ozarks crescent mural

the some ofs

2025-08-02T16:37:00.005-05:00

the some of lives are what we each live

good and bad

i do not agree

life on earth is more sad and tragic than happy and what we want and what we deserve

i think earth life should be capped at 10 to 20 percent for bad

i would say 0 percent honestly

why have any bad at all happen

that leaves 80 to 90 percent of your life being perfect by your own definition of what a perfect life is to you

maybe there are humans and animals from conception to death life stats that are that ideal

if so i want to be you next life

but i am guessing most of our lives are reversed and 80 to 90 percent of bad is far too much for your typical everyday human to live for an entire 30 plus years life

unless you are

ted bundy and then it needs to be upped to 100% bad he should never have ever been allowed to kill any girls at all period

same goes for the rest of the people examples i use that should be stopped before they molest kill and rape

even natural disasters are controlled

which is another really dumb idea

since they can all be controlled why have any of them at all

do you see enough cows on the earth for all of the cheeseburgers

do you see enough trees on earth for all of the houses and the office papers

if good and bad lives can be written and lived then only good lives can be written and lived there does not need to be any bad lives written and lived

because for all of the bad people there is good people that suffered more than any good person should ever suffer ever

yeah i keep trying to find a solution to keep the molesters and killers and rapists happy and other than robots or mannequins as their victims and also that this an ongoing event that is now being held totally on another planet and never on earth ever again and it is very well controlled so none of it ever does show up on earth again we could have the bad people just go around and molest kill and rape each other they probably would enjoy it a lot more than the good people being blindsided by them and their lives ripped to an instant shred leaving their loved and still living and will still be living a good several decades more but now with ruined lives

then all stories would be happy because everyone's lives would be happy

but in the good and bad written and lived stories we all live i still know how to write out the bad so everyone's lives are good and happy and fun and everyone loves living their lives

you get some of this or that or both if you want both or more and it is all good but you do not want more of any of it you just get the right amount you want and there is no bad at all ever no one wants any bad let alone some bad ❤️bc that sounds like it is getting a little close to far too much bad for anyone

you get a lot however much you want of this and that or both or more and it is all good and there is no bad at all ever especially not in those quantities

you get none of this and that or both or more and it is all bad🤣 no one wants it any of it

boy i can sure see how you could get screwed over on that but not so much anymore 💋bc i wrote it better

you sweet little boy and all you five sweet little boys and you cute mind-boggling hilarious and perplexing two or three or more little boys who run me in circles the little boys you get some of this a lot of that and none of this

some is all he wanted of some things

a lot and neverending and neverhurt is what he got a lot of

he gets none of nothing bad

nothing bad is the stuff he does not want

you little girl get exactly what you do want

let me paint a clearer picture of that

if you are going to spend your whole life with one person at some point til you both drop dead do not drag another dozen with you before you meet them because by default you are naturally dragging their hearts through a lifetime of heartbreak and it is not fair

that paragraph is going to be moved so far down the list after i put the paragraphs that are needed before it

that is why

if you know that is what you are going to do then just kick back and wait for them to grow up if you are not the same age

every human gets one other human at least for life and it is not one of their freaking psycho relatives they are abandoned neglected stranded forgotten with

you know like all the mothers and daughters that live together and fathers and sons and then there is roommates

then there are the we are not perfectly thrilled and happy and over the moon stoked cannot keep our hands off each other couples the kinda obvious unhappy ones who do not hang out with each other

then there is the alone that love living alone and that is like being backstabbed and shorted on my earth dream for everyone they cannot exist do those kind of people even need to exist they cannot exist we will match them up too and they will be happy with the results how can anyone love living alone that makes absolutely zero sense to me

animals people

then there are the lonely animal people

then there is the alone that hate being alone i think these ones are the humans who are ripped off the most on earth

actually the humans that i think are ripped off the most on earth are the ones that are tortured and murdered

marijuana😁❤️

2021-04-20T16:20:00.001-05:00

marijuana is legal

never thought i would see that in my lifetime

at least one good thing happened while i was alive

love didn't

family didn't

money didn't

another map

2018-05-04T14:01:00.001-05:00

here is a map i really like because it shows what i believe. it has been a topic that has come up again recently and that is where the ozarks' southern edge lies.

