August 17, 2019
I was so excited to learn Winnie and Wayne, friends from Corpus Christi, were going to visit. They would be taking a trip through the West, stopping to visit me for a few days. I expected them on the previous Friday but got a message that they had a light on in their almost new RV and needed to go to a Ford Dealer. Further messages insued, culminating in a message that they had to wait on a part. They finally were able to leave Albuquerque the following Tuesday morning and get to my house early in the afternoon. After a late lunch, Winnie and I decided to go visit the Great Sand Dunes. She is also a photographer and avid birder and wanted to see birds. So I decided to stop by Blanca Wetlands, a breeding bird site for water birds that had just reopened after breeding season. We did a lot of exploring and enjoyed beautiful views and hundreds of avocets.
We finally got to Great Sand Dunes after the Visitor Center had closed and after clouds had moved in. Winnie raced to get across Medano Creek and up into the dunes. Medano Creek has fallen from its flood level of about eight inches to about a half inch so it proved no barrier to hikers.
We got home in time to drag out the food I'd had ready several days ago and eat a quick supper before bedtime.
Tomorrow - Winnie and Wayne take me on a train ride.
On a personal note: I'm busy with spraying for perennial pepperweed and trying to get rid of weeds around my bunkhouse and whip my garden into shape. I'm way behind in weeding and am having to harvest lettuce and Swiss chard every few days.
I was so excited to learn Winnie and Wayne, friends from Corpus Christi, were going to visit. They would be taking a trip through the West, stopping to visit me for a few days. I expected them on the previous Friday but got a message that they had a light on in their almost new RV and needed to go to a Ford Dealer. Further messages insued, culminating in a message that they had to wait on a part. They finally were able to leave Albuquerque the following Tuesday morning and get to my house early in the afternoon. After a late lunch, Winnie and I decided to go visit the Great Sand Dunes. She is also a photographer and avid birder and wanted to see birds. So I decided to stop by Blanca Wetlands, a breeding bird site for water birds that had just reopened after breeding season. We did a lot of exploring and enjoyed beautiful views and hundreds of avocets.
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| I loved the view of Blanca Mountain from Blanca Wetlands |
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| Winnie may spend even more time behind her camera than do I |
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| A few of the hundreds of avocets on this lake |
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| There are a lots of alkaline flats and salt covering some of the plants close to the water. |
We finally got to Great Sand Dunes after the Visitor Center had closed and after clouds had moved in. Winnie raced to get across Medano Creek and up into the dunes. Medano Creek has fallen from its flood level of about eight inches to about a half inch so it proved no barrier to hikers.
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| I grabbed a view of the sand dunes on the way in |
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| Winnie rushing across the creek to the dunes |
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| Medano Creek at the end of its season - it is formed by snow melt. |
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| I can never resist the sand dune patterns |
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| We got a little more sunlight just as we left |
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| It's hard to envision the hugeness of the dunes |
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| Us two. |
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| A pastel sunset lite up southern clouds |
We got home in time to drag out the food I'd had ready several days ago and eat a quick supper before bedtime.
Tomorrow - Winnie and Wayne take me on a train ride.
On a personal note: I'm busy with spraying for perennial pepperweed and trying to get rid of weeds around my bunkhouse and whip my garden into shape. I'm way behind in weeding and am having to harvest lettuce and Swiss chard every few days.
