Many of you know that in addition to the 80+ acres of Roundrock (on the edge of the Missouri Ozarks) we also owned 40 acres in the next county. It was our original rural property, but after we found Roundrock, we knew our interests were going to migrate there rather than the 40 acre land. Last summer we were able to sell half of that 40 acres to an adjoining landowner (who apparently had wanted it for a long time). With some of the proceeds we were able to build the Cabin at the End of the Road (at Roundrock) and replace the decaying porch on the back of our house (in surburbia). The remaining half of that other property has been on the market since then, and we received word last weekend that we now have a contract on it as well, for the full asking price. A few things have to happen before the purchase is final, but everything looks positive, so we're thinking in terms of it being sold. Which is a big thing for us. As I said, this was our original rural bit of land. Plenty of dreams were inaugurated there. Lots of plans were made. Here was where the home site would be. There, the small pond. The new road into the property would go through this area. And all of those possible burial mounds scattered throughout the land. (That's one in the photo above. There are dozens like it all over the property. All about human sized and all aligned east to west.) And let's not forget the thong trees. So now we are coming to the point where we must say goodbye to the land and all of the heady dreams that came from it. It's bittersweet. I know I'll miss it, much like the way you fondly recall your first car (a 1964 Chevy II, by the way). But the fact is that we hardly ever went down there. I think we were there only twice last year, and one of those times was our obligatory walking of the fence line. The other was to tidy up for the sale of the first half of the land. We stopped looking at it as a retreat and started seeing it as more of a tangible asset. And in the end, that's what it has proven to be. As a financial investment, it has performed well. Since it is not really much of an emotional investment any longer, I'll settle for the financial payoff. Missouri calendar:

• Screech owls begin nesting this month.

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