Relocate! Magazine Spring 2017 by Publish in Paradise

Volume 2 Issue 3 | Spring 2017

Relocate! Magazine RelocateMag.us Publisher: Angela J. Willard relocate@publishinparadise. com

On the cover: Sunrise fishing on DeGray Lake in Arkansas.

Although I personally have never been to Arkansas, I do have a good friend who lives there, and in the Ozarks no less. When he speaks of the spiritual connection he feels when out in nature there, it seems to be there is indeed something special about the beautiful Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. I have since even heard of people leaving it all behind to go live “off-grid” in those beautiful mountains and never look back. If you are looking for a place to relocate to, especially if wanting to escape the “rat race”, then the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas just may be the perfect place for you. After reading this issue and getting more information with the resources we have provided, you can decide for yourself. Keep a lookout for more articles about the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas and the people of the land on our blog.

Photo courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

A beautiful bend in the Buffalo River from an overlook on the Buffalo River Trail near Steel Creek in Arkansas. By Jasari (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Departments Explore our Country 7 Exploring Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains 8

Fishing the Diamond Lakes of Arkansas

16 The Ozarks

Preparedness 18 Eight Ways to Optimize Your Sleep

On the Move 5 7 Tips to Shake Up Your Lifestyle

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

f you're looking for ways to bring some extra energy to your lifestyle once you have relocated and nestled into your new home, there are a few ways to shake up your routine as spring rolls around. You may be surprised to find how seemingly simple changes can make a big difference. Sometimes all you need is a little change in your daily routine or a small adjustment to jump-start a fresh take on life. Ideas don't have to be big to be impactful.

productive activities that make you happy. If you're looking to take on a new hobby, now's the time to commit to your newfound passion, whether it's understanding the ins and outs of digital photography or volunteering for a cause close to your heart.

3. 1. Sign up for a fitness class. When your workout regimen feels repetitive, it's hard to stay motivated. One way to wake up your workout is to enroll in a new class, where you can learn new moves and put your muscles to work in new ways.

Make your down time productive.

Your idle time may be minimal, so it's all the more reason to fill those hours with

Improve

your

oral

health.

Maintaining your overall health includes your mouth too. An option like Colgate Total Advanced Health Mouthwash can help you take charge of your oral health. This mouthwash is the first oral care product to contain dual-layer technology that combines freshening power with germ killing ingredients - simply shake to activate and see the results in the sink. Learn more at ColgateTotal.com.

Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us | 5

4. Invest

in a quality mattress. Giving

yourself a good night of sleep is one of the most important things you can do to improve your overall health. That's because your sleeping hours are when your body works to repair and rejuvenate from the tolls of daily living. If your mattress is outdated or saggy, upgrade for better rest and better health.

with friends for no special reason; simply enjoy the company and unwind. Adding some pep to your step doesn't have to mean major changes. Just a few adjustments can have you breaking out of an old pattern and stepping into a healthier lifestyle with ease.

Sources: Colgate Total | Family Features

5. Explore a new look. A fresh makeup shade or a new hairstyle can give you confidence and put you on a path toward looking as great as you feel. Changes don't have to be bold or dramatic to make a difference. Simply switching up your eye shadow or lipstick can transform your look for an extra boost inside and out.

Redecorate a room in your home.

Whether it's a favorite space or a room you avoid because it needs some TLC, changing the appearance of your environment can create a place for you to feel at home, and that's simply good for the mind and soul. Create an oasis for relaxing or a more productive work space and you'll not only see the results, you'll feel good when you're using the space, too.

Make

time

socialize.

Breaking up your regular schedule can give you the variety you need to unplug and enjoy the lighter side of life. Make plans

6 | Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us

A Bluff Along the Buffalo

By Clinton Steeds from Los Angeles, USA (A Bluff Along the Bufallo) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us | 7

Photo courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

By Zoie Clift, travel writer, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Arkansas is home to more than 600,000 acres of lakes. Among these are five in Southwest Arkansas collectively known as the Diamond Lakes. These are Lake Ouachita and Lake Hamilton at Hot Springs, Lake Catherine near Malvern, DeGray Lake at Arkadelphia and Lake Greeson between Glenwood and Murfreesboro. Arkansas angler and fishing expert Billy Murray has extensive knowledge of these waters. The Hot Springs native, who was recently inducted into the National Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, started his career over 50 years ago as a fishing guide at Lake

Ouachita. He enjoys fishing all of the lakes of the state, including the Diamond Lakes. “Each body of water has its own personality,” he said. “The characteristics of each are different and the fisheries have different species available and are on different river systems. Within our fivelake area here we have almost any type of water you would like for recreation. Our wealth is in our water. We are so fortunate to have what we have. It’s a boon to Arkansas and gives our people the opportunity to go out and enjoy our state.”

