What's in a Name

As I walk through my little section of Dallas County, I'm getting the urge to name the place.   It seems that nothing has a name (or at least they haven't told me).   I used to live in another part of Dallas County and it had a name...Bear Creek.   "Oh, you live out by Anker's in Bear Creek."   Right away folks knew where I was talking about and roughly knew where I lived.   A local small town paper even had a 'Bear Creek News' section.   Mrs. Cook wrote that.   "The Hopp's were visited this weekend by Paul's family from Hamburg.   Paul put a hog on the spit."

By the time I moved there the creek was merely a slough and no bear had visited the area for well over a century.   I liked that I lived in Bear Creek.

The Raccoon River is pretty far south.  I don't think Raccoon something will work.   The Skunk River is a way east.   Skunk whatever is not happening.   Maybe I should name the hollow and then name the area after the hollow.

At the top of the hollow the town kids used to sneak into the woods and do whatever high school kids need to do in private.   I'm sure they had a name for that part of the woods but the entrance was bulldozed and no one gets in anymore.   It probably wasn't that complimentary a name anyway.

Hoot Owl Hollow?   No, I can't tell folks I live in Hoot Owl.

I guess I'll keep walking until the name hits me or I move.