Getting Reacquainted with Arkansas

The dreams started to come about five years ago.  I was traveling on College Avenue, a main street in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  It was always in the dark, and I was always looking for something.  What, I never knew. 

I finally decided it was time to find out.

Yesterday, arriving in Northwest Arkansas, I was in shock.  And, I blogged about the shock of change yesterday.  I just wasn't ready to blog about it.

Today, I know (and I hope I'm right) that some things will never change.

The Farmers Market in downtown Fayetteville, AR was only eight years old when I started to work in downtown Fayetteville.  Now, it celebrates its 40th year in business.

Pawpaw Tree, Downtown Fayetteville

I personally don't like the native pawpaw fruit, but it is nice to be back in pawpaw territory.

The peaches and nectarines are nearly at the end of their harvest, and the apples are coming in.  Soon, our apples in upstate New York will be coming in, too.  Our blueberries just finished up, some two months after the Arkansas berries did.

The downtown Fayetteville farmers market, incidentally, was voted #1 in the nation in 2012.  We spoke to several vendors, and it was a pleasure meeting them.

Crepe Myrtle, downtown Fayetteville, AR

It is so nice to see crepe myrtles again.

And the people of Fayetteville still love their Razorbacks....Sooie!

Just in slightly new ways.

Arkansas will always be a natural - and I will be blogging more about Arkansas in the next few days.

Yes, Arkansas changed in those 27 years, and I promise I will blog more about what I found.  After today, I know the change is both for the good and for the bad.

But I do know this - I will never wander down College Avenue in my dreams again, because I have found what I was looking for.

Tomorrow - Simply Summer.