Lake Ouachita has more than 100 uninhabited islands for camping and on the eastern shore is Lake Ouachita State Park. Photo courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Following, Murray shares his insight on each of the five lakes.

Lake Ouachita Lake Ouachita is surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest. The 40,100-acre lake is well known for fishing and consistently ranks as one of the top 10 spots in the nation for largemouth bass fishing. The lake has more than 100 uninhabited islands for camping and on the eastern shore is Lake Ouachita State Park. “Lake Ouachita is the largest lake we have in the state. It is a wilderness lake. It has no homes on it. It is there for flood control, and the lake fluctuates greatly up and

down depending on rain and drought. It has multiple species available in the lake, the main ones being bass, striper, walleye and crappie. Each one of these species has a different niche in the water. They don’t cohabitat; they have their own area of the lake they live in. The lake is able to generate more of these fish because of the extensive amount of water fluctuation it has. “It is probably the premier striper fishing lake in the state. It has a tremendous population with many fish caught being over 30 pounds. And it is one of the few lakes in Arkansas you can go out and target walleye and catch them. Walleye is normally a northern species found in the

Fishing off the pier on Lake Catherine Photo courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism 10 | Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us

Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us | 11

northern part of the country. The bass population is good, too. You have largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, which are catch and release only, and then there is Kentucky spotted bass. The length limit on the largemouth and spotted bass is 13 inches, which gives these fish a chance to get to maturity before they can be taken out of the lake.

Lake Hamilton

“The river system that feeds Lake Ouachita has got more lakes on it than any other river system in our state. You have Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine, all on the same river, which is the Ouachita River. So it is a very diverse fishery in that it has huge amounts of big open water, which is not only good for outdoor recreation such as fishing, but it is also a big recreation lake for swimming, skiing, scuba diving; it is a multi use reservoir. And it has somewhere around 1300 miles of shoreline. So it’s a huge body of water. The one thing that makes it so unique is it has huge tributaries that go off of the main body of the lake. It’s serpentine shaped with creeks that go 6 or 7 miles off the main body of the lake. And it has all of the things in it that promote a good fishery, which is grass, standing timber, big open water areas, and lots of long huge shallow flats. Each one of these types of areas is what promotes different species of fish. The big open areas are the striper areas; the long creeks off of the lake are where most of the bass fishing is done. And most of the walleye fishing is done on the ledges and humps that are out in the main body of the lake.”

“This is a residential lake. It has homes, motels, restaurants, all types of businesses right on the shoreline of the lake. It’s what we call a constant level lake. It doesn’t fluctuate when you get large rains. They try to hold it at a constant level mainly because they don’t want it to flood a bunch of people’s houses. Lake Ouachita is the lake they control the water level in the Ouachita River with. It’s the one that when it rains real hard they just stop the water right there and start letting out the lakes below so they won’t flood.

Downstream from Lake Ouachita is Lake Hamilton. It is of the state’s most popular recreational and residential lakes. Garvan Woodland Gardens is a lakeshore botanical garden that can be accessed by the lake via boat, and Scenic 7 Byway crosses the lake.

“Lake Hamilton is a much narrower lake than Lake Ouachita. It is kind of long and skinny and doesn’t have lots of big open water. It has no standing timber in it and very little grass. So the habitat is more limited than on Ouachita. The main shallow water habitat is boat docks. This is where all of the shallow water cover comes from. Lake Hamilton has a lot of boat docks; it’s a residential lake. It also has largemouth bass, stripers, walleyes and crappie. The main fishing time here is usually early spring and winter because in the summer it has thousands and thousands of boaters and skiers on it; it’s a high-traffic body of water. But it is very

important to our area because of how much recreation is on it.”

