A Touch of Humanity

 * * * I'll warn you now, this post is a bit wordy * * *

I hadn't planned a post for today. But something happened last night that really touched me and softened the hard core that had begun to form inside. I wanted to share this something with you.

Let me begin ........   I am a member of an online discussion forum for the town in which I live. It can be a lively place with discussions ranging from sun spots to wild hogs to politics. It's a great place to keep up on what's happening in the county, advertise items for sale, place a notice for a lost dog, or share recipes. I'm not necessarily a frequent contributor but will sometimes join discussions when I feel the need. And with the impending move, I have listed many items for sale.

One of these items was a 1950s style dining table set with matching hutch. I had tried to sell it for months and finally a lovely Lady called me to purchase it. This woman and her husband live in Galveston, Texas but had recently purchased a local commercial building for a future venture. She had the table set moved to this building. I never thought I would hear from this woman again. This took place about two weeks ago.

Let's fast forward to yesterday morning. Someone had posted on the forum the news about how some employers who place ads on the many online employment websites, state in their ads that the unemployed need not apply. This seems to be the growing trend. And it is perfectly legal. This struck a nerve with me because of my Hubby's recent encounter with being unemployed. I wanted to see what thoughts people had on this subject. All too often the people who are on the forum will only see things one way, never stopping to look at all angles of a situation. In this case the thread was degenerating into a bashing of those people who had drawn unemployment for the full 99 weeks - or 99ers as they are called. My Hubby was a 99er and this 'name calling' did not set well with me.

I would like for you to read my post.....
I wasn't going to join this discussion, but feel I must before folks start bashing the 99ers. 
Firstly, not all 99ers are leeches of the Gov't. Yes, there are some that choose to stay on unemployment rather than get a job but NOT ALL!

My husband was employed at the Mena airport and was laid off late in the year of 2008. He looked and looked for work around here. I looked for work. My skills were limited while his were not. Yet, neither of us could find a job. It was not financially possible for us to take a job in Ft. Smith or Hot Springs - it would cost us more in gas to commute than what either of us would make in wages. Believe me, neither of us WANTED to live off unemployment but yet that was our only option if we were to stay in the area.

So Hubby went to school to learn a new skill while continuing to draw unemployment. He felt that by doing this he would better his chances of getting a job, thus supporting his family and not being a "Leech" on The System. Sorry to say the education he received only enabled him to qualify for minimum wage jobs - he had neither the education nor the experience required for many of the better paying jobs in his new chosen field. So Hubby went back to applying for positions in fields where he had worked previously - auto body tech and motorcycle mechanic. He could make 3x to 4x the amount of money doing manual labor vs. a job that he had received an education for.

Hubby submitted resumes and applications - an average of 3 a day (for a period of 2 1/2 months) before he was finally hired. One place he went, a manager looked at his application and told him that they weren't accepting applications from the unemployed. Hubby told them he had been attending school. Hubby went to another place about 4 hrs after the job was posted on Craig's list. The manager already had a stack of at least a dozen applications and they were going to continue to take applications for two more days. The job market is extremely tough!!

I'm happy to say that Hubby started a new job just this past Monday. 

A member responded with an attempt to placate me on 'how well things turned out' but never once admitting that the 99ers weren't all lazy, slouches wanting to live off the Government. This was the same member who had begun the name calling. I know it is hard to admit to being wrong, but .....
This same member then went on to write about how lucky we were to have found work in the area and how 'easy' it is to receive public assistance (back to the lazy, slouches who live off the Gov't.)

My responses were.....
Actually Hubby didn't find work here. There are still not enough jobs to go around in this part of the country. Hubby found work in Denver. And that is where he had put in all of his applications for employment. We both knew that he wasn't going to get a good paying job around here, if he got a job at all. And the only "cost of living" that is higher there is rent and the cost of homes. Food, utilities, gas are all cheaper than here in Mena. I know this because I have three children who live in the Denver Metro area. I have compared utility bills (yes, down to the price per kilowatt or cost per gallon of water) and the cost of food. 
Maybe for some it is easy. But for others in need it is near impossible to receive any sort of assistance. When Hubby was on unemployment, we applied for food stamps. We didn't qualify because we owned our own home and our vehicles. According to the Gov't. we didn't qualify because we had too much in the way of assets. We felt like we were being punished...There were many times we borrowed from our kids to help make ends meet.
As far as I know, welfare checks are a thing of the past. My daughter who is pregnant and has three small children only qualifies for food stamps and WIC. (Due to a twist of events, my Son-in-law can no longer provide for his family) No monetary assistance from the Gov't. is available. If it wasn't for family, she and the kids would be living in a shelter.


