Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Before we left the New Orleans area we ate dinner at Palmettos on the Bayou in Slidell Louisiana. The food was good and the setting beautiful. I don't think I ate anything all the time I was on the Gulf coast that did not swim. Then to top off the trip we spent our last night in Paris on the way home. Well, it was Paris Texas, but they had a nice pool.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Sue had never been to New Orleans so we drove to the French quarter and spent a long day checking items off her bucket list. We ate beignets at the Cafe du Monde, visited the St. Louis Cathedral, ate lunch at Antoine's, and took a ride in a horse drawn carriage. At the end of the day she was tired but very happy.
Friday, June 24, 2016
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Friday, June 10, 2016
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Last Sunday, Sue and I made our annual trek up to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve just notrh of Pawhuska, Oklahoma to admire the large herd of Buffalo (Bison) which grazes there. It was a beautiful day and they were out in great numbers. They seem to be oblivious to the cars that pass through and wander over the road and pass next to the cars. It is a treat to see these magnificent animals on what was once a prairie that covered vast parts of the great plains. I have plagurized the article from Wikipedia for your enjoyment.
The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, located in Osage County, Oklahoma near Foraker, Oklahoma, is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. It is protected as the largest tract of remaining tallgrass prairie in the world. The preserve contains 39,000 acres (160 km2) owned by the Conservancy and another 6,000 acres (24 km2) leased in what was the original tallgrass region of the Great Plains that stretched from Texas to Manitoba.
The preserve is located at the southern end of the Flint Hills, a rocky, rolling prairie that stretches from northern Kansas into Oklahoma. Exposed limestone formations make cultivation difficult, and thus the Flint Hills have survived much as they were when they were an Indian hunting ground for tribes such as the Wichita, Osage, and Kaw. The region is called “The Osage” by Oklahomans, referring to the name of the county and the Indian tribe to which the land belonged. Pilots call The Osage the “Black Hole” when flying over it at night because it is so lightly populated.
The tallgrass prairie owes its existence to fire, whether caused by lightning or manmade. Without fire, the prairie quickly becomes brushland. The Indians were aware of this and burned the prairie regularly to nurture new growth of succulent grasses and to kill intrusive trees and shrubs. The Nature Conservancy has continued this practice with a process called “patch burning” in which about one-third of the prairie is burned each year.[6] This process has proven beneficial not only for bison and cattle, but also for the threatened Greater Prairie Chickens which also inhabit the preserve in small numbers.
Bison are the most prominent attraction of the preserve. An Oklahoma oilman, Kenneth Adams, donated 300 bison to the preserve in 1993. By 2000, the herd had increased to 1,200.[6] The herd now numbers more than 2,500 and grazes 21,000 acres (85 km2) of mostly open range.
The link to the full article is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallgrass_Prairie_Preserve
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Smokey is Sixteen
My faithful Pit Bull dog Smokey was 16 years old today. He has been with me since he was 8 weeks old and is without a doubt the mellowest dog I have ever had. He is like me, grey in the muzzle and weak in the hind legs, but still a fine old gentleman. We had a little party for him this evening with a cake and everything.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Sulphur Oklahoma, Chickasaw Capital and the Arbuckle Mountains
The weekend of May 29 to 31, Sue and I spent 3 days in South-central Oklahoma around Sulphur OK, and enjoyed the beautiful country there. I have lived in Oklahoma all of my life but had never been in this scenic area before. Sulphur is home to the capital of the Chickasaw Nation and the Chickasaw Cultural center. The Chickasaw National Recreation Area is nearby and is the boundary between eastern woodlands and western prairie. Twenty miles away is Davis Oklahoma and scenic Turner Falls, the largest waterfall in the state at 77 feet. We will return again. It is well worth the trip.
Rock Creek runs through the park with many opportunities for swimming and fishing.
Turner Falls from the overlook.
At the base of Turner Falls is a lovely swimming area. Sue enjoyed the water.
The Travertine Nature Center
Chickasaw Honor Garden.
Chickasaw Traditional Village
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Back to Blogging - Trinidad, Colordo
About two years ago I left off blogging and have missed the means of sharing my photographs and enjoying those of others so have decided to return.
Over the weekend of May 20 to 22, I visited Trinidad Colorado with a friend. The weather was glorious and the view breathtaking. I was there once before many years ago when the weather was cold and rainy. It was as if this was my first time to see this beautiful country.
In the far background are the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
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