

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by greenacresusa

We bought land below Evening Shade that we will retire on in a few years.

Hey...you're gonna be a neigbor of mine.

Although you're in Sharp and I'm in Izard, you're gonna find that don't mean nuthin in this neck of the woods.

Try some of the food at Woodie's on "Main" street. It's monster good. Closed Mon & Tue.

You probably realize why I " " Main St.

That little hardware store on Main & 167 is owned by a friend of mine, and is the source for not only nut's & bolts, but local information, tall tales, a lot of joshin', advice for the lovelorn, astute political observation, fishin' needs, settin' spot, and an ocasional slim jim or two.

See.......we got it *all*.

[greenacresusa]

Hi RogMar, Thanks for the info. We've been meaning to stop by Woodie's but haven't been able to get there yet. Always tend to be working on the cabin, etc. But the next time we plan to get out more And we do know what you mean by "main street". Gotta love it!

And that's what we like about Arkansas and esp the area we'll be in, great people!!! Neighbors have invited us over for dinner and have introduced us to other neighbors

You are so right, you do have it all there!!!

[nelmadj]

Hello to all. I wanted to say why people love Arkansas is simple. Some, like me, come from another place then enter one city that make you feel like your in the home you've looked all your life for.