Camp Wood TX: 5-28-30, 2011

For this trip, BB, Henri and I travelled to Big Oak River Camp, on the Nueces River, near my hometown of Camp Wood, TX.



Hills of Home

 The hill country of Real County will always be home to me.  My parents, Si and Vena, moved to Camp Wood when I was just one or two (I can't seem to remember precisely), and while my big brother Norvell started school in Uvalde, we both graduated from Nueces Canyon High School.  Rare to today's times, at least eight (8) kids I started 1st grade with in 1955 were still part of the 17 graduates of Nueces Canyon High School in 1966.  We played 6-man football in the early days, and Norvell was a member of what was likely one of the longest 6-man football winning streaks in the nation.  By the time I made it to high school, we had graduated up to 8-man football. 

 

Millwheel Swimming Hole
on the Nueces

 They say you can never go back home, and I realize the Camp Wood of today is different from the Camp Wood of my youth, but it's still home, and the hills still beckon.  The Nueces River was a common thread which ran through all our lives then, as it does now, and we spent almost every summer day in one "blue hole" or another.  It's tough to see the current shape of the river due to the extended drought, but as my grandmother Hobby always said "it'll rain again - it always has."  It may not be soon enough, though for some of us.  (God, please grant me patience... but please HURRY!). In the meantime, re-read that great Elmer Kelton book "The Time it Never Rained."
Although only 4 or so hours away from Austin, we don't get back to Camp Wood as often as I know we should.  Regardless, we had a great weekend visiting Aunt Reba Hicks and the rest of the family living in the Camp Wood area.

Sunset at Big Oak Campground

 We drug Mingo II to Big Oak River Camp and had everyone over after church on Sunday for a pot luck where we all enjoyed barbecue brisket, chicken and sausage, as well as watermelon, cake, homemade peppermint and vanilla bean ice cream and homemade bananna puddin'.  Yum!  Helping us enjoy the day were Aunt Reba, Sondra Madden, Milburn Wooldridge, Ron and Yolanda Bird, Mark and Connie Buchanan and Johnny Wooldridge.  After lunch, we did our best to sit out under the Mesquite tree in the crazy dry corrolois wind and "pick and grin", and tried to remember words to songs!

Uvalde Opry House
Don't Miss the
Hackberry Hags!

Sondra, Yolanda and the rest of the Hackberry Hags are starting what could be a world tour at the Uvalde Opry House on July 1, 2011!  That will be a fine evening of good music; if you're in the area - don't miss it. 

My family has remarkable talent, if I do say so myself.  While Aunt Reba is one of the best writers I know, with awards to prove it, she's also one of the funniest ladies around!  In our early days, it was always wonderful to hear Aunt Reba and my Mom Vena sing!  Aunt Reba is the official repository of "Hobby Songs."  It's always a pure pleasure to be around her.  Sondra and Yolanda, with me and Mark serving as instrumental and vocal backup, treated us to some great music from their Hackberry Haggs repertoire.  Mark is one of the best guitar players I know and has a beautiful voice as well.  He taught me some cool augmented chords that I'm trying to retain in my feeble brain.  He also picked up my mandolin and in about 10 seconds was playing the instrument as if he had been playing it forever.  Amazing talent.

BB Relaxing

So from BB and me, many thanks for braving the heat and crazy wind to join us for the day.  It was a real treat!


As mentioned, this trip took us to the Big Oak River Camp, and even though it was hot and gusting like crazy, I was very impressed with this private RV park. 



Beatiful Evening in Camp Wood

 Someone has taken the time to apply a lot of intelligent design to this RV park.  At the front of the park there's actually a golf driving range for those of you who do that sort of thing (I don't any more); then the front section is for the RV'rs and old crocks like me.  The RV section is separated by a mesquite pasture buffer from the next area which contain a great swimming pool and kids splash pool, group pavillions, and individual and group cabins.  The back section of the park toward the Nueces River contains playgrounds, volleyball courts and tent camping areas.  Everything was in first class shape, the staff is congenial and helpful, and the park is well worth your time if you are travelling north on State Highway 55 from Uvalde toward Camp Wood.  BB and I give it a 3.

On our way back, we stopped in Camp Wood by to see my cousins Yvette and Linda who weren't able to come to the "Big Oak Snake Killin", and gave them the 5 cent tour of Mingo II.  (They asked for their money back :) Sondra, who always has about thirty-two jobs going concurrently, was in her back yard with To'mas leveling dirt and sand, with her front yard full of ceramic tile she's ripping up in preparation for a new kitchen floor. 

It was great to see family again.  Hope we can get back soon. 

So, it's back to the working grind again (which is cool because it's the working grind that permits us to have great weekends like this one).  This week, I'm in Arlington teaching a class, then we are looking to having our grandchildren Lydia and Grant over this coming weekend. 

Till next time!