One last campfire

Well, I finally heard from Universal RV, and about half of the ordered parts have come in. I will be leaving Rice Lake SP early tomorrow morning to head over to get the levelers fixed and the propane gas alarm replaced. What won't get fixed is the dead bolt lock on the door and the bottom door panel....parts are on back order. (so what else is new?)



After going to Owatonna to do the laundry this afternoon, I continued my pack-up ritual when I got back. I stowed the DISH and managed to get everything else put away after enjoying my last campfire at Rice Lake. The birds were a little confused after I stowed all the bird feeders, but it's time for those hummingbirds to move south anyway. The nuthatches and chickadees will get along, and the raccoon that has been messing around with Emma's water bowl every night will have to find a new source.



Yesterday, I was reading a spring copy of the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine and read an article about how Minnesota is beginning a five year effort to conduct a breeding bird atlas and is looking for volunteers. I helped with the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas in the late eighties, and as you know, birds are my "thing". So, I gave the coordinator a call yesterday afternoon and left a message about my interest and experience. Today, while I was at the laundromat, I got a call back. The coordinator called me and was thrilled that I would be interested in covering areas where there are few volunteers. I'm excited about this opportunity. After all, I've got wheels and can go where I'm needed. She'll be sending me a map of the areas that need coverage and I'm thinking either northwest MN (where I've never been) or maybe the northeast. I do love the Gunflint Trail region of the state. I'm pretty sure I'll have to foot the bill for the campgrounds, but with my newly acquired "senior pass", I'm hoping to take advantage of the national forest campgrounds at half price. Besides, birding is what I love to do, and how cool will it be for me to investigate the back roads and byways hunting documentation of breeding!



I'd better sign off for now and get busy packing up my trucker's antennae and 12' pole. I've got to arise before dawn and get on the road.......



Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy