Gardening, Library, Storm, Ideas for Writing and Blogging:
Baxter County Master Gardeners Seminar will be in a couple of weeks; check it out on their website http://www.baxtercountymg.org/. I plan on attending to learn how gardeners will be renewing their damaged gardens. I don’t recognize my garden. I and the wildlife feel so exposed in our surroundings – no place to hide, ponder or frolic.

March 6, 10:30 am – Please be at the groundbreaking ceremony for our new Donald W. Reynolds Public Library at 300 Library Hill back of ASU Mountain Home. I’ll be there to help serve coffee. As a member of the “Friends of the Library,” I am very excited. When I move (too often) to a new area the first places I look for are the library, newspaper office and bookstore. Library website: http://www.baxlib.org/

Every so often I click on the website of an area I have lived. I use to shop at the Air Force Base at Mountain Home, Idaho when I lived in Twin Falls, Idaho. Do you know they have an Arts Council, supporting their local creative people? Their website is http://www.mharts.org/. I wished our Mountain Home/Baxter County had one, where all creative people could be in one place sharing ideas.

http://onediasozarks.com/?page_id=592 is temporarily closed. Check back in a couple of days. You can register for the “Basics of Blogging Workshop” by emailing marynida@lakeviewnet.com. Send your $25 registration fee to Mary Nida Smith, 162 Stamford Drive, Lakeview, AR 72642. It will be $30 dollars at the door Saturday, March 7th. Thank You.

Baxter County will be picking up all our piled high storm debris. I figure by the time summer solstice provides warmer days filled with longer work days, the wasted wood will be gone. During the storm we were begging for wood for the unused fireplace. Joe, are neighbor kindly supplied us with wood. Larry Ofner kept us supplied with hot coffee. Thank you both, the electrical company and all the tree trimmers.

Life is a constant adventure usually blown in on the wing tips of the unpredictable weather. Before each storm our bodies were warmed by the southern winds, then entered the fast driven roar of the mighty north wind displaying its power over all. The warm rains angered the cold wild winds, causing a curse of heavy ice to pull down the trees to enclose us in a crypt of ice. It will be about two weeks before the roof can be repaired, the siding may not be able to be replaced (It will be about five weeks before we will know.), and the sunroom we are hoping for a solution with out removing it or a replacement. I have been trying to draw up plans so we can save the sunroom. I am not disheartened for there are so many others who have bigger concerns.

Stories ideas continue to form in the midst of each new adventure. I don’t understand when some writers will say to me, “Where do you fine ideas to write?” I say, “Look at your feet. Write down the different things about feet, shoes, shoe strings, and the list continues. The stories, articles or poetry can’t write itself, so start with a line and work up to a page. Maybe, you should start by writing a friend a letter telling her all the problems you are having with your feet and where all the wonderful places your feet can take you. Write, just write!

Baxter County Library is having a book sale February 19-20-21. Check out their website at http://www.baxlib.org/

Donna Volkenannt - check out my friend Donna's blog "Donna's Book Pub" at http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com

Rich Davis - Rich Davis & Deborah Edmonds, Children's Librarian

Baxter County Library February 7th, I attended the children’s program: Drawing with illustrator Rich Davis from Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The children loved every minute. Rich captured the children’s’ attention the moment he started. Rich worked several years at Day Springs Cards - designing cards.
Check his website: http://www.richdavis.freewebsspace.com/

I met Rich several years ago when I lived in Siloam Springs. We both attended a writers group that met at Rogers library and when I was President of Siloam Springs Artist Guild. Each year in March the guild and five Northwest art clubs were involved with Sager Creek Arts Center in organizing a competitive show at John Brown University. I loved Siloam Springs and the people, but my husband was looking for a bigger and clearer fishing lake.

I just finished my job as a contest coordinator for the Missouri Writers Guild Conference coming up in April. So many good writers! I am hoping to attend. Don’t forget Ozarks Writers League (OWL) Saturday the 14th, at the College of the Ozarks. Great group!

One of my favorite magazines is “Grit” magazine. Jan/Feb issue had a much needed article “Protect Yourself From Power Outages.” We all needed to read and employ the substance of this article before we had the last ice storm. Great articles, photos and covers. March/April issue articles: Spirit of the American Barn, A Tribute to Country Women, and Sweet, Sour and Savory Rhubarb, just to name a few. Don’t forget to read the humorous piece “The Ruminant Romp” by Barbara Westhoven (a writer friend of mine). When I visit with Barb she shares many funny stories of what is happening on their farm.

Check out the poster for the “Basics of Blogging Workshop” at Bel Arco.
For information http://belarcowritersworkshops.blogspot.com/ and http://onediasozarks.com/?page_id=592 I hope to see you there.

Woodland Garden and Ice Storm: I have returned from the world of ice and destruction. One day it was a beautiful crystallized landscape and the next few days it appeared as scenes from a horror movie. The demons were the ice and cold trying to destroy your mind and body.

A sad week for my Woodland Garden, where I escaped to enjoy being by myself and to watch the wildlife God created. My garden lot was for the unwanted wildlife held back from surrounded fences to enter to eat, drink, raise their young and entertain me. It was our woods.

Without trees and bushes to hide in and places to build homes will I loose my wildlife friends? I am sad for them and for me. The two woodpecker trees are untouched. Will they now become over crowded wildlife high-rise apartments? Can animals get along better than their human friends?

It will take weeks to cut, trim and remove all the debris. To keep safe from damaged limbs and trees during removal, I must remove what remains of garden items such as benches, chairs, statues and trellises.

When the garden is cleared and cleaned. I’ll have to take notes on what trees and bushes can be salvaged and where to start rebuilding. There are so many questions. I know my Woodland Garden I have loved for ten years will only be a memory created in many photos.
It was carved out of a wild overgrown wooded lot into a quiet refuge. Now, it must be re-created out of the ruins of an untamed freezing winter storm of January 2009. Above are the before and after photos. All my blogs have been updated - check them out.