Lake Catherine If you continue downstream, the next lake is Lake Catherine. Situated on the lakeshore is Lake Catherine State Park. Though 11 miles long, the lake covers a mere 1,940 acres, nestled in narrow valleys of the Ouachita Mountains. “This is a much shallower lake than the other two previous lakes above it. There is water in excess of 300 feet deep in Lake Ouachita. It’s a deep and really clear lake. As you come downstream, the lakes gets shallower. Lake Catherine is the shallowest lake in the chain, and the smallest. It is simply a river channel lake. It has huge flats with lots of stumps, no standing

timber and very little grass. Parks and Wildlife sources say there are more fish per acres of water here than in the previous two lakes mentioned. “Lake Catherine is also a residential lake; there are homes on it. And it is a constantlevel lake; it does not fluctuate except in the wintertime. They lower it usually around the 1st of November so that everyone who lives on the lake can repair boat docks and work on shorelines. So it stays low in the winter and then they raise it again in the spring. This is for both Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine. Catherine has the same species of fish in it which is bass, stripers, walleyes and crappie, mostly game fish. There is probably less traffic on it than the other two previously mentioned lakes, too.”

DeGray Lake This 13,400 acre lake is home to the state’s only resort state park: DeGray Lake Resort State Park.

On our cover: The gorgeous image of fishing in the rising sun on DeGray Lake provided by All photos courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

“Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine are all Ouachita River reservoirs. DeGray Lake is our newest reservoir we have built here in the Diamond Lakes area. It was built in the early 70s and is on the Caddo River, which is one of the state’s premier floating streams. For people who like to river fish or float a river, it’s a very scenic river before it gets to the lake. There are outfitters in Glenwood and Caddo Gap that rent canoes and send people downriver on float trips. The river doesn’t

get too big or too swift, it’s a really nice float. Most of this is done in the summertime so people can enjoy the river. It’s a nice outing and good fishing as well as floating and a real scenic small river. “DeGray Lake has DeGray Lake Resort State Park. It is really the only facility on the lake besides Iron Mountain, which is the big marina right at the dam. And there are multiple campgrounds. For lake size, DeGray Lake probably has more campgrounds on it than any other lake; it is very accessible to the public. It’s a wilderness lake which means the water level fluctuates a lot. It may fluctuate anywhere between 15 and 25 feet a year. It comes up in the spring and down in the winter. “This large amount of water fluctuation is one of the things that contributes to it being a really good fishery, because it floods in the spring and all of the young fish have a place to hide in the springtime to grow big enough to where they can live in a very competitive environment. They don’t have to get out there and fend for themselves among all these larger fish. When that happens, everyone gets eaten. So when it floods in the spring during the spawn, they have a place to go hide. They are semi-adults by the time they have to pull out of that flooded cover. DeGray does not have stripers in it, like the other lakes we have in our area. But it does have a good hybrid striped bass population, largemouth, Kentucky bass and crappie.”

Lake Greeson The 12-mile-long, 7,000-acre lake features clear waters and steep, rocky ridges that form islands and long peninsulas extending into the lake. Around the lake shore is Daisy State Park. “Lake Greeson is on the Little Missouri River. It’s the hidden diamond of them all. It is the smallest of the five lakes and has two marinas on it, one at Self Creek and one at Swaha Lodge. It is not a residential lake, it’s a flood control. So it has lots of water fluctuation; it is up in the spring, down in the winter. Of all of the lakes we have mentioned, it is probably one of the best fishing lakes we have. It has a tremendous bass and crappie population and large creeks that run off the main body of water. “As far as habitat goes, it has no grass and no standing timber, which usually the more grass and timber you have, the more fish growing habitat you have. But this lake has none. But the water level does go up and down during the year, which contributes to it having a larger fish population. The lake has huge rock bluffs and is very scenic. It has a tremendous amount of water flow that goes through it because it is small and a tremendous amount of campgrounds, launching ramps, and access facilities to the lake.”

Source: Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism All photos courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

“Lake Greeson is on the Little Missouri River. It’s the hidden diamond of them all….”

Waterfall At Tanyard Creek A waterfall among the waning colors of Autumn at the Tanyard Creek Park Nature Trail in Bella Vista, AR.

Photo by Doug Wertman (Flickr: Waterfall At Tanyard Creek) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

16 | Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us

The Ozarks,

also referred to as the Ozark Mountains, Ozarks Mountain Country, and the Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States, primarily in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The Ozarks cover a significant portion of southern Missouri, extending as far northeast as the southwestern suburbs of St. Louis. In Arkansas, a large portion is contained within the northwestern and northcentral region. Much smaller pieces of the Ozarks extend westward into northeastern Oklahoma and extreme southeastern Kansas.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not uncommon to see raccoons in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Photo credit ADPT

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozarks

Ricketts Mountain Bluffs trail is a 0.5 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Mt Judea, AR that features a great forest setting and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

Source: www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arkans as/ricketts-mountain-bluffs-trail

Continued on page 20 Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us | 17

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

hile a healthy lifestyle requires a balanced diet and exercise, sleep is another pillar of overall wellness that is both essential to your health and success, and often overlooked. When we are busy packing, moving, donating our treasures, and relocating– often across the country–it is easy to put our routines on the back burner, which messes up our sleep schedules as well. Relocating can drive us all out of whack, especially our sleep schedule. By simply making small changes to your daily routine you can improve your quality of sleep. Follow these tips from Dr. Sujay Kansagra, Mattress Firm's sleep health

consultant and director of Duke University's Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program, and get on your way to better rest and a healthier life.

