May 7, 2017
We’re coming to the end of our time here on the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas, so we need to “catch up” a little on our postings.
The refuge is a wonderful place with birds, birds, birds… In one drive around the Shoveler Pond I identified 26 different species of birds. Here are a few of the pictures:
One of our friends from Bosque del Apache, Cathie Sandell, visited the refuge and invited us to join her at the Bolivar Flats Sanctuary. An outstanding outing with a master birder!
We returned to the Smith Oaks Rookery after some of the nests had chicks! Always spectacular!
What would a visit to Texas be without a “cattle drive”. We learned that the Farm to Market roads, like the one passing the entrance to the Volunteer Village, allow the moving of herds of cattle down the road! Real cattle and real cowboys right down the road!
We joined our friends from the refuge in an American Cancer Society “Relay for Life”. We had lots of fun (note Judith’s butterfly wings!) and raised money for the Cancer Society. They had a DJ who played music throughout the evening so Judith & Colin had some fun.
Before we left the area, we made sure to visit with Judith’s nephew, Zac, and his son, David, one more time.
While the Refuge has been wonderful and we have dearly enjoyed our time with our other Volunteers, this area of the Gulf Coast has not been kind to us. Buffeting winds and weather; pollen and allergies; and we both caught the flu. I had a “Balloon Sinuplasty” procedure to open the passages to my chronically blocked sinuses that I am still recovering from. So our visit to this area has been wonderful, but challenging.
Next Monday, May 15, we will be heading out and driving north toward Grand Portage National Monument. It is about as far north, along the coast of Lake Superior, as is possible — five miles from the Canadian border. Along the way we will be stopping to visit some friends, both old and new, who live along our path.