There were only a few response after mine. And they all wrote about what a 'flawed' system the Gov't. has in determining who is eligible for public assistance. I figured that was the end of that. I was a bit disappointed that no members wished us well but I wasn't surprised. The people of this area have become quite self-centered and selfish.

And then I received an email notice that a forum member had sent me a personal message. It was from the Lady who had bought the table from me a couple weeks back. This email took me totally by surprise.....

Hi Jeanne; I read a little of what you and your husband have been going through. I think there are many people now who are standing in the shoes you've been in, many more so than I can remember at any other time in my life. I now know the reason you will be moving, and I'm glad that things turned out well for you, even though it's too bad it means you'll be leaving the Mena area. I would like to have met you. We'll be spending the first two weeks of Sept. in Mena, getting a little work done on the building, and also just enjoying the beautiful scenery. If you happen to be still living there then, and find yourself out and about, I hope you'll stop by and say hello. I warn you we'll be dressed in our work clothes! My best wishes to you and your family. 


I was brought to tears when I read her short note. There really are people out there in the world who care about others. I know the Blogging World is filled with caring, generous people but knowing that this one woman who didn't know me could reach out like she did  really softened the rock which had begun to form in my heart. Not one member of the community we live in - some who knew my Hubby quite well - had bothered to check to see how we were doing after he was laid off.

So, please, DO NOT hesitate to reach out to someone. Take a moment to send someone a letter or an email. Even if it's just to say, "Hey, I'm thinking about you".  Smile at more people - even if you don't feel like smiling.  Remember it's these little things that can brighten someone's day more than you'll ever know.

The New Lodge

In April 2009, an EF3 tornado tore through the small town of Mena (I live about 5 miles outside of town and was spared any destruction). This tornado destroyed over 600 homes and numerous businesses, as well as severely damaging hundreds of other buildings. Read about it here.

But the town is well on the way to recovery. Various organizations have given of their time, energy and money to help rebuild what was lost. Read about it here.

The local Masonic Lodge was a total loss. There was a meeting of the Ladies Masonic Auxiliary (Order of Eastern Star) the night of the tornado. One member was killed.

But the Masonic members came together to rebuild. They purchased a vacant brick building which once housed the post office, gutted the interior and spent the next 15 months rebuilding their lodge.

The first meeting was held in the new Lodge on October 21, 2010. A very proud moment for the members because all the work done has been accomplished by volunteer labor. With the average age of the volunteer being 60+ years. The Lodge meeting room is the only room totally completed at this point with several other interior areas 90% finished. 

The Lodge was officially dedicated on November 20, 2010.  

And like a Phoenix, they have risen ........

And I would like to tell you of the man who spearheaded the rebuilding - my dear Hubby. He spent countless hours working on the building, on the phone getting bids for materials, organizing the work crew, and a multitude of other tasks. And has attended college full time through out the whole process. 

 He should be most proud of what he has accomplished! 

I know I am!

Pioneer Cemetery

{{ this is a re-post from earlier this year. but I thought it was very fitting for October. }}

If you are a reader of my blog, you know that I have a fondness for tombstones and cemeteries.

There are numerous small cemeteries to be found in this area should one look. Many are family owned and just as many have been forgotten and reclaimed by Mother Nature. But a few can still be seen. One of these is Pioneer Cemetery, located not far off the highway on Rich Mountain.

Back in November Hubby & I went to visit Pioneer Cemetery. There isn't much to see, most of the tombstones have long ago been claimed by the elements. The graves are now marked only by large stones. But the story behind this little spot is what took us there for a visit.....

This part of Arkansas is mountainous (by eastern standards - nothing at all like the Rockies). In fact we live in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains, a mountain range which extends from central Arkansas to southeastern Oklahoma and the ONLY mountain range in the United States which runs east to west instead of north to south.

