Garvan Tulips

Yesterday Gina and I along with my sister and her daughters visited Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Gardens were the dream of Verna Cook Garvan. The site for Garvan Woodland Gardens was purchased in the 1920's. In 1956 Mrs. Garvan began to develop it as a garden and possible future residence. She was intimately familiar with the land and laid out each path, marking every tree to be removed. She also personally chose each new plant and selected its location.

When she died in 1993, Mrs. Garvan gave the property to the University of Arkansas Foundation. The Gardens are now an independent department of the University's Fay Jones School of Architecture and continue to flourish and grow.

The peak tulip viewing times at the gardens are March 15 through April 1. Garvan Woodland Gardens are beautiful any time of the year, but I think that the tulip season is quite possibly the best.

Garvan Woodland Gardens is the largest remaining undeveloped tract of land on Lake Hamilton, the Mid-South's most popular recreational Lake. There are over three miles of recreational trails.  This time of year many of the trails are lined with thousands of tulips.

We had a very enjoyable afternoon.  The temperatures were quite warm and the flowers were so beautiful.  This time of year the tulips are quite impressive, but there are other flowers in bloom.  The hyacinths  were very pretty but the sweet aroma was even better.

Garvan Woodland Gardens is an amazing place.  If you ever visit Hot Springs, Arkansas I highly recommend a visit to Garvan Woodland Gardens.

I'm So Sleepy

I'm so sleepy yeah
I'm so sleepy yeah
I could lay my head
On a piece of lead
And imagine that
It was a springy bed
Cause I'm sleepy, sleepy
Yeah

As I was working late one night this week, this old Cat Stevens song kept going through my mind. I don't ever remember being as tired as I have been these last few weeks. Since a F3 tornado devastated Mena on the 9th of April I have been busier than I have ever been in my life. During the last four weeks I have installed over 175 pieces of Auto Glass. My life has consisted of going to work early in the morning and coming home late at night, showering, and crawling into bed, just to do it all again the next day. I think that I will soon be able to work more normal hours.

One of the disadvantages of working so many hours is that it leaves no time for blogging. Hopefully I will be able to take time to blog.

Last weekend we took time away from Mena to go to Keene, Texas to attend Graduation at Southwestern Adventist University. Gavin's girlfriend, Rachel, graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in English. She had the biggest smile of any graduate.



Gavin and Rachel look great together. They looked very happy all weekend. We had a great time visiting with Rachel and her family. We were invited to their home for a great meal following the worship service, and we all went out to eat at Olive Garden following graduation.





Also graduating were Gavin's friends Roxie and Luis. We try to spend some time with Roxie and Luis when we are visiting in Keene.



Gavin has been friends with Luis for as long as he has been at Southwestern.



It's time to go to bed and get some rest.

I'm so sleepy yeah
I'm so sleepy yeah
I could lay my head
On a piece of lead
And imagine that
It was a springy bed
Cause I'm sleepy, sleepy
Yeah