Arkansas Vacation - Day 5

 It's another day in Arkansas.  We are in Ozark and there is not a coffee shop to be found.  A quick drive around the downtown area discovers this old jail down on the Arkansas River.  As I peek through the trees beside the building, I can see the Arkansas River Bridge in the background.  Yep, we're going over it as Paris appears to be the next place that has coffee.  

The rays from the sun are breaking through the fog and waking up the rest of the world.

As we drive, we start noticing specific crops in the area.  The golden hues are breathtaking but what are they?

After a bit, we figure out that these are seed crops.  Mister finds a spot to stop and check them out up close and personal.  This man knows me so well.  We have no idea what these are --- a type of pea or bean seed?

Paris, AR has a beautiful courthouse surrounded by trees in color.

After some difficulty, we locate the coffee shop.  I have forgotten my mask and send Mister in ahead to order.  When I get back from the car, the look on his face is not good and what is that smell?  He has ordered, but I can tell is crazy unhappy.  I can't handle the smell inside and tell him I'll wait outside.  When he comes out with my coffee, I have to admit to being sincerely shocked.  It is massively hot and in a plastic cup that is HUGE.  Now what?  Since we didn't stay inside, a donut shop right next door seems fair and we do the drive through thing.  Now we have these two plastic cups of  "coffee" and a bag of donuts.  Eiffel Tower Park is nearby so we drive the two blocks and park in front of the courthouse.  There is not much to add about the park.  It has a mini Eiffel Tower and a couple of tables on concrete.

There is a Love Lock Fence beside us.  I find these so interesting and the controversy around them when on bridges is something constantly ongoing.  At least the "fence" doesn't have the same issues.

Our feast - well, the donuts are good.  I've put Mister's cup inside a plastic beer cup that was in the car so he could carry it easier, but the look on his face says it all.  I don't think I've EVER seen him throw coffee away, but it's gonna happen today.  Mine is still so hot that I can't even hold the cup.

A nearby mural.

We try to see a quilt shop that listed itself as open, but it turns out to be something entirely different, although there WAS a longarm in the building.  I guess that counts.

I'm ready to leave Paris.  Isn't that funny how it works?  Some places grab ya and others just don't.  

While at the cottage in Greenwood, the first night, I saw a flyer about Subiaco Abbey in Subiaco.  It is only a few miles from here and Mister agrees to give it a try.  Perhaps the monks there will not be in seclusion like the nuns were.  There is also a brewery here, but it is only open on Saturdays - a sigh from Mister.  Soon the building comes into sight.  And a grand sight it is.

Here, are monks living a radical form of Christian life like the early Church. Subiaco Abbey is a Roman Catholic monastery founded in 1878 as part of the missionary efforts of the Archabbey of St. Meinrad in Indiana and the Archabbey of Maria Einsiedeln in Switzerland. They are located on 1,800 acres nestled in the foothills of the Ouachita mountains of Arkansas, USA. Following the ancient 1,500 year old monastic tradition of Saint Benedict, 39 monks at Subiaco continue to live lives of Prayer and Work (Ora et Labora). Preferring nothing whatsoever to Christ, they dedicate themselves, under a Rule and an Abbot, to strive to support one another in community, to serve God, the Church, and the larger society. Benedictine monks number just under 7,400 in the world, of which 4,036 are monastic priests, around 2,919 are monastic brothers, and the remaining are novices and claustral oblates. Like the early Apostles who lived and prayed together whilst sharing everything in common, they continue to seek God by following that biblical example found in the Acts of the Apostles and codified by Saint Benedict into a way of life known as Benedictine monasticism.

We are able to enter the sanctuary and walk around all on our own.

Opening a door on the side, we step out onto the courtyard overlook.  It is silent here --- and serene.  I can see the attraction in some ways.

Back inside - it seems so dark now.

As we walk around the side of the building, Mister spotted a gardener and went to talk with him.  I meet one of the brothers (he was from Richardson) and visit with him as well.  We are give a brief walking tour verbal map to follow on the grounds and then say our good-byes.

Scenes from the grounds - 

Oh, the view is so nice from the grounds.

Looking down from the fence.

Along the back fence line, we spot hop plants being started.

Notice the built in seat by the fountain.

And, across the way - 

Parts of the past --- still used??  We don't know.

Monastery cows!  Yep, they live here too.

As we reach the highway again, a look back towards the monastery.  I enjoyed our time here.

Back to Paris and then down to Mt. Magazine State Park.  Along the way, a stop to stretch legs.  I am a bit testy today and cannot quite figure out why.  Perhaps, food.  I need to do better at carrying snacks in the car with us.  Walking around seems to help and I am enjoying the chance to just breathe some fresh air and focus back on the trip once again.

We are on Mount Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas and there is not a place to stop at the top and take pictures.  That seems crazy to me, but we continue on and 400' lower, there is a pullout.

Wow -- 

As we stand there, several large birds are riding the air currents and one swoops in right near us.  It is so fun to watch.  They come and go from a ledge out of sight, but it is non-stop and reminds me of kids on slides:  they climb, they soar down, they go out of sight for a bit, and repeat the whole process over and over.  My smile is long-lasting.

Mister tries a panorama shot with my camera.  Kinda okay.  The wood is actually one straight rail.

Returning to the car, we discover a friend.  I have never seen walking sticks in the wild before this trip and now I think this one is the fourth or fifth.  Odd.

Spotting a sign for Nimrod Dam, we turn.  You would too, right?  Well, if you look the word up, you will get an education like I did.  Hmmmn.  It's so funny how slang comes about.

Believe it or not, we are now in Hot Springs and the last time we were here was  for our first anniversary.  A peek back can be found in this LINK.  

Parking the car and walking down to the Superior Bath Brewery for lunch is the plan.  Apparently for a LOT of people and for some crazy reason they have closed their patio so have minimal space, ensuring waits of up to an hour.  What?  I even ask why the patio is closed and I got told, "it just gets too messy."  Wow.  Back to the car we go.  We try two more spots in Hot Springs, one of which turned out to be pick up only and the other ---- non-existent.  Well, time to leave Hot Springs.  It's not very far to Arkadelphia and that is our stop for the night.  As we arrive in town, I spot some people drinking beer on a patio and there appears to be food in sight.  A win, win.  Slim and Shorty's for the perfect solution.

Yes, I ate it all --- well almost.  I think Mister had a couple of bites and those tankards of beer were huge!!

Visiting on the patio while eating, I asked some locals if visiting the bluff was better at sunrise or sunset.  They all agreed on sunset, so we finish up and drive to the trailhead.  THIS was vastly under-explained online.  It is 1/4 mile as stated, but the path is paved and oh so easy.  As we walk along, check out the little door at the base of a large tree.  So fun.

We reach the bluff and chairs have been provided to simply do the feet up thing.  This is lovely.

With fully bellies and happy hearts, we are off to our spot for tonight.  It is in the country and we are greeted upon our arrival.  Ooooh, chickens.

Our little home is above the garage and has a private deck.  Nice.

Inside -- so cozy and all the comforts one would need.

The chicken coop is the refrigerator and the barn doors are below the sink.

Back outside for a bit --- it's so pleasant and the horses have come up to the fence.

When we arrived, the host was leaving to go pick up a new goat as a friend for this little guy.  Her old friend had died unexpectedly and she's not handling it well.

The new goat arrives while we are watching and the process of getting acquainted begins.  I am about done for the day though.  I'm tired and wanting to just settle in and read for a bit.  What will tomorrow bring?  We'll find out together in the next post.