 For those of you who have been following my journey from Las Vegas to Oklahoma, I know you have heard the saga of 'looking for a place to live, but no-one wants my dog'. Well, not everyone in Oklahoma is a dogist. In fact, at Salt Creek Lodge, DeeDee is not only welcome, but she now thinks she owns the place. Look at that smile. My dog is happy. And I think, instead of this being a short term place to stay while we try to find a house, we may just stay here for awhile. I know we'll be here at least until May. What's it like staying at a lodge? A little slice of heaven... I have a huge covered front porch with a handmade porch swing and rockers so I can watch the goings on of the ATV riders and hunters. And it is perfect for sitting in and watching the storms roll in. Or, I have a huge wraparound back porch that overlooks 1800 acres of ….acres. LOL. And Bigfoot lives out there. The lodge itself has eight rooms, half are bedrooms with full baths, half are more bunkhouse style rooms with large sleeping quarters and kitchens. Each is themed and you can tell the room by the little decorations in the hallway. There’s a cowboy room, a Duck Dynasty room, etc. I live in the Birds Nest. The lodge sleeps about 30 total when full. There is an amazing event barn on the property that is ideal for weddings, family reunions and any sort of gathering you can imagine. I imagine a writers’ conference with book readings (30 writers, so we can fill the lodge, too!) But there are so many different things that the barn is rented out for. So I made a little slide show below so you could see what I'm talking about. So check it out, and then come visit! DeeDee can show you around.
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Hugo, Oklahoma, population about 5,000 is the county seat of Choctaw County, Oklahoma. Nine miles from the Texas state line and about forty five minutes from where I currently live, it is just another small Oklahoma town, a drive through for many on their way to someplace else. It’s also the setting for my next novel, tentatively titled “Showmen’s Rest”. Like most small towns throughout the United States, there is a little more to Hugo than the basic demographics. Yes, there’s a beautiful lake to enjoy, yes, there is a Sonic (I’ve discovered that every city/town in the United States, regardless of size, has a Sonic) and yes there is an area of town dedicated to the history, in this case, railroad related history. But, there is more. So. Much. More. Hugo, Oklahoma is also known as Circus City, USA and is known for its ‘circus culture’. What does that mean? Well, since the early part of the twentieth century, traveling circuses have made Hugo their home during the winter months, and currently, three of America’s largest active circuses call Hugo home. It isn’t uncommon to see a trapeze, or a circus wagon in a driveway. Still more…The Endangered Ark Foundation is also nearby. There you will find the United States’ second largest Asian elephant sanctuary. But it was not for all of this that I got up early this morning to make the drive to Hugo. It was to go to the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, particularly one section, known as “Showmen’s Rest”. You guessed it. The resting place of former circus employees and one of the most fun cemetery experiences ever. I took so many pictures of headstones, I had to make a slideshow so you could enjoy the fun, too. And just as I passed Big John’s massive grave marker, the one that states “He had more friends than Santa Claus”, I had something hit me right upside the head…Inspiration. My next novel. Oh, yes. Thank you, Big John.... Soooooo, grab some popcorn (not to be confused with Popcorn the clown) and enjoy the show!  For those of you that have been following my most recent journey, I am now in Idabel, Oklahoma, Dogwood capitol of the world (or something like that), living at a hunting lodge because I can't find a rental house that will take my dog. Too bad for them, great for me, because the lodge I am staying at is amazing. In fact, I intend to do several videos over the next few months to show everyone how fantastic this place is, and to encourage you to visit. BUT FIRST! I have to tell you about my first big adventure here, BIGFOOT hunting. And I made a video. So watch the video for NEVER BEFORE SEEN FOOTAGE! and then visit the website at Salt Creek Lodge. Give Jana Jeffcoat a call and come visit the lodge. We'll go hunt Bigfoot.
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