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Borrego Springs, CA

Thursday, March 22, 2012

A rainy, rainy day

Well, those storms that hit Arizona a few days ago have moved west through New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and made it to Mississippi today.  We had the winds and overcast skies yesterday, but the skies opened up today.  I haven’t checked my rain gage yet, but I’d guess it was a couple of inches.

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                                                                    Pale Pitcher Plant Blooms

Yesterday was a project day for Diana and me, so we headed out to walk the Escatawpa Trail (that is a part of Grand Bay NWR) to document what was blooming.  Perhaps some of you will remember that this is my least favorite trail of the four available on the two refuges.

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                                                                                  Sundews

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We did find an area with a nice example of sundews.  They are a carnivorous plant that catches insects on those dewy-like sticky droplets.  Once stuck, the spatula shaped leaves slowly curl around the insect and ingest its nutrients.  These plants are only about an inch and a half in diameter, so you really have to look closely to see them.  I think they are so cool!  I just wish I had a gazillion of them around my campsite so they would eat all the no-see-ums.  Annoyed

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We also found part of the seemingly never ending trail lined with blooming wild blueberry bushes.  I don’t know if six weeks is long enough for me to return to harvest some of the fruits for some blueberry pancakes, but I’m hoping to taste some of these beauties if the birds don’t beat me to it.

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I’m glad we got that walk in yesterday because the pouring down rain today made things slower than molasses in January at the VC today.  But, it gave us plenty of time to work on the trail guides we are developing.

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I’m going to show you what we’ve done so far.  This is the outside of the guide for the Dees Trail.

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And this is the inside.  You’ll have to imagine it as a tri-folded pamphlet.  I provide a good share of the pictures that show what you can see, and Diana does the magic on the computer.  Then we both work on the text and layout. 

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Our goal has been to provide an overview of the different trail routes so people know where to walk, and what you might see.

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Once the format is set up, the pictures can be changed every week or so to reflect the differences in what’s at peak at the current time.  We are handing out pamphlets for the Dees Trail and the Fontainebleau Trail already.

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Today we started work on the Escatawpa Trail.  Each pamphlet has turned out a little different.  Many people that stop in the Visitors Center want to have information on hiking trails, so we’re hoping these pamphlets will be well received by visitors and ‘the powers that be’ at the refuge.  I know I would enjoy using these pamphlets kind of like a scavenger hunt challenge.  Could I find everything pictured?  What do you think?  Are these something you, as a visitor, would find helpful?

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

34 comments:

  1. I think the pamphlets are a wonderful idea, and really turned out fantastic.

    The Escatawpa trail might be the least favorite, but your pictures tonight show otherwise. My fave is the pale pitcher plant. Gorgeous, delicate trouble.

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  2. Judy, I think your project is worthy of an award. Helping people appreciate what they are seeing while visiting your NWR makes the visit just that more memorable. My hats off to you and Diana.

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  3. Oh Nice Job Judy!! I'm impressed. I'd find one of those pamplets helpful if I were doing one of the hiking trails.

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  4. I like to have a brochure or map with me when I am walking on trails.

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  5. I love pamphlets like these. Yours are some of the best I have ever seen. I love the pictures of the flowers and names. The colors of the different trail in the last pamphlet is a great idea. The trail you did today is lovely. I have never heard of the sundews. Thanks for the explanation. So cool!
    We go through your area often. I WILL NOT miss it the next time we are in Mississippi! I love your job! ~wheresweaver

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  6. Judy, the pamphlets are great! Having a picture of the wildflowers is so much better than those metal labels stuck in the ground that only give the name. I can never identify what I'm supposed to be looking at.

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  7. I really like your pamphlet ideas. In fact, they give me ideas about how to develop something along that line for when we return to Aroostook NWR in June. That refuge has very little public use so they are always open to new ideas. They have very few brown shirts... even fewer blue shirts.... any help they get is very much appreciated.

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  8. You two make a good team ... now I know I have skills that might make me an acceptable volunteer; thanks for sharing.

