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Borrego Springs, CA

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Off I go into the wild blue yonder…

I couldn’t believe it when I woke up yesterday morning and the sun was shining with temps in the 60’s!!  What a welcome surprise that was.  I hopped in the refuge truck and went to pick up fellow volunteer Lynn.  We would spend the morning on the East Unit.  Our task was to check out the piles of soil that we will use to get prairie seeds started once the weather warms up a bit. 

I also wanted to check out an area along Galveston Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway to see if perhaps any shorebirds had started migrating into the refuge yet.  I know it’s a little early, but one can always hope.IMG_6019The East Unit is where the duck and goose hunting occurs in season.   The duck hunting season is over now, but snow geese can still be taken on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday until Feb. 26.  Since it was a Monday, I knew we would be okay to be on the unit.

There wasn’t much bird life around, so the only picture I took was of oysters along the banks of the Intracoastal during low tide.  It was a gorgeous morning that we enjoyed until we headed out of the unit.  You could see the gray cloud cover of an approaching front coming in quickly.  I dropped Lynn off at her rig and then headed over to the VIS to have my lunch and meet a busload of seniors to give them a tour.  While I was munching away, the front arrived, it began to spit rain, and the temperature dropped like a rock! 

The bus arrived, I hopped on, and began the tour.  By this time it was close to 1:00 in the afternoon and this group of seniors was sitting in a warm bus after just having consumed a filling BBQ meal at Gator Junction.  Can you guess what that means?  Yep, most of them began to doze off before my very eyes.  Disappointed smile  I danced as fast as I could and tried to make my presentation as interesting as possible, but you might have thought that they had just consumed Thanksgiving dinner.  That coupled with the lead foot of the bus driver resulted in the quickest tour I’ve ever given.  There was thundering applause as we returned to the VIS area, but I’m not sure they really enjoyed the brief tour or were just happy to be done with it and on their way home.  I don't know smile 

Today, I put up some bird feeders at the Visitors Center, and then went to the farewell luncheon for my volunteer neighbors, Bob and Terry.  They will be heading out later this week for other adventures.  So for a while anyway, it will just be Emma and me at the Winnie facility once again.

It was miserably cold and rainy again today, but I decided it was good practice at being cold for my trip tomorrow to Chicago.

                                                    

With any luck, there will be no flight delays, and I’ll be with Robyn and her family by tomorrow afternoon.  I dug out my winter coat, and will be wearing it on the plane.  I’m off into the wild blue yonder…

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

32 comments:

  1. Your bus tour description cracked me up. Have a fantastic time with your family and try to stay warm.

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  2. You could NEVER NEVER NEVER be boring, no matter how slowly you danced. Travel safe, Judy, and have a great time with your family

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  3. Me too, just loved your hilarious senior tour description! I'm sure that the two people still awake really appreciated your great tour and lead the rousing applause. Hey if you dozed off and don't want anyone to know then you wake up and act like you've been around the whole time and applaud enthusiastically. Safe travels to the frozen north? Is this the home of Flat Joey?

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  4. Off to the blue yonder...good plan to wear that "parka" as a heat wave headed there next week. You can tell them that was your planned gift....enjoy!

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  5. Have a safe flight and a wonderful visit with the family. Stay warm.

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  6. Safe travels to the Windy. We'll try to raise the heat around here for you homecoming. After Chicago I'm sure you will be ready for some.

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  7. I'm thinking your one coat may not be enough. The prediction is so much cold up near where you're going Lake Superior is going to be totally frozen over...

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  8. Take the applause whenever you can get it:) Stay warm in the north country!

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  9. Enjoy your trip north. Maybe it won't be so bad - I think the south is going to get some really cold weather again. You can run but you can't hide!

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  10. The warmth and love of your family will keep you warm. Safe travels and make a few memories along the way!!!

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  11. Safe travels.....have a terrific visit !!!

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  12. I am sure that thundering applause was for your dynamic and entertaining presentation.

    Good luck on your trip. Hope you have a super visit.

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  13. have a good trip. try to stay warm. suppose to get up tp 30 here tomorrow..practically a heat wave

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  14. Have a wonderful trip! I know you are looking forward to some family time.

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  15. Have fun at your birthday party and visiting with family. I just bet those seniors were just "resting their eyes"....whatcha think? It turned cold and is raining here today in NOLA. We are giving up and heading west. Wonder if we will still be in your area when you return. Hope so, but doubt it.

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  16. Have a safe trip Judy! Enjoy Avery and her birthday. I still want to see fish faces!

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  17. Oh I enjoyed your bus tour...it must have been a sight to behold all that dozing off! Travel safe! :)

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  18. You must have enjoyed your trip well. Oysters look like rocks...

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  19. Next time you give a talk, tell them they will be tested as soon as you finish! Have a good trip up to Chillyville and we will be waiting to hear of your adventures.

    Jo

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  20. Hope the north cooperates for you; safe travels.

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  21. Good luck in your travels. I sure hope the weather cooperates for your flights!!

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  22. Have a great visit.... and when you come back to Texas you'll think it's balmy and warm!

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  23. Hope you have a great visit with the grandkids! Laughed out loud at the description of your bus tour!

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  24. Try to behave! (and have fun at the same time)

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  25. I'm sure you'll feel right at home up there in the wild blue yonder with the rest of the birds!

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  26. Have a great time! We seniors are just WAY too predictable! No wonder they have so many early bird (yuk yuk) specials down here in Fl! Hope your flight gets to leave on time. The last time we had company, our company got stranded an extra week down here in FL due to all the awful storms and cold up north.

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  27. I especially enjoyed the description of the senior tour!

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  28. Hope you made it today...Weather is not so good and lots of Chicago O'Hare flights are delayed...Safe Travels!...Oh, and tell Illinois we don't 'miss her at all!

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  29. Just found your blog and am loving reading along. My family and I also travel in an RV and we love to read about places others are seeing.
    Keep up the great work!
    Chad
    http://longlongwaytotipperary.com

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  30. I hope by now you are safe and warm in Chicago. Be careful out there!

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  31. Way behind in blogs, you are in Chicago now, heck you are probably back :-) Hope you have (had) safe travels. BBQ and tours after not the best idea.

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