You can't keep every GPS device ever created. There is nothing as wonderful as getting lost in a construction zone in downtown Oklahoma City. No, I haven't lost my mind. A few days ago, we were zigzagging down one way streets downtown amidst all sorts of construction and saw the most beautiful sites. If we had GPS, we would have missed it all. What were those beautiful sites? I'd be more than happy to explain...
Downtown Oklahoma City was caught up in the Christmas spirit! Lights were twinkling and sparkling everywhere. The trees in The Myriad Botanical Gardens were covered in lights of all colors. Entire sides of buildings were draped in Christmas lights. Despite the craziness of the construction, we continued to drive around the area - caught up in the warmth of the holiday season.
Exactly where these lights were located, I can't tell you. It was quite late at night and seeing the exact street signs wasn't a priority. I can, however, give you directions. Heading east on Reno Avenue, take the first left after The Myriad Botanical Gardens. Then take the first left that is just north of the Gardens. Continue zigzagging through the construction and one way streets and you will see more than your share of gorgeous Christmas lights.
Siobhann, our four year old daughter squealed and clapped her hands in delight at all the lights. She even thanked Santa for hanging all those lights in her letter to him. Unfortunately, due to traffic, I wasn't able to take any photos. I plan to go back one evening, very soon, and capture those lights on film. It will be well worth the trip from Stillwater. Especially with Siobhann with me!
It is a glorious way to get into the Christmas spirit. We sang Christmas carols all the way home. Yes, an hour of Christmas carols at the top of our lungs. No radio to help us with the words. The only conversation between my husband, daughter and myself was which carol to sing next.
Long story short, wherever you live in Oklahoma, it is well worth the drive to Oklahoma City to see these lights. I'm not sure, but I think there is a good chance that as Christmas gets closer even more lights will be added. Load up as many people as you can, turn off your GPS devices and bring your cameras; enjoy downtown Oklahoma City all a-glow!
Happy Oklahoma travels,
Emma Riley Sutton
Showing posts with label Oklahoma City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oklahoma City. Show all posts
Monday, December 7, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Backseat Perspective
Off to Oklahoma City we went. Started much too early in the morning, but we had a big day planned and needed enough time to get everything finished.
My daughter was sitting in her car seat, buckled up properly and positioned in the middle of the seat. Still sleepy, she looked around the car as if she had never seen it before. Her Daddy and I were buckling ourselves up when we heard a sleepy voice from the backseat.
"That's something you don't see everyday," she quipped excitedly.
Still in our driveway, we were surprised by her comment. What could she possible see that she doesn't see every day of her life?
"What do you see?" I asked, looking around our front yard.
"I can see my breath," she answered. "It is all white and puffy."
Ah ha, proof that we are in the middle fall and well on our way to winter. It was a cool morning and, she was right, seeing your breath isn't something you see every day.
As home schooling parents, we jumped on this opportunity to explain condensation, weather and the different seasons. We happily made our way to OKC, teaching away.
Oklahoma is blessed to have four distinct seasons. I can't imagine living somewhere that doesn't. Autumn is my favorite of all seasons. It reminds me of getting ready for bed. Nature begin to slow down for its winter nap. The colors are spectacular. I love the different shades of orange, red, greens and brown. To me, the autumn sunsets are the best. The sky explodes all sorts of different colors and coordinates them with the colors of the leaves and grasses.
"Momma, look at the trees," she said, pointing at the multi-leaved trees. "They weren't all different colors last time. The sap must be getting cold."
Yes, she was paying attention. We had just explained how the leaves turned colors in the fall.
"Autumn is like spring," she explained. "We get to see all sorts of colors, not just green."
Right again.
Most people do not realize that Oklahoma has foliage. So be it our foliage isn't as pronounced as other places, but it is there. All you have to do take time to look for the beauty around you. It comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.
Happy Oklahoma traveling,
Emma Riley Sutton
My daughter was sitting in her car seat, buckled up properly and positioned in the middle of the seat. Still sleepy, she looked around the car as if she had never seen it before. Her Daddy and I were buckling ourselves up when we heard a sleepy voice from the backseat.
"That's something you don't see everyday," she quipped excitedly.
Still in our driveway, we were surprised by her comment. What could she possible see that she doesn't see every day of her life?
"What do you see?" I asked, looking around our front yard.
"I can see my breath," she answered. "It is all white and puffy."
Ah ha, proof that we are in the middle fall and well on our way to winter. It was a cool morning and, she was right, seeing your breath isn't something you see every day.
As home schooling parents, we jumped on this opportunity to explain condensation, weather and the different seasons. We happily made our way to OKC, teaching away.
Oklahoma is blessed to have four distinct seasons. I can't imagine living somewhere that doesn't. Autumn is my favorite of all seasons. It reminds me of getting ready for bed. Nature begin to slow down for its winter nap. The colors are spectacular. I love the different shades of orange, red, greens and brown. To me, the autumn sunsets are the best. The sky explodes all sorts of different colors and coordinates them with the colors of the leaves and grasses.
