I'm a bit of a camping Goldilocks, perhaps, in that I don't want to camp when it's too cold and I don't want to camp when it's too hot.
The first weekend in May was a splendiferous time for my first Missouri camping foray this year.
I chose Arrow Rock State Park. I've been there before. I like that the state park is tucked up against the village of Arrow Rock, and it's pleasant to poke around town.
Cold coffee fixings, Arrow Rock State Park, Missouri. May 2018.
To keep things super easy for me, I decided not to cook a damn thing. Not even coffee. Whoa, wait a minute! Not that I'd do without coffee, for God's sake! Nope, I'd bring my favorite instant coffee, some sweetener, a flavored creamer, and shake it all up in cold water each morning. Damn good stuff.
Arrow Rock State Park, Missouri. May 2018.
When I arrived at the campground, I nabbed the second to the last available campsite. Hoo-wee, that was lucky! The Audubon Society was hosting a weekend birding event, so I got there in the nick of time. I saw a lot of big-rig camera gear. Impressive.
I took several walks over the weekend.
Arrow Rock State Park, Missouri. May 2018.
One of the coolest things I saw was this tree being consumed by beaver bites.
Beaver teeth markings, Arrow Rock State Park, Missouri. May 2018.
Beaver teeth markings, Arrow Rock State Park, Missouri. May 2018.
Beaver teeth markings, Arrow Rock State Park, Missouri. May 2018.
Beaver teeth markings, Arrow Rock State Park, Missouri. May 2018.
I had the thought to record morning birdsong at my campsite and see about adding that to a slide show for my youtube channel. Below is my result:
As winter continues to hang on, the morning began overcast and chilly. Begrudgingly, it did lighten and warm some as the day grew.
Nevertheless, petite wildflowers made a showing. Two adept identifiers, the hike guide and one of the hikers, named spring beauties, wake robin (trillium), sweet william, wild plum (tree), pussytoes, toothwort, lousewort, Dutchmen's breeches, bluebells, false rue anemone, [true] rue anemone, yellow violet, common violet, large bellwort, and a couple I'm forgetting.
Wake robin (trillium). Three Creeks Conservation Area, Missouri. April 2018.
We saw the foliage for future blooming may apples, wild ginger, wild geranium, and colombine.
Paw prints. Three Creeks Conservation Area, Missouri. April 2018.
It wasn't just wildflowers. I added two carcasses to my carcass collection:
Dead frog. Three Creeks Conservation Area, Missouri. April 2018.
The trees haven't leafed out yet, but there are several varieties of wildflowers waving in the breeze - deep purples, some flashes of underside-fuschia, white, periwinkle blue.
Dismembered carcasses of trees pounded by last year's flooding lay atop the grasses.
On Monday morning, squawking geese trundled into the lake. I guess, traditionally, geese honk, but that would mess with my alliterative gimmick for today's title, so I'm sticking with the squawking. I'd also like to throw in the possibility of "squacking," but that might be overmuch. Also, I can't guarantee I actually heard any squawking, honking, or squacking on said morning when the geese slid into the water, but let's say it could have happened.
On Monday afternoon, I took a guided walk in the woods. After a year in the high desert of El Paso, it was a wonder to be back in the land of the deciduous.
Lake Catherine State Park, Arkansas. October 2017.
Lake Catherine State Park, Arkansas. October 2017.
Lake Catherine State Park, Arkansas. October 2017.
The bridge offered up satisfying squeaks as one walked over it. As below:
As I walk over it again (in the video), maybe it's more of a creaking than a squeaking. But again, alliteration. You know what I love? That I can walk over this bridge again and again and again every time I watch the video. No, every time I feel and hear the video. Gosh darn, it makes me smile.
The bridge's squeaks and creaks remind me of the sounds of the carriage ride I took on Heybeliada Island off of Istanbul, here and here.
One of my co-hikers was a solo nomad like me! More on her later.
In my campsite, a glittery butterfly drew my eye. Sadly, it was dead.
Butterfly, Lake Catherine State Park, Arkansas. October 2017.
