Camping in the Wichitas

This weekend while Anthony was in Houston auditioning for the San Francisco Opera Megan, her friends Viola & Bonnie and her friend Sarah and I went camping in the Wichita Mountains.  Our campsite was right on the banks of the Quanah Parker Lake, and we had working toilets a short jaunt from camp.   All five people crammed into one tent, and apparently I snore.  Luckily I was not the only one.

First thing Saturday morning Megan, Bo and I watched the sunrise.

Deer

Bo & Megan 

 Bo decided she needed a swim.  

Crane 

Crane in flight

Viola, Sarah, Bonnie and Megan getting the fire started for breakfast.  We made biscuits and gravy in the dutch oven, and attempted to make pancakes which did not turn out, and bacon.  While I don't generally like breakfast time, I LOVE breakfast food.  I could eat it for every meal.

We drove around the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge for a while, then went to the Holy City of the Wichitas.

Bison roll in the dirt (wallow) to remove flies, tufts of molted fur and leave their scent in the wallow.  During mating season (rut), bull bison wallow to display their strength and vigor.

Look familiar?  It reminds me of the Christus statue at Temple Square in Salt Lake City 

 (This photo of Megan, Erica, me and Julie was not taken this trip, but I figured I'd put in in for remembrance sake)

  

 Eastern Collared Lizard 

 Prairie Dog 

On the way home we stopped at Meers and stuffed our faces.  All in all a good trip and a fun time had by all.  I'm super grateful to Megan for helping me learn how to use my camera properly.  No more shooting in Auto for me :)

An interesting little bit...

It's been an interesting little bit since I went away... first off, I went from being engaged

To Married, which is a lot of fun!  Remember how my engagement ring is Benjamin's great grandmother's?  Well, the wedding band is Grandma Burton's!  Don't they just go so well together?  I absolutely love them!

Marriage has led to many adventures, including taking random drives around the neighboring towns.  On one such adventure, we found a roadside watermelon stand!

And although it tasted like a regular watermelon, it sure didn't look like it... it looked like a pineapple with watermelon seeds.  Crazy, right!?

Alisha and I had our 28th birthday (I know!  When did we get so old!?!?!?), and Benjamin decorated by blowing up like 50 balloons that we all got to play in!  Can you spot Alisha hiding under these ones?

I also found a little bit of Home!!!!!  Ok... it is actually not close at all, but it made me really happy when i found it!  I was driving to pick up some dry cleaning when I stumbled upon Utah ave and got so excited I nearly ran off the road!

We also went to the Cleveland County Fair last week and saw some very, VERY cute things!!!
We saw Baby goats,

and Baby Pigs,

and a baby pig that was part of the petting zoo, and he loved Benjamin!

And a baby rabbit too!

In other, not so exciting news, I fell the other day and bashed my arm and face

My arm took the brunt of the fall, but my face got it pretty good too.  I have a small cut on my eyebrow, am swollen under my eye, the left side of my nose, and all down my jaw.  Thankfully, after sleeping with a bag of peas and carrots on my face, I didn't bruise and am a little less swollen, but my arm is another story.  This is my arm today...

Indeed, this last little bit has been interesting!!!