It won't be long until the trees will start to turn and it will give us a good excuse to take a road trip to see the fall colors. I always enjoy taking a trip to Hardy or Mountain Home at the start of the fall season.
It is not too hot and it is not too cold and the leaves are just right.
We hear a lot about changing times but there are a few things that never change.
The beauty of the fall colors when the trees start turning has not changed. It is like looking at a beautiful landscape painting.
Talking about changes, it seems the world, or at least our part of the world, has gotten smaller. At one time we would not have considered getting in our car and driving to Hardy for a day just to see the leaves.
It would have been way too far just for an outing. I can see my parents' point in not going. Driving in a vehicle with no air conditioning with four siblings (don't touch me) was not always fun.
I remember my first trip to Hardy was when I was a junior in high school. It was the first year to have girls basketball return to MHS. Manila Lady Lions had an excellent ball team in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
They had a state championship and a state runner-up. For some reason, a decision was made to do away with girls basketball and it did not return until the 1966-1967 school year.
The conference tournament that year was held at Highland. We all (the team) packed up, took a school bus and stayed all night at Hardy to play the next day.
Our basketball coach drove the bus and we stayed at a little motel called Weaver's Motel. It is no longer there. We had to wear dresses to the games. We were served dinner at the motel and I don't think we did anything spectacular but we really had a good time.
Other than the fact we lost every game that year, including the first tournament game, I also remember how long the trip seemed to take from the Manila gym to the motel at Hardy.
The highways were not as good then and I am sure the buses were not as easy to drive, but we all made it safe, had a good time and made some memories. I don't remember anyone complaining. We were just thankful to have a team and the opportunity to take what seemed like a very long trip.
Hardy has certainly changed since the late 1960s. I love visiting the old town and browsing through the shops. I long ago gave up canoeing but at one time I enjoyed paddling down Spring River or boating on Lake Thunderbird. We have camped in tents along the river and stayed in cabins. My canoeing and tent camping days are gone forever but I still have those memories.
Fall officially arrives Sept. 23. Most of us are ready for fall by the time it gets here. Every year we think the summers are hotter than ever before but in reality, we just forget. It is always hot in August.
I have already written about Labor Day so all I want to say on the subject is I hope everyone enjoys their three-day weekend. It is a little early for the leaves to be turning but Labor Day weekend it is a good time to take a short road trip.