Life in the Ozarks of SW MO

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Nuts in 2009!

Black Walnuts harvested from fall 2008.

Black Walnuts harvested from fall 2008.

Politics aside, I have been hoping this year would be better than last year for quite some time.  Thankfully, I can tell you already this year is better than I expected just a few months ago.  Keeping a positive attitude and expecting the best always helps, but seeing more contracts and closings this month at almost the mid-point than a couple of the previousl months combined proves that it is truly happening locally just as I had hoped, and even better.  I am posting this only to encourage those who are still wondering if there is enough activity going on in the real estate market yet this year to dare hope that the market is turning around.  I would have to say it is starting to get better, in my opinion. 

You may think I am nuts but that is why I put this picture up.  A few months ago my grand-daughter and I were road hunting for Grandma’s favorite fudge ingredient to prepare for the holiday goodies we love. We were able to round up over a hundred black walnuts we found along the side of the road while driving through the local hollers.  So, after spending a couple of long afternoon trying to husk them and getting very stained hands, we decided to let them just sit and rot. 

Sometimes you can work and work and not get anything but dirty hands and then you stop and wait for awhile to ponder the situation awhile.  Then you go back and find that things have progressed right along at their normal pace without your help and are now ready for the harvest.  You see, after the husk has turned black and the hulling worms have done their job, you can just knock that junk off them, crack the shell and get the meat.  It seems so easy when you do it right.  Duh!  Naturally, getting all the prep work done right ahead of time is the KEY!  So don’t go nuts, just keep on working and waiting, you will harvest!