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“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

Lifestyle

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2:08 am

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

By Sheri Hopkins,
Lifestyle Contributor

Hello everyone! We have had spring and now we are back to winter here in Arkansas. I like living in a state where the weather is unpredictable. It keeps the excitement going, never boring. I hope ya’ll had a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Sherri and Justin Weaver have always made my Valentine’s Day special since Chuck passed away. This year, I got beautiful flowers and balloons and a pretty Hobo purse. I was so excited; they are so thoughtful.

Speaking of Justin Weaver, have ya’ll ever heard him tell a story? He is hilarious. We had our Valentine’s Day Church dinner last night and he had us rolling with his stories. I have to tell ya’ll the story he told. It probably won’t be as funny as listening to him tell it. He had to go to McAlister, OK to a meeting, so he stopped in a small town at a diner to have breakfast. He said the waitress takes his order and he orders the “Big Hoss.” It’s a breakfast special. He gets eggs, pancakes, gravy, biscuits and bacon. I don’t know what all, but he got a lot of food. The sweet waitress brings his food out and he looks down and sees something on his pancake. Low and behold, it was one of the waitresses’ false eyelashes. Justin, being Justin, didn’t have the heart to tell her she had lost her eyelash on his pancake. I have laughed till I hurt over that and still laughing today. Things like that always seem to happen to him. Good laughs, with good friends.

Back to me and Valentine’s Day. I had scheduled an appointment to volunteer at the college for the students to do a heart ultrasound. It’s in Chaffee Crossing, and let me tell ya, I felt like I was in a corn maze. I could not find this place. I’m so used to having my kids with me and they will put in the directions in my phone, and it leads me right to where I’m going. Honestly I did not know how to do it. I finally found a building that had a nice lady there. She put it in my phone and it led me straight to where I needed to be. Everyone was so nice and said my heart looked good. I left there and went to pick up lunch for Sandy, Gina and myself. Tracy Epperson bought our lunch for us for Valentine’s Day. I’m in the turning lane and a big Dodge Ram rear ends me. I just slammed it into park and jumped out. He says, “did I bump you?” I said, “bump me? You cracked my bumper.” This just had me all unnerved. He says, pull over to the parking lot at the gas station. What did I do? I ran over the curb at the gas station, and I looked in my rearview mirror and the guy behind me did the same thing. He was a nice man with a super nice Dodge truck that come to find out, Justin Weaver had sold to him, small world. Ended up having a great day after all that. That evening, my three E’s brought me in some Dove Chocolate to top it off. I made this cherry chip cake for a friend for Valentine’s Day, and they said it was a keeper.

CHERRY CHIP CREAM CHEESECAKE
1 cherry chip cake mix
1 jar of maraschino cherries
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
Powdered sugar
Mix the cherry cake mix according to the box directions, but instead of a cup of water, use about 1/4 cup water and the rest cherry juice and bake according to directions. While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese icing. Mix the cream cheese, cherry juice and butter. Add the powdered sugar till it is thick enough to spread, around four cups. Just add a cup at a time till you get it to the consistency you like. I added a little more cherry juice and I took some of the cherries and put them in my chopper and chopped them up fine and added them to the icing. Enjoy this quick and easy recipe. Have a good week!

Paris Area Chamber of Commerce Holds Annual Awards Banquet

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1:05 am

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Paris Area Chamber of Commerce Holds Annual Awards Banquet

The Paris Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards banquet last weekend at The Barn at Meadowbrook in Magazine. And as always, it was a big event that featured a sellout crowd of attendees to see both individuals and organizations honored for their achievements and contributions to the region in both business and community service.

Chamber executive director, Tonya Fletcher, commented on the banquet by saying, “The Chamber banquet is always a night to remember. I enjoy celebrating so many deserving individuals and businesses that do exemplary work. The Chamber appreciates everyone who sponsored, attended, and those that helped make it possible with their donated time and effort.”

The awards recipients that highlighted the night included Kara Sanders as “2022 Youth of the Year”, Amber Mikles, “2022 Volunteer of the Year”, Lakean Schluterman as “2022 Educator of the Year”, Lee Cooper, “2022 Law Officer of the Year”, and Misty Ulrich, “2022 Humanitarian of the Year”.

Organizations honored were: City of Paris as “2022 Business of the Year”, Main Street Paris as “2022 Tourist Person of the Year”, and the Paris School District as “2022 Chamber Member of the Year”.