"Momma, look at the trees," she said, pointing at the multi-leaved trees. "They weren't all different colors last time. The sap must be getting cold."
Yes, she was paying attention. We had just explained how the leaves turned colors in the fall.
"Autumn is like spring," she explained. "We get to see all sorts of colors, not just green."
Right again.
Most people do not realize that Oklahoma has foliage. So be it our foliage isn't as pronounced as other places, but it is there. All you have to do take time to look for the beauty around you. It comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.
Happy Oklahoma traveling,
Emma Riley Sutton
Friday, September 18, 2009
Saturday Road Trips To Healdton as a Child
My Granddaddy would call early Saturday morning, asking one question, "You ready to go, Sugarfoot?"
We were on our way to the lake. Leaving Oklahoma City, we head south on I-35. Drive through Moore and past the exit to Draper Lake, pass the exit to Lake Thunderbird in Norman and take the Maysville exit. We were headed to Healdton Lake.
It wasn't just a day at the lake. It was an entire day in Healdton. To me it was the greatest place world in world spend the day. The drive was more than worth getting up early on a Saturday morning.
My Granddaddy would pull his old blue pick up into the little store in Antioch. My Granny would hand me a five dollar bill and inside I'd run. We needed two Cokes and one Dr. Pepper as well as six bags of peanuts and two beef jerkies. Once back in the truck, we'd pass out the snacks. My grandparents drank the Cokes and I had the Dr. Pepper. My Granddaddy would tear three of the bags of peanuts. We'd quickly drink some of our soda and then pour the peanuts in the glass bottles. Then back on the road. We still had to get to Healdton.
My Granddaddy and Granny would tell me stories about when they were my age. I loved sitting between them, drinking my Dr. Pepper with peanuts and eating my beef jerky. I heard all about picking cotton, gathering eggs and surviving this thing they called The Great Depression.
Time flew by and soon we were at the intersection in Ratliff City. We'd wave at folks we didn't know and my anticipation would increase by the second. Only about 10 more miles to Healdton.
We'd stop in the Wooldridge grocery store. Granny and I would get out to do our shopping as my Grandaddy talked to whoever pulled up next to his truck. Granny and I would head straight to the back of the storey store. We were going to get some bologna. Not just any bologna, in a package. Mr. Wooldridge would cut it from a huge block behind his meat counter. He would cut it really thick and wrap it in white paper.
As he cut the bologna, we'd shop. Over to the north side of the store,cut it fro out the watermelon, usually straight from Rush Springs, or some cantaloupe. We'd buy all sorts of vegetables, too - tomatoes, carrots, celery and radishes. Back to the meat counter and we'd grab a loaf of bread, several more sodas, a bag of ice and some mustard. Checking out, we had all we needed for a great lunch.
By the time we reached the Comanche Y, I could barely sit still. We'd take that long curve a few miles further south and we were in Healdton. Past the Otasco and Ben Franklin, we head for Healdton Lake.
We'd spend the rest of the morning looking for interesting rocks and pretty flowers. By noon all three of us were starving. Granddaddy would get the plastic forks and knives from the glove compartment and we'd eat lunch.
Not once did we ever go swimming. I didn't know how and it seemed a little a strange to get in the water when there were so many interesting things to do along the shore. We'd look robins, scissor-tail flycatchers and mockingbirds. Occasionally, we'd get a glimpse of a cardinal or bluebird. My favorite bird, sparrows, were always around.
We'd leave Healdton and head to the Healdton Oil Museum. Granddaddy would show me all the pictures of the old equipment he used working in the oil fields. Granny would cry and tell me about a childhood friend or distant relative that lost a finger or his life working in an oil field somewhere in Oklahoma. My grandparents would talk to the folks coming and going into the museum; they swap stories of "back then" and how things had changed so much.
Much too early, it was time to head back home. We'd take pass the Comanche Y, Wooldridge's store and the intersection at Ratliff City. Soon we'd be waving good-bye to Antioch. Back on I-35, this time heading north, we'd be home in no time.
Many of you may wonder what is so significant about those little road trips. That is easy to explain. My family and I make that some trip as often as we can now, but it is so much different. The store in Antioch was closed years ago. We now pull into the convenient store at the intersection in Ratliff to buy our sodas and peanuts. They certainly taste different in plastic bottles. The Wooldridge store is also closed so we buy our lunch at the grocery store in Healdton, packaged sandwich meat. Thankfully, the watermelon is still from Rush Springs.
I tell my grandparents stories to my daughter and husband. My husband never worked in the oil field so he finds their stories almost as captivating as I did. My daughter points at the Comanche Y the way I did. She knows we are almost there. We stop at the Healdton Oil Museum first. We all know how to swim so we spend the afternoon at the lake instead of the morning.
I have yet to tell my husband it would be faster to take the Springer exit off of I-35. If I did that, I'd miss out on all the memories. He probably knows it anyway. He understands the importance of me going the same way. It wouldn't be a trip to Healdton if we did it another way.
