I trust all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was great. I went out to dinner with my friend Anne and another couple who I have met several times. It was very nice not to have to cook, clean up, or have leftovers.

Yesterday, I went to a book group to which I had been invited, thanks to Anne. We all had read HALF BROKE HORSES, by Jeannette Walls, a 'REAL LIFE NOVEL' about her grandmother, a very independent woman who lived in west Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in the early 1900's. Quite an adventure story.

The women there were also very nice, most somehow associated with TECH or their husbands are. All my age and older. I loved it, and plan to attend these meetings and read the assigned books as long as I am here. It was nice to meet a group of people who are involved in lots of different activities. They also invited me to come to their Friday lunches. They meet at different Socorro restaurants. I look forward to that also.

I have started going over my WILLIAM PROJECT letters and pulling out people names, place names, and words or phrases that might not been easily understood today. Then I will start researching all the names, most of which are military personnel and friends of William's.

Yesterday, after the book group I drove down to the Bosque refuge. I needed to pick up a couple of things at the gift shop, and I wanted to see what is going on. A lot is going on!! There are now nearly 14,000 Sand Hill cranes; 57,000 Snow Geese; 90,000 ducks; and 13,000 coots; as well as other type of winged fowl. I love that the coots are separated out. . You know, I remember my father saying "He's crazy as a coot", or "you old coot". Now I know why. They are so funny to watch, with that distinctive white beak. Half the time they are head down in the water, with their butts in the air, or looking like an overturned black rowboat, with just their heads down in the water.

I get some pretty good pictures with my digital camera. It is totally amazing to me to see the camera equipment some people have set up. On tripods with these huge incredible lens; or strapped on to one's body so they are hands-free. Yesterday, as I was leaving just before sundown, there must have been fifty people with their cameras all set up, waiting for the cranes and Snow geese to fly in to their nightly resting spot.

I didn't take my usual route, just going around the farm route, as the birds are mostly feeding now in the fields. Just as I rounded a bend these guys were crossing, so I quietly got out and took several photos -

Just up the road from that, I stopped at an overlook where another field is being flooded...I walked past the canal where the water was flowing into this field.
Around the area there were Canada geese settled under some trees, Sandhill cranes looking for food, and several types of ducks. One pair were Mr. and Mrs. Mallard who were going back and forth sucking up who knows what...

Further along I came across this beautiful sight - Oh how I love the mountains

Continuing on, I came upon five or six stopped cars so I knew there was a sight to be seen. And it was true - there were two different fields like this, and thousands of cranes in each...

They were really fun to watch. Some were watching us, others were challenging each other, all the while every one of them was communicating with one another in a loud gurgling bubbling sound. When newcomers flew in, many of them made a very distinctive cry perhaps greeting the newcomers or telling them to get the hell out!!! Since I don't speak the Sand Hill crane language, or at least not yet, I can't tell you which it was!

These pics shows the red caps the adults have on their heads. I think that they have look-outs as do the Canada geese...

And here is one coming in for a landing...

Not too far from these fields, were fields full of Snow geese, with many others flying in from other locations in the Refuge. Everyone needs to fatten up for the long flight back to the north...

Rounding another bend in the road, I spotted four deer feeding - very quietly I parked and got out, and got a fairly good picture of them. I am not sure which type of deer they are, and I rarely ever see any four legged animals out here...

I finally arrived at the Flight Deck area, where everyone with cameras was waiting for the big fly in at sun-down. I drove a little further, and stopped. In the water, further down from the flight deck, in the same huge pond, were probably two or three hundred Snow geese.

They are really beautiful creatures. I hadn't noticed before the black feathers they all had, some more prominent than others.

A male Pintail duck was right in there with them...

Suddenly, a group of Snow geese took off...

And then more and more took off...

And this is what the same spot looked like just before I left the area...

But, never fear, that spot will be loaded down with Snow Geese once the sun drops behind the mountains.

When I was driving in, I came across a pond where there were a lot of cameras set up, and there were hundreds if not thousands of Snow geese in the water as well as up on the perimeters of the pond. I told myself that they would be there when I drove out. Wrong! There were still Snow geese there, but 90 percent less than when I drove in...

One week from tomorrow Matilda and I are heading for San Diego. We will first stop in Casa Grande, Arizona, overnight, and then drive to Marty's the next day. Then on the 13th, Marty and I will be heading for Molokai for two weeks. I just can't believe that time is flying so fast, and that tomorrow is December 1st! It is my grand-niece Natalie's 5th birthday.

I will most probably write one more blog before I leave, and I will be blogging from San Diego and Molokai.

A hui hou,

I love you all,
Sally