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it was rough getting there, but completely worth it. we tried to avoid the sleet/snow/ice storm last saturday, that was predicted to hit in the morning, but managed to drive right into it. bleh. proceeded slowly to Pawhuska OK, where a photo/nature/overnight stop was planned. since the roads there seemed “not too bad”, we decided to go to the tallgrass prairie anyway. i *really* wanted to see herds of bison roaming. and we did. in the snow. even better! they were magical creatures. plodding through the landscape.
there was a reputedly fabulous cemetery full of stone angels that i also wished to visit in the town, but next morning, the roads were too icy to drive up to it. we slid backwards, so had breakfast in a local cafe instead. but i found the other fabulous cemetery down the road … (images later, i’m sure) … WOW.
in texas there was much family and fun. i felt so happy to be there with everyone. it was warm.
the day after christmas, my girls, my poet and i piled into the small rental car and blasted off to Port Aransas. i longed to see pelicans and saw them immediately as we crossed over on the ferry. dolphins jumping, too. we had two tiny efficiency cottages rented for two nights. they were *extremely* modest, rather vintage (hooray! our bathroom floor didn’t cave in after all!), and only a couple of blocks from the beach. we went to the beach right away and walked barefoot!! it was so lovely. we ate sea creatures and looked for birds and watched the fisherman. there was homemade candy and a rattlesnake in a glass cage and very few people as it was winter. i watched the sunrise on the beach alone and happily. on the way home, a stop at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge was scheduled and completed. there were so many more things i hoped to see and do, but why does time pass so quickly??
back to family and again, time passed too quickly and we were soon (too soon) on our way home.
now i am back here. real life? with a dreadful cold, piles of laundry, gray ice and snow everywhere. and a letter from the IRS.
somewhere in all this, there is a balance and i am drifting out of this year peacefully.