THE
YEAR
BEHIND US

1999: Arkansas Move

We "started over" in the Ozarks of Arkansas this year. Robin and I moved with Brian, Andrew, Lydia, Joel, and Daniel at the end of March with a U-Haul truck and our Suburban pulling a utility trailer. I returned to Biglerville after two weeks to complete my contract at Penn State, then rejoined the family in June in our Ford station wagon. We settled in Van Buren County on Route 254 15.5 miles west of Route 65. "Town" is either Clinton or Marshall, each thirty miles distant. The property is 18 mostly wooded hilltop acres with a fix it up house. The house is 75 years old, wood frame, metal roof, 52 by 28 feet with four bedrooms, two baths, and a two-car carport. One of the bedrooms and a new library are on the second level.

We had been preparing for this type of move for several years by becoming debt-free and more self-reliant. For example, our home schooling and grinding grain continued with the move. We chose this part of Arkansas initially because of its rural location and contacts with a couple with some similar beliefs living nearby. We invested in new musical instruments before the move.

Fixing the house has been almost a full-time job for all of us. Some of the work included leveling the house, insulating, restoring the original yellow pine siding and painting it white with green trim, and redoing much of the interior. We had a new septic system installed, built a chicken house and yard, and recently put in a deep well hand pump with a gravity feed water system, and yes, we do have adequate pressure. The neighbors have been impressed with the restoration progress.

For me, I am receiving retirement payments and have been picking up some manual labor jobs along with Brian. It has been a great break from entomology. I appreciate the gifts and encouragement from family and friends and the visits and help from Robin's and my parents. Not having a regular job has increased my interactions with the family. I have become somewhat slimmer in the process of manual labor such as carpentry, cutting firewood, pumping water, and putting in a garden.

Robin seems to work the hardest. She got a 100 by 100 foot garden planted in our neighbor's plot. She did most of the painting and interior decorating of the house. She does the bulk of the schooling with Joel and Daniel. And then there is the cooking and the laundry. We were glad to purchase a front-loading washing machine and new cookware to make her jobs a little easier.

Brian is a high school senior working through the Robinson Curicullum with Advanced Math and lots of reading and writing. He works hard at trombone lessons with an ex-professional player, showing scholarship potential in music. His extracurricular projects are many. He worked some with a professional carpenter this year and is very exacting in his work. He has supervised much of the house restoring and enjoys finishing his upstairs bedroom. Brian is responsible for our Gravely walk-behind tractor, learning to use the mower, plow, tiller, and chain saw attachments.

Andrew is a high school sophomore, editor of Frum de Boonys, and the one who "brings home the butter." He assists our neighbor couple in milking about fifty jersey cattle for five to six hours per day. Andrew faithfully gets to work at 4:30 morning and afternoon. He brings home a token pay, all the milk we can drink, and lots of dairying experience. He and Brian are well on their way to having a bicycle shop. He built bike rollers into the floor of the room he shares with his two younger brothers. The two seem to be constantly "wheeling and dealing" and getting into great shape. Andrew is buckling down in his trumpet training, takes lessons, and enjoys playing with a home school father who can really "blow the horn." He has purchased a sound system and records the music of the "Felland Trio."

Lydia has grown up during the past year. Robin would not be able to run the household without her help in cooking, washing, painting, gardening, etc., etc., etc. She is responsible for the butter making each week. In fact, we use the butter to pay for some of the music lessons. Lydia did very well at her first piano recital in Arkansas. She was especially excited to join her teacher for a pedagogy class session taught by a master at the University of Central Arkansas. She has the talent to do whatever she wants in piano.

Joel works hard at school and has been a great encouragement and help in many projects. He is beginning to read and is working closely with his mother to correct his pronunciation. He is responsible for the chickens and guinea fowl. Joel and Daniel enjoy constructing clay and Lego houses together and helping with chores such drying persimmons for the family.

Daniel has started school in earnest. He looks like our little pioneer when he wears his new coon-skin cap and carries his wooden muzzle loader. He is faithful to keep the fire stoked.

We hear a rumble in the distance. We are thankful for this new experience.