Rain, Rain, Go Away - Tuesday

I am quickly making up for two months in the desert with all the rain I've seen since Thursday. Today was overcast, with rain coming down in various volumes throughout the day. Sometimes it would pour; other times it would mist. Despite the clouds and rain, one thing to be enjoyed was that strong smell of fresh, rain-washed air. The moisture coupled with the aromatic offerings from the leaves and grass brought a sense of peace and calm to my soul. The sense of smell is one of the most powerful influences on a person's emotional well-being. And as one who enjoys nature, I was loving every draw of clean, crisp air.

After class I made my regular pilgrimmage to AQ Chicken, a uniquely Arkansas restaurant. In fact, the AQ stands for "Arkansas Quality". While a diner serving fried chicken shouldn't be thought of as anything special in the South, there is the charm of a family-owned restaurant whose specialty is called "Over the Coals" chicken. Imagine pan-fried chicken with a lemon-herb seasoning, taken and then grilled over a coal bar-b-que for a few minutes to add a roasty flavor to the crust. Lucky for me, I don't have to imagine - I ordered the 3-piece plate of all-white meat. The flavor of the grilled chicken wrapped in the lemon-herb seasoning was exactly as I remembered it. Knowing that they had blackberry cobbler waiting for dessert I didn't fill up on side orders.

http://picasaweb.google.com/khalaf.writes/AQChicken

The natives think it's funny that a Yankee would come all the way here and insist on eating at AQ Chicken. I can't think of any better way to welcome myself home.