Sketching Caddo Lake State Park

We recently acquired a Texas State Parks yearly pass. And we are using it to full capacity. Whoever said that there isn't much to do in Texas, think again. Texas is one of those few states in the country where the chance of one suffering from cabin fever is less to nil. All the recent ga-ga about moving to Canada, no thanks. I want myself to at least have the option of going outside when I want to.

A few weeks back, we went to Caddo Lake State Park, at the Texas-Louisiana border. It is Texas's only natural lake state park, and has very beautiful and eerie bald cypress swamps. We went on a Sunday evening, the crowds were thinning out, only people staying in the park were around. It was a little rainy , cool and very romantic. We stayed the night at one of the cabins within the park, which was also super pretty. The night sky was beautiful. It was pitch dark, with no ambient light. That was a really nice surprise. ( We used the SkyView app to see the night sky on the phone).

Early the next morning, I went out for a long walk to the lake, while it was still dark outside. Past the rangers accommodation, and the camp sites. The lake was still, just the occasional curious fish jumping out of the water.

Caddo Lake pier at dawn

Sculptural bald cypress trees in the lake, at dawn

Canoes for rent 

I was lucky enough to be able to sketch a little, both at the lake and at the cabins. I am so enjoying sketching from life nowadays. I used to do that in architecture school, way back in 2001-2002, but stopped after that. I don't know why. I used to be better that time, less inhibitions, more control over my hand. I want to get back to it, and the only way is tons and tons of practice (which I don't do). But, someday, right ? It is one of my long term goals.

Sketched this from the Caddo lake pier. Just the ink version, haven't added any colour at this point. 

Added colour and some commentary , while driving back home. I think I liked the ink version better. What do you think ?

The cabins were built in the 1930s by an organisation called CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), created by President Roosevelt, to provide people with jobs during the great depression. I sketched this one from the bench outside Cabin no.5. 

Cabin No. 5

View from the bench of Cabin no. 5

Spanish moss hanging from a cypress tree

Spanish moss hanging from the bald cypress trees added to the eerie atmosphere of the swamp. There were apparently some big foot sightings here, in the 1960s. I am not surprised, this place does make the imagination run wild.

Spanish moss hanging from the bald cypress trees 

All these pictures are taken with my phone camera. I really wish the photographs could have done more justice to the place. On my early morning walk, there was a solitary photographer on the pier. He was blowing cigarette smoke in front of his camera and taking pictures. Some fog.. now wouldn't that have done justice to this place ?