Isn't She Lovely?

Isn't she lovely?

Isn't she wonderful?

That has been the song on my lips since Harbor and I

made the 1,000 mile drive from Detroit to Arkansas on Sunday.

The Ozark Mountains sure are lovely. : )

In just a short amount of time, we have:

-Played outside in warm, glorious weather!

-Fed the horses

-Swung on the swing set

-Picked ripe mulberries from the tree in my parent's backyard.

My parents' home is on two acres and they have a small apple

orchard, as well as a few fruit/berry trees.

We all enjoy when they come into fruitation this time of year.

-Had family lunches and dinners-

Before this Sunday,

Harbor and I had not seen my parents since Christmas day!

We have loved being involved in their day-to-day activities.

-Played games with Gigi and Poppy.

My mom is actually in Cosmetology school full time, so she is in class all day,

but we are making the most of our evenings.

-Fed the ducks/geese at the pond

If you have read my blog for a few years,

you know these spots are some of our favorites when we lived here

and still are when we come into town for visits.

-Played at our very favorite park-

It might not be on the Detroit River,

occupied with seagulls and the sounds of freighters chugging up the water,

but it is filled with Arkansas humidity and the sound of my mom's voice. : )

Let me say it again.. my favorite park!  : )

-Spent time exploring new toys at "home"

-Gone to the family farm with Poppy to check on the fence rows and cattle.

My family owns hundreds of acres in Northern Akansas

where my dad and uncle run a family beef cattle farm.

All of this land that you see,

to the top of the hill,

down,

spreading out left and right for hundreds of more acres not pictured,

is a big part of who we are.

: )

We inspected a new hay building that was recently built.

-Picked and eaten fresh cherries from my grandmother's cherry orchard on the farm.

We might live in Detroit now, but I am a Southern girl through and through. : )

We were trying to teach Harbor to spit the seeds out.

After the mulberry picking, cherry picking was hard for him.

He couldn't remember that

mulberries are ripe when they are black, not red,

and cherries are ripe when they are red, not black.

: )

-Explored my grandmother's garden plot.

It feels so good to breathe fresh air and see trees and grass.

I know I sound dramatic, but where I live now in the city,

we drive for hours without seeing a wild field, a natural clump of trees, or rolling hills of any kind.

Concrete, people, trains, freighters, skyscrapers, and taxis have become our new normal.

Like I said, isn't she lovely? : )