Chapter One: Part Three

On the way from Archer City to Palo Duro Canyon, we were fortunate enough to spy Rustic Relics by the side of the road, and naturally we pulled right over.  There is nothing that beats getting in the mood for camping than a dusty yard FULL of metal Santas, Grinches, Christmas trees, cycling monkeys, and peacocks, to name only a very, very few of the treasures we saw.

This was so much fun, but the best rustic relic by unanimous vote,

was the Frosty the Snowman chiminea.  Yes, of course I would like a Frosty chiminea, but there isn't room to store it off season, so we did not bring it home.

The next thing to catch my eye were the acres and acres of cotton fields.  Now back in the distant past I saw cotton fields in Greece on American school trips and wanted SOOOO badly to stop and take a closer look.  However for some reason the cotton fields were not of significance to the young classicists at the school, so I was denied my wish.  BUT.... the driver of the Texan school for Outdoor Studies was more than happy to accommodate my interests. Ha. Okay, maybe saying "more than happy" is a slight exaggeration. Maybe there were a few complaints, but I wore them down with my piteous sighs and longing stares with my nose pressed to the window.  So we pulled over again, and I got some pictures.  I am here to say, that the cotton plants were just as wonderful as I knew they would be! They make clothes from these beautiful little puff balls. Awesome. (Rose-coloured glasses)

Eventually we made it, of course, and we did the good camper thing by setting up the tents and organizing our camp equipment. Then we strode off to check out the surroundings. We found some mighty big rocks, which needed to be climbed. Naturally.

The kids did the climbing.  Notice the short sleeved t-shirts. Hmmm....
I believe I recall some youthful voices saying, (and I quote), "It's going to get cold tonight?? I CAN'T WAIT!!  It will be so fun to be in the cold"  Oh the youthful innocence (nuttiness) of these children....  (I also recall my own thoughts with regards to those comments... some thing along the lines of "Be careful what you wish for.")

Up there in the Panhandle the dirt is really red.  Willah decided to collect some, to see if it could be mixed with water to make paint.  Yep.  She also said, "Can we carry this red mud in your pockets mum?" She did.  She really did.  "Seriously?"  was all the response she got from her loving mother... who always does her best to encourage Willah's lovely, fanciful ideas and creativity.

Nice views. (A rose-coloured afternoon)

Chapter One: part two

Returning to school was a bit like wearing not only progressive lenses, but someone ELSE'S progressive lenses.  In other words, tiring and irritating.  Shame really, because there are elements of wonder and fun but they are over shadowed by the lack of organization and good direction.
So let's just return for a short while to the rose-coloured days of the Thanksgiving break.
Let's go back to Archer City, where we spent the first night in the same hotel, in the same room that we had stayed in the last time we were there.  Archer City has not changed much except that there aren't as many books.  But on the way up we didn't actually get into a book store because they closed five minutes before we drove up.

 The mighty Spur Hotel, and

the classy suite where we stayed. Willah was a little concerned that the chairs were covered in real cowhide, but I was able to assure her that they were plastic.  Crisis averted.  After we had settled in, and strewn our shoes around the room, we went out for a walk to see if there were any big changes since we were there last.

 I don't recall the "I Don't Care" Deli being there before.  Looks like the people of Archer City are getting a bit flippant as the years pass.

However, there are high honors to be won in town.  Imagine the thrill of being awarded this parking spot for 'Employee of the YEAR' no less!! Phew.  My heart is all a flutter, and I am pondering a move, just so that I might possibly enter the competition.

And this photo is included just because I liked the look of the Archer City Public Library with the intense blue of the night sky above it.

 We set off for the Palo Duro Canyon next morning, but as we were pulling out of town we noticed that the sign on the old movie marquee had been changed since we had gone out for our evening walk the night before. Take a close look! How sweet.  We left wondering what Jayme's answer might be, and hoped that when we came back on Saturday we would be able to find out.... an-ti-ci-pa-a-tion...

Naturally we had to stop and read as many Historic markers as possible because Glenn had been reading about how the Comanches had been brutally wiped out and he wanted to see if the markers told it like it was or white-washed the facts... Whichever, someone wasn't thrilled with this one and decided it was best used for firing practice.
That's all for now folks... Children are starting to get all self-righteous about the importance of their work as compared to my need for a creative outlet. Damn. Life is blurring and the progressive lenses are settling back down on my nose. 

Chapter One: A Return to the Blog World

I just can't help it.  I know that I don't really have the time, but even if the chapters trickle in at an annoying slow rate, four days of freedom from job chains made me need to tap out a description of the  fun and wonder, (and abject hell) of camping far, far from a warm soft bed...

 First of all, we did get to see things like this,

and this.  But, I am getting ahead of myself.  Let's go back to the beginning of the trip.  The part where we are still in Wichita Falls. We stopped in W.F. because we wanted to see the photography show of Glenn's colleague Lawrence McFarland which is on now in that fair city.  His photographs are truly amazing. If I were rich I would buy several. His pictures are so beautiful I feel as though I should probably just throw away my camera, but they were also really inspiring.  I will never photograph at that level, ever, but I really, really do like taking pictures.  So I will. 

SO there you have it.  See how those first images are seen through rose coloured glasses?  Notice the red rocks... rose-coloured or what?  Har har. Enough already.