Wide Spot in the Road

You just might miss it, there's not too much to see in South Lead Hill, Arkansas.... not to be confused with the larger Lead Hill, Arkansas. Between the two of them, the picturesque countryside is home to less than 300 people. Pretty little white houses dot the hills, contented cows graze in high grass and when you go as far as you can on highway 7 south... it dead ends at Bull Shoals Lake. Mom's farm lays along the road just past the Campbell's farm but before you get to the Raley's place.

I spent a lot of time in this little building as a child. Grandpa and I would go feed the cows and end up at Austin's filling station in South Lead Hill. The whole place was maybe 10'x12' inside, it had an old wooden counter along one wall and on the other side were cans of oil and a stack of tires, that was it. Grandpa would buy me a Coke and a bag of Tom's potato chips and we'd set down in old wooden chairs out front and visit Grandpa's cronies, aka lifelong friends.

I'd listen as they talked about politics and the price of gas, it was 25 cents a gallon : )

Not much has changed in that little town in the last 50 years, except the price of gas of course. The farms are still owned by the same families, just passed down to the next generation. Austin's closed years ago and now there's a bigger Country Mart up the road. You can buy gas and groceries, it even has a little Subway inside to get a sandwich. But it's still the place to see your neighbors when you pop in for milk or bread.  

Too bad I couldn't just open up the Coke box and roll back a few years...

*A special Thank You to my GRANDson who not only makes the long trip to Mom's with me, but mows when he gets there!