personally, i say it is that hill right out of conway as you are leaving to go north on highway 65 where pickles gap is right over the top. you cannot get much more ozarks than that. it is all the way ozarks from there on out once you top the crest of that hill.

it looks like the ozarks. it feels like the ozarks. i know i am in the ozarks. therefore it is the ozarks.

i have read or seen maps that show it is just south of clinton. that makes no sense to me. i have never been able to wrap my head around that. that is so far north.

it is obvious you are in the ozarks all the way to interstate 40.

perhaps there is a geological argument. i am not going to get into that. i would hate to lose 🤣bc i am just not buying it.

there is part of the ozarks that are clearly in "the ozarks" that look like they should not be, so there ya go.

here is the map i randomly found. i was not even looking for it as usual. at least with this one, i have linked it to its original source since i neglected to do that with the first map i posted ages ago.

the map i agree with for taking the ozarks so far south

there you have it. if i knew the other regions as well as i know the area i live and roam about in, i would be able to know if i felt as strongly about where their delineation lies.

Missouri State University and Maps

2017-11-21T00:47:00.000-06:00

I received an email from a couple of folks who work at Missouri State University up in Springfield asking about a map I posted on here quite sometime ago. I honestly couldn't locate the source, which isn't like me and it no longer shows up in search results or through tineye.com, a reverse image search engine I've found incredibly useful in the past.

He included quite a nice map of his and I asked his permission to post it here and he gladly obliged.

His name is Jim Coombs and he is the Maps & GIS Librarian at Missouri State University. I'm sure he'd have no problem helping you with any questions you may have about maps of the area. This is a link to his Maps & GIS Unit’s webpage.

Table Rock Lake

2017-06-11T06:28:00.000-05:00

Photo I took the other day of Table Rock Lake from Cape Fair, MO. The lake is so incredibly big and this is just a small, very small, part of it. It's up near the Flat Creek portion.

Diggins

2016-12-23T18:46:00.001-06:00

We have a new kitten. His name is Seymour Diggins, but he goes by Diggins for short.

He's named after two Missouri towns deep in the heart of Amish country. He is a country kitten. He lost his Mommy when he was very young.

When we brought him home, he was about the size of a teacup.

He's got the most amazing personality. I just love him to pieces.

Here he is lounging.

Calico Rock, Arkansas

2016-04-14T05:04:00.001-05:00

I like to take drives in the Ozarks on my days off from the hotel. On Monday, I made it all the way down to Mountain View. It sure has a pretty downtown made up almost entirely of stone buildings. I didn't take a picture of it this time, but I will on down the road. The town sure earns its name because there are mountains in every direction.

On my way home, I ventured through a town I'd never been to before, Calico Rock, which apparently has quite the history. Once I came out of the mountains into the meadows, there were cliffs that appeared to my right and in front of me. I saw a couple of houses built on the cliffs to my right and I really liked how different it looked.

Well, that was nothing. Before I came to the bridge that crosses the White River and separates Stone County (Mountain View) from Izard County (Calico Rock), I saw the town laid out on the cliff complete with an old-fashioned water tower. I think it stopped me in my tracks, well, at least mentally. If I wasn't driving, I would've stopped instantly. I'd never seen anything like it before in my life. It was just so cool.

Then right as I crossed the bridge I saw the downtown and I swear I felt transported back over a hundred years ago. One of neatest downtowns I've ever seen. Love the architecture. The whole town ranks as one of the most unique towns I've ever visited.

I won't go into the colorful history or the ghost town within a town, Peppersauce Alley, because there's plenty of it on the Internet that can be readily had. I'll just share my photos.

I didn't feel like taking any photos downtown because I felt too overwhelmed with where to start. Maybe another day. You can see a glimpse of the downtown behind the White River - Izard County sign. Behind that first building is Peppersauce Alley.

The meadow between the mountains and Calico Rock.