Butterfly, Lake Catherine State Park, Arkansas. October 2017.
Butterfly, Lake Catherine State Park, Arkansas. October 2017.
Butterfly, Lake Catherine State Park, Arkansas. October 2017.
My best guess is that it was a black swallowtail. My research tells me, however, that in future, I need to examine the bodies more carefully to note the color and shape of the insect's torso and the wings' topside.
I'm also thinking that if I were to pick up a hobby in which my choice was between birding and butterflying, then despite my affinity for birds, 'capturing' butterflies and moths might be more accessible to me.
Franklin Mountains, El Paso, Texas. September 2016.
September 2016
There are several hiking groups for the El Paso - Southern New Mexico area on meetup.com. Also, during Celebration of the Mountains, which had begun when I arrived in El Paso, there are even more group hiking opportunities.
A vibrant woman named Judy, a military veteran who is active in El Paso's quality-of-life issues, led this morning's hike, which was just behind (above) a residential neighborhood. The trail head began at the end of a neighborhood street.
Franklin Mountains, El Paso, Texas. September 2016.
Some observations from this first experience
The area terrain is scrabbly, slippy-slidey, tumble-y rocks, which makes hiking more treacherous than I've experienced in the past. This is where I learned that "easy" in one area of the country might be quite different from "easy" in another part, such as South Louisiana, where you can ride (or stand on) a horse with a beer in your hand while following a trailer with a full-on barbecue grill and stereo sound system. The elevation and obstacles on this El Paso hike were easy. Being ever-mindful of the instability of the small rocks beneath one's feet required vigilance.
Gosh darn, there were some wicked-smart, engaging fellow hikers! Knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, or geology, and so generous about sharing the interesting stuff they know. It made for much more than a simple walk.
A library on El Paso's westside is the Dorris van Doren Library on Redd Road. This library has a small courtyard; inside the courtyard is an A-frame. Groups use the A-frame for young-child activities or meetings. When available, individuals enjoy the space while reading, studying, or contemplating the artfully-framed view of the outdoors from within. The A-frame has a fireplace, a cozy arrangement of soft chairs, and a couple of large group-study tables.
The courtyard is a pleasant space to sit outside to read alone or have quiet tete-a-tetes between tutor and student or friends.
It is so good to sit inside the A-frame and do nothing but look outside. Once I saw hawks wheeling over the ridge. Another time a young rabbit tarried next to the window, perhaps enjoying the shade on a hot day.
The Westside Community Park is just on the other side of the ridge that you see through the window.
One day, after a meeting in the A-frame, I climbed up that ridge and walked along one of the park's trails. I saw both flora and fauna:
Cactus flower on Westside Community Park trail. August 2016.
Lizard on Westside Community Park trail. August 2016.
A Sunday evening walk in Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Sunday evening walk in Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Sunday evening walk in Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Sunday evening walk in Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Sunday evening walk in Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Sunday evening walk in Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Tuesday morning:
A Tuesday morning walk, Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Tuesday morning walk, Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Wednesday morning:
A Wednesday morning walk, Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Wednesday morning walk, Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Wednesday morning walk, Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Wednesday morning walk, Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
A Wednesday morning walk, Antigua Guatemala. April 2016.
I've got these three photos of the one statue of Hermano Pedro de San Jose because his story attracted me so much.
He's an example of the power just one person has to change a community. In Hermano Pedro's case, it's also remarkable that the charitable work he began in the mid-1600s continues today. It's worth noting, too, that Hermano Pedro persevered in his personal mission despite his failure to achieve his goal of becoming a priest because he "couldn't master the materials."
Below is a cheering video that shows some of the legacy of Hermano Pedro in Antigua:
Note: There appear to be two different hospitals that use Hermano Pedro's name. One is in the Tanque la Union square, managed by the Sisters of Charity. It is the Hospital of San Pedro. This appears to be the legacy of Hermano Pedro. The other is a private hospital called the Hermano Pedro Private Hospital, which has attracted cautionary reviews like this one, and which appears to simply capitalize on Hermano Pedro's name.
