Thursday, June 10, 2010

Morning Parades and A Typical Day at Keyhole State Park





Every morning we are treated to several parades. The first ones are pelicans and geese and then we do our own parade. The days here are peaceful ones nicely interrupted by friends and the nights are usual quiet.
Soon after first light a flock of American white pelicans swims out from their roost in search of food, I don't know who leads who but they all fish in unison and its really special to watch. They swim as a group and all turn forming a hook, herding a school of fish toward shore. When the time is right they all dip their bills into the water in an exhibition of synchronized feeding that any group of Olympic swimmers would envy.
Soon after a pair of Canadian geese swim from across the lake herding their ten goslings and keeping them on the straight and narrow. As they approach shore the female checks out the shores safety while the young ones swim in circles, anxious to wade ashore for that tasty grass. The male then follows and both parents stretch their necks watching for danger, a hungry coyote or even a viscous shi-tzue!
Soon after Molly and I go for our morning walk along the cement path. There are so few people in this campground that we almost always have it to ourselves. We often disturb a feeding pronghorn antelope, who snorts his warning to his harem of does.
Our days are filled with quiet sometimes broken by the welcome sight of friends stopping by. A daily bike ride or a stroll along the lake shore, although more often we simply sit and read. We don't have electricity here so we make do and often wrap stones,antique pottery, or sea glass.
Renita and I started to sell our work on Etsy as its either sell some or stop collecting more rocks and so we part with our pieces, reluctantly. Our goal is to sell enoug for a grinder polisher machine that has been designed for rvers,(the size of a shoebox).
We have made more campfires this past week then we usually do in a year and I have tried to cook chicken, steaks, hamburgers, and bratwursts over the open fire pit. Its worked surprisingly well, with only a few burned pieces here and there.
In the evening the sun sets and we are sometimes treated with a still reflection of the far bay on the water. The evenglom,(last light after sunset) is always special and then the stars come out in the thousands.
Soon afterwards our dog, Molly goes to the bedrooms steps and turns and looks at me, as if she is telling me its time for me to go to bed. She lays down when I do but then goes back downstairs after I am sleeping to wait for Renita to quit reading and come to bed.
So the day is filled with peace and then nights are so quiet. Its great to be spending two weeks here after our long journal north from Texas. Two weeks at our old home lake. Clear skies.

Our shop is at the following address.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/markandrenita

1 comment:

Art In The Sun said...

Great Blog today. This is one of the most interesting blogs you have done in a while...and not one word about fish. Hummm. Sharon and Allan