Ya'll need to wander down that way, the same way, we do. It is a little off the beaten the path, but the road is good and the scenery is beautiful. Keep in mind I am biased, though. Share your family's stories as you go. Make some new memories to share on your next trip. Double check to make sure your watermelon is from Rush Springs. They grow them better there.
Happy Oklahoma traveling,
Emma Riley Sutton
We were on our way to the lake. Leaving Oklahoma City, we head south on I-35. Drive through Moore and past the exit to Draper Lake, pass the exit to Lake Thunderbird in Norman and take the Maysville exit. We were headed to Healdton Lake.
It wasn't just a day at the lake. It was an entire day in Healdton. To me it was the greatest place world in world spend the day. The drive was more than worth getting up early on a Saturday morning.
My Granddaddy would pull his old blue pick up into the little store in Antioch. My Granny would hand me a five dollar bill and inside I'd run. We needed two Cokes and one Dr. Pepper as well as six bags of peanuts and two beef jerkies. Once back in the truck, we'd pass out the snacks. My grandparents drank the Cokes and I had the Dr. Pepper. My Granddaddy would tear three of the bags of peanuts. We'd quickly drink some of our soda and then pour the peanuts in the glass bottles. Then back on the road. We still had to get to Healdton.
My Granddaddy and Granny would tell me stories about when they were my age. I loved sitting between them, drinking my Dr. Pepper with peanuts and eating my beef jerky. I heard all about picking cotton, gathering eggs and surviving this thing they called The Great Depression.
Time flew by and soon we were at the intersection in Ratliff City. We'd wave at folks we didn't know and my anticipation would increase by the second. Only about 10 more miles to Healdton.
We'd stop in the Wooldridge grocery store. Granny and I would get out to do our shopping as my Grandaddy talked to whoever pulled up next to his truck. Granny and I would head straight to the back of the storey store. We were going to get some bologna. Not just any bologna, in a package. Mr. Wooldridge would cut it from a huge block behind his meat counter. He would cut it really thick and wrap it in white paper.
As he cut the bologna, we'd shop. Over to the north side of the store,cut it fro out the watermelon, usually straight from Rush Springs, or some cantaloupe. We'd buy all sorts of vegetables, too - tomatoes, carrots, celery and radishes. Back to the meat counter and we'd grab a loaf of bread, several more sodas, a bag of ice and some mustard. Checking out, we had all we needed for a great lunch.
By the time we reached the Comanche Y, I could barely sit still. We'd take that long curve a few miles further south and we were in Healdton. Past the Otasco and Ben Franklin, we head for Healdton Lake.
We'd spend the rest of the morning looking for interesting rocks and pretty flowers. By noon all three of us were starving. Granddaddy would get the plastic forks and knives from the glove compartment and we'd eat lunch.
Not once did we ever go swimming. I didn't know how and it seemed a little a strange to get in the water when there were so many interesting things to do along the shore. We'd look robins, scissor-tail flycatchers and mockingbirds. Occasionally, we'd get a glimpse of a cardinal or bluebird. My favorite bird, sparrows, were always around.
We'd leave Healdton and head to the Healdton Oil Museum. Granddaddy would show me all the pictures of the old equipment he used working in the oil fields. Granny would cry and tell me about a childhood friend or distant relative that lost a finger or his life working in an oil field somewhere in Oklahoma. My grandparents would talk to the folks coming and going into the museum; they swap stories of "back then" and how things had changed so much.
Much too early, it was time to head back home. We'd take pass the Comanche Y, Wooldridge's store and the intersection at Ratliff City. Soon we'd be waving good-bye to Antioch. Back on I-35, this time heading north, we'd be home in no time.
Many of you may wonder what is so significant about those little road trips. That is easy to explain. My family and I make that some trip as often as we can now, but it is so much different. The store in Antioch was closed years ago. We now pull into the convenient store at the intersection in Ratliff to buy our sodas and peanuts. They certainly taste different in plastic bottles. The Wooldridge store is also closed so we buy our lunch at the grocery store in Healdton, packaged sandwich meat. Thankfully, the watermelon is still from Rush Springs.
I tell my grandparents stories to my daughter and husband. My husband never worked in the oil field so he finds their stories almost as captivating as I did. My daughter points at the Comanche Y the way I did. She knows we are almost there. We stop at the Healdton Oil Museum first. We all know how to swim so we spend the afternoon at the lake instead of the morning.
I have yet to tell my husband it would be faster to take the Springer exit off of I-35. If I did that, I'd miss out on all the memories. He probably knows it anyway. He understands the importance of me going the same way. It wouldn't be a trip to Healdton if we did it another way.
Ya'll need to wander down that way, the same way, we do. It is a little off the beaten the path, but the road is good and the scenery is beautiful. Keep in mind I am biased, though. Share your family's stories as you go. Make some new memories to share on your next trip. Double check to make sure your watermelon is from Rush Springs. They grow them better there.
Happy Oklahoma traveling,
Emma Riley Sutton
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