Oscar - The Tree Whisperer

While Oscar was checking out some local campsites on the internet he exclaimed "Pete! We've got to help those poor trees find their way back home . . . they're LOST!!!!!!" Yep, you guessed it, he was looking at the Lost Maples SNA, located only a couple hours west of here. I assured him the trees weren't really lost, but to make him feel better we packed up the Wonder Egg and went west . . . (so Oscar could talk to the trees)
What a beautiful, tranquil park. Located about 5 miles north of Vanderpool, TX.


Oscar enjoyed looking out the Wonder Egg's window at the lush green spring growth. He decided to go for a walk and 'talk to some trees' so he could help them find themselves again.


I caught up with the ever intrepid canine by the river's edge, sitting on a large stone. I told him the sign said to "Stay Off" but Oscar said it meant stay off the trail behind us ". . . the maple trees have very shallow root systems and if we tramped all over them it could do harm to the trees." I asked him what else he learned from 'talking to the trees' and he said "This area was once home to Apache, Lipan Apache, and Comanche Indians and today it has one of the few groves of bigtooth maple trees in Texas. When Texas was more humid and a bit cooler, the trees said they ranged over the hill country and down into San Antonio. They now hide out here, in one of the few local favorable microclimates of sheltered canyons and a moistness which is different from the rest of the area."
Oscar wanted to go out to the large rock in the middle of the Sabinal River. I told him the water was about 3 or 4 feet deep and he replied "No sweat, Pete, just carry me on over!" Sooooooooo . . . . we went to sun on the rock like a couple of turtles. Oscar thought it was cool. He LOVED the thought of our very own deserted island . . .

Well, it wasn't deserted for long because Cat and Joanna came on over with their dog, Nova, just to meet Oscar. Nova tried to tell Oscar all about swimming and how much fun it was. Oscar told Nova "That's what I have Pete for, silly dog!"

After a bit Oscar said "Hey, Pete! Why don't you go for a nice hike or something. I'm gonna hang out here with my new best friends." (Fickle foo-foo dog)


After that exciting day Oscar assumed his normal position on the bed in the Wonder Egg and as he dozed off he smiled and said "The maples weren't lost after all. They've been home all along."

Bob & Bonnie - Oscar's new best friends!

Oscar was eager to head to the Fredericksburg RV Park and meet Bob & Bonnie, who sent him an email asking him to come sit on their laps for a few days. When he read his email he said, "Lap sitting, that's my favorite thing!" So we drove on up and nestled the little Wonder Egg in between the big boy toys.

As soon as he recognized Bob & Bonnie from their web page, Oscar shouted "Lets get started!" and bounded over, making himself right at home doing his favorite thing. He's a natural . . .

Oscar & I walked around the Fredericksburg RV Park noticing how pretty it is . . .

Oscar thought this dog was very well trained because every time we waked by him, he was always in the very same spot playing with the ball. Oscar was very impressed with "Rover's" obedience training discilpine. (Something Oscar could use a bit of, but that's a story for another time)
The park has a duck pond, with a huge bullfrog that sings at night and a pleasant sitting deck with a waterfall, complete with goldfish pond.

Oscar wanted to cool his paws in the waters until he saw the gator. I told him it was only a scarecrow to protect the fish, but he wasn't too sure. I told him that any dog who killed Sasquatch should be fearless.

After the ceramic monkeys laughed at him, Oscar quickly jumped in the pond and hopped out saying "I'm NOT a'scared of no gator." The monkeys showed him respect after that one.

Bob & Bonnie took us for a nice drive on the Willow-Loop where we saw spring cactus in bloom . . .
And a spring calf doing what spring calves do . . .
On our final day as I prepared for our departure, Oscar-the-Lap-Dog was supervising the packing operation from the vantage point of Bob's lap. I could hear Oscar telling them how much he liked their big rig and that he could really, really get used to it, and how comfortable their laps were, and he asked if they would teach him how to be a HAM operator . . .

Sensing this was heading in the wrong direction I told Oscar he had an appointment with Jessica, his groomer. He said "Jessica! She's my favorite fur stylist! " and he hopped off Bob's lap and into the Tacoma. During his appointment with Jessica, Oscar was telling her about his fearless brush with the 25 foot long, 300 pound alligator (yeah . . . right) and saying how he looked forward to seeing Bob & Bonnie again when they returned in November.

OK, we're BAAACK . . . now let's go Camping!

Well, Oscar did a great job with his grandmother in Florida for the last 6 weeks. Our mission is over there and we've just pulled into the homestead here in Texas. Now it's time to go camping!

While we were in Florida, Oscar received an email from Bob & Bonnie, a couple who full-time in a 38' "diesel pusher" class A motor home. . . no kidding . . . the subject line says "Hi Oscar". They are in our area finishing their winter season in Texas before they head up to Wyoming for their summer season (life is goooood). They asked Oscar if he could have his driver bring him up to the Fredericksburg RV Park so he could sit on their laps.

We head on up there to tomorrow to spend a few days meeting Oscar's new-best-friends! What a friendly little dog :)