A Little Trip with Clara

We love the little trips we give the kids as Christmas gifts: no present in a box could be as special as time together doing something out of the ordinary. Clara had her Christmas trip this past weekend (please ignore Daisy, who was not present in an official capacity, but was, as always, a contributor).

We started off with a brief sojourn at a Fancy Hotel, to enjoy the splendor of the lobby--carved marble, massive lily bouquets,


ducks.


Ooh, and fancy brunch. Clara and I decided to conduct a comprehensive tasting of the entire dessert buffet, with a bite or two of each elegantly presented confection. A little embarrassing to see our tabletop covered with nibbled-on desserts, but the waiter was able to keep it somewhat under control.


Then we headed, in the rain, to a little out-of-the way state park. We had reserved one of the tiny cabins (Civilian Conservation Corp architecture, I love you! I love your six over six windows and your screened porches!) for the night.


Although it was cool and a little drizzly, we took a long evening walk around the spring-fed lake in the park . . .


where once again we were met by ducks.


Incredibly, just as it was getting dark, much darker than this picture would have you believe, we came upon a juvenile barred owl who would not get out of the path. All my life I have *longed* to see owls. I ended up moving him off the path, for his own safety, with my foot, and he climbed on my shoe! While clicking his beak in a threatening manner. So scary!


The sun came out in the morning and we found some serious backroads beauty--from antebellum mansions to abandoned railroad stations.






Then back to civilization for yarn-shopping,


and an afternoon at the zoo, where Clara's hat was eyed by a suspicious toucan,


and Daisy dreamed by the polar bears.