Sam Rayburn Dam
December 15, 2010
After Stewart came home from work, we decided to go for a walk. I was sick of being inside and needed some natural therapy. Not having much time to go very far we ended up going to the Sam Rayburn Dam, which was formerly McGee Bend Dam and my maiden name is McGee so of course I thought that was neat to find out.
Now the first thing I notice when I arrived was the lovely little sign that tells me the surface was hazardous for walking. Did that warning stop us? No, warning signs are for sissies.
Of course looking out over the water was not good enough for my bunch, they wanted to be next to the water. There were even signs that warned the water may rise suddenly, but onward we voyaged. My kids eagerly awaited a sudden rise in water, constantly asking me when will the water rise, and if it rises where will we go. My answer was simply, “Up!” It took us some fancy foot work to get down to the water level. Austin being the wonderful son as always, was right there to help steady mom on the descent. So clinging to each other and to a handy tree or two we managed to get down the cliff without any causalities.
The banks were very rocky and Adam loved chunking the rocks into the water to make a big splash. While he was climbing up and around the rocky ledges he found a couple feathers. With feathers in hand he flaps his “wings” and says, “I believe I can fly!” I correct him, “I believe you will fall! Please be careful.”
A stage was imagined from the smooth ledge they scaled and Adam did a little dance resembling "The Twist" then Anna did her super model strut across it. Up, around, over, and through the kids climbed all over GOD’s natural playground. Once again asking if the dam will open so the water will rise. Adam goes into a dramatic “slow motion” run pretending to escape a impending flood. I tell them again I do not think the dam will open up.
We find so much peace and joy as we hike, truly some of the happiest moments. I have to say that the scenery is beautiful on the far side of the water. The orange and yellow leaves of fall hanging on to their color, made a lovely setting for the picture.
A lone bird sat atop a fallen tree as the sun was getting low it looked very surreal and majestic.
We carefully ascended the rocky banks and left that side of the dam to drive over to the other side where the small park area was.
We walked through the pines that were standing on the point by the lake side of the dam. It was quiet windy. Anna and Adam found a bird nest that must have been blown out of a pine tree. Adam loved the big pine cones that littered the ground.
The tall grass reminded Anna of the Little House on the Prairie books. She tells me she loves that time period. Adam liked to roll around in the grasses too, wind whipping through his frazzled hair.
Stewart and I stayed on the hilltop while the kids walked down to the lake shore. The hill was more than I felt like tackling after the rocks we climbed on the other side.
The hill was prefect for rolling down. I told Adam he might not want to try it in summersault form. I told them to lay on their sides and roll down it.I remember as a child rolling down the side of an old sawdust pile that was left from a saw mill that was behind our house. Rolling down this hill was not near as dirty. I found it funny that my kids had never rolled down a hill before but they seemed to really enjoy it because the did it over and over. They would get going to fast and have to stop themselves.
They tried roll racing down the hill. Anna had a head start so Adam just rolled up the hill while she rolled all the way down. Adam got to the top before she got to the bottom and declares, “I win!” Anna disagrees with him. Adam says, ‘Yeah I did, you didn’t say which way we were rolling.”
Anna used her over shirt as a “hang glider” and run down the hill with it flapping behind her. She did not want to share her fun with her little brother so they decided to foot race. She told him, “ If I get there first, I win, and if you lose, that’s ok too!” I laughed and laughed at that. I said, “Sweety, that is a little one sided isn’t it?”
Wearing down, we sat on the bench at the top of the hill. The littler kids crawled around on the concrete beams and lounged in the “V”. Adam suspended himself between the two beams and declared, “I am a bridge!”
As carefree and active as my children are, I know GOD must have HIS hand on them protecting them and keeping them safe. Thank you LORD for being our protector.
