(Technically in Luna)

We got into Monroe on Thanksgiving day, after some delays in Memphis and after Mette had a diaper explosion (we were on a small, 30-seat turboprop plane and couldn't change her). We drove out to the house about 40 minutes or so out into West Monroe (technically in Luna, I think). It was beautiful, and warm most of the day. The colors this time of year are hard to get accurate in a photo, but its beautiful and quiet. especially out in the woods on a bend in the river where Mother and Durwood live.

Down the road from them are a couple who live on a large clay cliff bank. They raised or kept as pets: turkeys, chickens & roosters, 2 large angry geese, a large hog that their son-in-law had found in the woods, and of course dogs. There was also a large koi pond filled with bass-sized goldfish. Hennie especially loved it and we had a nice afternoon down there. We'd drive from the house to the chicken coops and around in the back of Durwoods pickup truck and Hennie got so happy at one point she jumped up, threw her arms around me and said "I love you and mama so much" and gave me a kiss.

fattening up

hennie on the bank of the Ouachita River

on the (short) drive back to the house we stopped at a cane grove and cut enough to use as skewers for hotdogs, shrimp and marshmellows (not all on the same kebob) which we roasted over a fire that night for dinner.