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Borrego Springs, CA

Saturday, June 20, 2015

It’s a matter of perspective, I guess.

Well, I’ve spent the last week taking care of business and working at the overlook.  Nothing too exciting to report about that.  I did have to let Anahuac NWR and Imperial NWR know that I would be unable to volunteer there this coming winter since I’ll be residing at Jojoba Hills SKP resort.  I felt a little bad about doing that, but you know what?  I’m looking forward to volunteering at Jojoba when it suits me as opposed to a set schedule every week.  I may even find out what it’s really like to be retired.  No setting the alarm clock unless I want to.

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Once a week, I set up my scope and stuff at a different overlook of Bird/Goat Island in the campground.  This is where I meet with the week’s batch of Junior Ranger candidates to talk about birds and harbor seals.  It’s always an interesting time as kids range from about four to fourteen years old.  Of course, they get the biggest kick out of how parent birds regurgitate food for their young, and how the white spots on the islands are really just places coated with bird guano.  Smile with tongue out  Nothing like puke and poop stories to get kids moaning, groaning, and laughing about nature!  That’s what I did yesterday.

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                         Today, it was back to the day use overlook with, surprisingly, very little wind.

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Early on, I had my usual view of the island with blue skies overhead.  I was even able to find three rhinoceros auklets floating around in the waters.  I imagine most of you are not impressed or even care, but this was the first time I’ve ever seen these birds so I was quite excited that I was able to find them. 

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Then along about 9:45, this was my view of the island.  Can’t see it out there can you?  When the sea fog decides to roll in, it does it in a hurry.  Within minutes, visibility is down to next to nothing.

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I tried looking the other direction, and the view wasn’t much better.  I sat there over an hour waiting for the fog to lift, but to no avail.  You can’t exactly show folks the breeding birds if you can’t even see the ocean or the islands, so I packed things up and headed back to the rig.  Too bad, because I was expecting some famous/infamous(?) fellow full-time RVers to visit this morning.  I let the folks at the park check in station know that I was done for the day, and that I had been expecting some visitors.

Nick and Terry Russell

A short time later, Nick and Terry Russell knocked on my door.  Even though I wasn’t at the overlook, they had tracked me down.  And, they had come bearing gifts!

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Ever the business man, Nick handed me the latest copy of the Gypsy Journal.  It’s the newspaper that they publish six times a year about RV travel.  Lots of people subscribe to this newspaper and read Nick’s daily blog.  We had met briefly back in 2007 before the Escapade in Indiana, but our paths hadn’t crossed since then.

Now the next gift truly warmed the cockles of my heart, and here it is:

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Terry gave me a big bag of homemade sponge candy!  I couldn’t believe it.  She has apparently been reading my blog for some time, and knew my love for this sweet treat.  She found a recipe and gave it a try yesterday.  It is just melt in your mouth goodness.  Much better than the stuff I can occasionally order from the Vermont Country Store.  I am one lucky, happy camper tonight!  Thanks, Terry.

The Oregon coast weather is a new experience for me.  It’s kind of a love/hate relationship.  I love it when the sun is shining, but I’m struggling with the cold and dampness of the foggy times.  I like a little fog now and then, and what it does to the views, but I’m thinking I like the sunshine more.

I stopped at the grocery store the other day, and the check-out lady asked what I thought about the three days last week when the sun was shining.  I told her I thought it was glorious.  She thought it was terribly hot (high 70’s) and uncomfortable.  Talk about different perspectives…

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

27 comments:

  1. You got sponge candy!! Good for you. Saw this article and thought of you.
    http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/outdoors/3768210-tamarac-prepares-open-new-environmental-education-center

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  2. wow. Someone made sponge candy. Even though I have read about it on your blog, I have no idea what it is. Yeah. The fog. I was worried about that part. Hopefully the sun will come out for you more as the days progress. If not...you always have three days at Rocky Point to look forward to. Also, on your days off, take a break and drive inland. Sometimes even ten miles can make a difference.

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  3. Mmmmm. Nothing is colder than that "wet" cold.

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  4. I'm impressed.... and excited that you found some new life birds! That's even better than sunshine (well, almost).

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  5. The hot and cold is a matter of perspective, if it is below 80f I find it too cold, the warmer the better for me.

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  6. we love visiting the Oregon Coast for its beauty but we too don't like the fog and always chilly to cold temps that hug the coastline...