In a touching tribute by Paris mayor Daniel Rogers that did not leave a dry eye in the room, the Chamber awarded the Tommy Melton Family the “2022 City Employee of the Year” in honor of longtime and beloved city employee Tommy Melton. Mr. Melton was a primary reason why so many city improvements have taken place in Paris. Mr. Melton’s family accepted the award on his behalf.

Outgoing Chamber president, Travis Schluterman was honored for his accomplishments during his tenure with the Chamber, and he in turn passed the gavel to the new incoming president, Amber Mikles.

The Paris High School FFA once again served the dinner to the guests who attended this year’s banquet. The FFA has served the banquet each year, and they did an exceptional job.

Congratulations to all of the community servants who were honored, and thanks again to the Chamber for the outstanding work they do every day for the Paris and surrounding communities.

Paris High School Hosts a Successful 3A-4 District Basketball Tournament

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1:03 am

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Paris High School Hosts a Successful 3A-4 District Basketball Tournament

As the high school basketball season heads to its state championship finale in early March, the post-season began the week of February 13-17 with district tournaments around the state. In Class 3A, the District 4 post-season tournament was hosted by Paris High School. PHS did an outstanding job with the event that was made possible by the many volunteers and workers who donated food, their time, and service to the tournament in welcoming teams from across the 3A-4 to the tournament.

Cossatot River High School, located two hours to the southwest of Paris, had a great tournament, placing both their boys and girls teams in the championship final. At press time for this story, Cossatot River was preparing to play the Paris Lady Eagles in the girls final, and the Booneville Bearcats in the boys final.

Upsets in the tournament included a Cossatot win over the Charleston Tigers in the boys semifinal, and a Paris win over the Booneville Lady Bearcats, also in the tournament semifinals.

A young Paris Lady Eagles team is playing their best basketball this season (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

For the Paris girls program, a season that has more than doubled their season wins from each of the previous two years, and a return to the regional tournament for the first time since 2019, caps a season of return for the Lady Eagles program. Paris earned a berth in the girls regional and is looking to advance to the 3A state tournament the following week that will be hosted by Lamar High School.

The Paris boys team has also earned a regional berth and will play for a spot in the state tournament. The boys finished second in the conference regular season that marks the second consecutive year the program has been in the regionals, and the Eagles hope to also advance for the second consecutive year to the state tournament.

Booneville has a talented sophomore class that has improved dramatically this season (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

RNN Sports is in West Fork this weekend to bring you regional tournament coverage. Watch for our updates on social media and on our website at residentnewsnetwork.com

City Due for Street Overlay Project

Tammy Teague

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1:00 am

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The Mansfield City Council met in regular session on Thursday evening, February 16. Members present were Aldermen Julie Thomas, James Steele, Glen Hurt, Beverly Lyons, Sheri Hopkins and Boyd Farmer. Also present Mayor Buddy Black and Recorder/Treasurer Becky Walker.

The members of the council approved the January 16, 2023 meeting minutes, but tabled the financials, due to a printing error.

The council then heard the city services reports.

Fire Chief Michael Smith reported 43 total calls, eight fire, and 35 EMS. He noted that several members of the department will be traveling to Siloam Springs on February 25 to obtain their pyrotechnician’s license. Smith added that he had been working the district basketball tournament, had one fire inspection at the Rite of Passage facility, and met with the general contractor at the new DG Market. In total, Smith stated, he’s worked a total of 145 hours.

Next, Police Chief Wayne Robb gave his departmental report. In total there were 50 total calls, 14 agency assists, four in Scott and 10 in Sebastian County. MPD responded to two total school calls, 12 medical, five incident/arrest reports, two total accidents, 98 traffic stops, 61 warnings, three adult arrests, and three animal calls. In total, the department has had nine training hours.

The public works report included 97 work orders completed, 18 one-calls, “Cyclone” lid ordered and waiting for installation, and new playground equipment built and installed at the City Lake Park and City Park behind City Hall.

In matters of unfinished business, the council discussed the water quality report, noting that no issues were found with the city’s water.

Mayor Black provided an update on the city hall cleanup. “The French drain work has been completed. There is no timetable on the renovation, but they are working to tear out the sheetrock.”

In the last item of unfinished business, the council discussed the needed street work. The council voted to approve work to be done at the intersection of Caldwell and Grove Streets. Black noted that the city is due a street overlay project this summer.

