Refuge volunteering

We are the first volunteers staying for the winter and get our pick of the sites out on San Bernard National wildlife Refuge.   It is a return to quiet and dark night skies.  Coyotes yipe in the distance.  The call of barred and great horned owls punctuate the darkness.  One scissor tail flycatcher makes a showing along with many caracaras and vultures.  The are no snow geese yet, dry weather delayed grain fields and nearly all the ponds are completely dried out.  We spot a coral snake (out on the drive not in camp!) the very first day.

We get some very much needed rain and the rye field we see from camp sprouts bright green.  It is enough to entice the sand hill cranes to check it out most mornings.  We hear them before we see them as dozens join us at breakfast time.  I love it.  A group of deer have laid claim to the area as well.  5 bucks, one a ten point, and several other young males along with a doe and her nearly grown fawn.

We are logging hours from our first day.  It starts with some routine maintenance work as we deep clean the bunkhouse in preparation for biologists coming out to survey and band black rails (now listed as endangered and this refuge includes a section of prime habitat).   Next, we take on some trail maintenance at the Dow unit of the refuge – what miserable work!  Sprawling clumps of dewberry line large sections of the trail creating a thorny wall that has to be hacked back and dragged off.  Add to that unseasonable heat, 85+!  I’m glad that’s done.  It looks great.  We have started our first boardwalk removal and rebuild. It is a 60-foot section here on the refuge office complex.  It came out without any difficulty and we have set half of the new posts.  We had hoped to complete it before Thanksgiving but have been weathered out a couple days and took one day last week to support planting on the Big Boggy Unit.   If it is not too muddy we will be back on boardwalk tomorrow.

We are signed up for a three-day work week so easily squeezed in dinner out for my birthday.  Texas BBQ at a local joint, Kenro BBQ in Brazoria.  Pretty tasty with a new treat, Texas Twinkies: jalapeno stuffed with brisket and cream cheese, wrapped in bacon then smoked.  Yummy with a kick.

Family time

Just south of Houston we are in a perfect spot to spend time with our Texas kids, Brian and Johnna and their soon to be adopted son (our first grandson), RJ.  We are catching up, sharing great food, and planning for upcoming holiday events.  Next gathering, pie baking day then Thanksgiving dinner.