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Borrego Springs, CA

Monday, November 7, 2011

Birdie, birdie in the sky…

…Dropped some white wash in my eye

   I didn’t scream, I didn’t cry,

   I’m just glad that cows don’t fly!

I felt like I was in that Alfred Hitchcock movie, “The Birds” today.  Thousands of boat-tailed grackles decided the RV pads were the place to be.  Guess what happens when thousands of birds are circling in the sky overhead for several hours?  Thanks goodness, I really didn’t get hit in the eye, but my rig is a mess on the outside.  Yuck!  I don’t think they missed a window! 

_MG_3916

Yesterday morning, Emma began barking outside.  As I gingerly made my way to the door, this cowboy was riding past the rigs.  Turned out he was on a mission to close the gates at the entrance road to the RV pads.

64 Anahuac NWR 20112

That could only mean one thing.  A cattle drive was underway.  I got Emma ensconced in the rig, since I knew she wouldn’t be able to contain herself.  Nobody needed a stampede.  These cattle drives are pretty common around here as the ranchers lease grazing land in the refuge.  They move the cattle around often so no one area is over grazed. 

Since I’m pretty well confined to the rig until my back heals, I appreciated the diversion.  If you happen to be driving down the road at a time like this, you have no choice but to stop and wait until the herd flows around you. 

_MG_3922

                                                                                 THE END!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

29 comments:

  1. All I can think of when I see a cattle drive is the movie City Slickers and the coffee grinder....I own that movie..May have to watch it again...Hope you are healing slowly...Den felt better after the shot, but not 100% for a couple weeks...You need a laugh..wish I was closer..I'm usually good for a few:-P

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  2. How interesting to be able to sit in your rig and watch a cattle drive. That poor guy in the car must have had quite a view! What great pictures he could take,huh?

    Hope you're feeling better. Did you try a heating pad?

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  3. Ouch! I sure wish your back would hurry and feel better. It is one thing to be inside by choice, but to be confined due to pain......not good.

    I have a friend who had acupuncture and it did wonders for her. Have you considered that?

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  4. I was riding my motorcycle years ago and thought I got hit between the eyes with a bug (yes I was wearing eye protection), but it was a bird turd.

    Not fun. Hope your back feels better soon so you can wash off your Adventurer. For now, you'll have to tell everyone it has the measles...

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  5. WOW...that would be so cool to see one of those right outside the motorhome. Sorry those birds did such a number on your rig. Love your header picture.

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  6. If you have to sit quietly in the rig, I guess it is pretty nice to have a cattle drive go by your window to keep you mind off of other issues:)

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  7. I love anything cowboy. Rich and I were used to pull over to watch them work a herd of cows or sheep. In Idaho, the Great Pyrenees dogs wander within the herd to protect it from wolves and the herding dogs do their jobs keeping the herd together. I find it fascinating to watch. We blew whole afternoons watching.

    As far as birds and vehicles--did you wash the Palms recently, Judy? Works every time for me when I was the truck!

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  8. Many years ago (nearly 50) my hub and I used to take the VW into the back country of northern NM & southern CO and just tootle around to see what we could see. Often we encountered such drives. I had a little fox terrier who thought he was Mr. Big Stuff, and he always barked at the cows as they moved past us. Once a cow stuck its face up to the window and licked a slurpy tongue across the glass, and Ol' Duke backed clear across the car!

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  9. Wow, the cattle drive was very interesting. Nothing like it in WI. Hope you're feeling better each day!

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  10. So sorry to hear about your back troubles. Believe me, I understand and feel your pain. I have had sciatica a couple of times and it is no fun. Rest is the only way to get better. I will think positive thoughts for you to heal quickly.
    Ann

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  11. Great pictures! Hope you are feeling better soon.

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  12. An insult from the birds is something that you don't need in light of your back problem. Does that come along with being the "bird lady"? Glad you had a bit of a (non-bird) diversion today.

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  13. Glad to hear you had a little entertainment to help you pass the time. Hope your back is feeling at least a little better.

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  14. Loved your final picture. What - you don't think Emma would be good at herding those cows? I bet she could make things really exciting out there. Hope your back is better in the morning.

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  15. With the "clouds" of Canada Geese flying over here in the past couple of months, I was beginning to think cows did fly!!!

    Watched a cattle drive once and was fascinated by it!

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  16. How is your back coming along? Any idea what happened or how long you'll be laying around looking at the sky or the top of the RV more likely?

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  17. how great to be able to see the cattle drive from the comfort of your rig!!!..great shots!!

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  18. Nice of the refuge to provide you with entertainment while you're laid up :-))

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  19. Hubby (who fancies himself a cowboy) would have loved to have been there to witness the drive.

    Years ago with my former husband and our two daughters, I was fishing in the Delaware bay in a small boat. The three of them kept tossing food into the air for the gulls to dive for. I kept telling them to STOP IT! Of course, ONE of us got a direct hit and it was not any of the three of them that were tossing the food.

    You feeling better yet???

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  20. Oh NO, not the Grackles?!
    They are the noisiest group EVER, and I'm a birder!!
    Funny the things we can see while sitting in an RV! A cattle drive in Texas!
    I REALLY hope the rest helps your back quickly!

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  21. Good shots of the cattle drive! Hope your back begins to feel better soon.

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  22. Cool, a cattle drive. The things we get to see on the road never cease to amaze me. Now I'll have to put cattle drive on the bucket list. ;)

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  23. Oh gosh darn that sciatic nerve! I hate it when I get that pinch in my butt. Unfortunately exercise is the key. Hope you're starting to feel better.

    Love the cowboys!! Cows are cool too. Cheers! ~M

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  24. What a nasty mess to have to get cleaned up and I hope not by you.
    What a great experience to see that cattle drive. I saw my first one this past summer.

    Hope your back is on the mend.

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  25. Several years ago my sciatic nerve was threatening when I was getting my yearly mammogram. The nurse gave me this advice: Lie down "prone" with your face down on the floor or other firm surface. A bed is OK if it isn't too soft. Do no turn your face to the side. (I put a towel down.) Stay in that position for five to ten minutes. I put my arms to the side.

    It helped me, doesn't hurt to give it a try.

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  26. We have met up with cattle drives down a main road in Mexico, as you say, you have no choice but to stop and wait and hope that no horns hit your unit. Glad you didn't get any bird do-do in your eye!

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  27. HI Judy, just catching up on the blogs after getting home from TX. I am so sorry to hear you hurt your back. I know exactly what that feels like, ouch! Hope you are feeling better by the time you read this.

    Beautiful pictures of the cattle drive. Very interesting! And I loved the post about the blue heron.... great pictures on that too! Take care and get well!!

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  28. That's pretty exciting, I would have loved to see them heard all those cattle.

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