A New Year and the Joys of Winter Camping

Possumhaw Holly Berries

It is 2013 – the world survives into another year!  I never doubted it though there were those dire end-of-the-world predictions. Texas is certainly starting off the new year with much needed rain.  I think we are all hoping this will be a wetter year for the western states and a cooler year for all.  2012 being the warmest year on record is not something to have repeated in 2013.

Rainy winter day in Palmetto State Park

We are living a little closer to nature since we sold the house and went on the road.  A small RV is not exactly living off the land but it is not quite the luxury of a house either.  Much of the time we do have the comforts of electricity and water, but I think of them now as a bonus where before I seldom thought about them at all (except maybe during hot summer months when we paid the high bills.)
 

'Hanging out to dry...'

The main reason for choosing our new lifestyle - the ability to live and be outside most of the time - becomes more challenging in winter. Although Texas winters are mild by most standards, winter rains do make camping and hiking more effort.  The RV is often humid and cramped with wet boots and clothes and towels hanging to dry.  Maya’s little feet have got to be sore from being dried off so many times a day.  And we all are a little colder than we like. Still, the rain is good for the drought – if not always good for our mood…  But there is nothing like a walk between the showers observing the beauty the rain brings to lift our spirits.

Fallen Prickly Pear Pad

We have been bouncing around a little to try to stay warmer and/or drier the best we can.  After a wet week in San Antonio we headed for the coast with a stop over in Palmetto State Park.  Rain can be hard to outrun and it really caught up to us at Palmetto.  So we decided to hunker down for a couple of days until it let up.  We do have rain pants and jackets so we managed to hike some in spite of it all.  It was good to see the swampy areas of the park filling back up with much needed water after such a dry season. 
 

 

Dwarf Palmettos and swamp receiving much needed rain

 

Lichens love rain too!

Soggy man and dog...