Do and Re: Deers and the Sun

Some days I have a hard time believing just how incredibly blessed we really are.  Sitting here at the kitchen table in the camper, and I'm in awe of how beautiful this campsite is, and how lucky and blessed we are that we get to haul our Castle around and enjoy these views.

We booked Ray Roberts Lake State Park several months in advance - knowing that we wanted to be on a camping trip for the Annular Solar Eclipse, and when D&A told us that they were buying a trailer to start camping during Big Bro's off-season, I let them know we were going to be north of them for this weekend.  A few minutes later, A texted me back that she had secured a site in the same camping loop and we'd have our first family camping weekend!

Y'all - it's been the BEST when we have people join us!

I took Friday (and Monday) off work and RDB and I made our way up to the campsite late in the afternoon.  Big Bro was already there onsite when we rolled it, coming over to "watch the pros do it" (back the trailer into our spot) and chat with us as soon as we arrived.  I think he was pretty excited about us camping together, too!

We woke up Saturday to deer in our site - and continued to see them all thru the park over the weekend.  We had a LOT on the agenda, so RDB and I got up early-ish and took off for a morning walk along the paved, 2.2 mile Randy Bell Trail where we were greeted by more and more deer!

After our walk, RDB and I went into town to grab a coffee at a local place - we're adding that into our adventures in the Miata, and want to do the same (when we can) while camping.  Little did we know when we found Pilot Point Coffee that we were heading towards the city's biggest event of the year: Bonnie and Clyde Days. We learned from the staff that this is the coffee shop's busiest day of the year!

Saturday mid-day was the zenith of the solar eclipse, and with the wait for coffee, we lost track of time, so we had to high tail it back over to the campground (just a quick 15 minutes away) to meet back up with D&A.  

Solar glasses in hand, we stood outside and checked out the change in shadows cast by the sun as the moon made its way in front.

 

We tried to get a picture with the phone holding the solar glasses in front, but had no success.  But! I just noticed uploading these photos - if you look in the sun spots (above RDB's glasses and hat, and on the truck bed next to D's right side) you can see the crescent sun just like you can see in the shadows! So COOL! 

Also, super cool this weekend, is our new nephew, HDN!

Born in April this year, HDN is a natural at this camping stuff - and it's been really sweet to have him with us for the trip.  (As I type this evening he's cooing and sliding around on my fav blanket on the floor in our camper).

After the solar eclipse, we split ways, the guys going down to the beach on the backside of our site and us girls (and HDN) taking a walk along the park's paved path again.

A dozen minnows from The Dam Store lasted a whole afternoon of fishing; that's some eFISHiency when it comes to making the bait work for you (punny joke courtesy of Big Bro).

Note the deer coming down for a drink on the right.

After sunset, D&A's friends came over and we grilled out a late steak dinner (those were some GOOD chargrilled steaks!) before the guys went back over to night fish (did you know they make light-up fishing bobbers?!) and us girls (and HDN ;-) ) called it a night. 

Sunday was an easy day of morning walks, another trip to the (much less crowded) coffee shop, and a visit from Mom and G. To say she's happy to see and hug her babies is probably an understatement:

I was able to get some blogging done, and decided the cooler weather and the view out the back of our site was just too pretty to pass up, so I set out my yoga mat and got a session in while watching the golden rays of the sun slowly creep up the trees across the lake.

At the same time, Big Bro had taken a ride on his e-bike thru the park over to the shore line, and managed to get a beautiful pic of that golden sunset over the water.

Coming back together in the spaciousness of our camper, we watched a few innings of the first game in the ALCS Championship Series between the Astros vs the Rangers before settling in and enjoying the crisp cool 46* night!

Monday morning brought with it another walk around the park.  There is so much to see and do here, you could easily stay a whole week and not get to it all.

But, as it goes with most of these trips, the work week rolls around and we have to head back home.  I'm sure we'll hit the road eventually, but it's quarter to four on Monday afternoon, and I'm still sitting here "in the best seat in the house" and loving the view out our windows.

We were in Site #132 (30a/W) at Ray Roberts Lake State Park, Isle De Bois Unit.  This is an ADA site, so fully paved and double wide, also very level from side to side (just one lego on the drivers side will do it.) We were greeted not only by Big Bro D the night we came in, but also a deer - who had no qualms at all about chomping on the grass while we backed in.  There's a path that leads straight down to the water's edge from the back of the site, and if the water is low (like it has been for months) you have a nice long bank to fish on.  Sitting here at the kitchen table I've watched squirrels, butterflies, birds, BIG blue herons, and of course, more deer wander around the water's edge.  It's nirvana, that's for sure, and we would love to come back again.

We've been here before, but never really had a chance to play in the park like we did this weekend: Family, Friends, Fotos

For a park drive-thru video, go here.