Q is for Queen Wilhelmina Lodge

It's time again For ABC Wednesday. If you aren't participating in ABC Wednesday, you are missing out on a lot of fun.


THE CURRENT LODGE

Named after a Dutch monarch, Queen Wilhelmina Lodge is a lodging tradition of royal hospitality since 1898. Today's lodge is the third inn to grace this same spectacular setting atop Rich Mountain, just 13 miles from Mena.

The original Wilhelmina Inn was constructed of native stone and timber at a cost of $100,000. The building was illuminated by carbide lights and made for a glorious site as carriages topped Rich Mountain from the train stop at the base of mountain's north side. Thirty-five guest rooms graced the second floor, with at least four "water closets" to serve their guests. Maids and cooks were housed on the third floor. And, the glorious first floor was used as a place to socialize.

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was to be crowned in September 1898. To honor the young Queen of the Netherlands, the magnificent structure was called "Wilhelmina Inn" in the vain hope she would visit.


WILHELMINA INN

The grand opening of the inn came on June 22, 1898. Soon, Wilhelmina Inn became known as the "Castle in the Sky." The grandeur of this renowned mountaintop inn with its breathtaking scenery, fine accommodations and exquisite service, however, was to last only a few short years. Less than three years after the opening of the lodge, the Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Gulf Railroad, facing enormous financial troubles, was sold. The lodge was abandoned and fell into disrepair.

In 1957 the Arkansas General Assembly created a new state park on the site where the old Wilhelmina Inn stood. Plans were soon underway to construct a new lodge on the site of the original inn.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the second inn opened its doors on June 22, 1963. Although less grand than the original hostelry, this lodge contained 17 guest rooms and a restaurant. Occupying the same site as the first inn, the second structure was built with some the rockwork still remaining from its predecessor. Operated for 10 years by the State of Arkansas as an Arkansas State Parks lodge, the facility was a popular travel attraction until, on the evening of November 10, 1973, a fire that began in the kitchen area destroyed it. Thankfully, there was no loss of life, but the building was totally destroyed.

To carry on this grand lodging tradition atop Rich Mountain, Arkansas State Parks lost no time in constructing a new lodge on the site, opening a new $3 million dollar state park lodge in 1975. Today, this lodge is the crowning attraction of Queen Wilhelmina State Park. Within walking distance of the lodge are a park amphitheater, playground, campground with 40 sites and a modern bathhouse, and hiking trails.

This is one of our favorite places to go. It is close enough that it doesn't take a lot of travel time, and the drive is beautiful anytime of the year.


VIEW FROM THE LODGE

One of our family's favorite things to do at the lodge is to ride the miniature train. We have been riding the train for almost 30 years. Here is a picture taken in 1981 with my mother, my wife Gina, and my daughter Cynda riding the train.


QUEEN WILHELMINA MINIATURE TRAIN 1981

This picture was taken last summer while Gina and I were riding the train with my daughter Cynda and her daughters Autumn and Rebekah


QUEEN WILHELMINA MINIATURE TRAIN 2008

A spectacular mountaintop setting. Breathtaking panoramic scenery. Royal hospitality. Queen Wilhelmina State Park is all this, and much more.

Leadership Summit Part 2

What a busy few days we have had. Last Thursday morning, we headed for Nashville, Tennessee. We met the rest of the Relay For Life Leadership Summit attendees from our area in Little Rock. We caravaned with them to Jackson, Tennessee where we stopped for the night. When we entered the hotel we were met with a sign greeting us.



After a good nights sleep we headed towards Nashville. The autumn colors were exceptional. I have never traveled on an Interstate highway that was so beautiful. We stopped at a rest area, and I took a few pictures of the fall foliage.







We arrived at the Opryland Hotel at around 11:00 A.M. If you have never seen the Opryland Hotel, I can't really explain it to you. It is the largest hotel in the U.S. that doesn't have a casino. It has 2,881 guest rooms and over 600,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel is spread across nine acres and includes a natural indoor atrium that features winding rivers, walking paths, marvelous landscaping, and peaceful waterfalls year-round.



We checked into our room, and then registered for the Leadership Summit. There were over 1200 people attending the Relay For Life training event. There were Relayers from the six states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee along with special guests from South Africa. The Leadership Summit was the first-ever divisionwide Relay For Life training event. There were inspirational speakers, and lots of information at the breakout workshop sessions.

I really enjoyed the summit, but being that crowded does make me a bit uncomfortable. There were more people in the hotel than people who live in my hometown of Mena. As crowded as the Relay For Life summit was, It was only one of several conventions that were occurring in the hotel.





One of the most inspiring things was when we were introduced to a young girl who was a cancer survivor. Even though she was blind, you could feel her enthusiasm for life. She sang "This Little Light Of Mine", as all of us in the audience shined our flashlights.



The Leadership Summit left Gina and I inspired and full of ideas for the Relay For Life that will be held here in Polk County in 2009.


GINA AND I WITH OUR ACS STAFF PERSON STINA

Leadership Summit

Gina and I are leaving today for the Relay For Life Leadership Summit to be held at Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee the 7th and 8th of November. We are looking forward to attending.

