All’s Quiet on Cypress/Black Bayou

Unlike with those last couple of posts, I don’t have a story to tell here. All really is quiet in our little spot of northeast Louisiana.

We’re camped at a recreation and water conservation district (aka a lake created by a dam, with surrounding land turned into a park). It’s a little confusing what the water is called: both Cypress and Black Bayou are referred to on the district’s website. We haven’t seen cypress yet, but it’s so humid outside and slightly stinky, so we’re calling it a bayou.

There are maybe three RVs within sight, but you have to squint to see them (I know I’m pushing my luck typing that; more will come in this weekend). The gist is we got to pick our campsite, and we got a perfect one.

Being right on the lake with direct access is such a treat. The sunrises are gorgeous—we can see them through the trailer window if we’re not up yet—and plenty of water birds are right here with us, including a pair of bald eagles that stop each day to hunt from the trees on our campsite.

The best part: we can launch the kayaks just a few feet away. For me the kayaking hasn’t been great (there’s not much to see nearby except big lake houses), but Tracy has paddled clear across the lake, gone exploring, and come back exhilarated.

And the relaxing is primo. Tracy’s been able to use his excellent cell signal here to do more planning for our trip to Alaska.

Banjo’s been on the lookout for critters, but seen not a single one worth chasing. (Even the turtle below is dead.)

The sky has been clear at night with the full moon shining down on the water (yes, I’ve been learning to play Credence Clearwater Revival songs here).

I should say, clear except for the night of the eclipse, when the sky was cloudy, so we walked across the campground to a larger dock to try to get a better view.

Guess what our flashlight revealed? Yep, a skunk, tail high, scrambling to keep us from getting to the dock. Because, you know, skunks are mind-reading, fast-running, in-two-places-at-once nemeses these days.

One skunk, far away, is the sum total of the excitement here, though. Plus the pair of eagles and the dead turtle. Woohoo! My kind of place.

Ukulele Segment

Remember when I used to do these? Here’s one because a) we’re camped at a great spot to shoot video, and b) I can’t stop playing this song. It’s an old traditional (I’m assuming) and the version I like best is by Gillian Welch. Of course, mine is, erm, not like hers. But I’m having fun with it, and look at the beautiful scene behind me.

I’m perched on the dock for this (and now that I think of it, I should be playing “Sitting on the Dock by the Bay.” I guess that’s coming up next!).