Out on the Range

We got to go out on the refuge by ourselves!!! I can drive now as Wallace opens gates.

The rise in the background is called Black Butte, a nice landmark.

We came upon this female box turtle. 

We saw a herd of pronghorn.

Our reason for being here was to pick up this trailer.

Kathy, refuge manager, purchased these plants to replace some that died from lack of water.

Wallace and Jim worked on the irrigation system and got it working...the filter gets plugged.

We thought this privet would look good in this space in our front yard.

Wallace and I removed ten dead trees prior to the planting. There was a dead cottonwood in that empty space. We talked to Kathy about how nasty these trees were and the fact that they are brittle. We are replacing all those dead cottonwoods with privet and desert willow trees.

Our reinforcements showed up. Two SCA students and Jim (not pictured, you will meet him later.

We managed to get all ten plants in the ground with two to spare.

We are checking other plants to see if they will put on new growth now that they have water...some of them are coming back.

AND look who dropped in on us just after we got the plants in the ground. Phyllis and Nathan. It was so great to catch up with them again. They are now back in Florida on the beach!!!

Our next assignment was to drive to Valle de Oro refuge to pick up this brush pile and take it to the zoo for the elephants. We were told it was a small pile. We were flabbergasted when we pulled up to see this!!! At this point we already have the trailer full with that much left over. We took this over to the zoo where they graciously accepted it but said they did not want any more!!!

Next we were to take this trailer full of metal to the metal pile, but first the tire had to be changed as it had a big bulge in it.

I was sick this day...Kathy, Jim and Wallace went out to dig up some coffee cans buried next to rebar that were used for some kind of research.

This was out near the wolves pens and they were able to observe them from afar. I was so upset thinking I might not get this opportunity to see them.

Wallace digging up a can.

I was home sick when our friendly rv repairman, Dale Hanson called saying our cooling unit was here and he would like to install today...YEAH!!! We are so thankful the refuge had a fridge here we were able to use while we waited for this fix. It is now fixed!!! Dale came to the refuge to put it in. Wallace had a surprise when he got home that afternoon...no more traipsing over to fetch!!!

Another project was to install two signs at the rest stops on both sides of the road near the refuge. After cleaning out all the gunk that had collected inside the rim, they slipped right in. We secured them at the top with the rest of the frame. While we were there, we met a fellow from the blood bank on his way to ABQ, I asked him where we could donate, got the address.

The next day we were to take the recyclables to ABQ, what a good opportunity to drop by the blood bank. We got the okay to do that as it was nearby.

We have never had to do this any place else but here all the recycles are weighed before taking them in.

We like the way the area is set up.




That is some of the things we have been doing during our time here, other than staffing the visitor center. Sound interesting????

Exciting things to come...stay tuned.

Until next time...