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Borrego Springs, CA

Monday, December 10, 2012

They came to rescue me today

Today’s work assignment was to man the Chesser Homestead as a docent, and no, I don’t wear period clothing.  I wear my volunteer uniform.  This is the slow time for visitors on the refuge so I didn’t expect that anyone would be taking the trail to the homestead.  There was dense fog again this morning, so I just drove my own car out for the morning.

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A few little birds were bubbling through the live oak trees in the front yard as I sat rocking on the porch.  This blue-headed vireo (formerly solitary vireo) managed to find a little caterpillar while searching the branches.  Since there are also quite a few pine trees in the area, everything has pine needles hanging from it.  There was a bit of a breeze today, so looking out from the porch, leaves and needles were falling everywhere like a rain shower.

71 Okefenokee NWR 2012-1327I hadn’t packed a lunch to take along with me today since I forgot to take some lunchmeat out of the freezer last night.  Along about noon, I closed things up and headed back to the rig to warm some soup.  By the time I headed back, the sun was shining and it was warm enough to just be in short sleeves.  That meant the alligators were all out along the Swamp Island Drive.  That little one on the bottom and far right was born this past summer.  If you look closely enough, you can still see remnants of the orange tinged newborn stripes.  Mama was still guarding her one last youngster to survive.  Those blurry bumps in the bottom of the right photo are the ridges on her back.

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Since it was in the upper 70’s, even the yellow-bellied sliders were out sunning themselves.  What balmy temperatures for near the middle of December.

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I had to check on those soapwort gentians on my way back, and they had started to open.  Then a butterfly came along to complete the picture.  Cool beans!

Only had three people stop in today, so I closed things up about 3:30 and slowly headed back to the VC to return my walkie-talkie.  Yesterday I roamed the drive in a car at about 7 mph, but today I had the electric cart in the afternoon so as Paul suggested, it was a lot slower journey back. Winking smile  I do a lot of stopping along the way in this open sided cart as the wild things call my name.  So slowly, that a car coming in passed me, and then passed me again on their way out.  I was stopped at the time at the side of the road checking out the toothache grass, and trying to get a shot of another gentian.

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After about 45 minutes, I still hadn’t covered the four miles back, and I was intent upon getting this picture of a male downy woodpecker tapping away on a dead branch.  That’s when a big white diesel refuge truck pulled up beside me and a brown shirt asked if I was alright.  Huh?  Yea, I’m just looking at the woodpeckers.

Turns out the car with the two ladies in it that passed me stopped somewhere to tell staff that I was broke down and in trouble!  I appreciated their concern, but I guess they just didn’t understand that when I’m out and about on the refuge I travel like a tortoise, not a hare.  I don’t want to miss anything.  Smile

I’ve got the next two days off, so I’m guessing nothing too exciting will be happening while I do my laundry and other chores.  Perhaps Mayo will call.  They didn’t today.  Wouldn’t that be a novelty?  Thinking smile

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

17 comments:

  1. It's all my fault! I'm sorry if I got you in trouble. ;c)

    We'll keep our fingers crossed that you get that Mayo call you've been waiting too patiently for.

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  2. Do you want me to call Mayo and yell at them for you? It's terrible that you haven't heard from them. But it's too funny that they thought you were in trouble. Why didn't they stop and ask if they could help. Oh well. Nice to know you are worried about.

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  3. How sweet of those two gals, that they were concerned!!! That doesn't happen too much any more, as folks are so busy just going about their business. Hope you hear from the clinic real soon!! Enjoy your days off.

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  4. What thoughtful ladies. Their intentions were in the right place.

    I am really enjoying the photos of mama and the youngsters.

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  5. You did use a telephoto lens for the alligators, right? I don't care how young they are. lol

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  6. Other than the misunderstanding and another unmade phone call, it sounds like a marvelous day.

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  7. Glad people are looking out for you, Judy! Hope you hear from Mayo soon!

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  8. Nice that someone is looking out for you :) And as long as you didn't get a phone call yet, you still have something to look forward to.... (sorry, could not resist... I'm bad today)

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  9. Slow and steady wins the best sightings.

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  10. Now if you could just be rescued from the Mayo Clinic rigamarole!

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  11. I too wondered why the ladies did not stop to ask if you needed help. Nice day for a drive for your would be rescuer though. I agree with you that slowing down is the key to seeing in nature. Stopping and staying for a while is often even better. It helps me practice patience.

    Your experience with Mayo is making me glad David didn't go there. Shame on them.

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  12. It sounds like you have BIG plans for your days off what with doing the laundry and other chores.

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  13. I often wonder why people come to these great places and drive so fast they don't really see what is out there.
    Great picture of wild life is what it's all about.

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  14. I'm glad to hear you didn't really need to be rescued.

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  15. If you were really broke down no one would stop to help:)

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  16. I sure do not understand Mayo's lack of response. It does not fit their reputation. I'd be calling every day until I got a date. Have you considered calling and asking for their supervisor? Rock the boat baby!

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  17. Wild Life is my dream, I am going plan a trip with my mates and buddies to have such an adventure, but nowadays me and my wife are planning to attend Dubai Shopping Festival 2013 , as she found such very entertaining yet exciting.

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