Morning on the Square

click above for more photos of Arkansas

I am sitting on a rock wall on the square in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is Tuesday Farmers market and I've just purchased a bunch of baby radishes for $1.

A couple of handfuls of people are still mulling about, catching up with friends, shopping, walking the dog. Then there are we curious on-lookers, wondering what it would be like to be greeted with 'Morning there girls!' instead of a polite hello. One man is photographing, as I will be shortly, one is shelling peas and I am enjoying blueberry coffee and the cool morning shade. The coffee isn't as bad as it sounds but the shade is ever bit as good.

It is such a charming farmers market, so very Americana, surrounding the old courthouse, with the stalwarts of downtown retailers forming a protective ring. Behind me is a now defunct Bank of America, currently being renovated in to luxury condos. I'm unsure what they are going to do with the ground floor but the top 2 floors have balconies that overlook this square and, I'd imagine, the hills beyond. This is the high point in the city so quite a view is up for grabs.

It is actually quite peaceful here. The whir of the electric pea sheller mixes well with the splash of the water fountain, the murmur of voices and the occasional car. The church bells tolling the hour only adds to the old-worldliness of it all.

This is the best thing about being unemployed. I get to visit people and experience such a different life from my own.

This past weekend we took the kids and the canoes and went for a long paddle on the lake. It is so overflowing, we were ankle deep in water on the ledge they usually dive from. The trees submerged to the canopies made the whole scene resemble a bayou instead of a great valley lake. The white, gray and oil black bluffs are impressive as ever, but being so near, near enough to touch the striations of time, was simply an otherworldly experience.

The previous weekend, we went out to the cabin at Outlaw Hollow and did absolutely nothing. Napped. Read. Soaked in the hot tub surrounded by acres of nothing but forest, stars, and bright silvery moonlight. Oh and the tree frogs. A deafening cacophony of tree frogs croaking unceasingly. I'd no idea the peace and quiet of the countryside could be so loud. And yet, drifting off to sleep was far easier than its been in months.

Would I be doing this in Dublin? We have a farmers market and it is certainly charming, but there would have been no canoe trip or tree frogs. It's just different here. Less anxiety. Better weather. Fresh okra.

Ah, it is a beautiful day to be unemployed in Arkansas.