In matters of unfinished business, the council voted to approve a fire alarm system for the senior citizens center, approved a city employee taking the classes necessary to obtain a CDL class B permit, and gave the mayor the authority to renew the lease on the trash truck contract.

Before adjourning, the announcement was made that the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus was going to be in Mansfield on March 22, at the Mansfield High School Parking lot.

With no other items of business, the meeting of the Mansfield City Council was adjourned.

Mansfield Splits Golden Arrows To Earn A Shot At District Championship

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Adam Hecox

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5:28 pm

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Mansfield Splits Golden Arrows To Earn A Shot At District Championship

The Mansfield Lady Tigers and Lavaca Lady Golden Arrows are no strangers to each other in the 2A-4. Whether it’s volleyball, softball, or basketball fans are sure to witness an edge-of-the-seat showdown. Most of the postseason matchups in said sports between the programs are for Championship gold. This time however, Mansfield and Lavaca would face off in the Semifinals of the 2A-4 District Basketball Tournament not for the Championship itself, but for just a shot at playing for it.

The game started off exactly how everyone expected it to. Physical. The Lady Tigers took a quick 4-0 lead with a pair of free throws and a board bucket. Lavaca shot right back though with a long range three-point shot to bring the game to a 4-3 score. Alyson Edwards powered through the Lady Golden Arrows for a layup, but Lavaca again drained a three to tie the game. The teams didn’t let up and the ties kept coming. The scoreboard started at 0-0 then went to 6-6, 8-8, and then Lavaca scored their first lead of the game setting the score at 10-8 at 1:09 left in the opening quarter. Kaylee Ward would tie the game again at 10-10 with a board bucket which gave Mansfield just enough push to get another score with seconds left to take the lead. The quarter was over, or was it? Kynslee Ward ended up with the ball in the final seconds and proceeded to make a miracle buzzer shot for three points to officially end the first quarter with a 15-10 score in Mansfield’s favor.

Alyson Edwards started the second quarter the way the Lady Tigers ended the first quarter with a three-point basket. Kaylee Ward followed suit with a smooth jump shot before Lavaca broke Mansfield’s run with a free throw. Some may call it sloppy basketball when turnovers happen, but both teams were just so good that making steals just came naturally. Kaylee Ward stole the ball from a Lavaca player and gave an assist to Natalie Allison for a layup. Lavaca would come up with a steal of their own which lead to another Lady Golden Arrow three-pointer. The Lady Golden Arrows’ defense began to step up heavily as they held Mansfield from scoring any points for the final three minutes of the quarter as the half ended with Mansfield narrowly leading Lavaca 22-18.

There was only one half of play left and only one team could advance to play for the District Championship. Natalie Allison drained a three-pointer to jump-start the third quarter, so it would be Mansfield, right? Nope, Lavaca struck right back with a three-point shot of their own. The Lady Golden Arrows then went on a five-point run to gain a 27-26 lead on Mansfield. Lavaca would continue to manage their lead well with solid defense and smooth steals that led to points on the board. Mansfield finally went ahead of the Lady Golden Arrows with a Natalie Allison layup which gave the Lady Tigers a slim 33-32 lead. The battle wouldn’t end there though as the physicality of both teams began to take its toll with fouls mounting up on both benches. With the score sitting at 36-35 for the Lady Tigers, Kynslee Ward pulled a….well, Kynslee Ward….and screamed down court to beat the clock and buzzer with a layup to extend Mansfield’s lead to 38-35.

Mansfield jumped into the fourth and final quarter capitalizing on the physicality of the game. Fouls by the Lady Golden Arrows sent Seven Sanderson and Alyson Edwards to the free-throw line as the duo netted three of their four shots forcing Lavaca to call a time-out at the 5:52 mark. The short break gave the Lady Tigers just enough breath to have Alyson Edwards, Kynslee Ward, and Seven Sanderson combine for a seven-point run. Lavaca stopped the roll by the Lady Tigers with a free throw, but Mansfield would not be denied their Championship opportunity. The Lady Tigers went to sisters Kynslee and Kaylee Ward to close out the scoring and push ahead 53-40 with 0:22 seconds left in the game. The Lady Golden Arrows would still fight to the very last second, but Mansfield held strong to finish the game with a 53-43 victory.

