Labor Day blooms

A long dry spell has been broken by rain and cooler temperatures. That’s given wildflowers a chance for long last comeback before the frosts begin in November.

FALL ARRANGEMENT -- Yellow wild sunflowers contrast with beautiful French mulberries.

PINK FLOWERS - Labor Day blooms at Jenkins Ferry State Park.

ROYAL PURPLE -- More Labor Day blooms at Jenkins Ferry State Park.

Battle of Jenkins Ferry

In 1864, this quiet segment of the Saline River roiled in a battle that resulted with the deaths of hundreds of Union and Confederate soldiers, now known as the Battle of Jenkins Ferry. The site is part of the Arkansas State Parks system, which also preserves the battle sites at Mark’s Mills and Poison Springs, which were part of the Union’s Camden Expedition. The Union, though in retreat, was considered the victor in this fight.

LIKE A ROCK –Memorial to the Confederate soldiers at the Jenkins Ferry Battlefield site near Leola, Arkansas.

GHOSTS — After downloading this image of the Saline River, something remarkable showed on the screen that didn’t show in the viewfinder. In the middle left, there appears the image of a man standing at ease, with his hands in his pockets. With a little more imagination, reflections of the other cypresses in the water could be ghosts of armies past.