Monthly Archives: June 2018

Humidity, Blackberries, and Pierce Pettis

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Ozarks heat, humidity, and a few fresh blackberries on the Lake Alma Trail helped heal my soul yesterday evening. While walking, I listened to several songs written by Pierce Pettis in the 1990s and was stuck that his lyrics are relevant today. “Everyday you see ’em / Live from the lap of luxury / It’s the lions of the colosseum / With politicians, millionaires / You won’t see Mother Teresa there.” 

Lions of the Colosseum

By Pierce Pettis

Upon this rock let us build our church
Said the lions of the colosseum
And as the Christians wander in
We can lock the doors and eat ’em
Drink the blood of the saints
Roll the poor for pocket change
Then on our knees we will give thanks
Said the lions of the colosseum

I saw Dorothy Day on the barricades
She was hanging with comrade Jesus
But the lions did not see a thing
They were rendering unto Caesar
Roman soldiers did their best
To silence those who would protest
They had a warrant out for Dorothy’s arrest
From the lions of the colosseum

In chains of ancient history
The church is a museum
Cobwebs hang like rosaries
Inside a mausoleum
Whose surfaces are clean and white
While inside rotting corpses lie
And so they like to keep the lid on tight
Those lions of the colosseum

Let us build a tower to the sky
And let it reach to heaven
We shall be as gods, we shall not die
And our reign shall be forever
So the lions built from age to age
Til they made a Babel of the faith
And tore the body in a thousand different ways
Like in the colosseum

Now on the satellite TV
Everyday you see ’em
Live from the lap of luxury
It’s the lions of the colosseum
With politicians, millionaires
You won’t see Mother Teresa there
Just the holy rollers with the manes of hair
Lions of the colosseum

But there’s rebel graffiti on the walls
Inside the colosseum
Down below in the catacombs
The defiant ones are meeting
Hiding in the underground
Blood brothers pass the cup around
And they pay no heed to the roaring sound
Of the lions of the colosseum

A little more Pierce Pettis along with his daughter, Grace, and Jonathan Kingham. I tend to like song writers who include coffee as a topic.

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View along the Lake Alma Trail

Chapters on Main, a Refuge for Learning

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My love for local bookstores was solidified during college when I worked at Adams Bookstore in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Mr. Adams was like a mentor to me during that time. I wrote about his influence during those crucial years in another post.

In 2016, I learned of a bookstore with character and good coffee right down the road in Van Buren. Walking into Chapters on Main is like stepping into a private refuge filled with books and the pleasant smell of coffee. You’ll often see young customers sipping coffee while exploring the shelves, using the wireless, or participating in book study groups. Marla Cantrell beautifully tells this bookstore’s story in Do South Magazine, The Best Chapter Yet.

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Young people enjoying coffee in the reading room

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I was pleased to do my first book signing at Chapters on Main, and they’ve continued to carry Five Star Trails: The Ozarks. It makes me proud to see my book in the company of other Arkansas authors in a locally owned bookstore that provides a wonderful learning hub for our community.

 

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The coffee shop is usually busy. I recommend the double shot espresso!

IMG_9034rrExcellent shopping is found all along the street next to Chapters on Main. The train depot and veterans park are located across the street.

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Train depot viewed from Chapters on Main

Continue reading →

Little Taste of Tennessee

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Taylor taking in the view next to Falling Water River

On our first visit to my daughter and her husband’s new home in Cookeville, Tennessee, my son-in-law offered to take me on a short hike along Falling Water River.  I jumped at the chance, knowing the next day would be filled by a 500-mile drive back to the Ozarks.

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I liked the sound of the river’s name, and Taylor said waterfalls were on the menu. After a 20-minute drive, we were walking along the river’s edge wading out on the pitted Mississippian limestone shore.

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A “smaller” set of falls located upriver from Big Falls

The water flow was greater than I anticipated on this popular stretch of river. Several waterfalls were formed as the main riverbed eroded and fell away over time.

The trail comes to Big Falls Overlook before switching back down to the upper deck of Big Falls. Metal stairs leading to the base of the falls were closed due to past flood damage. My only regret on this beautiful day was that we didn’t have more time to explore. 

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Two of many hikers next to “Big Falls” on this sunny day.

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The appropriately named “Big Falls” where a powerhouse was once located down below.

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Fern growing in the moist rocky bluffs above the river.

Here’s a link to the Burgess Falls State Park Brochure

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One lost “soul” along the trail.

Arkansas Master Naturalists Learning Paths

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A leashed Hiker-dog on a kid-friendly hike.

Arkansas Master Naturalists participated in the June 2 National Trails Day, so members led several hikes around the state and shared their love of the environment.

I participated by leading a kid-friendly hike on part of the Shepherds Spring Loop Trail at Lake Fort Smith State Park. With the heat, a short out-and-back hike was the best option and made it a fun outing for folks at all experience levels.

Becoming involved with Arkansas Master Naturalists placed me with a group of people who share a commitment to conserving and improving Arkansas’ environment and beauty. I’ve benefited from the expertise of members and look forward to continued learning. They are true to their mission of “providing education, outreach, and service” to benefit the natural environment of Arkansas.

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When I first got involved, I attended all the training possible and volunteered where I could, not completely understanding how my actions would lead to certification.

To help my understanding, I made graphic organizers to communicate the process of becoming a Certified Master Naturalist and the Continuing Education to maintain certification each year.

The first graphic shows the path from being a Naturalist in Training (NIT) to certification. It made me happy that the trainers decided to use this graphic as part of the Naturalists in Training materials. I appreciated Care Butler’s suggestions as I revised these to be as clear as possible.

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The graphic below shows the required Continuing Education and volunteer hour requirements to meet annual certification requirements. Read the pages from bottom to top to follow the sequence for becoming certified or continuing annual certification.

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If you enjoy the rich natural environments found in Arkansas, get involved with the Arkansas Master Naturalists. You’ll immediately be immersed in an exceptional group of like-minded folks where you can contribute according to your interests. Through learning and volunteering, you’ll positively impact the natural world in your own backyard, and have a lot of fun in the process!