Sonny Nevaquaya plays at Medicine Park's 102 B-Day Bash

“59 & 102″

What do they have in Common?

Medicine Park and I both celebrated our birthdays on Saturday, July 10.  For Medicine Park it was their 102nd, having been founded on July 4, 1908, and for this Baby Boomer it was my 59th.  Well, since I consider my “birth day” as the most important day of my life, I make it a personal celebration whether anyone else gives a hoot, or not!  Since it occurs most often during the work week, I always take leave on my birthday.  This means I nearly always spend the day by myself, but that’s okay because this is something special I do for myself; it’s a gift to myself.  However, when my day falls on the weekend and there’s a big celebration going on somewhere, I’m not opposed to glomming on and letting someone else help me celebrate.  Well, with Medicine Park celebrating its 102nd Birthday Bash, six days late,  on Saturday, July 10, and Sherry offering to take me out to dinner for my 59th, I couldn’t let such an opportunity go to waste.  (Oh by the by, did I mention the best birthday gift I’ve ever received was when my son, Brandon, was born on my birthday in 1978?  I mean, after that everything else falls short… right?)

Sherry and I left Lawton about 3:30 PM with intentions of catching the rest of the day’s festivities including live bands, the Rubber Duck Race, Native American music played by Calvert Nevaquaya, a great meal at The Old Plantation Restaurant , and a fireworks display for a great finale.  We knew it was going to be hot and humid, but knowing it and experiencing it are two different things!  Mercy!  Where is the Oklahoma wind when you really need it in July?  I can tell you where it was not – Medicine Park, Oklahoma!  Being born and raised in Southwest Oklahoma, I’m supposed to be used to this so I’m not really complaining.  It’s just that I don’t perspire, I SWEAT, and Saturday sweat was running out of my shoes. 

But, you know what?  I had a very good time.  The first band we heard was “Brothers Dupree”, and I thought they were pretty good.  They play an interesting mixture of rock.  I came away with a few cool pictures even if the temperature wasn’t.  Next we bought tickets for Rubber Duck Race.  However, there wasn’t any race.     Because of the recent heavy rains, the flood gates on the dam of Lake Lawtonka, less than a mile to the north, were open and the current of Medicine Creek was too swift.  There was the fear all the rubber duckies would be swept downstream and perish.  So instead, the dumped all the rubber ducks into a large plastic sack and drew for the winning duck.  Sherry and I had 6 ducks in the bag, but didn’t win a thing.  I took some video of all this with my Sony Webbie and will something posted soon.  After this the evening began to pick up and the temperature began to drop a little tiny bit.

It was now 6:30 PM and the Native American Flute performance was due to begin.  I was really looking forward to this since I was already familiar with Calvert Nevaquaya’s abilities.  What I wasn’t expecting is that Sonny, his older brother was also going to perform.  This was a special treat for me.  Also, with them that evening was David Moore from Apache who would also perform.  I quickly changed attached my 70-200mm f/2.8, and headed for the stage.  I politely gestured with my camera for permission to take pictures and was delighted when Sonny acknowledged with a nod of his head.  With sweet mellow tones from flutes floating on the moist and heavy air along Medicine Creek, stories were told with deep meanings and I was happy just to be…

Following an outstanding performance by the three outstanding musicians, it was time to eat.  We gathered up our stuff and walked up the street to The Old Plantation Restaurant.  I already knew what I was going to order:  12oz Ribeye Steak, medium rare, garlic mashed potatoes, and blue cheese dressing on my salad.  I am never disappointed with their steaks and this was no exception.  I know everyone has different tastes and likes when it comes to their steak, but for me, The Old Plantation consistently has mine just right!  Oh, and the service is excellent.  If you haven’t been, you need to go sometime, soon!  Is there any better way to cap off an already great birthday than with an excellent meal?  Well, how about some fireworks?

After leaving The Old Plantation, we discussed where would be the best place to watch the fireworks display.  If you’ve never been to Medicine Park, Medicine Creek creates a valley between granite hills with the town built on both banks and up the hillsides.  Not knowing where the display was being set up we had no idea where to go to watch it.  I suggested we drive up to the Winery of the Wichitas and sit on their outside deck.  It’s located at the top of a granite hill at the soutwest edge of Medicine Park.  I was certain from there we would have a good view.  Boy, was that an understatement!  The parking lot was packed but we were able to find a space alongside their long gravel driveway.  We gathered our lawn chairs just in case there were no empty seats available headed for the door.  Upon entering we could see the inside was packed and through the windows we could see a lot of people already on the deck.  A man approached me and said they had just cleared an area around the firepit on the deck and we could set up our lawn chairs there.  We did just that.  A band was playing on the deck and we were sitting right in front of them.  The lead guitar was very good, and the bass player was barely able to stand up.  I never did catch the name of the five member band, but they were pretty good and everyone was having a good time.  When the first firework shell shot into the sky and burst into a colorful display, I suddenly became aware they were set up right next to The Winery!  It was like having a fireworks show in our own backyard.  To see them well we had to look straight up, literally.  It was a very nice display and outstanding way to finish off my 59th Birthday!  I wish you all could have been there!

Christmas Lights Reflect in the waters of Bath Lake

It was earlier in December when I visited Medicine Park for my first attempt at capturing their Christmas Spirit though their Christmas Light displays.  My plan was to use the high dynamic range (HDR) technique to capture the emotions I feel when viewing the display of lights around Bath Lake.  I thought I had a good plan, but as it turned out, it wasn’t good enough.

It was well past sunset when I turned off Hwy. 49, and toward Medicine Park.  The sky was black since the “new moon” was two nights past, and the thin slice of  the current moon was setting in the astronomical twilight, and having no effect, at all.  I thought this would be a great time for making good HDR images of the lights.  The Christmas Light displays did not disappoint.  I spent the next 2 1/2 hours in a fantasy frame of mind moving back and forth on the walkway that runs along the east bank of Medicine Creek.  A wedding reception was taking place at the same time at the Medicine Park Music Hall.  The cold, but calm, night air was filled with the music from the band, the laughter of people having a good time, and the sound of water, reflecting the many colors of light, pouring over the falls of Bath Lake.  It was a magical night and I was having a great time!  However, my resulting images weren’t what I was hoping for.

While HDR is a much better way to approach the capturing of Christmas Lights and the magical feelings they cause to rise within me, the lights in a pitch black darkness are a problem.  I believe my results would have been much better if I had been earlier and was able to benefit from the illumination from the sky at civil, or even nautical twilight.  Also, a sky illuminated by a full, or almost full, moon would help a lot.