The Lessons of Spring

We arrived on Friday afternoon ready for a spring‑like escape, with temperatures in the low 80s, clear skies, warm breezes, and the first blossoms sprinkling the forest. It felt like we were on the cusp of renewal. Then, on Saturday morning, everything changed. Jon awoke to the news alerts: President Trump announced that a joint…

Who We Honor, What We Ignore

This weekend, as we settled into our campsite, we found ourselves reflecting on a week of news that revealed much about who we are as a country and who we are becoming. The death on Tuesday of the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the relative lack of attention was on our minds. House Speaker Mike Johnson…

Valentine’s Weekend on Cloud 9

We arrived Friday afternoon, grateful for a weekend away from the bustle of our weekday routines. After our Date Night supper, we eased into the quiet with a campfire before collapsing into bed, happily exhausted. Saturday unfolded exactly the way we love: a slow morning with The New York Times, a bit of Ancestry sleuthing,…

Looking Away Isn’t an Option

There are moments in life when we feel a kind of fatigue settle in, a weariness that makes us want to turn the page, change the channel, focus on literally anything else. We’ve had plenty of practice at that over the last year. The controversies have blurred together. The outrages have stacked up. And now,…

The Weight of the World

We headed into our weekend camp-out at Loyd Park with heavy hearts. The January 7 killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis weighed on our minds. It wasn’t just the tragedy but what it symbolized. Earlier in the week, The New York Times published an interview with…

Ginger’s Big Adventure

We had only welcomed Ginger into our lives a few days before Christmas when we packed up Cloud 9 and headed to Loyd Park. Our 12-day stay gave us the chance to imprint on her little doggie heart and mind our camping routine and way of life. Sharing the close confines of our Airtream meant every…

Finding Light Amid the Darkness

We rolled into Loyd Park on a warm, sunny Friday afternoon, the kind of day that makes you grateful for Texas winters. Our campsite came together quickly, just in time for Jon to hop on a Teams call (a reminder that even in nature, work sometimes tags along). By late afternoon, we were scooting around…

Adventure Rekindled in Dinosaur Valley

We had our sights set on Loyd Park for the weekend, but late Thursday afternoon, everything changed. A cancellation at Dinosaur Valley RV Park meant we could join the Heart of Texas Camping Unit, our local chapter of Airstream Club International, for their holiday gathering. After drifting away from the club while caring for Jon’s…

Scooters, Sculptures, and Stings – Oh My!

There’s something magical about a crisp fall Friday – the kind that invites you to slow down, savor the season, and maybe even try something new. Our latest weekend getaway had all the ingredients for a memorable adventure: scenic camping, a dash of art history, and a few unexpected twists. We arrived at Site 28…

An Unexpected Friendsgiving

When we arrived at Loyd Park for a quiet fall weekender, we weren’t expecting to be invited to a Friendsgiving celebration. Yet we found ourselves at a pavilion by the lake, surrounded by about 50 friends new and old at tables overflowing with food. Smoked turkey and baked ham anchored the feast, while Chef Cliff…