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  7. Be careful, Judy! True retirement is addictive! As much as I loved volunteering I'm afraid I love being commitment free, even more!

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  8. I can't imagine "true retirement" or staying in one place for very long. Hope you enjoy it, though. The most rewarding volunteer work I've done is to teach adults to read. If you say in one place a while you might want to do that or at least help kids at a school that need extra tutoring.

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  9. Who knows, you may get to like real retirement:)

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  10. I had to google rhinoceros auklets, because I've never even heard of them. How nice of Terry to make you some home made candy. I guess you'll have to get her recipe and make your own when you can't find any nearby.

    I don't think I would like all that fog either. It's kind of cool to see it sometimes, but I would be depressed if the sun wasn't shining most of the time. Is it cold there?

    I think you'll enjoy retirement and not having to be on a schedule....but it tends to make us lazy. :)

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  11. When we were on the coast a couple years ago I liked the fog/rain/sunshine but I knew it was temporary--we were only there for a few days. A steady diet of fog/rain would get to me as does the gloom of a Montana winter. How nice of Terry to make you candy! And I think your decision to go to Jojoba Hills all the time is a good one!

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  12. I don't know how I'd feel about the sun/fog/cold/warm after an extended stay on the Oregon Coast, but I'd sure love to give it a try. You are very fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time there and see it both ways.

    I remember hearing from old women in the past how the mothers would chew small pieces of meat for their very young children so they could eat it. This was before prepared baby food, of course. We humans think we're so smart and advanced because of the choices we have to make our lives easier, but maybe it was not so bad in the old times either.

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  13. Fog every day would get tiresome I'm sure. Glad you got a few days with sun. And glad you had visitors too! Homemade sponge candy is wonderful. My mom used to make it. I'll have to look for the recipe!

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  14. No wonder Nick and Terry have such a reputation with RVers. Terry really went out of her way to bring you your special treat.

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  15. As hot as it is here in AJ I much prefer the sunshine to fog or overcast. Never realized how much the weather affected me until we lived in Kalispell, MT for a few years. The winters were all so dreary and overcast all the time. I think you will love retirement. I'm also sure you won't stop volunteering when the opportunity arises.

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  16. Wow, that IS some difference in perspective...sort of like living here in Florida where SOME people think 70's is cool. I'd be in seventh heaven with temps in the 70's!

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  17. That fog definitely has it's own agenda. I remember when we were there one morning you couldn't see the RV across the way! It didn't lift for many hours but it was neat to walk through it cause it was so misty. Reminds me of a Stephen King movie....

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  18. Ah, a bird scope, of course ... that's how you saw the Rhinoceros Auklets. I was thinking you had some powerful binocs, and maybe you do. Score on a new bird! Yup, puke and poop ... gets the kids (and some adults!) every time. Usually later in the summer the fog isn't as prevalent, you just gotta hang in there. Oh, BTW, Happy First Day of Summer!

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  19. Apparently we were blessed when in that area four years ago. We had sun for an entire week. Do remember folks complaining about the heat, as we walked about in jeans and long sleeve shirts. Wishing you sunny days...jc

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  20. Wow Judy maybe you can learn to make that sponge candy and have an endless supply. I think you are going to love being retired for a change. 70's sounds fabulous to me too. Hot - that's too funny. Send her to Virginia. It's 95.

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  21. Don't get me started on sponge candy again. I have managed to not order or make any since Christmas. It's not that hard to make but I can't stop eating it until it's all gone.

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  22. We've met Nick and Terry several times, but they never brought us any candy. I guess I'm not as deserving as you are... :cD

    I know how fast fog can fall, spent many hours (days) sailing the ocean only by radar.

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  23. Lucky you.....about to REALLY retire and gifts from Terry and Nick.

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  24. So great for you to be able to kick back and retire! (YOU and EMMA!)

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  25. Crikey ...... what the heck is sponge candy?? Mum's going to google it. It's not made out of old sponges is it?? It sounds addictive. Everyone seems to like it. Ok ..... I'm off to google it.

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  26. We googled it ..... it's a violet crumble bar without the chocolate, aye?? Yummmmmmmmmmmmm!!! No wonder you like it.

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  27. Happy to hear you will take some time for a real retirement. I will workkamp/work at a tax office for at least 3 more years. I would love to travel around more and head to Alaska after that. Sunny and 70's is perfect.

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