More help arrives

Three more volunteers pulled into the pads today.  Bob and Dorothy were here last year, so I enjoyed seeing them again.  Later in the afternoon, Cindi also set up her rig.  They all knew each other from volunteering at Aransas NWR.  Cindi will join me at the VIS tomorrow afternoon so I can train her in, and she can relieve me in case eight hours is just too much for my back.  It also means we’ll have a good group here for the holidays.

Emma and I hopped into the car this afternoon to take a ride on some of the refuge roads.

In the past week or so, thousands of snow geese have arrived to spend the winter here.  Two strong cold fronts from the north have persuaded them to head down here.  Clouds of geese fly over the volunteer pads every morning and evening for our enjoyment. 

There are also plenty of ibis around.  The marshlands are alive with life.

We also came across a merlin perched in one of the dead trees along the road to frozen point.  Before hurricane Ike, these trees were strong and well.  Each year since then more and more of them topple to the ground.

Because of the drought in Texas, many of the moist soil units are as dry as a bone.  Only a few of the channels still have water in them.  After working in the VIS this weekend, I’m hoping I’ll be up to hiking the Skillern Tract.  Because there is an abundance of water there, it is just loaded with birds.  I’ve got my fingers crossed.

I leave you with tonight’s not too shabby sunset on the refuge.  Safe travels to several bloggers that will be hitting the roads and heading south in the next few days.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Tested the waters today

After spending the last week or so in excruciating pain, and confined to the rig, I decided to test the old back out and make a run to town today.  After all, I was in need of two essential items: dog food and toilet paper.  Can’t live without either right now.  Granted, I really didn’t run, but I have a stick shift car which means pushing the clutch in numerous times.  That can be tricky with a bad back. 

Well, I’m here to report that I lived through that journey, and I think my back may be a little better for having tried.  We’ll see how it goes when I try to sleep tonight.  Sleeping has been pretty illusive the last week.  I haven’t posted in several days because there has been nothing to report except my moaning and groaning. 

While I’ve been laid up, my friend Colin left and is now safely back in England.  Next week, he and his wife will be heading for a multiple week trip to Australia.  I’m jealous of that.  I’ve always wanted to visit Australia.

Tomorrow, two more volunteer rigs will be pulling in.  I’m slated to train two of the folks in the operation of the VIS this weekend.  I plan to be well enough to do that.  Stephanie, the volunteer coordinator, has been very understanding of my condition during all of this.  I have felt no pressure at all to return to work before I’m ready.  It’s no wonder I continue to return to this refuge.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Birdie, birdie in the sky…

…Dropped some white wash in my eye

   I didn’t scream, I didn’t cry,

   I’m just glad that cows don’t fly!

I felt like I was in that Alfred Hitchcock movie, “The Birds” today.  Thousands of boat-tailed grackles decided the RV pads were the place to be.  Guess what happens when thousands of birds are circling in the sky overhead for several hours?  Thanks goodness, I really didn’t get hit in the eye, but my rig is a mess on the outside.  Yuck!  I don’t think they missed a window! 

Yesterday morning, Emma began barking outside.  As I gingerly made my way to the door, this cowboy was riding past the rigs.  Turned out he was on a mission to close the gates at the entrance road to the RV pads.

That could only mean one thing.  A cattle drive was underway.  I got Emma ensconced in the rig, since I knew she wouldn’t be able to contain herself.  Nobody needed a stampede.  These cattle drives are pretty common around here as the ranchers lease grazing land in the refuge.  They move the cattle around often so no one area is over grazed. 

Since I’m pretty well confined to the rig until my back heals, I appreciated the diversion.  If you happen to be driving down the road at a time like this, you have no choice but to stop and wait until the herd flows around you. 

                                                                                 THE END!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

A short note

One of the possible side effects of the pain meds that was prescribed was nausea.  Let’s just say that my day was spent moving from a stretched out position on the coach to hugging the sink today.  I won’t be taking any more of those!

I tried to “Listen to the Mockingbird”, but it didn’t do much good.    Looking on the bright side, over ten thousand snow and white-fronted geese have arrived in the last two days.  I really enjoy listening to them as they fly overhead.  Stephanie has also found people to step in for me for the next few days until I get back on my feet.  I’m sure glad this didn’t happen when I was driving from Indiana to here…

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy 

A trip to the E.R.

Yesterday, I thought my back was doing a little better, but I spent an absolutely miserable painful night last night.  When I got up this morning things were the worst they have been.  I got Emma put out on her lead, but that was about all I could accomplish.  I would have asked one of the other volunteers for help, but I couldn’t walk as far as their rigs, and the temperature was 32*, so no one was outside.  It turned out that Colin had left early to do some bird watching anyway.  We were going to exchange phone numbers, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet.

In the meantime I got on the computer long enough to Google urgent care, Anahuac TX.  The closest place was Bayside Community Hospital in Anahuac.  I couldn’t even sit to read blogs this morning!  Eventually, Colin returned and I flagged him down to ask if he would take me to the E.R.  Of course, he said yes.  I had planned a farewell dinner for Colin for this evening, and had to get the corned beef cooking before we left.  I know that sounds crazy, but I just had to do it.  He drove me up to the community building so I could get the meat in the crockpot, and then we headed for the hospital.