This area was settled in the early 1800's by hardy pioneer families. Life was hard. The nearest town was 80+ miles away.

As the story goes, a small group of pioneers settled in the Rich Mountain area, finding the climate mild and the soil rich with nutrients. Pioneer Cemetery was utilized by this group of settlers.

One winter, the mother of one of these families fell ill. Her three daughters nursed her as best they could. (The father is not mentioned in the legend - perhaps he was off fighting in the Civil War or maybe he was away getting supplies.) Late on a windy, snowy night, one of the daughters left the safety of their house to go to a local spring to get her mother some water. The daughter never returned. She was found the next day, high up in a tree, frozen to death. It was believed that she had been chased by wolves and had climbed the tree for safety. This poor young girl was buried in Pioneer Cemetery.

It wasn't long after her burial that people began to see a floating light in the woods near the cemetery. The sightings of the floating light soon gave way to an apparition of a young girl.

And to this day, it is said that on certain starless nights, a young girl can be seen seeking water to take home to her ill mother.

Hubby and I went to the cemetery in the afternoon and we saw nothing unearthly. Though the area did have a sense of disquiet about it. And a faint mist can be seen in the photo above.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If you would like to read more about the Strange and Unusual of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and even some points beyond, then you might like these two sights ~

Strange State - Paranormal, Mysteries and More

On The Fringe

On this Anniversary....

Mena, Arkansas (where I live) recently recieved a very special gift. Almost 300 volunteers from across the U.S. gave of themselves to assist Mena in the continued recovery from last year's deadly tornado. The volunteers were with an organization called 'New York Says Thank You'. Each year on the 9/11 anniversary, this generous organization sends hundreds of volunteers from New York along with other disaster survivors to help rebuild disaster ravaged communities around the United States.  It is a way of saying "Thank You" for all the love and support that Americans extended to New Yorkers in the days, weeks and months following the September 11th attacks. 

volunteers working on 4H Office Building

And in addition to the volunteers who worked on at least 4 different build sites, Mena was host to the National 9/11 Flag. This 30 ft. Flag was destroyed when the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed. It was soon discovered and hung tattered and shredded at a site across from Ground Zero. This flag is now being stitched back together with flags that have survived disasters in other areas. Mena contributed the Polk County Courthouse flag which sustained a direct hit from last year's tornado.

Click here to read more about New York Says Thank You 

Click here to read more about the National 9/11 Flag

Mena Tornado ~ Pt. 1, Pt 2, & Pt 3

Pt. 1 ~ This is the tornado that roared through our town on the night of Thursday, April 9, 2009. The tornado itself left a path of destruction 1/2 mile and 15 miles long. Wind damage extended another 1/2 mile on either side of the path. The latest count has 200 homes/buildings totally destroyed and another 800 homes/buildings receiving minor to moderate damage.

Pt. 2 ~ The outpouring of assistance from within the state of Arkansas along with numerous neighboring states has been incredible. The generosity and kindness of strangers and neighbors alike goes beyond words. My husband, a Masonic Officer, was helping unload supplies which had been collected by the Shriners in Little Rock, when a man drove up and ask if 'this was the location to donate clothes'. My husband said yes, that he would see that the clothes made it to the donation area. The stranger then went on to explain how he and his family had lost their house in the tornado, had salvaged what they could and wanted to donate as much as possible to others who had not been so lucky. The stranger left two large garbage sacks full of clothes for other victims.

Pt. 3 ~ A week has now gone by. Life is beginning to get back to normal (whatever that is...) for most. For too many though, the normalities of every day life are still far away. Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers. And I would like to say THANK YOU to all the wonderful volunteers who have helped Mena in their time of need.

Special Note - Too often when a tragedy occurs, people don't know what to say to those affected. A few simple words are all it takes to brighten someone's day - Something as simple as, 'I'm thinking about you.' can mean the world to someone.

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore....

