About Those Fried Pies and Turner Falls (November 10 - 17)

Dear Family and Friends,

Roger, Bear and I have enjoyed our last week in Sulphur, Oklahoma, knowing that we are moving the Tour on Sunday, to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, for that hectic, but wonderful holiday season. Since Fall is my favorite time of year, we have taken advantage of hiking and marveling at the hardwood trees as they have changed color and are getting ready for Winter.

Sunday was a rainy day (fairly unusual for us in our travels) and we enjoyed relaxing in the Tour. I am in the middle of John Grisham's, The Racketeer, and this was the perfect day for a cup of tea and a book. Oklahoma needs water, so this was a welcome rain.

 Raindrops on the window of the Tour.

Monday was our first hike at the Chickasaw National Recreation area. This is Oklahoma's first national park with all sorts of things to do. It was a cold, Fall day and the three of us enjoyed hiking in the Arbuckles.

 Roger

 Roger and Bear

Bear and I posed in our fleeces.

 A view from Bromide Point

 Sulphur, Oklahoma in the distance.

 Conglomerate rock is made by smooth rocks that fall from the tops of the Arbuckle Mountains and adhere to each other with limestone as a mortar.

(this takes eons to happen)

You learn something new everyday.

Lake Arbuckle

On Tuesday we decided to go see Turner Falls. Many of you may recall seeing the signs for Turner Falls off I - 35, between Oklahoma City and the Dallas/Ft. Worth areas. Roger and I have driven this route many times over the forty-one years that we have been married, but had never stopped to see the Falls. These are the largest falls in Oklahoma, measuring 77 feet in height. The Falls plummet into a swimming area; thus, it is supposed to be a great place in the summer. What a disappointment! The Falls are much shorter these days with Oklahoma's severe drought. We chalked this visit up with the Royal Gorge (avid blog fans will remember this rip-off in Canon City, Colorado). Lots more rain will totally take care of this popular swimming area.

Turner Falls

A beautiful view of the Fall foliage.

Turner Falls,
one more time

Davis, Oklahoma is world famous for it's fried pies. If you grew up in the South, you know the popularity of fried pies. If you are new to fried pies, they are pie filling encased in dough that is deep fat fried (not on any diet plans of which I am aware). On our way back to Sulphur from Turner Falls, we  passed the famous fried pie bakery ("fryery") that has been in existance for a long time. Of course we had to try one. 

On Wednesday, Patti and Jim (our daughter-in-law's parents and our friends) drove down from Norman, Oklahoma. We gave them a tour of the Tour, had lunch and then drove across the street, from where we are parked, to visit the Chickasaw Cultural Center. This beautifully done museum plus so much more, sits on 109 acres of rolling hillside, woodlands and streams. We learned so much about the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. Patti told me that the Choctaw word, Oklahoma, means "home of the red man."

Sculpture of a Chickasaw warrior. The same artist who sculpted this Indian, did the one that sits on top of the Oklahoma capitol dome.

Jim, Patti, Suzanne and Roger are getting ready to see a movie about the migration of the Chickasaw tribe.

 Chickasaw Family

An overview of a Chickasaw village.

Demonstration of beading

 Jim holds the Chickasaw flag.

 Roger and I are posing in front of the water feature. In the background are outstanding members of the Chickasaw tribe (black plaques).

Patti and Jim

As movie goers, we had to see the new James Bond picture, Sky Fall, on Thursday. It did not disappoint. 

On Friday and Saturday, we prepared the Tour for travel. Thank you for checking in with us. The next blog will be from Grapevine Lake, Avid blog readers will remember that I have lots of family in the Dallas - Ft. Worth area. Grapevine Lake is in the center making it easier to visit family and friends in the area. See you next week.