Sunset at Lake Walcott -- Photo by Pat Bean
“What a joy it is to feel the soft, spring earth under my feet once more, to follow grassy roads that lead to ferny brooks where I can bathe my fingers in a cataract of rippling notes, or to clamber over a stone wall into green fields that tumble and roll in riotous gladness.” Helen Keller
From Twin Falls, it was just 58 miles to Lake Walcott State Park, where I would spend the next seven weeks. I arrived in the early evening and found the campground full, except for my host site, where a thoughtful park ranger had blocked it off with sawhorses to keep it vacant for my expected arrival.
After hooking up, Maggie and I took one of the park’s paved trails down to the lake where a pair of western grebes floated gracefully on the water. I would see this same pair almost every day I was at the park. On the walk back to the RV, I watched a magnificent sunset turn the clouds a rosy pink, at times framing a full moon.
Broad-tailed hummingbird
I awoke the next morning to an orange and purple sunrise and three broad-tailed hummingbirds playing king of the mountain at the hummingbird feeder I had put out when I hooked up. The sunrise, which changed in intensity and colors to accommodate the weather, and the hummingbirds, which some days numbered up to eight, joined my cream-laced coffee and e-mail check morning ritual.
Sunrise at Lake Walcott -- Photo by Pat Bean
By the time Maggie, who sleeps in until at least 9 a.m., woke and demanded a walk, we took it beneath fluffy white clouds floating in a robin’s egg blue sky. Western kingbirds, robins and western peewees kept us company as we walked through the campground, and then beside the lake to watch the western grebes.
How could I do anything but look forward to my next 49 days. If home is where the heart is, I was there.
I never thought of hanging hummingbird feeders from my RV, but I think it’s a great idea! (As long as there aren’t any bear around).
Your sunrise and sunset pictures are gorgeous!! I stumbled upon your blog quite by accident, but I’ll stop by from time to time as I think it’s fascinating that you’re an RV host. Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, now. Since, I still have to work, in the meantime, I’ll live vicariously through your blogs. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words Lindy. Re, the hummingbird feeder. I hung it from a nearby tree and not on the RV. I placed it where I had a good view of it from my side window.
I just left a “That’s beautiful!” on another of your posts, so I guess I’ll have to move on to “That’s gorgeous!” I don’t think I’ve ever seen clouds so lovely as in the photo of the sunset.