Neches River Rendezvous

I had a great time camping and canoeing this past weekend. A friend and I camped at Mission Tejas State Park for 2 nights. Saturday was the 10-mile Neches River Rendezvous and we took my tandem kayak for a 2.5 hour paddle down the bayou through lush woods. The water level was very high from recent rains. It was a fun paddle. The weather was perfect, which I was so happy about because the forecast the week before looked like it may storm. The man upstairs held out the rains until the next day... yea! We packed up our tents and went to see the land where the Neches National Wildlife Refuge was established, though currently embroiled in a lawsuit. Then the heavens sent down their torrential downpours and thunder and lightning. Luckily we got into the landowner's truck and went on our way, driving through the muddy river bottoms and streams and sloughs. It was very pretty, and I saw passionflower (in photo), Echinacea (purple coneflower), winecups, and many other wildflowers, along with a lush, green forest with oaks and sweetgums and hickories and more.