This is where I ate the most amazing Mushroom Swiss Burger ever!

I want to spend more time in the town poking around. I especially want to see those downtown stores and maybe venture deeper into Peppersauce Alley.

Whoa...

2015-12-02T06:50:00.001-06:00

...I just realized it's been almost a year since I've made a post. Here's a random picture to show I'm still around. It's from my mountaintop.

Frozen Mountain

2015-01-11T03:55:00.000-06:00

When I was driving home from work yesterday morning I had a hard time taking my eyes off of the 8 that was showing for the outside temperature until I rounded the bend into Cape Fair and saw my frozen mountain. This is the best spot where you can see the Ozark hill I live upon.

It's not snow. It's just frost that coated the earth white on the high spots.

Bridgeport is a lakeside resort. The bridge you see is Highway 76 crossing Table Rock Lake.

First Snow and New Additions

2015-01-05T07:25:00.000-06:00

We finally had our first snow yesterday and it didn't consist of much accumulation, but it sure was pretty falling.

You can really see the snowflakes much clearer in this one.

This is what most days this winter have looked like.

The woods above and Table Rock Lake below.

Considering the weather, the new additions aren't regarding the shop/house build, but rather to some new fur friends that have joined the household.

First, we have Samantha, a calico kitten, and Lily, a Yorkie mix. They are both from the Stone County Humane Society. John and Lily are BFFs and can't be separated. Samantha is like a parrot and sleeps on my shoulder or chest/neck. I've never seen such a cuddle monster of a cat in my life. They've been here since November.

I guess since they came home together, they bonded.

They spent the whole first day in bed. Samantha spent most of it under the covers where she still loves to sleep. They even ate together in the beginning.

Then a random new addition from this weekend is Vince. John named him. He's the hotel kitty.

We get strays in Branson that come around the hotel. Most of them won't let you within a mile of them, but this black and white kitty would let you pet him and he'd come running whenever he'd see me at work. A hotel guest bought a box of cat food and when it ran out, I brought in some cat food from home. My coworkers would put out sausage and eggs from breakfast for him.

I couldn't take it anymore and figured this is no life for a kitty and brought Vince home. He spent the first day on the shelf in our pantry adjusting. Now he's out and about and he's playing!

It's a new year. Happy New Year! May all you dreams come true this year.

Posted with Blogsy

Rustic

2014-12-16T20:21:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to post about the roof, but I've been slacking. The color is rustic. I love metal roofs and here's a pic.

The white in the shop are skylight panels and I must admit I like their look much better from the inside than the outside.

Peel Ferry

2014-11-26T03:45:00.000-06:00

I don't believe I've posted about the ferry that runs between Missouri and Arkansas across Bull Shoals Lake. You get to it by going to Protem, MO or Peel, AR. They're both little out of the way places on the western side of the lake, not too far from Branson or Harrison. I like it because it's different. How often do you get to cross water on a ferry? Not often. And it's free.

I'd taken pictures of the Peel Ferry before, but I never got around to posting them. I know I don't see it show up in my list of Tags or in the Search Box. It's nice when another time comes around to do things you wanted to do before.

This is what the lake looked like when we pulled up on the Protem side. The ferry was on the Peel side when we arrived. The white speck off in the distance is the ferry dock on the other side, the Peel side.

Here's us waiting in our Avalanche. The sign looks a little bent up. It's windy here at Bull Shoals. Word has it that it's always like that. The ferry is ran by The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD).

The ferry approaches our side.

Taking off.

Out in the water.

We had a good conversation with the first mate on deck. Boy, did he have a traditional Arkansas accent. His dad worked on the ferry and now he does. He grew up down the road in the Peel area. I should've asked him for his pic. I almost did.

We got into a great exchange over the various crossings over the tri-lakes and he had a good one to share. Way back when him and his buddy were dating girls on the Missouri side. The boys had missed the ferry to get the girls home and had to drive the 100 miles around to cross at Bull Shoals dam. That's a good story, especially when you're sitting on the ferry looking over at Missouri on the north side and Arkansas to the south and they're not too terribly far apart from each other. But when there's water between, not much you can do.