The Lady Tigers are officially District Championship bound and will play on Friday, February 17th at 7:00pm. Their opponent is none other than the Hector Lady Wildcats. The two programs split wins against each other during the regular season with Hector coming out ahead in the District Seeding as the Number1 seed by way of points after they walloped Mansfield 65-46 in January. Although the two share the Conference Championship title, only one can win District Champion. That means that there will be no flukes nor a shocking cinderella story in the Championship, but rather just one team left standing as the best Lady’s basketball program in the 2A-4.

Even though the Lavaca Lady Golden Arrows will not play for the District Championship, they will still come out with an automatic spot in the 2A Regional Tournament. Lavaca will play the Western Yell County Lady Wolverines on Friday, February 17th at 4:00pm in the District Tournaments’ third-place game. The winner will be the 3Seed in the Regional Tournament while the loser of the third-place game will enter Regionals as the 4Seed.

3A-4 District Basketball Tournament Moves on to Championship Friday

Resident News Network

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6:06 am

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3A-4 District Basketball Tournament Moves on to Championship Friday

A thrilling week of high school basketball is nearing its completion this week at Paris High School in the 3A-4 district basketball tournament. Semifinal games were played tonight with the winners advancing to tomorrow night’s championship finals.

It has been a tournament that has been hard on the higher seeded teams. And in Thursday night’s semifinal games, the competition for a district tournament championship and an improved seeding in next week’s regional tournament hit a fever pitch.

The Hackett Lady Hornets, one of the most improved girls teams in the conference this year, gave the top-seeded Cossatot River Lady Eagles all they could handle. Hackett led for much of the way, eventually losing their lead and the game to the favored Eagles. The game was decided on a last second fast break that led to an Eagles layup to win the game by the score of 48-47. With the win, Cossatot River advances to the tournament finals on Friday night. Hackett, having had a successful district tournament, will enter next week’s regional tournament as a four seed.

A last second basket led the Cossatot River Lady Eagles to a semifinal win over Hackett (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best

In the second game of the session, the Charleston Tigers, the top seed in the boys bracket, fell in overtime to a much-improved Cossatot River team. Charleston seemed to be in control for much of the game, but lost the lead late in the second half. The Eagles forced the game into overtime before going on to win by the score of 74-68. Cossatot River advanced to Friday’s championship final with the win. After the upset loss, Charleston will go to the regional tournament as a three seed from the 3A-4.

Paris upset the Booneville Lady Bearcats in the semifinals on Thursday (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

The Paris Lady Eagles, who escaped from a quarterfinals near-upset to Cedarville, played their best game of the year against the Booneville Lady Bearcats. Booneville had defeated Paris twice in the regular season; once in a blow-out loss at Booneville, and by 11 points at home near the end of the regular season. But Thursday night belonged to the third-seeded Paris Lady Eagles. Paris defeated Booneville by the score of 57-46 to advance to Friday’s championship final. With the loss, Booneville will go to next week’s regional as the number three seed from the district.

Booneville was impressive in their win over the second-seeded Paris Eagles (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

The final game of the session featured the second seed Paris Eagles against the Booneville Bearcats. Paris had won both regular season games against Booneville; the first being a blow-out win at Booneville, and the second being a close, hard-fought contest at Paris Gymnasium. But Thursday night proved to be the Bearcats’ night, and the game was no contest; Booneville defeated Paris, 64-54. Booneville will play Cossatot River in the boys final on Friday night. For Paris, the loss drops Paris to a four seed in next week’s regional tournament.

As a result of Thursday’s semifinals games, the championship games are set for Friday as follows:

GIRLS BRACKET

Paris vs Cossatot River, 6 p.m.

BOYS BRACKET

Booneville vs Cossatot River, 7:30 p.m.

So, after four days of great tournament play, it comes down to an “All Cossatot” final on Friday. It should be another great night of basketball on what will be the final night of basketball this season at Paris Gymnasium.

RNN Sports will be in Paris again on Friday to bring you the conclusion of the 3A-4 district tournament. Good luck to all the teams!

Division of Arkansas Heritage awards Small Museum Grants

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Tammy Teague

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1:05 am

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Division of Arkansas Heritage awards Small Museum Grants

(LITTLE ROCK) – The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism today announced $21,930 in grants for nine historic properties and museums across the state. Funded by the 1/8th-cent conservation tax, the awards help small history museums, historical societies, historic houses and sites, and military museums promote education, awareness and enjoyment of Arkansas history.

