Busy, busy, busy – fun, fun, fun!

Week 5 at Pancho Villa State Park

Wed. Nov. 22
There’s never a dull moment around here. This afternoon I worked at the museum, and this evening my Albuquerque friend, Larry Flinn, arrived. Between my motorhome’s door light and two flashlights, he got his tent pitched. The low temperatures have been in the mid to high 30s so I offered him a small electric heater, but he said he would be just fine.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving plans included a potluck dinner at the LOW RV park. About 70 folks gathered to enjoy delicious turkey and all the trimmings meal.


Back at Pancho Villa and well-fed, Carol R., Larry and I took a long walk around the park, stopping to look at various old structures. We walked up Cootes Hill – the area where Pancho Villa gathered the Villistas prior to the pre-dawn raid on Columbus. We also gathered up a few folks to join our evening bonfire. (Thanks, Selma, for the firewood.)

Friday, Nov. 24
With nothing planned for Friday until evening, Larry took the hoe and cleaned a nearby section of weeds – he hoed and I raked for an hour or so. One more section done – the park is really looking good.

Carol R, Larry and I headed to Deming to have dinner at the Adobe Deli. As we headed north on Highway 11, we were treated to a magnificent sunset. Here’s one of the photos I took.



The Adobe Deli is certainly not a deli. The building is an old school house; very rustic. It is open only for dinner. Carol R had salmon, Larry and I had steak.

Saturday, Nov. 25
Once the morning warmed up a bit, Carol R., Larry and I headed for Rockhound State Park and Spring Canyon (a part of Rockhound) to hike. The park is about 25 miles from here. We had hoped to see some Ibex and Bighorn Sheep, but no luck. We hiked about a mile on an animal trail – gained about 1,000 feet in altitude (from about 5,000 to 6,000 feet). At the top we had a wonderful view of the valley below.



Sunday, Nov. 26
Did you know that hoeing and raking weeds is a good early-morning warm up? Larry and I tackled a few more weeds before he left to drive back to Albuquerque. Thanks to his help (I can count his “work” time), I have more than my requirement for the month – and several more areas are free of weeds.

Carol R’s pilot-friend Barbara flew down from Albuquerque to Deming to join us for lunch at the Pink Store. It was Barbara’s longest solo flight to date.

Monday, Nov. 27
It was a cold, blustery walk to the park’s recreation hall for this morning’s Volunteer staff meeting. Ranger Brian talked about the coming week’s plans and handed out December’s museum staff schedule. Two special programs are scheduled in December along with a “yard sale” sponsored by the Friends of Pancho Villa State Park.

In the afternoon I worked on tallying up volunteer hours in the Rangers’ office.

Tuesday, Nov. 28
Carol R and I joined the LOW group for the regular Tuesday lunch at the Pink Store in Palomas. Each time I try something different on the menu, and for the first time I ordered something that wasn’t especially good – chimichangas in red chile sauce.

I had the 1 to 5 p.m. shift at the museum. Here I get to meet so many interesting people. It is amazing that people will add 60 miles to their trip (round trip from Interstate 10) just to see the Pancho Villa Museum.

Wednesday, Nov. 29
The weatherman says we will have below freezing temperatures the next few nights, so I filled Jeremiah’s fresh-water tank and disconnected the hose. Then later this afternoon I bundled up and walked the campgrounds to alert campers to the potential for freezing.

Thursday, Nov. 30
Mucho brrr! My outside thermometer registered 18 degrees at its coldest last night. Thankfully, I am snug and warm in my motorhome.

Carol R’s RVing friend Roberta arrived yesterday evening. Another visitor – another lunch at the Pink Store!

Friday, Dec. 1
Carol R and Roberta both left in their motorhomes this morning – they are headed for Las Cruces and then points beyond – but not before Carol R. turned in a volunteer application and met with Ranger Brian. Carol R will be volunteering here at Pancho Villa during March and April.

My Verizon wireless Internet card arrived this afternoon, and I got the software installed and the card works! I now can regularly check email, access web pages for information and do a better job keeping my blog up to date. No changes to my email addresses – carolinnewmexico@azulstar.com and pceditor@uspca.com.

Saturday, Dec. 2
Well, things are warming up a tad – only got down to 24 degrees last night. It was another early day for me today in order to help at the “yard sale” which we held in the park’s recreation hall. Volunteers also helped get the museum set up for this morning’s program: a man who makes things from horseshoes.

In the afternoon a couple of us worked to untangle quite a few strings of lights that will be used to turn a large fir tree into a Christmas tree for the season.

I’ve been determined to get my blog up to date this evening before heading to bed.