Well, big city isn’t entirely accurate…and I now live within 30 minutes of a Wal-mart, so I suppose back woods isn’t exactly the case either. A little over six months ago, my husband, Leo, and I lived in the middle of Kansas City. I rode my bike to work at a bed & breakfast, I had friends all around me, including the wonderful Tenjack family that lived above us and rented to us our cute Hyde park home. Although we loved many aspects of our lives, we never felt at home in Kansas City. An opportunity arose for us to explore a more rural setting, so we moved to Mountain View, Arkansas, from where I am writing to you now.
Mountain View is a small town of about 3,000 people. We don’t actually live in Mountain View, we live in a log cabin on 53 acres of beautiful land about 11 miles east of Mountain View.
Our first month living her was pretty much a vacation. I spent my days reading on the hammock, unpacking a few things, spending an hour or so in my new garden, or working on sewing projects. It was an amazingly relaxing time. Leo was fixing up his shop or mowing the fields. We loved the isolation and the amazing night starry skies and all the wildlife we would see on a daily basis.
After a while, Leo started having a lot of work to do for Way Basics and for politicians. I decided I should probably get serious about finding a job. There is no real industry in Mountain View, and the average income is $19,000/year or something crazy-low like that. Retail and Tourism are really the only things to do here and neither of those pay well. I ended up with a job that pays horribly, but I love. (Luckily, we don’t have a lot of expenses right now) I’m working at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. I work as the front desk receptionist and group sales assistant. Neither of those jobs are terribly exciting, but the atmosphere is wonderful and I am surrounded by musicians and artists and really ridiculously nice people! After a week there, someone learned that I could sing and next thing I know, I’m yodeling on stage for hundreds of people. I soon acquire the stage name of “Ruby Pines” and become a regular act at their evening concerts.
So that is my six-month timeline. Now that you all are up-to-date, perhaps I can write about more interesting things. Mmm…probably not. I’ll just keep you posted on my adventures here in Arkansas.
I can’t believe I didn’t know about your blog until just now!
now I get to start reading.
yay! thanks!!
I miss you a lot these days.
Rachel,
I love the blog. You and Leo live such an interesting life. It sounds so quiet and peaceful there and your pics are beautiful.
i love this post, ruby pines
oh goodness…i almost just came to tears reading this..thinkin about how beautiful you are…what God is doing and how beautiful life must be…i can tell you are happy… so blessed to call you friend rach!