The Small Museum Grants Program aims to increase the ability of community-based small museums and organizations to research, preserve, present and conserve Arkansas history.

Award recipients are:

• City of Fairfield Bay, for museum operating expenses, $2,500

• Clinton House Museum, CHM Operating Grant, $2,500

• Fort Smith Heritage Foundation, for lawn and grounds maintenance, $2,500

• Greene County Historical and Genealogical Society, for publishing materials, microfilm and air purifier, $2,500

• Helena Museum of Phillips County, to cover utilities, $2,500

• Howard County Historical Society, for operating expenses and utilities, $2,500

• Logan County Museum Association, for county museum collection management project, $2,500

• Old Independence Regional Museum, for museum utilities and scanner, $2,500

• Pope County Historical Foundation, clothing and hat preservation project, $1,930

Eligible organizations must have an annual operating budget of $250,000 or less; must have a staff of at least one person, either paid or volunteer; and must be open to the public at least 90 days per year. Eligible activities include buildings and grounds maintenance, operating costs, equipment purchases up to $1,000, accessioning of artifact collections, educational programming, research, exhibits, and web site design and maintenance. The maximum grant award is $2,500.

To learn more about the application process, visit https://www.arkansasheritage.com/available-grants/division-of-arkansas-heritage-grants/small-museum-grants-program . The deadline for the next cycle of grant applications is April 20, 2023. Awards are granted twice per year.

For more information about the Small Museum Grants Program, please contact Debra Fithen, grants manager for Arkansas Heritage, at 501-324-9150 or debra.fithen@arkansas.gov .

Arkansas Heritage

Arkansas Heritage was created in 1975 and is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. There are eight agencies with unique heritage focuses under the umbrella of this division: Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Historic Arkansas Museum and the Arkansas State Archives.

Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism protects and promotes our state’s natural, cultural and historic assets, contributing to a thriving economy and high quality of life. It is made up of three divisions: Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Heritage and Arkansas Tourism. Mike Mills serves as the cabinet secretary for the department.

Allison Extends Volleyball Career at Henderson State

Jason Baggett

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6:03 pm

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Allison Extends Volleyball Career at Henderson State

Mansfield Senior, Natalie Allison signs her letter of intent to continue her volleyball career to the collegiate level at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.

Allison, a standout high school athlete, assisted the Mansfield Lady Tigers with a three-peat of State Volleyball Championships in 2020, 2021, and 2022, a Softball State Runner-Up in 2021, as well as Conference and District Regional Champs in Softball and Basketball, and 2022 District Golf Champs.

Accompanying her team accomplishments, Allison’s presence on the court, and field has garnered personal accolades which include All Conference, All District, All State Volleyball, 2021-2022 Volleyball Player of the Year, 2021 State MVP, All Star West, 2021-2022 All Tournament Team, and 2021 & 2022 Captain.

Taking her leadership qualities, and outgoing personality into college, Allison plans to focus her academic career in Health and Physical Education.

“First, I would like to thank God for this opportunity. I would like to thank all of my teammates and coaches for giving me the chance to play with them and helping me succeed. I also want to thank my parents for the countless hours on the road for camps and tournaments and their continued support. I wouldn’t be where I am without the people around me who have always supported me through all of the highs and lows of my volleyball career. It’s been an honor to be a Tiger. Go Reddies!!” – Natalie Allison

Natalie-Allison-Mansfield-Volleyball-Henderson State-University — Mansfield Senior, Natalie Allison

The Most Common Animals Used in Farming Today

Lifestyle

Resident News Network

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3:11 pm

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The Most Common Animals Used in Farming Today

Unfortunately, many US farms have seen declines in the populations of certain types of livestock. Bouts of bird flu have exacerbated the issue, leading to fewer chickens and eggs, which drives up costs for consumers. Everything from beef cattle to pork has seen its relative value increase as demand continues to outpace supply.

If you want to protect yourself against potential shortages or make some extra money, you should consider raising some of the most common animals used in farming today.

Chickens

Chickens are one of the most popular animal choices for farmers because they’re easy to start with and provide quick returns on your investment. Chicken meat and eggs are highly nutritious and offer high yields for relatively low costs.

