An Arkies Musings

My An Arkie's Faith column from the October 26, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse. The mornings had been cooler for a few days, but this morning was downright cold. A cold blast of air blew right through me as I walked out the front door, heading to work. When I arrived at my shop, I glanced at the thermometer that hung next to the front door. It read 26 degrees. I shivered, as just knowing the temperature made me even colder. "It is too cold for the middle of October," I thought. I entered my shop and immediately turned on the 220-volt, 5000-watt space heater. It was the first time I had used the heater since a major renovation of my shop. The heater had taken the chill out of the air in just a few minutes, and I was comfortable working. Before long, it was warm enough to turn down the heater. I'm not too fond of cold weather, but I was excited to see how well my shop would stay warm. This spring, I started working on my cold, drafty shop. The building is old and ...

My An Arkie's Faith column from the October 19, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse. Harold wasn't at the hospital the day his son was born; his job had taken him out of state. But he didn't miss the birth on purpose. His wife Sandra's due date was two months away. Earlier that day, Sandra had driven him to the airport to catch a flight to Atlanta. On her way home, she began to have premature labor pain and went straight to the hospital, where baby Josh was born just a few hours later. Because of his premature birth, baby Josh needed special care. Later that day, Sandra called Harold at his Atlanta hotel to tell him that he had a son and that baby Josh would need extended care. It wouldn't be the last time that Harold missed a milestone moment in his son's life. Harold's professional future was looking very bright, but his home life was deteriorating. A couple of years earlier, he had been an out-of-work documentary filmmaker. Sandra remembered those days, ...

My An Arkie's Faith column from the October 12, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse. For many years, whenever I traveled to Russellville, Jasper, Harrison, or Branson, I would pass by a large open field with what looked like hundreds of RV camping spaces on Hwy 250. There was a small sign that said Turkey Track Bluegrass music. I wondered why it was there and why I never saw anyone there.  One day a couple of years ago, I saw a flyer advertising the Turkey Track Bluegrass Festival. I thought that it sounded interesting. I love music, but I had never attended a bluegrass festival. The timing didn't work out, so I couldn't attend the festival. Each year, in the back of my mind, I thought about attending the festival, but it never seemed to happen. I decided that I would try to go to Turkey Track this year. A few days ago, a Facebook post on my phone showed that Rhonda Vincent would be playing at Turkey Track. I had heard her play at Silver Dollar City in the 80s and followed...

My An Arkie's Faith column from the October 5, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse. It is early Sunday morning, and I am writing an article at my desk. It is quiet in the house, with only the sound of my fingers on the computer keyboard. My dogs have been fed and are now curled together, sleeping on the floor of the living room. The stillness of the morning is interrupted by the ringtone of my cell phone. "Who can be calling me on Sunday morning," I thought as I answered the phone.  "This is your cousin from Michigan," the voice on the other end of the line said. "We are in Branson for a few days and would like to come see you." As we visited for a few minutes, we tried to remember when we had last seen each other. We couldn't pinpoint the exact time, but it was when we were both young children. Before we ended the call, we made arrangements to meet in a few days. As we walked out onto Little Italy's back patio, I saw my Daddy seated at a tabl...