One of our real estate offices closed and we noticed a sign saying "Pearley May's Chocolate Shoppe" and drove on by. For months I've driven by.  Who needs to buy candies which will make you heavier?  Today I stopped!  Christmas, you know!  Buy gifts for others, not yourself, and someone else might like chocolate and can afford the calories. I was impressed.  Owen and Diana Rinner and Delayne Hall have this shop and the candy is made on the premises, so says Mr. Rinner.  His wife uses her own original recipes and puts out the most gorgeous confections.  Who needs See's???  The Rinners moved here from California, home of See's, because they wanted a quieter life and Mrs. Rinner may have grown up here. Pearley May, Mrs. Rinner, says that her chocolates are low in sugar which makes it a h... 12/12/2008

  Women have to carry purses.  OMG!  We have check books, make-up, medicine for us and for everyone else, kid's toys, pictures of ones we love, keys to everything, coupons for savings, food and gum, credit cards, and whatever else you might need! How do men do without purses?  Well, for one thing, they throw away their change.  Women gather it up from the top of the dresser and cash it in and buy things. Men leave their keys in their vehicles so a thief can find them easily, and they never have what they need.  If they have a spouse, they let the spouse carry their sunglasses and other important things.  If they're single, God bless, I don't know what they do. I found the above delightful picture of women in 1962 with their purses.  They're in front of church.  They have on their high h... 12/10/2008

This is the blog that I put up a few weeks ago.  An out-of-town REALTOR  was showing property to a family who lived in another state.  The family found pictures of my listing on realtor.com, asked him to preview it for them, made an offer from his previewing, and it closed yesterday!!  They checked it out personally just days before closing.  This house is also one that I spent two hours  trying to make it show better through staging.  The staging would have made the house show better in the pictures.  I call it depersonalizing the house. Each year when it comes time to renew my realtor.com enhanced listing agreement, I shout over the phone to the salesperson, "What!!  Are you joking!!  How can it cost that much!!"  "Well, Mrs. Duncan, you had slightly over xx listings and that put you ... 12/06/2008

  This picture brings back so many memories, doesn't it?  Remember when as a child you really wanted something for Christmas that might just materialize under the tree on Christmas morning and you knew your parents had sacrificed to get it for you and you loved it all year long? Remember when you could play outside without worrying about someone kidnapping you? Remember wearing little hats?  Most hats covered the ears.  These girls must be dressed up!  Remember when your mom would insist that you wear your coat outside so you wouldn't catch cold? Remember when you lived in town but the houses were still far apart with big yards like this one in the background? Remember the simplicity of a baby stroller that would look like this doll buggy?  Remember no car seats to lug around?  Your ar... 12/01/2008

This is one mysterious photo that says it is a Searcy AR eat shop and Tourist Court but I have never heard of it.  I'm posting this for my Searcy readers to identify it and tell me where it was.  The car's age may help to identify the time frame.  Notice the flat roofed construction which was not a popular thing.  And it appears that the tourist court had covered parking for the cars?  11/30/2008

  All along the streets of Searcy Arkansas, White County are signs inviting people to a free Thanksgiving Meal at the church on West Race Avenue.  Several dedicated church members started this free meal several years ago. It has grown and grown.  The meals will be delivered to folks who can't get out to come to the church.  At the church, turkey and dressing and all the things that should accompany it will be served.  I think it is one of the best things that can be done at this time of year and I applaud them for it.  I'm posting a picture of one of their signs and an old picture of the church in 1963 before it was added on.  This commemorative plate is one that I found in a flea market just yesterday and will give my mother-in-law who has been a faithful member of this church for almo... 11/22/2008

