Welcome to my on-line newsletter about the Buffalo National River, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Harrison, my home town. It is always under construction! My apologies for again being a bit tardy in writing this but I was waiting to get some really nice fall pictures. I began taking some early shots about October 14th or so, but not much has happened until this week! Fall colors are in full swing here in the Ozarks. Red, orange, yellow and green all mixed together have produced a really beautiful display this year. This is a really wonderful time to be out hiking along the Buffalo National River Trail, or any of the national forest or wilderness areas this part of the world has to offer. The weatherman predicts another great week of fine temperatures and sunny skies and I sure hope he is right!

Fall Colors And Misty Bluff

October was a great month for me. Mid-month found me at Misty Bluff, a vacation rental property owned by Jurgen and Liz Lottmann. Located south of Jasper on Hwy 7, Misty Bluff has one of the nicest views in the area. The back porch faces directly towards Red Rock and on a clear day you can see quite far down the valley. I arrived in the afternoon on a Tuesday and quickly moved my stuff into the master bedroom, which is located on the upper floor. The spacious room has a large (and very comfortable) bed, it's own satellite TV and enough room left over for a cozy sitting area. Sliding doors lead to a private, covered deck where you can enjoy morning coffee away from others.

Adjoining the master bedroom is the master bath, the main feature being the Jacuzzi tub with a romantic evening view of the stars above and the valley below. A shower and double vanity round out this room. Next to the bathroom is a second bedroom with a modern bunk bed. The entire upper floor can be accessed either by a front door which leads up to the parking area, or via the stairs that lead down into the family room and kitchen/dining areas.

The main level of Misty Bluff is built for relaxing and entertaining. The living room is furnished with a large screen TV/DVD and satellite connection, very comfortable couches, a most excellent wood stove and huge windows to let in the light and the view. On the other end of the room is another bathroom with a shower and a very modern kitchen, fully equipped to make your stay a delight. Sitting in between the two is the dining area and directly in front of that, through a screen door is the large deck that overlooks the valley.

I love just sitting out on the deck on a nice sunny afternoon, watching the birds float the thermals, the clouds moving across the blue sky, and the sunrises. The moonrise was also quite spectacular this visit and I could see it on the horizon miles away, large and red. As it climbed higher it changed to a bright, white full moon. Very beautiful. After a nice night's sleep, I got up and had the opportunity to go on a hike with the owner of Misty Bluff, Jurgen Lottmann. We went over to Erbie and hiked to the top of Cone Point. After hiking for several hours and having a great time, I returned to the cabin and had a nice Jacuzzi and supper. I drove lazily back to Harrison the next afternoon. I sure enjoyed my time at Misty Bluff.

One of my favorite things to do when the leaves are turning is just drive around town and see what the leaves look like. It was a really nice, sunny day when I decided to take a tour. The first stop was historic downtown Harrison to see the trees on the square. I was stunned to see how beautiful they looked.

My next stop was over to the Maplewood Cemetery. This is an awesome place to see the fall colors. I had taken a light lunch with me and decided to eat it here. It was a great afternoon. I really enjoyed just driving around admiring the display.