Here's Missouri.

Here's Arkansas.

We're approaching our destination.

The captain or pilot.

You reach the Peel Ferry from Highway 125.

Posted with Blogsy

Cat's In The Bag

2014-10-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

There's no great secret or surprise being kept. It's just Hawthorne in a Cracker Barrel bag. She loves bags and boxes.

Cathedral Ceiling Rafters

2014-10-20T15:30:00.001-05:00

I'm very excited about this post. When John was doing the rafters over the house, I was thrilled. I just loved the way they looked when I'd drive to and from work.

There's going to be cathedral ceilings over the house.

Sunlight shining in.

There's a loft too.

See the pretty trees that surround.

This will go out to a balcony.

The walk up the drive.

Notice Hawthorne in the bottom of the picture. I didn't realize until later that John is at the top of the picture. You have to zoom in to see him.

And not to be outdone by the cat, there's Ponca peeking through the doorway.

You may have lost faith, but it's coming along quite nicely. We're not under the time crunch we once were and there's no pressure. Better to enjoy the building journey along the way than rush.

Trusses and Mailbox

2014-08-27T11:42:00.000-05:00

The trusses are up over the shop. Where the tractor is sitting is nice and level. There were huge piles of dirt there. Now it's ready for a patio.

The mailbox is down the lane.

I love the cedar log. It's so pretty and reflects my style. We chose a huge mailbox because I love to shop online. As I put it, "I like happy mail."

House/Shop Update

2014-08-05T20:56:00.000-05:00

Things are coming along. We have walls all around and a roof over the downstairs living area. The biggest news is that we have the walls up on the second story. That was a job that required some manpower. This morning John went down the mountain looking for some help. Folks on the road below us are building a workshop/garage and the three builders came up and gave John a hand lifting the second story walls. It's wonderful to see them up.

Just a little explanation of the design. The living end is two stories. There's 18 x 30 down and 18 x 30 up for 1080 sf of living space. The large open one-story end is John's woodshop. It's 30 x 34 for 1020 sf. There'll be a total of 2100 sf when we're done.

That's roughly half the size of the lake house right across the road where we still live. It's for sale, a beautiful 4300 sf bargain at $216,500, if you know someone who wants to be an Ozark Mountains Table Rock Lake dweller. And we're your neighbors.

Another important development is utilities. We have electric, which is great for giving the neighbors a break from listening to the generator. We have water too. Internet and phone is in place, just a phone call to hook it up when needed. Septic will be coming soon.

The rains gave way and it's been HOT. I encourage John to take it easy and wait for Autumn temperatures. Again, it's amazing what a person can accomplish. I'm very impressed.

The Next Stage

2014-07-01T22:14:00.000-05:00

The next stage after concrete is framing and it's coming along just fine. I'm amazed at how one man can do all of this. The rains that fell over a few weeks have subsided. It sure makes it a lot easier to get things done. I loved that rain though. It was beautiful and cooled things down.

Here's Ponca on the job site. He's still wet after swimming in his pool.

So excited about everything!

The Right Place

2014-06-19T18:33:00.001-05:00

This blog has been about my search for home and the dream of a log cabin. I found home in the Ozark Mountains. That was my first post. I've had a ton of posts devoted to real estate, that passion of mine. Always looking for that special place, just the perfect abode meant only for me. But knowing that what I really wanted I'd have to create for myself. There's no substitutes, but I sure wouldn't give up trying to find one.

I bought the two acres across the road. We got to building fast because after four years the lake house, as I call it, has sold. I'm very happy for the new buyers.

This is the work in progress. This will be a woodworking shop for John and a little two-story residence at the far end. Then in a bit we'll build a B&B-style log cabin.

I love it here and I don't want to leave. It's beautiful. I'm amazed every time I drive down the mountain. I like being in close proximity to Branson and Northwest Arkansas. I've never felt more comfortable and more at home in one place in my life. It's always been me looking out and wondering if the next place is it.

After toying with south of Little Rock and 10 acres in Omaha, AR (never posted about it) and coming back to the mountain in Cape Fair, I knew the right thing to do. I knew the right thing to do all along. Ever notice you know the right thing to do and then go about the craziest ways of getting there?

I love this mountain. I love Cape Fair. I love Table Rock Lake. I want to live here and I know it's the right thing to do.

Work Life in Branson

2014-06-15T19:27:00.000-05:00

Every time I open my blog I want to make a new post. Considering what I've been doing most, I thought I'd share about my job.

I've been working Front Desk and Night Audit in a Branson hotel since November. It is the Grand View Inn & Suites just above Tanger Outlet. As I say to guests when providing directions, "Tanger is between Krispy Kreme and the Giant Chicken on the strip (76 Country Boulevard)."

The giant chicken belongs to Great American Steak & Chicken House. It's in good company with all of the other giants in town. I do believe King Kong of the Hollywood Wax Museum would be the most famous. New this year is the giant Transformer outside of Ripley's Believe It or Not.

Tanger Outlet is a world unto its own. If you love shopping like I do, it's a wonderful outlet mall. It's filled with well-known brand stores offering low outlet prices. That's one thing I love about Branson. It's a small town, but with big city shopping.

I've chosen some of my favorite photos of where I work. The drive from Cape Fair is not bad. It's 22 miles door to door. Highway 76 winds and curves just to my liking and it sure beats a city commute which in some cases would involve about the same amount of miles.

I have a wonderful manager. She reminds me of my boss in Boston. More than 20 years have gone by and we are still in touch. I love my job and I hope to be here until I retire.

A Bit of an Absence

2013-10-19T11:12:00.001-05:00

I've been so busy this summer... having fun. :) I really have neglected being here and I have so much to share. I think I'll spend the winter updating Ozarks Crescent Mural. I just need to get motivated to go through my photos.

Here's a clue as to what I've been up to.

See you very soon.

P.S. That new car below from an earlier post, the Prius, has morphed itself into an Avalanche. Much more useful for an adventure lifestyle.

Meet Ponca

2013-06-27T12:07:00.001-05:00

This is Ponca, a baby Pomeranian, who looks just like a little fox. He just joined our family. He's from Valley Springs, Arkansas, just south of Harrison. He's named Ponca after the high mountain Ozarks town on the Buffalo River.

I saw a 'POMERANIANS' sign on Highway 65 when we were heading down to float the Buffalo in our kayaks and I stopped at the little house next to the gas station on the way back.

Once a long time ago when I was riding my mountain bike, I stopped when I saw the cutest little black dog ever. I asked the owners what kind of dog it was and they said, "Pomeranian," and I knew then that someday I'd get one. Tuesday was that day.

Welcome Ponca!

Lucky For the Lake House

2013-05-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

It never sold. Thank the heavens. It's great to be back here.

I love this house and I'd stay til the end of my days, but my best friend who built it wants it sold. It's on the market if you're interested. Look for zip code 65624 and $225,000 and you'll recognize it.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

2013-05-03T23:13:00.000-05:00

I liked Arkansas, but I missed Missouri. After only a few short months, I turned right around and came back. I'm glad to be back home in the Missouri Ozarks. Honestly, I love Table Rock Lake so much I can't imagine living anywhere else.

YAY! Missouri!

Even if it was brief, I stockpiled some wonderful memories of living in Arkansas and I'll always cherish them. But I'm so glad to be back home.

That Inkling

2013-05-02T22:42:00.000-05:00

When I left for the last time on my move down to Arkansas, I was in Branson West when it hit me. This picture captures it perfectly, even the direction I was looking.

picture provided by visittablerocklake.org

I was peeking out of my windshield up to the sky off to an angle over the buildings and thinking... Why am I leaving? I love this place. Why would I want to live anywhere else?

And way back in my mind, not conscious, but wondering, will I return?

And I did. I returned. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

Back to the Lake

2013-05-01T22:52:00.000-05:00

It's good to be back!

From that first moment in August 2011 when I drove across the Cape Fair Bridge over Table Rock Lake and to the Cenex gas station in town, I knew it was home. I'd never felt more comfortable in my life!