Mazurah

After three days of traveling the hills we're safely home. I can say that at least some of the trip was relaxing. We didn't get to eat at the Bavarian or at Ermelios, as we just ran out of time. But the rehearsal on Saturday night was worth the whole trip.

We arrived around 8:45 with most of the guests who then numbered around 50 or so still there. The house on the private lake surrounded by the natural beauty of Ozark foliage was the same as it was last time we visited, breathtaking. Around 11:30 we had noticed quite a bit of storm activity through a break in the trees to our west. As it neared midnight, the winds came up and caused us to have to fold it up for the evening. We drove from Greenland to Eureka Springs in a rash of rain storms. Ms. slept most of the way as I monitored a Harrison radio station that was breaking in every 3-5 minutes to reiderate the counties under storm warnings. We got back to the motel an hour and a half later. I ended up watching the rain from the upper deck until about 3 a.m.

Sunday was a day of travel through 'Mazurah" to Kimberling City to check out the boat we have leased for the 4th of July weekend. It should be a blast!

Yesterday morning after checkout, we drove to Persimmon Hill to pick blueberries. The berry harvest had just began on Saturday, so there were no "pre picked" berries. We had to do all of the labor ourselves. That turned out to be a blessing as at one time we were the only two in the 4 acres of blueberry bushes. The farm is located in a holler with the hills surrounding you in most all directions. The berries although not at their peak are ripe for eating and the Collins variety of berries are the sweetest. The buzz of the bumble bee around our heads and the sound of the birds churping throughout the farm made for some great pondering while fillling our buckets with these Ozark jewels. It once again will make for memories.

We also brought back 2 1/4 pounds of shitake mushrooms that are grown in the "laying" area there on the farm. We'll put some of them in the dehydrator for later dishes and use some of them now, on the grill and in a couple of favorite pasta and fresh herb dishes.

So back to reality. We're back in north Texas now and trying to make life decisions. Those hills are such a long way from this rat race...