On the road again with the Bealls: October 2010

Friday, October 29, 2010

The Magic Water

In Hot Springs, they have filling fountains all over town where people come to get water for their use. Most of them are hot spring water and are the best for what ails you and have the best mineral content. A few are cold spring water and that water has to be treated---does not taste as good as the hot.

You get spashed while collecting your water.

Garvan Woodlands Garden

Mrs Garvan donated her estate on Lake Hamilton to the Univ. of Arkansas---now open to public. It has acres of woods, streams, waterfalls, etc. These pictures were taken in the children's secion where they had lots of rock climbing.

Hot Springs National Park

Drive in on Scenic Hwy 7

Touring Bathhouse Row

Beautiful architecture--only 2 of the original bath houses are open for business. The rest are open as galleries and museums.

Checking out the springs---143 degrees when it comes out.

Scenic Drives in the Ozarks

Had to have a service call for the heat---going to be in the 30's. ( A bug had stopped it up!!)

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Digging for Crystals

Yesterday, we drove to Mt Ida to hunt for crystals at the Wegner Quartz Crystal Mine. We signed up for 2 hrs of digging. this was a new experience for usl. They hauled us one mile up the side of the mountain in a truck and put us out with our tools, buckets, some water, and an emergency phone. We were not alone as there were several other people already digging. The fields were VERY RED clay and it had rained the night before.

We dug with garden forks and a shovel looking for long, clear crystals points. I liked finding the crystal clusters that were attached to rocks.

Our backs, legs, and arms were aching at the end. But we filled up 2 buckets.

The truck came to haul all the buckets and people back down the mountain. It was a rough ride. Some guy, jokingly compared it to paying $50 in Sedona for a ride over red rocks. This was almost as rough!!!

Arkansas Trip

After Fred got sick on our trip in July, we spent months going to drs, finally getting it diagnosed as gallbladder, and then having surgery and getting over it. So we missed our fall trip to Montana and Canada. We couldn't wait until spring to travel again, so we found a 2-week window where we could make a trip to Arkansas and Tunica for some gambling. We went
to Mena in the Ouachita Mountains first---the leaves on the Talimena Parkway were beautiful!!
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This is an actual 1941 police car.

Second stop was Russellville---along the way we drove up Mt Magazine---the tallest point in AR.

Lots of beautiful rock cliffs here in the Ozark Mountains.

The leaves are just beginning to turn here--odd since we are farther north.

Decorating Sam's house

Sam bought a house this summer and he and I worked together to decorate it. We had such fun !!! And still have more to do----

This house is a villa which means a smaller yard---almost all of his is covered with pool and beds. The previous owner had the landscaping put in---about 30 or more palm trees of different varieties. I love just walking around looking at all the plants---something is always blooming!!!

The entry hall extends from the front door all the way to the family room on the back of the house--it has an unusual ceiling and curved walls which have a paint finish that looks like leather. There is also a large niche and angled walls.