You’ll need a good shelter for your chickens if you decide to go this route. A sturdy chicken coop will protect your chickens from predators, the elements, and even thieves. This coop also gives chickens a comfortable place to lay their eggs without stress. Consider implementing a few routine chicken coop maintenance tips to improve your setup.

Pigs

Pigs are another commonly farmed animal that farmers can raise for multiple sources of income. They have the highest potential for meat production, and you can sell their waste for fertilizer. Pork is considered a lean meat and contains a high amount of protein.

When raising pigs, it’s crucial to remember that they carry diseases that can be dangerous to humans and other animal populations. Limiting their interactions with other livestock and scheduling regular vaccinations is a must for your community’s health and safety.

Cows

Cows are everywhere across the United States, and farmers use them to produce quite a few animal products. They produce dairy products such as milk, cheese, and butter. They’re also commonly used for meat, with their hides processed into leather for manufactured goods.

Your cattle have essential needs that you need to account for, such as food, water, and shelter. They need a pasture to roam free in and quality food for their health. Cows may require milking and assistance with birthing, and farmers will need to manage the genetic makeup of their herds with care.

Improve Your Farming With the Right Animals

There’s a wide variety of livestock to choose from if you’re starting or expanding your farm. Knowing a few best practices when caring for the most common animals used in farming today will allow you to make the most of available resources.

There’s no telling what the future has in store, but with a few basic farming practices, you’ll have all the foodstuffs you need for selling or personal consumption.

Timepiece: Plant Invasion

Featured

Tammy Teague

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12:14 am

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As the ice and snow began to disappear, green stalks began to poke sharp points through the soil, soon to be followed by the beautiful yellow daffodil blooms that signal spring. The flower appears in the most unlikely places, its blossoms found everywhere across the state. Wondering in the depths of the National Forest, one can discover patches decorating the ground, usually accompanied by trees that have blossomed into cluster of sweet smelling blossoms. Searching the area, one usually locates the tumbled-down fences, old foundation stones, and sometimes, old cans and bottles left from old homesteads, long ago deserted and forgotten. As plentiful as the daffodil and even the flowering trees appear to be, they are all the product of settlers who brought a piece of their homeland along with them. The daffodil, often called the Easter flower in Arkansas, originated in Spain. Early Roman apothecaries thought the stalk and bulbs had medicinal value so they carried cured specimen along with them as the Roman legions conquered the known world. Planting them at various sites, the hardy flower soon became favorites in gardens throughout Europe and were eventually brought to America. They are celebrated yearly with daffodil festivals in Camden and at old Fort Washington.

Twenty-three percent of all the plants found in Arkansas are non-native, transported in from virtually every country in the world. Even in the midst of dense forest land, three per-cent of the plants you see were not here when the first pioneers arrived.

None of the common fruit trees existed in America but arrived on our shores in much the same way as the daffodil. All of us remember the stories of Johnny Appleseed and how he propagated the growth of America’s favorite fruit. Not all plants brought to America are as enjoyable. Kudzu, brought to the U.S. from Japan over a hundred years ago, has become a nuisance and covers thousands of acres of land in Arkansas. Many homes now grow the Bradford pear. The tree grows fast and has beautiful blossoms in the spring but, it grows so fast that its limbs and branches break off in high winds and ice storms. Our street and road crews probably hate the thought of them after our recent winter weather.

Mimosas dot our yard at home and have been around all my life but were brought here from Japan and Iran in 1745 to be planted as yard ornamentation. They produce so many seed and grow so well in a variety of climates, we find them everywhere.

Nothing is more Arkansas than the flowering honeysuckle. We used to pull the center out of the flower and extract the juice in the center of the flower while enjoying its sweet, sticky smell. Its flowers and vines are found growing up trees, over fences, and climbing the sides of abandoned buildings all over the state. Again, non-native, brought in here from Japan over a century ago.

Around most old home sites you find privet. People use to plant the bush to block off their yards. Left untended, the stuff propagates rapidly into tangled scraggly bushes that take over the land. I have discovered they are virtually impossible to get rid of and, every time I try, I have to attend church to get forgiveness for the unkind thoughts going through my head.

Many of the plants and animals in America arrived here as a part of the collective history and memories of our homeland. Some were brought accidently or as a part of a scientific endeavor that has gone awry. For whatever reason, as we drive through our neighborhoods or wander the paths of our forests, they are a part of life today.

R

Chickens

Pigs

Cows

Improve Your Farming With the Right Animals

RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK