We Miss You Far More Than You Ever Knew

Leigh Ann Little  I am not sure how I will address this new blog entry. I can't even come up with an appropriate title. The two deaths of my very favorite people in two days just seem more than I can handle. But at 74, I suppose I will need to continue these tributes.

     I quietly, hopelessly and secretly fell in love with Leigh Ann in July of 2010. I had just completed the two most awful years I had ever experienced in teaching and had gained thirty pounds in the process. Let's just say I was not feeling too good about myself.

I had just moved to Kansas and didn't have much going for me at the time when John Turbayne called asking me if I wanted to meet him at a friend's home.

"Of course!" I responded, and John gave me directions to Leigh Ann's home. She was petite, attractive and the most intelligent person I had ever met. We all conversed, and I had an extremely enjoyable evening.

Later, I had the opportunity to see her again, though only on a few occasions. My favorite was the time when Leigh Ann introduced John and I to a number of Kansas City highlights, and we had a wonderful time. After that I met with her once or twice, then connected with her by telephone and email. 

Here Is Another Life Lesson: When a wonderful friend passes away you will always feel that you needed to have connected far more often, no matter how many times you did.

I love you, Leigh Ann, and may your new journey lead you through a fascinating afterlife. I look forward to seeing you at CrowMac Creek.

See more at https://www.leighannlittle.com/

 Back to Arizona and to Nature

    It's been a long while, too long since I had access to the back country, but I have returned. Don't get me wrong though. I enjoyed my life in Kansas. I met and enjoyed sharing time with Linda Taylor, Mike Kudlac, Dwayne Joe and many others

 

    I met and fell in love with Laura Mikels, but my time with her ended with her untimely death at age 45. After her loss, I knew that I needed to move on.

    

    I have long been complaining that I had nowhere to go where I was far enough away from civilization to enjoy the feeling one gets when hiking, running or biking up a mountain trail, and then finding the peace that can only be derived from natures' grandeur.

 

 Now I am in Arizona I feel Fulfilled.

A New Resident At CrowMac Creek

 Larry Bidtah, one of my closest friends and fellow teacher passed on February 15th, 2024. He died after a long struggle with cancer. He was good man and he was a person who worked with students with emotional problems. With his even personality, he gained the trust and respect of each of his students. 

He spent an enjoyable summer with me. We explored and hiked all around the Navajo Reservation. But the last time I saw him, I had been angry with him and, even though I may have had a reason to be angry, I should not have treated him the way I did. 

After everything, I realized what I had done. I tried to find him countless times, all without success. I tried to find him again today and this is what I found found:

Lawrence Bidtah

Good friends are few, it seems, and those relationships are well worth whatever we can do to keep them alive. 

I have written about CrowMac Creek in the past, and many of the residents at CrowMac Creek have moved from this life to the next. There really is a CrowMac Creek, but it is not called that. It is actually a little town in Arizona situated between Payson and Strawberry.

My father had purchased a cabin for our mother as a bonus for agreeing to move to Arizona. She really wasn't pleased to pull up roots and make the move. But she loved spending time in CrowMac Creek and it was a wonderful place to share with the family. We all watched our mother sit on a green and white webbed patio chair, drinking coffee and enjoying everything. I don't think I ever witnessed her any happier.

Our mother passed away after struggling through lung cancer. Our father remarried, and gave his new wife the cabin. She sold it and built more structures on her property. Then she kept my sisters and me away from our father.  Now our mother and father are gone and so is the cabin.

I created CrowMac Creek to keep my memories alive and many of the occupants had been close friends who had passed away. Gary Heil was a close friend for many years and resides in the area, at least in my mind. You will find him in previous posts and now works at the CrowMac Creek Chronicle owned and operated by my oldest friend, Howard Ray.  Laura Mikels, my last significant other as well as my fiancé has left life as we know it, but she now remains in the cabin and greets visitors when they arrive. Sue and James Haynes, my best and longest standing (and living) friends show up from time to time as well. And Mike Kudlac, another living good friend was able to make a virtual visit to join with us for a ghost hunt. When the weather is nice, and in the coolness of the morning, you will see my mother sitting in her chair enjoying the scent of the Ponderosa Pine and the chattering of blue jays. Now I understand that Larry Bidtah has already shown up in CrowMac Creek and is using his expert carpentry skills to create patio and deck furniture. He also enjoys playing cards, which pleases Laura.

I would wager that many of you already know that the cabin in CrowMac Creek is Heaven, my Heaven. And I know that I'll be seeing Larry again with Laura and Gary Heil and all of the rest of our visitors. More later.