1. Manage your sleep time. Rather than trying to accomplish everything on your to-do list at the expense of sleep, reverse your approach. As the average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep each night, make sure to set aside the time needed for a full night of rest.

Stay on schedule. Try to keep your

bedtime and wake time consistent on both weekdays and weekends. With time, your brain and body will acclimate to these set

times, but until then, rely on an alarm not only to wake in the morning, but to keep you from staying up too late at night, too.

Find a routine. A routine performed

20-30 minutes prior to bed every night can subconsciously ease your brain into sleep. Unwinding with a book, taking a warm bath or meditating are all ways to slow your mind and transition toward peaceful rest.

8. Pay back debt. If you are chronically deprived of sleep, allow your body extra sleep time to make up for the loss. In these cases, even 8-9 hours each night may not be enough. Allow your body to catch up then commit to more consistent sleep patterns in the future. Find more resources to help improve your sleep, including tips on how to purchase a new mattress, at DailyDoze.com.

Brighten up the morning. Getting

plenty of bright light in the morning helps keep your sleep timing on track, particularly if you wake up early. Make opening the drapes and blinds your first task each morning.

Sources: Mattress Firm | Family Features

5. Ditch the clock. Fixating on the time can create stress and keep you up at night. Instead, set your alarm, turn your clock around and forget about the time.

6. Exercise. Research shows that exercise can act as a natural sleep remedy, often leading to a more sound slumber. However, if you exercise late and have difficulty falling asleep, consider moving your workout earlier in the day. The increase in body temperature from exercise tends to be prolonged, sometimes making it hard to fall asleep.

Kick the caffeine habit. Morning

caffeine can linger in your system until it's time to sleep. Coffee, tea, dark sodas and dark chocolate are the main offenders for most people.

Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us | 19

Continued from page 17

Blanchard Springs Caverns is a cave system located in the Ozarkâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;St. Francis National Forest in Stone County in northern Arkansas, 2 miles off Highway 14 a short distance north of Mountain View.

Above: Blanchard Springs Caverns Waterfall By Brandonrush (Own work) [CC (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], Commons.

Below: Blanchard Springs Giant Flowstone

BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia

Blanchard Springs Caverns is a three-level cave system, two of which are open for guided tours. The Dripstone Trail runs through the uppermost level of caverns for about a half-mile and opened in 1973. The Discovery Trail opened in 1977 and loops through a 1.2-mile section of the cavern, descending to the lower level of the cave, 366 feet underground, as well as to the Natural Entrance, about 70 feet below ground at that point, following the stream bed of the springs that created the cavern. This trail includes the Rimstone Dams, which create pools along the stream bed, and the Ghost Room with its huge white flowstone. Also offered is a "Wild Cave" tour which allows access to undeveloped parts of the cave to more adventurous visitors. It follows the upstream section of the cave in the lower levels, continuing beyond where the Discovery Trail ends.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blancha rd_Springs_Caverns

20 | Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us

For More Information on Relocating to the Ozarks in Arkansas: Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism www.arkansas.com/relocate Northwest Arkansas (Ozarks) www.arkansas.com/relocate/your-newhometown/places/northwest/ DeGray Lake central Arkansas Ouachita Mountain Region www.degray.com

Ozark Regional Transit www.ozark.org City of Ozark, Arkansas www.cityofozarkar.com Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce www.ozarkchamberofcommerce.com Ozark Mountain ozarkmountainregion.com

Shelter on White Rock Mountain The main stone and timber shelter on White Rock Mountain was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930's. Formed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during The Great Depression, the CCC also built three cabins and a lodge on White Rock Mountain. By Marco Becerra from Lewisville, TX, USA (Shelter on White Rock Mountain) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Relocate! Magazine | Spring 2017 | ÂŠ 2017 Publish In Paradise | RelocateMag.us | 21

Sunrise fishing on DeGray Lake in Arkansas. Our gorgeous cover photo courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.