On Thursday, April 9, 2009, an EF3 Tornado (with winds up to 165mph) swept through the small mountain community of Mena, Arkansas. I'm sure you have probably seen something about this on the news at some point in time in the past few days. I live in Mena Arkansas. And the pictures that have been presented to the public are only a mere inkling of the true devastation. It boggles the mind to see the destruction and to try and fathom the force that could cause it. My husband, Ed, and I rode out Hurricane Lili, which struck southern Louisiana in 2002. The devastation from that hurricane really doesn't even compare to what I have seen in the past few days.

My daughter Jenny, and two grand daughters had arrived only three hours before. We were all looking forward to a wonderful weekend visit. But, in a blink of an eye, our plans were changed. Fortunately Ed and I live out in the country and we were spared. My mother-in-law, who lives in town, was spared as well but the wind damage extended blocks past her house.

Ed is a Masonic Officer at the Lodge here in Mena. The last few days have been long and arduous for him. The majority of the Masonic members are well over the age of 65 and it fell upon the younger members to try and salvage what they could. Our son-in-law Adam, who arrived on Friday, immediately went to work helping sort through the rubble.




Ed and I have a lot to be thankful for ~ Our home, our lives, and for our families. And especially for Adam and Jenny, who gave us an enormous amount of moral (and physical) support through the first few days of this very trying time. Thank you! Ed and I are both so proud that you are our kids!!

Mena, population approx. 5500, has been hit hard by the recent economic downturn, hundreds and hundreds of people have been laid off (Ed being one of them). And the recent storm damage will not be easy for many. But this is a strong community and we will work together to sort through the pieces and rebuild.

Most of the town has electricity again as well as phone service. But we are without any internet service at my house and I must go into town and use a Wi-Fi connection at a local coffee shop, so I will only be posting when I can.

Please keep those so severely affected in your thoughts and prayers.

PWGL Christmas Group Challenge

This week, my Prim and Whimsy Girls Art Group is having a Group Challenge. The theme is, "A Caroling We Go" . The Christmas Carol I chose was 'Let It Snow'. And here is my creation.....


To see this eBay listing and other wonderful offerings from this very talented Group, use the search words PWGL Christmas.

Trick-or-Treat Tip #5 ~ Candy Corn

You knew today's Trick-or-Treat Tip would be about Candy Corn.
Didn't you ? ?

Candy Corn is the King of Halloween Candy. Getting a little bag of it while out Trick-or-Treating makes the night complete. And the Best part about Candy Corn is the Sweet Golden tip on each Kernel.

Some folks like to hold them by their Golden tip so it will be the last part eaten, but others bite it off first thing and maybe even throw away the rest.

WITCHYS WIKKED GRAPHIX

Trick-or-Treat Tip #2 ~ Licorice

Licorice is a great Trick-or-Treat Candy.



Licorice comes in all shapes and sizes. From long ropes and little bits to shapes like bats and cats.

The speed of consumption depends on whether you chew it, suck it, or just let it melt in your mouth. And the best part about licorice candy is that it will leave an icky stain all over your teeth and gums so you can gross out other trick-or-treaters with a really horrible Halloween Grin!

Christmas???

I know, the mere word brings to mind images of sugarplums and candy canes and hot cocoa. (Almost enough to make a person shudder. 'Cause really, there's nothing like Candy Corn!)

But I'm getting off track. My Prim and Whimsy Girls Art Group is having a Group Challenge from November 2-8. The theme is, "A Caroling We Go". Type in PWGL Christmas in the eBay listing search and see all the wonderful things that pop-up.

Peek-a-Boo Kitty

As I continue to explore the world of sculpting, my creations seem to take shape easier. My two latest are part of a series entitled, "Peek-a-Boo Kitty". A little kitty cat is peeking out of a jack-o-lantern in each of the sculptures. They were fun to make and I'm sure the CAT is glad I finally finished them and he could take off his Party Hat! (He's not real fond of modeling) Now CAT can get back to what he does best - leading the puppies astray (for more on that, check out the blog View From the Floor).

Critic in the House

I have a half Siamese cat that fancies himself as an art critic. He will sometimes “critique” the projects I have on my work table. He doesn’t always bother them, just sometimes. His latest episode was pulling all the ribbon roses out of a wall hanging I was working on. Sometimes he is right about the project - it did need to be re-done (bad color choices, etc.)

But I won’t tell him that he's right. Wouldn’t want him to get a swelled head!