Thursday morning early Kay and I drove to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. She dropped me off at the Southwest Airlines door, and after a couple of minutes, I realized I had left the iPhone in the car. Here comes Kay to the rescue bringing the iPhone! Fortunately, the day got a bit better, and the two flights, Phoenix to Dallas to Little Rock, were uneventful. After renting a bottom-of-the-line Toyota pickup, I arrived home late afternoon, starved for food and sleep. Little did I know that both would escape me for the next five days. Meanwhile, Kay remained behind, playing pickleball late in the afternoon. She just gets better and better.

Sleep was in spurts Thursday night and early Friday morning as I awoke shortly after midnight. Available news was read and puzzles worked before sleep overcame me; the short “nap” did little to alleviate the absence of sleep. The day was pretty much wasted as I did little except downloading and backing up photographs, though I did play a few games of pickleball at Balboa Baptist Church. Kay joined the HSV group at Palm Creek for an afternoon of social pickleball.

I drove to Bradford Saturday morning to attend visitation and the funeral for my sister. It was a bitter sweet day, and it was difficult saying goodbye but good to see so many cousins and other kin. Carma’s obituary follows.

Carma Frances Dunn Feagin, 80, of Judsonia, Arkansas passed away Tuesday, February 8, 2022. She was born July 21, 1941 in Bradford, Arkansas to the late Marvin U. and Nellie Rae Malott Dunn. 

Carma was an avid Arkansas Razorback baseball, basketball, and football fan. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, crocheting, ceramics, and various other types of crafts. Carma enjoyed bird watching, especially Red Birds, but it was the love she had for her family that truly kept her going. Many know her as Carma, a loving wife, sister, aunt, and friend, but her most favorite is mom and grandma. Her proudest moments have been her children and grandchildren. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine” echoes through our memories as she sang this song to each of us. She had a warm and embracing smile that would give so much comfort. She will forever hold a special place in our hearts. 

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Gerald Feagin; children, Lisa Williams and Lynn Feagin (Kristi); grandchildren, Jessica Williams, Brian Williams (Krystal), Zachary Feagin (Jessica), Lauren Feagin; great grandchildren, Finn Feagin, Hallie Feagin, Isabelle Williams; siblings, Donald Dunn (Kay); and a host of nieces, nephews, and other family and friends. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, Marvin U. and Nellie Rae Malott Dunn; and a brother, Ronald Dunn.

Visitation is 1-2pm Saturday, February 12, 2022 at Bradford Baptist Church with the funeral service to follow at 2pm. Interment is in Bethlehem Cemetery in Denmark.

After the burial, I drove to Magness Lake near Heber Springs to photograph Trumpeter Swans in Arkansas for the first time. A couple hundred or more of America’s largest waterfowl, with wingspans up to 8 feet, are spending their 30th straight winter at Magness Lake and two nearby unnamed lakes in Cleburne County, a half-dozen miles east of Heber Springs. They arrive each November before migrating back north in late February. Nearly driven to extinction a century ago, the white-feathered aquatic birds today number an estimated 35,000, mostly in the Upper Midwest and Mountain states. Cleburne County is the farthest south they’ve been known to travel.

There were also a couple of Tundra Swans on the lake, but too far to photograph. Also, there were more Trumpeters at a couple of nearby lakes. Also, there were many Ring-necked Ducks.

A Bufflehead came close and allowed a photograph to be taken. Those on our lake are so skittish that it is near impossible to take their picture.

And, a few Mallards were flying about looking for food.

Kay played pickleball again with her 2.5 group, but skipped a concert/dance Saturday evening. The band was good according to sources that attended.