First Campout of the year ---- Cow Creek

We sure had a fun time at Cow Creek.   This is a State Rec. area north of Pierre on the Oahe Dam.  We were there last year also but that time it was real windy.  This time it was a calm peaceful couple of days.

We left on Sunday after we had visited with one of the girls at the Detention Center.   It's only 2 hours up to Pierre so we were there around 4:30.  One other camper in the whole campground so we had our pick of sites.  We should have gone to the north part but the wind can be so bad coming off the water  so we stay behind the tree line.   But it was calm the whole time we were there.

We went fishing right off shore.  Toby enjoyed being by the water even if he couldn't go jumping in after sticks.  His leg really isn't healing like we had hoped and the vet said to hold off on the exercises.   We are seeing improvement and haven't cut down a whole lot on his walks but we didn't let him do nearly as much as Toby would have liked to.

He looks kind of dejected here.   But he was watching the bobber!!   Good dog!!

Gary went out early in the morning on Tuesday (we slept in on Monday)......I stayed in bed and enjoyed some more sleep!!!    Then after thinking he would have been back  -- I went looking but couldn't find any sign of him........ I did finally find him.  He had a pail with 3 catfish in it.  Said they really hit hard right away but when I got there (no pole -- just waiting on breakfast) they had quit.   When I walked back to get the fillet knife and a pan, the one other camper and her husband asked if I had some fish.   I told her Gary had some catfish and she got real excited.   I asked if she knew how to clean them (she was Oriental)...and she did.   She came along and filleted  the first one for Gary and then he did the rest.   She obviously knew what she was doing.

We also caught 3 bass, and 2 northern pike ---- oh and then that stupid carp! So it was a fun time. 

 We did some bird watching .....sure wish I knew what these big birds are.   They  were maybe a little bigger than a robin.

 Gorgeous sunset.....I should have been out on that point the night before because the colors were awesome and I missed it.

 My big bass......

 We could barely see these geese with the naked eye ---- they were across the water from us.   My camera is a nice one -- and I caught these shots.  They sure were noisy!!!  They must have been close to 1/2 mile away.

I searched and searched for that bobber -- in my camera view finder........ I finally found it.   Isn't that a cool shot!!!   Applause.....Applause       😊

There was a down side to our campout.......TICKS!!  Gary must have picked 20 of the buggers off!!  He'd have one crawling on his hand......then in his neck.....then his hand.   I had one --- but goodness.   We were on our way home and Gar says  "here!! under my finger .......you got it?!?!  You have to be fast --- cause they're faster!!  But I did get it and then YUCK --- you have to use your fingernails and break them in half in order to kill them.

We left Skip home alone.   No - he wasn't alone --- Lee was here to take care of him.   He was pretty happy to see us.   But then he's a puppy so he's just happy and dingy all the time anyway.

Well, it's been a big day and the camper is back in the barn .....and I am going to bed.

Love to one and all.
Gary and Barb

SKIP --- Bad dog!!! AND the Detention Center

We took Skip to the vet on Wednesday to be neutered.   The instructions for Skip were as follows:  no running, jumping, or playing.  Keep him dry and warm and quiet.        YEAH RIGHT!    Today is wet and misty and Skip never felt better.  Just now I could hear him strangling a chicken AGAIN.  The other day I heard him  -- anyway I was pretty sure I heard him messing with the chicken.    Oh -- I have to tell you first that we had let our chickens out the other day and this one Rhode Island Red - one of our best layers-- didn't come back to the coop that night.   She has been out ever since --- roaming the trees and happy as a lark!  I finally KNEW that he was messing with the chicken when I watched him come to the house carrying the chicken by it's head!!   I ran outside, Skip let go and the chicken ran away.

Well --- as I said - just now I heard the squawking (muffled squawking) again.   Right outside the trailer.   I ran out just to see the chicken get away from Skip and run under the deck.  She was pretty wet and ruffled looking but very much alive.   She came a little too close to me and I grabbed her legs. 

She is now back in the coop with the other chickens.   I watched to see if they would think she was a stranger and attack her.....but no --- she went right in to eating and they just followed suit.  So I guess all is well and hopefully we have our good layer back.   Kind of wonder if there are a batch of eggs out there that she might have been sitting on.   Oh well!

Skip lucked out pretty good ---- had he killed the chicken he would have been beaten with the dead thing.   Toby could tell him all about that!!!  Toby leaves the chickens alone!!!

On another note......  I have graduated from therapy and no longer go.  I still do the exercises at home plus our Tia Bo in the morning.    I am walking pretty good now (not so much of the penguin walk anymore).

Guess that's about it for now....... Release Time has finished, but we still go to the Detention Center.  We had 3 girls and about 6 boys after that.  A couple of the girls need our prayers!!!   One wrote on her prayer request that she was considering ending her life.   We let the Officers know ---- they already knew and someone had come in to talk with her.   They do have a group come in (anyway they have had) that addresses just that issue.

The boys enjoyed singing, but we need to discuss that with them a little bit.  One was singing the words ahead of me and getting everyone mixed up.  I think it was for show/attention.