  This old photo post card of Bill's Grill in Searcy AR on Race Street is sure to bring back a lot of memories to people who grew up in Searcy.  What was then that little two-lane highway in front is now a 4 and 5 lane street that you avoid ever trying to turn left on.  The cars in this picture are fun.  The parking lot was full most of the time throughout the years because they had great food and a wonderful hostess named Earnestine.  She made the most wonderful chocolate cake with ice cream and whipped cream topping!  She became famous for it. My question to the ones who know, Anita, Don, Harold, etc, is this.  It Bill's grill the same as Noble's Motel?     11/20/2008

We have a great school in Searcy!  There are around 1075 students, grades 9-12, and 70 teachers.  It is a small town school, so most of the students know each other.  My granddaughter, Gabby,  attends school here. She is a 9th grade cheerleader and we attend most of her ball games.  She studies hard and is a good student. Searcy recently built a new Performing Arts Center, it is very pretty.  There is also a really great sports complex for base ball, tennis, and football.  Searcy High School are called The Searcy Lions and the 9th grade and junior high are called the Searcy Cubs.  If you are planning on moving to Searcy, take some time and tour the school.  11/19/2008

Hey, aren't we uptown?  Searcy, Arkansas is a very rural community, located about 45 miles north of Little Rock.  But, we're not country!  We have a new Sushi Cafe! I have never eaten sushi, I am a very picky eater and raw fish just doesn't sound good to me.  But, I have seen a lot of cars at the Sushi Cafe!  I'm sure they have more than sushi on the menu, and when I get time I am going to check it out! This location is on very busy Race Street, and hopefully they will succeed!  If you are ever in this area, stop by and have some sushi!! 11/19/2008

fff This group of young people in Searcy Arkansas took their music lessons seriously!  Look at all the evening dresses and the few guys are all dressed up also.  I assume this was a recital probably in the 50's in our town.  If I have posted this photo before, it's worthy of being shown again.  Our favorite Anita is in the middle with the violin.  The man she eventually married is on the right just behind the smaller child. You have to agree, it's a priceless picture!  11/18/2008

I don't know why they changed our slogan, I think there is still a lot of opportunity here!  Arkansas is a great place for a vacation, our lakes are second to none.  You can float on our rivers and have the time of your life.  Schedule a canoe trip on the Buffalo River and you will see the beauty of our state! If you are a hunter, you came to the right place.  We have the best duck hunting!   Stuggart, Arkansas, is the duck hunting capitol of the world.   The Hurricane Bottoms in Bald Knob, Arkansas, is also a great duck hunting area.   We have so much deer here that if you don't shoot one, maybe you need to brush up on your hunting skills! Deer season is in now and hunters are everywhere.  Hunting  really does  boosts our economy, a week at deer camp means good business for the grocery... 11/15/2008

  My husband is a golf nut.  (No offense, Nutsy!)  He came in today bragging about winning $16 from his golfing buddies.  I get so tired of hearing those holes played over and over in the kitchen.  Usually his winnings are from $2 to $6 so he really scored today.  The worst thing is one of his golfin' buddies is in the office beside mine at RE/MAX and sometimes I have to hear them replayed TWICE!!  Sometimes I cover my ears and run screaming from the room! I brought all that up for sympathy and to mention a sand green golf course.  Imagine playing on SAND!  My husband never has.  I found this card on ebay just to show him.  So if any of you out there have experienced sand green playing, share it.  I understand that at one time Searcy Arkansas had a sand green course and that would be re... 11/14/2008

One of the pictures that I have borrowed from friends in order to place it on this blog is this photo of The Searcy Cotton and Oil Co. That the company was in the present day industrial area is the only information that I could find.  If any of you Searcy readers come up with more information, share it with us. Dr. Raymond Muncy wrote a book called "Searcy, Arkansas.  A Frontier Town Grows Up With America" in 1976 and the book includes this photograph.  It contains lots of information about Searcy AR and lots of photos.  For searching Searcy history, it is probably the best but I didn't find anything more about this business. 11/13/2008

