Apr 29 2007
In Flowery Fields Go I
Texas State Flower the bluebonnet and friends (click to enlarge and sharpen)
We all got up and had a boring breakfast of cold cereal bars and milk. I longed for a jacket. Ben and I hit the trail while Shannon quietly zipped herself up in the tent for a few more winks.
I knew based on the map that the lake was somewhere directly out the back of our camp site. Following a hint of a trail, I casually brushed aside a few low cedar branches before remembering that they would slap Ben right in the face. The occasional break in the trees made way for glades of wildflowers no bigger than a dime. I tried to get a few closeups while Ben played with rolly pollies.
We avoided several fire ant mounds on the way to a green metal fence. Beyond it I could see a small cove on Lake Texoma, but the view wasn’t worth crossing the fence. The trail took us back up to a neighbor’s camp site, where we said “hi” as we passed them and their big breakfasts of eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. I saw an electric skillet on their picnic table.
Maybe there’s something to this fancy camping after all.
Determined to find a trail with a better payoff, I drove Ben to a trailhead near the park manager’s residence. We zig-zagged downhill on a shaded trail seemingly free of fire ants but crawling with rolly pollies. Ben stopped every 10 feet or so to prod one into curling up.
“Why do they go into a ball?” he asked, staring intently at the tiny ball of armor in his palm.
“To protect themselves. Watch what that one does when you set it down.”
He did. The bug unrolled itself and began on its way, flailing its antennae out front for guidance.
“He started crawling again,” Ben said.
“That’s right. Come on. I think it’s time to go wake up your mommy.”
We did. Shannon unrolled herself out of her sleeping bag, but not before enjoying a few minutes of conscious coziness.
“It’s so warm and toasty in here, I don’t want to get up,” she said.
“You’ve had an hour in there,” I said.
“Whoa. I guess I did fall asleep. I didn’t think I did.”
About an hour later, everything packed and ready to roll, we headed for our next stop — old downtown Bonham. Before that, however, we wanted to check out a large field of wildflowers we had found when I missed a turn the day before.
This scissor-tailed flycatcher was as relaxed as anybody perched on barbed wire.
Ben and his mommy shared a nice Kodak moment. I got it, but with a completely manual lens that can’t talk to my camera, I didn’t get my exposure right until it was too late. So, you get this overxposed series.
Downtown Bonham, while quaint, showed us not one shop or diner that caught our collective eye. We had hoped after eating lunch to take Ben to a throwback ice cream shop or soda fountain for a cone or a float. The Dollar General right on the square was our first sign that might not happen.
Bonham State Park, my original hope for a camping destination, was only a few miles out, so we went that way for our picnic. The lake there is small enough that it doesn’t attract boaters (in fact, no motorized vehicles are allowed on it). Therefore, campers’ reasons for going there are more up my alley. I’m not sure it even allows fishing.
On our way to a parking spot, a squirrelly looking guy holding what appeared to be the broken remains of an unpainted piñata stared at us and made Shannon uncomfortable. I could create a great character based on that guy.
The high winds gave us visions of our sandwiches, so lovingly made by Shannon the day before, blowing away to the lake’s resident mallards. We ate lunch while watching the lake through Homer’s windshield.
Ben usually finishes eating before we do, and it wasn’t right to keep him cooped up in the van. Shannon and I finished our sandwiches while watching and talking to him through our open windows.
Restless and full, we took Ben to the shore. On the way, we watched a Canadian Goose couple escort their goslings on land and over the lake’s choppy surface.
Ben played in the water, alternating between the lake’s chilly waves and the sun-warmed water in canals dug by other kids. Water somehow makes kids seem more alive. They turn more energetic and excitable than anywhere else. Unlike in the bathtub, there were no restrictions on splashing, and Ben’s smile never wavered.
I’m left looking at a freshwater mussel shell.
We ended the trip on that high note, but I still had one incomplete mission.
Ice cream.
We ended up at Braum’s, a couple blocks off the square. Oh well. Ben got his cone and our ice cream tasted good. I can’t resist Braum’s peanut butter cup ice cream, with sweet, creamy peanut butter swirled right in.
These are so fun Mark. The series of Ben and his mom would be great on a wall after some Photoshop stuff to play with it…what a great Mothers Day gift! I love the Bluebonnets and the bird on a wire!
Great pics as always. I think it’s interesting that as much as you are hoping you find that one secret gem, you can’t help comparing your nature adventures to what you’ve grown accustomed to here in Arkansas. People just have no idea how pretty it is here.
You’re making me look even more forward to our next nature outing. It’s funny, because I have more memories of just the few “guy” weekends that you, dad, and I have had than most of the collective things I’ve done in the past several years combined.
Adventures are always memorable. There’s something about that “what’s next” feeling that makes my sensory perception greater.
All around wonderful pictures, Mark. It’s a shame you can’t get rid of that gas station behind Ben in the flower field. It’s still a great picture, but it’d be much more serene without the Phillips 66 behind him.
I really like the one of his splashing. I can almost hear him!
I look forward to Norah being old enough to enjoy camping with us. We used to go periodically, but haven’t since Moonshot got pregnant.
I’ll keep any eye out for creepy pinata guy in your next story.
We have very few splashing restrictions on the boys when they bathe. Fat lot of good it would do most of the time anyway. Thank goodness for the modern miracle of evaporation!
What I’ve had to watch out for (like last night, for example) was a terrified boy retreating in fear from his own turd in the tub. Dex has outgrown it, but Tav is just coming into his own when it comes to random bath-time poo. Fun for dad!
Other than a bit of wind, looks like you had some good weather for you camping trip too, which is always a plus. Our own provincial flower is the Wild Rose, FYI. Early June we have a week away from home planned, so hopefully then we can pitch a tent for a couple nights and enjoy some time in the great outdoors.
Anna - I worked on them quite a bit. The originals were quite a bit brighter than what you see here. I toyed with making them B&W, grainy, poster art, etc. Nothing grabbed me. What would you do?
Charles - I totally compare everything to where we grew up. Few have bested it, and none are near here.
I can’t wait for our next adventure, either.
Moksha - Yeah, I had another shot where a plain white bulilding was visible instead of the Philips 66, but compositionally it wasn’t nearly as good, and anything else would have put the sun right at the camera.
That convenience store wasn’t very convenient, after all.
Norah will get there! You’ll be on cloud 9 and in purgatory within the same day, but you’ll be alright.
Creepy pinata guy. Similar, I think, to the clown in It.
Simon - The only limits we have are no splashing mommy and daddy during the bath. Dull, huh? I don’t mind being wet if I’m dressed (or un, as it were) for it, but wet jeans I’m not into at all.
Ha! Somehow, we’ve avoided the floating turd or brown bathwater problem altogether. He’s peed in the bath a couple times, but that’s about it.
Wild rose? Nice. Can’t wait to hear about your camping fun!
Great shots Mark. It’s weird looking at the last one. Because it doesn’t change and Ben just hold the ice cream against his lip, all I can think of is an ice cream headache.
I hate those.
Ben’s only peed in the bath a “couple times”?? I’d be willing to bet my entire retirement savings (such as it is) that it’s more than that. Once the level of the bath water rises above a wee person’s, err, wee… all bets are off.
Have I ever mentioned to you what I used to do to rolly pollies*?
I would roll the up and shoot them out of my bb gun. Ah, good times. :)
*Also known as pill bugs.
My first thought is black and white…you can mess with the brightness if you need to but man, his red hair is amazing and I am sure she would love to see that color in the pic….
Let me know what you do…
Have a great week Mark!