Flowers abloom
April 2, 2012
Category: Arkansas
Crossing the Big Dam Bridge
April 2, 2012
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — I can’t believe I have never been to the Big Dam Bridge in Little Rock before now. The bridge is 4,226 linear feet and contains more than 3 million pounds of steel. Area residents can walk, jog and bike across it and the approximately 15 miles of scenic riverside trails the bridge connects.
For my first visit, my aunt and I took our dogs across the Arkansas River and walked along the North Little Rock side of the river. It was such a great trip that I can’t wait to revisit. The last pictures are of Ring-billed Gulls.
Good news
March 22, 2012
Despite trouble with a story, today was just plain amazing!
First, I will be able to keep my job after July 31. My reporter position is funded through a two-year grant that will expire this August. I’m happy to say I’ll remain as a SDL reporter after the grant ends.
I’m thankful that my bosses like my work enough to keep me, and for a community that has been very vocal to my bosses that they want me to stay. Yay!
What could make my day even better? Well, my flight to Kona, Hawaii, is officially booked! I even got the roundtrip fare at $200 cheaper than I expected.
I will now be spending a full week in this paradise where I’ll have a private stretch of beach behind our townhouse. See the above picture!!
Have you been to Hawaii? If so, any suggestions of what to do?
A squeaky, clean birthday
March 20, 2012
March 20 = the first day of spring and my 27th birthday!
To celebrate, my sister treated me to a soap-making workshop. Would you consider that a hint that I stink? If so, I’ll overlook that scary thought since my sister, mom and I absolutely had a blast at the event.
So, how did we do it?
The state park-sponsored class had it’s 10 participants divided into pairs of two to make five different types of soap. My sister and I got to make charcoal soap (which is good for your skin and clearing up acne). The class also made clove and oatmeal, Base 1, Base 2, and spearmint soaps (which mom made with her partner).
We used the cold-process method, which essentially means it’s easy to make but has a longer waiting period before the soap can be used. Anyways, our recipe called for us to:
1. First, prepare the mold. We took wax paper and covered the insides of our wooden mold box so we would be able to get the soap out after it harden.
Do you see what I see?
March 8, 2012
Last night, I was sorting through pictures from the Arkansas Post and stumbled across this picture.
I love turtles, which probably stemmed from my sorority days (Delta Zeta = turtles). So when I took the above picture, I focused solely on the turtles sunbathing. Not once, did I not the little guy right beside them. Do you see him? Look a little closer…
It’s funny that I got this picture. Just 20 minutes earlier I was telling a park ranger how I really wanted to see an alligator. Well, I got my wish, sort of.
Bayou Meto WMA
March 7, 2012
The Bayou Meto Brett Morgan Halowell Reservoir Waterfowl Rest Area is only 25 minutes from my house, however, this week marked the first time I have really visited it outside of work.
Why I love journalism
March 7, 2012
One of the many reasons I love working at a rural newspaper is the various assignments you receive. Sure, there are several you might not want to do but there are more that you do want to cover. I absolutely love it when my job means heading out to a local park or refuge. For an ongoing project, I headed out to Arkansas Post where I was lucky enough to be the first visitor to spot the above bat. The bat’s called Arkansas Post’s visitor center home for more than a month now. I think it’s pretty cool.
However, it’s not the only wildlife I saw:
First signs of spring
March 7, 2012
Christmas birds
March 4, 2012
I’ve started organizing my photo archive, something I should have begun ages ago. I found many folders that I never posted so over the next few days I’ll post more pictures of past trips I’ve taken and birds I’ve seen during the past few months. Here are some birds I saw on Christmas Day while visiting my grandparents’ farm in Wynne.
Harlem Gospel Choir and turkey calling
February 29, 2012
I caught myself singing out loud in a crowded auditorium this weekend when the Harlem Gospel Choir came to town.
The performance was amazing and was the perfect cap to a great, yet odd weekend that had me attending my very first turkey calling contest.
I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I definitely prefer duck calling contests to turkey calling contests.
First of all, it’s hard to watch a man act like a turkey (the head jerking, the odd walk, the rustling of leaves) and not laugh. Especially when the rest of the crowd is all serious acting.
I watched only a few contestants before heading outside to the 3D pop-up archery contest. I instantly felt like I was on steadier ground. I even met two guys from my hometown who are related to my cousin’s wife. Small world (OK, my hometown is only an hour-and-a-half away so it’s not much of a shocker).
Overall, it was an odd weekend and busy with a memorial for a former co-worker, local children’s events and a visit to a local wildlife management area.
Memos for Me 