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  9. Heck, yeah, I'd like having the pamphlet. I'm one who uses informative brochures/pamphlets to study where trails go and what I might see. Some trails have numbered signs to go with the brochures. I really like that you can change the pictures to reflect what's blooming now! Great idea. Excellent work!

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  10. Bravo. You gals have done a wonderful job with the brochure. As always your photography just shines.

    How are the yellow spotted squirrels?

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  11. YES, they are beautiful! You must be really proud to have contributed to the pamphlets. I'd like something like that, even here in Quartzsite, where I don't know the names of any of the plants, birds, or squirrels, and sometimes I don't feel like looking it up. A pamphlet like that would have been really helpful. I'll bet they go over very well. :)

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  12. Those are really great, would have loved having something like that on some of the walks i went on when traveling, and your pictures are the bomb!!!

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  13. Those pamphlets are wonderful! What I see here makes me want to visit "your" refuge! It would be so nice to have a picture then identify it in the field. Great work Judy!

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  14. Great job. We had all that rain yesterday and last nite. Pretty here, today.

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  15. great job on the pamphlets!..sure would make walking the trails a whole lot easier!..the two of you sure make a fine team!!

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  16. The pamphlets are great! Clearly marked and easy to read. Wish I were closer...would love to visit!

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  17. Love the sun dews and pale pitcher plants. Those pamphlets are going to be a big hit. They are some of the best I have ever seen. I bet the other places you volunteer are going to want some similar work from you--crazy if they don't!

    http://travelinglongdogs.blogspot.com

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  18. Wonderful job on the pamphlets. I recognized some of the pictures as having been in your blog. I think a scavenger hunt is a great idea.

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  19. The pamplets are great and will be so helpful to others as they hike the trail. The sun dews sure are a strange plant.

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  20. Your pamphlets would even get me looking at the plants and that takes some doing. :) They are going to be a big hit. I can hear me as a parent giving one to our daughter telling her to see how many she can find. (Back when she was young enough for me to giver her direction, of course.)

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  21. After I posted my comment, I got to wondering if you have some stickers or something you could give to kids who come back and report that they found all of the things pictured? Sort of a mini Junior Ranger program.

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  22. You and Diana did a great job. Nice color to bring the attention to details.

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  23. Yes, the pamphlets are terrific, easy to read and understand yet providing good information. I'd like to see some of those sundews - interesting!

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  24. Those Pamphlets are great. Catherine hates it when there is not a good trail map available. I am sure many will use and appreciate your work.

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  25. Excellent job on the pamphlets! I would definitely use one and be very appreciative of the efforts to produce it.

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  26. Good job on the pamphlets--when we do hikes in areas, I love to have something that tells us about what we are seeing.

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  27. What a great incentive to get out & about with the camera. I would really enjoy the photography end of a project like that.

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  28. Love those carnivorous plants!...like the Venus Fly Trap and that plant in the movie "Little Shop Of Horrors"...OK< THAT plant ate people...Your pamphlet is no less than a very professional job!! Very good idea to map out the trails...especially for those of us who get lost easily...Rain has quit here...sending sunshine your way!

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  29. Yep great pamphlets, I agree w/Barb of me and my dog, not great to have to go back and look up. and then not always sure what I am seeing on computer is what I saw in person.
    Noseeums.....didnt dryer sheet work?

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  30. The pamphlets should be very popular. You guys did a great job!

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  31. I do a lot of hiking, visit a lot of parks and I've never seen pamphlets as good as that. The idea of changing the pictures to what is blooming NOW is fabulous. I don't think there is a park that does that. I always find the brochures are so out of date that whatever you were supposed to see at this number isn't there anymore. Really well done!! They may never let you leave.

    What software program did your computer colleague use for this??

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  32. That is really a great job on the phamphlets. The talent you folks bring to the refuge is amazing, and to think the refuge gets it for free!!!

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  33. OMG... Those are amazing! The powers that be should thank their lucky stars that they have you two to accomplish such an amazing project for them! And donations should be accepted for them too as a keepsake and to get to have your amazing photography!

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  34. Since I never seem to know the name of what I'm looking at, I would LOVE that kind of brochure. A scavanger-type of walk would be fun and educational for both adults and children!

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