Summer is on its way out!  Or gone!  I remember summers being so hot that all girls wore short shorts!  It was the only way to stay cool.  Houses didn't have air conditioned spots to sit and watch TV all day! Boys must have loved all the short shorts! This picture from Searcy Arkansas showing four Searcy cuties is worth analyzing.  Notice the cat-eye glasses.  Cool!  One has a camera around her neck and look at the shadow of the picture taker!  They all have their blouses tucked in their shorts and their shoes all seem similar. Plaid was IN!  So were possibly baseball caps? And there's one in every group!  Look at the outgoing one on the right!  Demanding special attention and looking like a soldier at attention!  Thanks, Anita (on the right) for sharing this picture. 11/11/2008

In 1915 Searcy evidently had a basketball team for girls.  Here's a magnificent picture showing them with possibly their coaches.  The basketball is marked 1915.  In the background is the old school. I believe that sometime after this the male leaders decided that sports were bad for girls and eliminated all of them.  Girls were ignored until 1972 when Title IX was passed which said basically: ""No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." I had a daughter at that time who had nothing to do but get in trouble.  When this law was passed I was jubilant.  The schools had to start offering sports for g... 11/06/2008

  One of our most historic homes has become our Searcy Art Gallery.  The Black House as it is called is just two blocks from the court square at 300 E. Race Street and is leased to the city by one of our prominent retired surgeons.  Today as I was headed toward home, I steered into it to see the latest display.   There was a display of lovely hats and shoes and memorabilia from the days when we wore hats.  The display is provided by Irene Crouch and is titled "For the Love of Hats."  The display was impressively laid out in several rooms of the house.  There was even a Christmas tree decorated with hats and a small tree decorated with buttons.                               If you're in Searcy Arkansas, stop by and visit the lovely old 1800's house.     11/04/2008

  Searcy, Arkansas had its share of dime stores.  At least that's what I heard them called as I was growing up.  Snowdens was one of the dime stores in Searcy. "Mama, can we go to the dime store?"  When Mama said yes we were happy kids. Snowdens was still in Searcy AR when I arrived in about 1967.  It was located on the South side of the court square.  The Snowdens lived on Arch Street and evidently they never threw anything away but built a building behind their house to hold all the stuff.  Arch Street wasn't far from where I lived and I had to drive by there all the time.  Once the store had closed and the Snowdens had died their heirs were cleaning the place up and throwing things away.  The pile of old stuff beside the road was enticing.  I stopped by and started rifling through th... 11/01/2008

We are so fortunate to have a really pretty court house.  It is located right in the center of our court square, and just across the street from our grand old Rialto Theater.  During the holidays it is decorated with thousands of lights and is a sight to behold! Searcy is the largest city in White County, and White County is the largest county in Arkansas.  Searcy was named for Richard Searcy, who was judge for the Superior Court of the Arkansas Territory.  Arkansas was the 25th state to be admitted to the union. When I need to check real estate records, I go to the court house.  They have a lot of the records on computer.  I can also pull all the subdivision plats.  Also, if you want to vote early, you can go to the court house and place your ballot.  I love our cour house!!           ... 10/28/2008

Do you remember getting so excited about going to the movies?  I do!  Years ago we just had one movie theater, there were no big cinema buildings where you can choose between 10 different movies.  No, just one theater and one movie.  I remember the ushers constantly going up and down the aisles trying to keep everyone from talking.  Here in Searcy, Arkansas, we still have The Rialto, our grand old theater!  It was built in the 1920's in the Art Deco style.  It is built of concrete, stucco, brick and tin.  A very beautiful theater and you can watch a movie for $2.00!! If you are ever in my town, visit the Riato and step back into yesteryear.                                                                                                                   10/27/2008

Old pictures of your home town are so much fun!  We drive through the four lane new highways and love the convenience but it is still heart warming to look back in time to "how it used to be." Here's an old service station picture.  Looks like there's the White County Courthouse in the background.  If so, this station must have been on what is now Main Street of Searcy Arkansas.  Searcy old timers speak up and tell us about this old station. 10/24/2008