The Adventure Continues – I’m back at Pancho Villa State Park

May 2009

I’m settled into campsite #44 – the one with the most shade trees, a sewer hookup, and a permanent bird bath. It’s also probably the least level site in the park, making leveling Jeremiah II a real challenge.

Job #1 was setting up my “critter cafeteria” – bird feeders and more water. My efforts were rewarded and in the first hour 12 kinds of birds showed up: Western Tanager, White-winged Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, House Finch, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Ladderback Woodpecker, Pyrrhuloxia, Gambel’s Quail, Cactus Wren, Curved-bill Thrasher, and Goldfinch. Circling overhead was a Red-tailed Hawk. Later in the day I saw my first-of-the-season Gambel’s Quail family – mom, dad and eight little fluff balls as they scurried across the park road to the safety of a large patch of ‘cow’s tongue’ cactus! This is better than winning a jackpot!

Sadly, I didn’t have a camera to take pictures. My trusty Olympus is missing; somehow I misplaced it while I was in Rio Rancho. So I’m researching cameras and will either ride the bus into Deming (closest Walmart) to buy one or order one from Amazon.

This morning a blustery north wind is blowing – creating a ‘rotating restaurant’ out of the sunflower seed feeder. A few birds have persisted in their seed breakfast; the rest must be hunkered down while they wait for the winds to subside. I’m hunkered down also, but will brave the wind for a walk to the post office.

I’ll be here until the end of July. My mailing address is: Carol Anderson, General Delivery, Columbus, NM 88029. Email is: CarolinNewMexico@aol.com or CarolinArizona2@aol.com. If you are in the area, stop by.

Two weeks in Rio Rancho

I’m backing up a bit in time. When I left Cave Creek Regional Park on April 21 I was eager to get to Rio Rancho because granddaughter Melody was visiting from Indiana and daughter Sue and hubby Dave are presently living in my Rio Rancho home. I was eager to spend time with them. That goal motivated me to abandon my ‘200-miles-a-day’ preferred routine, covering the 400 miles in one very long day!

Thanks to friends, Cat and I had places to stay: Jeremiah was parked at Jesse’s home a few days before going into service, Cat spent most of the time at Hilda’s, and I stayed a few nights at Selma’s. After picking up Jeremiah, I took it up to Cochiti Lake for three days in order to check it out before going to PVSP.