Looking Back: Fall Break

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This is one in a series of posts that will look back at things that happened during the Fall 2010 semester when life got too busy to post.

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One of the things that I've really enjoyed about living in Oklahoma is Fall Break. Texas doesn't have one (generally speaking), so when we go down there during our Fall Break there are no crowds at any of the zoos, museums and the such. I was really looking forward to our Fall Break this year, BUT then I found out that OU does not have a Fall Break. Every other college in Oklahoma has a Fall Break, but not OU. Why? Because the day of the Texas / OU game is a official, recognized holiday of The University of Oklahoma. Hmmmm. WHATEVER!!!

Still, at this p0int in the game, I really, Really, REALLY needed a break. If I couldn't take an official break, I at least wanted a change in location. I took the girls and headed down to Texas, to Dad and Terri's house. I had visions of writing research papers on the back porch, reading in quiet solitude while the kids scampered with the 11 newborn goats. It was a nice vision. It was nothing like reality, but it was a nice vision. I did have a wonderful relaxing time, but I did not make much headway on my assignments. Oh well!

No matter how many times we make this trip, every time we stop at the Red River rest stop (Texas side) the girls want to have their picture taken on this Texas statue. It's kind of like a growth chart at this point:


Of course, when we got there, the first thing we had to do was go meet all the new baby goats. Nana has decided that each year all the kids must be named with names that start with the same letter. This year's letter is "D" so we got busy on the names. I got to name two - Daisy and Dollop. (Yes, after the sour cream commercial.)


Looks like we have a bumper crop of monkey this year too!


Here's a totem pole style shot. The wind was really whipping around - this was the best of all the shots I took.


After a while I moseyed around to the front yard. When we drove up the driveway, Little Ann, Jean's beagle, had come running up to greet us. As she brushed by the flowerbed in the center of the circular parking area the foliage literally exploded with butterflies. I'm not sure what those plants were, but the butterflies were feasting on the flowers. I wanted to play around with my new camera and see what I could do with the settings. I managed to get a few nice shots, but I need lots more practice!


Here's another pretty flowerbed.


In general, the girls spent a lot of time out with the baby goats, playing the Wii, and watching "How to Train Your Dragon", which was on a loop and no one ever bothered to turn off. By the time we left, they had the whole script memorized. Their favorite activity, however, was visiting the goats:


This is Mr. Bixley - the reigning Grand Reserve Buck of the field. He was showing off his moves for the ladies - making kissy lips and blowing raspberries. I found him quite humorous.



Here's me - see, I did take a break from the books to visit the goats. Here's me with Daisy:


We had a good fall break - even if it wasn't officially a break for me!