And the kids loved it, starting with the deer they saw even before the cars were parked. They now know the differences between bucks, does, and fawn, maybe even a spike. Because we saw three deer that first afternoon and about half a dozen the next morning, including 3 bucks--the largest of which Bud was the first to spot as it crossed the yard, several doe, and a few fawn. And deer weren't the only wildlife in evidence. We saw a pack of feral hogs--yes, wild pigs--crossing the marsh, with a giant (perhaps 250 lb) leader and a few baby hogs. We'd seen evidence of their rooting around but were happy (well, Gommie wasn't) to see them in person--Mama was intrigued, there not being too many feral hogs up in the northeast. And Sis got to see a real cottontail rabbit, very quickly, just sitting in the driveway munching on grass while deer munched on corn nearby. What else? Hawk, turkey vultures, green wing teal, black ducks (or were they wood ducks?). And as darkness fell, the coyotes started a chorus only matched in length and loudness by the kids imitating them! Pop said he'd never heard the coyotes (not the kids) go on for so long. And then there were the noisy frogs that would start up out of nowhere, croak for awhile, and then just stop, hundreds of them. But I especially liked the sound of the owls hooting as the sun set--I don't think I'd ever consciously noticed owls hooting in the woods before--and I happily pictured the woods filled with beautiful barn owls, like the one I'd seen a few days earlier. Later, we heard the scream of birds of prey--hawks? peregrine falcon? No telling. But unmistakable.
The campfire was probably by far the kids most favorite cabin experience. Pop built a big one in his rock-lined fire pit, with the kids gathering what kindling they could find. And then they promptly begged for s'mores. And so we all roasted marshmallows, though Sis had only chocolate on hers and Bud only marshmallows. More for the rest of us, I guess.
In the afternoon, the kids played Brother Bear with a canoe and paddles in the yard and a pup tent that Pop had set up. They each went hunting, found dinner, and had a blast running back and forth. Later, they all went for a hike through the woods. Both he and Sis loved picking up sticks and rocks, which they threw into the creek. Sis even found a "dinosaur bone" (an unusual piece of wood), which she kept near her for the rest of the day and even brought home in the suitcase.
For dinner, we roasted again, this time hot dogs and banana boats, which Pop and Mama had never had. What is a banana boat? Bananas sliced open and stuffed with chocolate chips and marshmallows and then enclosed in tinfoil and roasted over hot coals. Pop suggested skipping the chocolate and marshmallows and adding cinnamon and brown sugar instead to make a Bananas Foster-like treat. But we didn't have any cinnamon at the cabin. Except what I'd brought in a baggie to make our Swedish Apple Pie, which we finished in one sitting! (I loved that we made it in a tin pie plate--so very campfire! Even if I baked it in the oven). We sang campfire songs from my Girl Scout days, with the most requested song being "Little Bunny FouFou." Yippee. Second? My song about the buffalo brothers (lyrics below), which words I changed so I didn't have to ask a million questions about why the buffalo was dead. Couldn't they like "Deep in the Heart of Texas"?
With the silhouettes of oaks surrounding us in the darkening sky, Gommie brought out the colored glow sticks and the kids danced around the porch making "lassos" with them. And Sis spotted the first star. Soon the sky was filled with them. Really a "the-stars-at-night-are-big-and-bright" moment. Which is exactly why we let them stay up way past their bedtime. After singing with the coyotes and the owls (and a cow constantly mooing in the distance. Hopefully not because of the coyotes), we got the kids into bed and we returned to the campfire for awhile. While we were sitting out there, I saw a shooting star. And a doe! I had scanned the surrounding woods with my flashlight and been caught off guard by eyes glowing back at me--a doe was eating the corn at Pop's feeder. She wasn't scared of us, though, and kept right on eating, ignoring us and our talking and our flashlight, and was still there when we all headed to bed about 30 minutes later. Then after a "moonbath" in the shower outside which absolutely reminded me of Girl Scout camp, except that Pop's shower had hot water, I went to bed on the noisiest air mattress ever.
The next morning, after our deer and bunny and hog spotting, Pop and Gommie made bacon and eggs for everyone, and we all went on another hike through the woods, with Bud trying to show the way to the footbridge which they'd crossed the day before--but his sense of direction must be like mine and he kept walking the wrong way.
Then of course came the fateful deer feeder/winch accident which put an early end to our campout (though only by about an hour). Luckily, when the kids remember Texas, the campout is the first thing they mention. And Bud only remembers the deer feeder when someone asks about his bandage. Which is good.
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Buffalo Song
Out on the windswept desert
Where nature knows no man
A buffalo spied his brother
A laying in the sand.
Said the buffalo to his brother,
"Why do you lie that way?"
But the buffalo did not answer.
His brother had been dead,
Since way, last May.
(January, February, June and July,
I don't know why he had to die.
Doo-aahhhh.)
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