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Borrego Springs, CA

Monday, December 30, 2013

It’s about that time…

… to once again look back and reflect on Emma’s and my experiences this past year.  I find the best way for me to recall most of what happened is to look at all of my photos that I took.  So, as in years past, I hope you enjoy my walk down memory lane.

71 Okefenokee NWR 2012-13As 2013 began, I was volunteering at Okefenokee NWR in Georgia, but in less than a week of the new year I had to move off of the refuge to Okefenokee Pastimes Campground.  My brother Kurt (aka Nurse Ratchet) arrived from Arizona to help me recuperate from a total hip replacement surgery at Mayo Clinic in Waycross, GA.  I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t been there to help me.

71 Okefenokee NWR 2012-131

After a month, I returned to the refuge and went back to work.  I enjoyed all of the wildlife that is abundant in the great swamplands and long leaf pine forests of the refuge. ‘Oke’ is surely a special place and a wonder.

71 Okefenokee NWR 2012-132

At the top of the list, of course, were all the enjoyable times spent with family, friends, and fellow volunteers and bloggers.  The grandgirls each came for a sleepover in the rig, I and friend Jack held a wild baby alligator in our hands, and my sister Pam helped me with taking ‘flat Joey’ on some adventures.  In this time, I was finally able to retire my cane and begin walking naturally again.  Yahoo!

72 On the way to Tamarac NWR, MN 2013

In the middle of April, I left Okefenokee to make my way to Scott, LA, for annual maintenance work on the rig.  While at Thibodaux's RV, I also had some new MCD shades installed and got new ‘shoes’ for the motorhome.  A costly stop, but necessary.  Then I was on my way to journey to northern Minnesota.  Along the way I got stopped in Arkansas a couple of times due to the weather, but that allowed me to meet up with another blogger, Carolyn, and the sister of Janna.  I did some sight seeing along the way, and battled wind storms as I got into the Dakotas.  They were strong enough to unravel my awning as I drove along.  It was a challenging journey.

73 Tamarac NWR, 201340

After several trials and tribulations, I eventually made it to Tamarac NWR in the middle of May.  The snow was barely gone when I arrived, and a week later my friend Jack arrived for a visit.  We spent a couple of days finding all the ‘big things’ we could in the surrounding area that are listed in Roadside America.  That was fun to have some company for these outings.  Thankfully, Jack is up to these kind of crazy outings.  We even went to another snazzy place to eat!  No Waffle Houses in this neck of the woods.  Winking smile

73 Tamarac NWR, 201341

May and June were spent doing bird surveys and battling ticks.  Each night I was lulled to sleep by the trumpeting of the swans.  I had to take the bird feeders in each night because of the bears, but it was worth it to spend time in another of our most wild and beautiful places.

That only gets us half way through the year, so I guess I’ll continue tomorrow on the eve of a new year…

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

29 comments:

  1. I have enjoyed every minute of your journey! Thanks for taking us along!

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  2. Thanks for letting me be apart of your adventures, Judy.

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  3. I wish you a very good 2014. Good health and lots of adventures.

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  4. I love traveling around with you and Emma
    thanks for all the posts!
    donna

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  5. Has it really been another year... I was thinking of doing the same thing ... reflecting ... I dunno. It's been great following you about and your remarkable brother and quick healing ... your post painting and field peeing ... bird naming and all the gorgeous pictures...

    Happy New Year, Judy ... and Emma ;)

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  6. Been a fun and sometimes nail biter traveling with you in 2013. cant wait to see what 2014 brings
    Happy New Year Judy and Emma

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  7. Seems like only yesterday. :-) We look forward to everyone of your posts.

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  8. Love your photo montage! Or is it a collage? Anyway .... did you mean to put poor Kurt's photo right next to that lizard?

    Happy New Year!!!

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  9. I always enjoy reading about your adventures, Judy.

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  10. Great first half recap. I loved following you the entire year. I'm ready for your 2014 adventures.

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  11. Has it only been a year since your hip surgery? You've come such a long way since then that it seems much longer ago than that. Wishing you continued good health in 2014!

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  12. I love your wrap ups each year. But it is hard to believe how fast the time seems to go by.

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  13. I want to thank nurse ratchet for helping you after your hip surgery.

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  14. Good thing you have a great brother! I enjoyed your photos and I am hopeful that summer will come again some day. We had -31 last night and right now it is - 27..I sure will be glad when this cold spell passes through. :)

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  15. What a clever way to recap the year... it must be hard to pick out which pictures to include as all your photos are so good and say so much. Looking forward to seeing the last 6 months... AND... those you'll be showing us in 2014.

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  16. I admire those of you who do these annual summaries; every time I start one, I find I have so much difficulty selecting the highlights that I give up.

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  17. What a wonderful year in photos. I love your arrangement (collage/montage/etc.) I wish I could figure out how to arrange photos in interesting groups as you've done. Do you use google blogger to do it?
    Happy New Year! I look forward to your 2014 adventures and beautiful photography.

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  18. I too enjoyed your journey every time you posted a blog! And you got to meet my sweet sister Ann--how good is that!

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  19. Thanks for sharing Judy. It seems like just a few days ago I read of these adventures as they happened. I look forward to each of your posts.
    Barrie

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  20. What a great and HARD job you did on those collages!!!! WOOT!WOOT! to you, Judy...and a Happy New Year...I'm sure ready!!

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  21. Lovely post and collage
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  22. Great recap, can't wait for part 2.

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  23. What a great year!

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Karen and Steve
    (Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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  24. Wonderful pictures. Hard to believe another year passed. Have another great year.

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  25. I want to go to the place we are talking about.

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