As we drove the 20 something miles, Colin kept up a good chatter to help me keep my mind off of the constant searing pain.  We talked about the unusual arrival of this Harris’ Hawk that I had spotted the other night as we sat outside enjoying the last light and thousands of geese heading into the refuge.  Thanks Colin, that sure helped pass the time.

I had imagined having to wait hours at an E.R. to be seen, but I was ushered right into a room and examined.  It didn’t take them long to diagnose my malady as a pinched sciatic nerve.  I was not surprised, I just wanted some relief!  Soon, the nurse came in with two needles, and said, “drop your drawers.”  As I sprawled over the gurney, she punctured both cheeks of my kiester.  That was another new experience for me.    One shot was a muscle relaxant, and the other was for pain.  Then, I was instructed to use an ice pack and given exercises to do to help with relief.  I also had two prescriptions filled for the pain and a muscle relaxer.  You can bet I’ll be taking them.  By the time we left, I was felling a bit better.

By the time 4:00 rolled around, I was able to slice up the corned beef and join in on the farewell dinner.  That’s my friend, Colin, on the left.  Barbara and Jim are the other volunteer couple here with me, and Stephanie and her son Eon (sp?) are on the right.  Sorry to say, I was not able to stay for the clean-up of our dinner, but sure appreciate the others taking over.  Stephanie had also found a replacement for me for the VIS tomorrow.  I just need to concentrate on getting better.  Phew!  I was worried about how I was going to be able to work tomorrow.

That’s about all I can stand sitting here tonight, so I’ll have to leave reading blogs for a later date.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Close encounters of the little blue heron kind

During the heat of mid-afternoon yesterday, I was sitting at my computer in the rig and felt a little twinge in my back.  That little twinge would become very important today, but I’ll go into that later.  Emma and I hopped into the car and took a drive on the refuge roads that are under construction.  There is one spot where the road makes a 90* turn with a water structure on the left side of the road. 

I like this particular spot because there is usually some bird action going on.  Yesterday, it was a little blue heron looking for an early dinner. 

The birds tend to stand on a ledge of the structure to hunt for fish.  It’s hit and miss, and this time it was a miss.

                                 Then the bird hunkered down a little more for a better shot.

                                              What a balancing act!  But what about results?

                                                         Aha! Victory!

                                                                    Don’t lose it now!

                                                             Time to get the fish into position.

                                                                           Almost there!

Gulp!  The fish goes down sideways.  What a moment in time.  It’s these little ordinary occurrences in nature that make my time here so worthwhile for me.  I feel like I’m one lucky person.

Fast forward to this morning.  As I was brushing my teeth, that little back twinge turned into a full blown back cramp.  Man, that sure hurt, and resulted in me struggling to be able to walk.  I was almost in tears as I tried to take Emma for her first outs.  I barely made it down the rig stairs.  All I could manage was to hook her up to her outside line, and try to crawl back into the rig.  Dang!  There went my plans for a hike on the Skillern Tract today.  The last time I had a back problem like this was 30 years ago.  I spent a lot of time in the horizontal position today for some relief.  I’m hoping I’ll be back to normal by this weekend to work in the VIS.  I’ve decided a little pampering is in order for me.  I don’t have time for this! 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

A walk on the wild side

I met Stephanie at the new headquarters this morning so I could do this year’s orientation.  The building of the headquarters was finished last year after I left, so I got the grand tour today.  There is a new visitor’s center located there, and I may work there occasionally this year.  I prefer the VIS that is actually located on the refuge.  In slow times, I can easily step outside to observe wildlife while keeping an ear out for approaching visitors.  That’s not so easy to do at the new facility.  It’s a wonderful facility, though.  I’ll post more about it after another visit.There is a nice pond located behind the building with a paved walk for visitors.

As Stephanie and I stood on the bridge crossing the pond, we noticed this frog and many dragonflies laying their eggs in the pond.  It was next to impossible to photograph the constantly moving dragonflies.  I tried, but just couldn’t do it.  Then we headed down the path to Lake Anahuac.

As we went down the boardwalk, Stephanie asked me to take a picture of this snake.  She thought it might be a smooth green snake, and needed it documented as it hasn't yet been recorded on the refuge.

When you’re out for a walk with Stephanie, you just don’t saunter along.  Sometimes you have to get down and personal with the wildlife.   

After her inspection, she was thinking it was a rough green snake, but I’ll send her my close-up just in case.  As we headed further down the path, I was swarmed by hundreds of mosquitoes while Stephanie only had one or two around her.  They were eating me alive, so I had to call a halt to the walk on the wild side.  I was afraid I might need a transfusion.

Later in the afternoon, Emma and I took a drive down refuge roads and found a couple of white ibis giving us a look.  I also had a great encounter with a little blue heron, but I’ll save those pics for tomorrow.

I’m sure some of you know what happens when you feed a dog some turkey.  Well, I haven’t given Emma any turkey, but she’s about gassing me out this evening as I write this post!  OMG!    Pass me a gas mask!  I guess it’s time to go so I can change my seat!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy