I see you. You see me. We are here.

Sunshine every day.

I haven't felt a drop of rain since I left Edinburgh in the wee hours of Tuesday October 8th. Unfortunately this means that Arkansas is in a drought. I am sorry about this and everyone here is apologising to me for the trees' lack of colour and the crispness of the earth. For me, these temperatures mean SUMMER as I am well acclimated to Edinburgh's weather. Folks here might be rejoicing in the cooler weather but to me it feels wonderfully "scorchio!"

I sit outside every chance I get. I even fell asleep under the sun listening to the bright red leaves of the maple trees rustle in the wind and fall one by one. The sky has been brilliantly blue. I am not sure if I have seen even one cloud. I rejoiced as I witnessed the full moon rise up and over the ridges of the Boston mountains in the night sky.

Nature is a balm for my soul wherever I may be. And for the past week, I have been in the rural community of Winslow, Arkansas after spending a few days in my hometown of Fayetteville. I can't believe I have already been in Arkansas for 10 days. 

When in Fayetteville, I have mostly stayed in the older parts of town that are fairly unchanged. My old neighbourhood has snuck a few houses in on some of the longer lots or replaced old homes with newer ones, but it is mostly intact. I love walking the very familiar streets of my childhood. One morning last week, I walked up to the square and met a dear old friend for coffee and ran into another one there too. So lovely to see these beautiful faces and catch up - however briefly. Touchstones from an earlier life - a family of odd souls. I will always love these warriors who I ran the streets and saw bands with back in the day. We lost a lot of our friends and many of our friends continue to struggle in one way or another, so it's a joy to see each other. I don't take their faces for granted. 

I also spent time sat on a porch swing and then moved on to a screened in back porch and talked the day away with another dear friend. Another friend popped by to chat too. That's how it has always been, spontaneous sightings, chats, hugs, and bowls of soup. That's what makes Fayetteville special and home to me. 

I met another pair of friends for lunch at a place virtually unchanged since the 1980s. It was great to taste the familiar food and see their smiling faces and hear of their latest adventures in life.

On another Fayetteville encounter, I helped a friend with a photography project. I also popped into the best record store - Block Street Records, and had a lovely chat with Logan there who was playing this great album. Everything has a flow in Fayetteville. People are easy and practically jump out at you with kindness and compliments. 

I forgot. 
I don't want to forget again.

Another dear pal came out to Winslow to take me back to Fayetteville to have lunch and then explore "the Ramble" and the new library addition before heading up to Fenix Gallery (sadly closed when we attempted to visit), but we enjoyed the grounds and of course had to take in the view of the town from the cross on Mt. Sequoyah. 

At my parents house, we sit around the dining room table eating meals and chatting about this and that while the television tries to sell us drugs. 

My mother and I attended the monthly vegan potluck at Ozark Folkways with the lovely locals there and then yesterday we ran into another lovely old friend who was participating in a Flea Market in West Fork. Hugs, hugs, and more hugs. I picked up a cool rock and roll sweater for $2. 

I have been driving the winding highway between the two towns and the "back way" from West Fork. I sing at the top of my lungs with the windows rolled down.  As I do, I eat the syllables in the back of my mouth. Short and sharp - I make up guttural country songs as I drive through the falling leaves. 

The other drivers wave, the porch sitters wave. Nod of the head, I wave back.
Our shorthand goes a long way - I see you. You see me. We are here. 

This is autumn in Arkansas.