Tabors Repose: March 2012

Special Celebration: Papaw Tabor's 90th!

To celebrate Dad's 90th birthday, my brothers Ronnie and Steve brought Dad up to Cotter for his special treat - fishing at Dry Run Creek. We were also joined by our nephew Andrew, niece Heather, and great niece Jaden. Something about a fishing trip that whets Dad's appetite, so at his insistence, we started each day with a big country breakfast at the White Sands cafe. We then headed to Dry Run Creek for many hours of fishing on Saturday and Sunday. Dad is so happy on the stream catching big trout - especially when he has a supporting crew of admiring children and grandchildren. Charlcie was busy taking pictures to journalize the festivities.

Heather and Dad gearing up

Would you please hurry up and tie that thing on so I can continue fishing!

Focused on the big one

OK Steve, hurry and release that fish so I can catch another one

Heather guiding Jaden on her first Dry Run Creek experience

The whole group, with exception of Andrew, who had to get back to Little Rock

And many more!!!!!

Cotter Trail Hike

After the area tour, Heather and Jeff and Charlcie and I hiked the Cotter trail and enjoyed the fantastic March weather and the early-blooming wildflowers. I had failed to take the camera along, so Charlcie and I went back the next day to take pictures. Although it was a little too overcast to get good light and the full bloom of some of the flowers, we were still able to get some decent pictures along this neat trail.

Active bald eagle nest across the river

Great blue heron rookery across the river and next to eagle nest

Flox among group of yellow trout lilies

Hillside covered with small white flowers

A solitary red flower on a bluff

Trout lilies galore

Grape hyacinth in our front yard

Grape hyacinth at an abandoned old house in Cotter

Reptile crossing the road near our new house - not for sure of the make and model, so I didn't get any closer

Fishing Buffalo Shoals with Heather and Jeff

Enjoyed a week-end with our niece Heather and husband Jeff; valued kinfolk and devoted fly-fishers. This was Heather's first trip to the area in which she was able to see it all - and we obliged with our standard full day tour on Saturday. And Sunday we all spent a beautiful day fishing our favorite spot at Buffalo Shoals on the White River - and we were all rewarded with good numbers of fish caught.

Charlcie's first fish of the day - not the largest :)

Fishing was so demanding that Charlcie had to take time for a little island relaxation

Heather coaching Jeff on how it's done, or something like that

Annual President's Day road trip

We again made the annual trek to the President's Day races at Oaklawn with Ben (Myka couldn't attend due to school demands). Luck was not with us at the wagering window, nor in the cash drawings after each race. But we had a great time spending time with Ben and Myka and enjoyed some good meals together, including some baked ziti Myka had waiting for us when we returned from the races.