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event.



Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much-needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment.



The event in Mena was great. It was held in beautiful Janssen Park and was very successful. There was great entertainment and it was very well attended.







The purpose of Relay For Life is to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight. Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find healing. Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.



For more Relay For Life information go to the Polk County Relay For Life Blog

P is for Possibilities

It's time again For ABC Wednesday. If you aren't participating in ABC Wednesday, you are missing out on a lot of fun.

This week the letter is P. Usually the ABC Wednesday word is a noun, but this week I have chosen to use a concept. P is for Possibilities.

While I was playing with Flickr Toys I used the Motivator Tool. I made the following poster using a picture of my granddaughter.



Possibilities are everywhere. Each one of us is dealt a hand. We are in control of the possibilities.



Our outlook on life is determined by how big our view of the world is. Our view hinges on the size of the window we see the world through. How big is your view. What are the possibilities? Does your window on the world look like this?



Or does it look like this?



I hope that you have a magnificent view of the world, and that you can see that the possibilities are endless. If we would all determine to never limit our imagination, to open our eyes to the possibilities all around us, the results would be amazing!

Ouachita Mountains Color

Last week I wrote a blog about the how beautiful my hometown Mena is in the fall. This weekend I took a photo excursion through the Ouachita National Forest to Shady Lake. I think this weekend is probably the peak of the fall color season. The Ouachita Mountains in the fall are as pretty a place as you can find.

Shady Lake is a 25-acre lake in the Ouachita National Forest served by an accompanying U.S. Forest Service recreation area. The lake's dam and some facilities within the recreation area were constructed by workers of the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938.


FALL COLOR AT SHADY LAKE

The recreation area includes more than 90 campsites, a swimming beach, playground, hiking trails, picnic shelter, a grass boat ramp and other recreational facilities.

Game fish found in the lake include largemouth bass, catfish and sunfish species. Only rod-and-reel and pole fishing is allowed. Only electric motors may be used on boats.

We hiked the interpretive trail that is just a short distance from the campground at Shady Lake. It was an absolutely perfect fall day with sunshine and temperatures in the low 70's. We were surrounded with such awesome beauty that it was hard to decide what to photograph. This was my favorite photo taken on the hike.



The picture is best viewed large which you can do here. The scene from the same spot, but taken upriver instead of down river, shows a stone bridge across the river.


STONE BRIDGE NEAR SHADY LAKE

On our way home from Shady Lake we drove to the top of Tall Peak. The road is really rough, but the view is worth it.


ON THE WAY TO TALL PEAK


VIEW FROM TALL PEAK ROAD

Most of the drive through the Ouachita National Forest can best be described by the saying, "you can't see the forest for the trees". There is beautiful fall foliage everywhere but it is hard to capture the beauty with film. The only vista along the drive with a place to pull off the road and park is Sugar Creek Vista. There you can literally see for miles and miles.


SUGAR CREEK VISTA


ANOTHER VIEW FROM SUGAR CREEK VISTA

The drive was one of the most enjoyable that I can remember. Fall is one of the most enjoyable times to hike in Arkansas. The summer heat can make hiking unpleasant, and we have a good supply of ticks and chiggers. The cooler temperatures and the splendid fall colors make a hiking a lot of fun. If you don't believe me believe the picture.


GINA ENJOYING A FALL HIKE IN ARKANSAS

Fisherman Sunrise

It's time again for Sunday's Meme Sunrise Sunset

To join in the fun go here



When I visit San Pedro, Belize I like to get up early and walk the beachfront as the sun comes up. One morning as I was walking, I saw these fisherman in their boat.

Halloween Grace

Grace seems to often pop up in places that I never expect it. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that simply stated "Grace Happens". It is true. Grace happens. It happens all around us. Often we are too busy to notice.

Yesterday was Halloween. My wife had bought lots of candy in preparation for the kids she was expecting to come to our door. She was prepared to give candy, and lots of it, to anyone who rang her doorbell. She waited with anticipation, because she loves to see the kids in their costumes. The doorbell rang for the first time. She went to the door and opened it with a bowl of candy in her hand. There stood two kids, but they didn't have anything to put candy in. They didn't say trick or treat. They stood there with a long stemmed rose in their hand. "We are not asking for candy", they said. "We want to give you a rose".


GRACE DISPENSERS

Unexpected grace. Out of the blue. I never thought that on Halloween someone would come to my door and give me something. I think that is a key to understanding grace. We Christians often focus on the fact that grace is undeserved. That is true, it is undeserved. If you deserved it, it wouldn't be grace. But not only is it undeserved, it is unexpected.

I think that is what Paul is trying to get us to see when he wrote in Ephesians 3:8, "to me, who am less than the least deserving of all the saints, this grace was given". He seems to be almost unable to believe that grace was offered to him. It was unexpected. Maybe that is why he talks about grace more than any other Bible writer.

Look for the unexpected today. Look for grace in unexpected places. I know that you will find it. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 1:14, "the grace of our Lord is exceedingly abundant".