We've been dog-sitting Casey the Jack Russell this week, while her master re-builds a humungous fence in their backyard. She seemed to grow tried of walking our local parks, giving us her "Im bored" look now and again. So yesterday we drove the 10 miles to Marlow, small town nextdoor, where there's a pleasantly spacious walking park: Redbud Park. Casey seemed well-satisfied.
In mid-park I got the odd feeling I could be back in England. Sky was partly cloudy, coolish breeze ruffling the leaves of plentiful trees. Only when I stopped to examine some of those leaves did I notice a difference. Oak leaves here are "pointier" than those of their English cousins.
Pecan trees were shedding their fruit - something not often seen in English parks, as I recall. Then, something else told me, in no uncertain fashion that I was not in an English park.
Marlow's claim to fame (outlaws) is recorded here and there in the small town. The Marlow Brothers' story was inspiration for the movie The Sons of Katie Elder. The five brothers Marlow, who it is said led a semi-nomadic life as frontier plainsmen, eventually became outlaws. Their love for each other, and their mother, a descendant of Daniel Boone, amounted to a passion. In the middle of Redbud Park I found a wooden shelter bearing this sign -
Marlow, like our hometown, lay on the Chisholm Trail, scene of early cattle drives and later where cattle trains halted for overnight and rest stops.
Story continues at website Marlow's Colorful Past
The sign and marble monument stand at the park's entrance.
(Photographs from husband's camera. Thanks husband!)
In mid-park I got the odd feeling I could be back in England. Sky was partly cloudy, coolish breeze ruffling the leaves of plentiful trees. Only when I stopped to examine some of those leaves did I notice a difference. Oak leaves here are "pointier" than those of their English cousins.
Pecan trees were shedding their fruit - something not often seen in English parks, as I recall. Then, something else told me, in no uncertain fashion that I was not in an English park.
Marlow's claim to fame (outlaws) is recorded here and there in the small town. The Marlow Brothers' story was inspiration for the movie The Sons of Katie Elder. The five brothers Marlow, who it is said led a semi-nomadic life as frontier plainsmen, eventually became outlaws. Their love for each other, and their mother, a descendant of Daniel Boone, amounted to a passion. In the middle of Redbud Park I found a wooden shelter bearing this sign -
Marlow, like our hometown, lay on the Chisholm Trail, scene of early cattle drives and later where cattle trains halted for overnight and rest stops.
Story continues at website Marlow's Colorful Past
The sign and marble monument stand at the park's entrance.
(Photographs from husband's camera. Thanks husband!)
8 comments:
Strange - in our park yesterday, I got the feeling I was in England too.
Amazing where dogs can take us, no?
XO
WWW
James Higham ~~ Hmmmm !
:-)
WWW ~~~ Yes - they seem to have a nose for it. :-)
interesting stuff Twilight
I followed the link and the photo of Marlow Main St 1902 is fascinating, I suppose the cattle drive would go down that street - it looks wide enough
(I love looking at old photographs)
JD ~~~ Hi!
I'm not sure about that - the main street through town, shown there, is now US Highway 81. Maybe sometimes cattle would be driven that way, but more likely staying on the prairie parallel to it.
Roads through centre towns in this part of the country are often very wide - wide enough to turn carriages etc. around. Some even have parking area in the middle. There was no lack of space, so they took advantage of it.
The photo comes from a time before Oklahoma was a state, it was still "territory" - still called Indian Territory, I think. statehood came in Nov. 1907.
I've always been fascinated by the history of the Old West - long before I arrived here. Watched "Lonesome Dove" tapes and DVDs at least 100 times back in Yorkshire.
I like Casey. Don't like dogs. but do like Casey. I'd like Duke and Nikita if they wouldn't grr at me.
Kaleymorris ~~ Yes, Casey is a wee sweetheart. Duke and Nikita were not at all friendly to us when we visited....thank goodness John has managed to endear himself to them. :-)
You're a classic "cat person", I like both, but dogs respond to me better (usually).
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