Issue #148
December 22, 2003

The Last Day Of Summer

It was early November and I received a call from Juergen and Liz Lottmann. They had finished construction of their new vacation rental property, Misty Bluff and wanted to know if I would like to come out and spend three nights there. Of course I jumped at the opportunity to visit a new place, and we made a date. Misty Bluff is centrally located just south of Jasper on Highway 7. It sits right on the edge of the Arkansas Grand Canyon and has a spectacular view of the entire area, well beyond Red Rock Point.
I arrived in the late afternoon on Tuesday. The weather had been excellent for several weeks but the Indian Summer was threatening to disappear, as strong storms and colder weather were forecast for the next several days. Even though Misty Bluff is conveniently located close to many nice hiking opportunities it seemd as though I might not be able to take advantage of it. One of the owners, Juergen Lottmann, was there to greet me and show me around. You don't notice it when driving up, but Misty Bluff is a two story home with sleeping quarters and master bath on the upper floor and the kitchen, great room and dining area, along with another bath, are on the ground floor. Outside of the ground floor is a spectacular deck which sits right on the edge of the bluff line and offers a terrific view of the surrounding countryside.
I parked the Blazer and moved my stuff into the master bedroom which is located on the upper floor. Large glass windows surround you as you look out over the valley. A huge, very comfortable king sized bed plus several sitting chairs round out this large room. I also enjoyed the elegant style of decoration. There is a second deck that you access from the master bedroom. It has several chairs and a table on it and also has a great view of the surrounding countryside.

I spent the afternoon in shorts and a t-shirt on the deck with the owner. We discovered we had many mutual friends and the afternoon just drifted by. Juergen was bemoaning the fact he had to drive back to town, even though he didn't have to work that day, but I suggested that since we had consumed several beers that he grab the other bedroom and just hang out for the rest of the evening. He decided that was a good idea and offered to make some spaghetti with a meat sauce for supper. My good friend Dwayne was also gonna stop by on his way home after work (he lives in Deer) to say hi and Juergen promised to make some extra for him also. The kitchen is fully modern and equipped with range, refrigerator, dish washer, plus microwave, electric coffee pot, toaster and all the cookware, pots, pans and flatware needed to cook up and serve a simple meal for one or a complex dinner for eight. Juergen was an excellent cook and the aroma of our supper wafted through the open window and onto the deck.
Dwayne arrived around 5 or so, and we ate supper on the deck. The last of the southerly breezes blew gently over us as we sat after supper and watched the sun set behind us. The shadows stretched out over the valley and soon all was in darkness. Once Dwayne was gone and Juergen had gone to bed, I sat on the deck and watched the stars. Gradually the stars began to disappear. A sudden wind shift brought in a chilly air and it was not long before I started to feel cold raindrops. I realized we had just finished experiencing the last day of summer and good weather. I returned inside to the great room and turned on the large tv. Misty Bluff has a very nice entertainment center, with stereo and satellite TV service. I watched a movie as the rain pelted the windows. Once the movie was over I decided to take advantage of the big jacuzzi tub in the master bath. I completely relaxed in the hot water and soothing jets of the jacuzzi tub, sipping my wine. It wasn't long before I was ready to slip off to sleep. The bed in the master bedroom was quite comfortable and I slept well.
I got up the next morning, Juergen was already gone. I looked out the window and couldn't see a thing. It was still raining and the mist had covered the valley completely. I didn't see the sun shine again during my trip. About nine a.m. or so, the power went out. I knew that it was a major power outage because there were no lights on in the valley below. The phone did not require any electricity so I called the electric company and found out that it would be some time late in the afternoon before power would be restored. I decided to see how well I would survive the day. I built up a fire in the wood stove and it provided more than adequate heat for both levels of the house. I set some water on it and brewed up some coffee. There was a gas grill outside for me to use as a stove but I had brought along some canned soup, so I just made some of that for lunch. I always carry a flashlight in my backpack so I had a light. All in all I weathered the outage quite well. The power came back on just around five p.m,. right before sunset. I took advantage of the kitchen to make myself a really nice meal, then settled in to watch some movies on the big screen tv. I checked the weather and the forecast was for continued rain and cloudy weather with lots of fog. I decided that I would do some work on my laptop if I was forced to stay in the following day, which of course, was just what happened! Since I didn't have the opportunity to go on any hike or adventure to share with you in this issue, I thought that I would pick out some of my most favorite pictures that I or my friends have taken over the years and share them with you. All of them are nice day trips when staying at Misty Bluff.
Misty Bluff is a great place to spend some vacation time! Liz and Juergen have provided all the amenities to make your stay perfect, and you won't get a better view anywhere. It is centrally located just south of Jasper, making it very easy to take day trips for hiking, canoeing or trips over to Eureka Springs and Branson. There are several restaurants close by and in Jasper if you don't want to cook. Once the day's activities are done, you can relax in the jacuzzi or just sit on the deck and soak up the view. Give Liz and Juergen a jingle when your planning your vacation this year. I am sure you would enjoy a visit to the Ozark Mountains and Misty Bluff!
Misty Bluff
Liz and Juergen Lottmann
Hwy 7 South
Jasper, AR 72641
Toll Free Reservations: 866-235-9126
Email Misty Bluff