MORNING JEEP RIDE AROUND THE REFUGE NETS US A BREAKFAST BURRITO AT KARL'Z SAND SHACK

With the past 4 days of running around willy-nilly we decided to stay right where we are today.  Aside from a Jeep drive around the refuge this morning we didn't do a whole lot of anything.

ON OUR WALK THIS MORNING WE CAME ACROSS THIS 'DAD'-'MOM' LAID OUT IN STONES ON THE DESERET FLOOR

LOOKS LIKE LONG TALL KELLY IS ON THE MOVE

COULD BE A TUMBLED IN MINE SHAFT ENTRANCE

THERE ARE ALWAYS CURIOUS THINGS TO BE FOUND OUT HERE

SOME KIND OF AN OLD WOODEN BUILDING ONCE STOOD ON THIS SPOT AND SERVED SOME KIND OF PURPOSE

A LOW FLYING PLANE WINGS OVER AND OH MY WHAT BIG WHEELS YOU HAVE

Every day here at the Cibola Wildlife Refuge we are reminded how fortunate we are to be in this quietly peaceful place with very few people around. No kids on ATV's and dirt bikes.  A few Boondockers scattered about over a large area.  We hear the sounds of many Sandhill Cranes in both early morning and evening.  There are fields and trees of green as well as a small forest complete with a high branched canopy of birds overhead.  Managed irrigation keeps everything well watered and to top it all off the Colorado River runs right through the whole refuge from North to South.  This place is truly a gem in the rough and the longer one stays and becomes familiar with the surroundings the more this place grows on you.  Not for everyone of course but for folks like us who prefer to stay away from the main stream of things most of the time it's perfect.  I much prefer the he-hawing of a donkey herd or the weebling of a thousand Sandhill Cranes overhead to the chattering sounds of an animated group of people nearby.  Yes indeed it's a good thing we are all different with our likes and dislikes:))

WE DROVE ALONGSIDE THE COLORADO RIVER FOR A WAYS EARLIER TODAY

A FAVORITE PLACE FOR FISHERMEN TO LAUNCH THEIR BOATS

Our Jeep ride this morning took us through the little community of Cibola so it being Saturday we knew Karl'z Sand Shack would be open and we could split a breakfast Burrito.  Kelly went in and the Burrito was $6 but the lady didn't have change for a $20 bill.  There was another fella there waiting for a Burrito and he stepped right up and said, 'no problem Ma'me I'll pay for your Burrito'.  And he did.  Now how's that for some good old American hospitality eh:)) 

STOPPED IN CIBOLA FOR A BREAKFAST BURRITO

KELLY GIVES A HEARTY WAVE TO THE FELLA WHO BOUGHT US A BURRITO AT KARL'Z SAND SHACK:))

I generally take Pheebs for an afternoon walk and Friday afternoon right close to where we are parked we came across an almost forest like setting in a Tamarisk tree grove.  The trees and other greenery are in a ravine where water collects after heavy rains.  I'm guessing in Monsoon season this area turns into a pond or small lake because of all the rainwater ending up here.  The Tamarisk trees were so thick in spots we couldn't even make our way through them.  

IN MONSOON SEASON I'M GUESSING THIS GREEN AREA COULD VERY WELL BRIEFLY TURN INTO A SMALL SHALLOW LAKE

THIS LITTLE PATCH OF DESERT LOOKS MUCH GREENER THAN THE DESERT SURROUNDING IT

YOU CAN SEE HOW WATER HAS POOLED  HERE FOR AWHILE 

GROWTH IS SO THICK IN THIS TAMARISK TREE GROVE ONE CAN'T WALK THROUGH IT......AND LOOK AT ALL THE 'GREEN' ON THE DESERT FLOOR

JUST GOES TO SHOW WHAT AN ABUNDANCE OF WATER CAN DO IN THE DESERT

YEARS AND YEARS OF TAMARISK NEEDLES

AND LOOK AT THIS, I ALMOST EXPECTED SOME GOLFERS TO COME WALKING BY

AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS 'SHERWOOD FORSET' SETTING WAS THIS GREAT CAMPSITE WHICH WE CONSIDERED MOVING TO EXCEPT WE WOULD HAVE LOST OUR PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN VIEWS ALL AROUND

GROANER'S CORNER:(( "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said the teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy, confidently. "Means carrying a child."
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Teacher to the class: "How can we keep our school clean?"Student: "By staying at home?"

Do you know why New Yorkers are always so depressed? 
Because the light at the end of the tunnel is New Jersey. -----------------------------------
Two men are approaching each other on a sidewalk. Both are dragging their right foot as they walk. As they meet, one man looks at the other knowingly, points to his foot and says, Vietnam, 1969." The other points his thumb behind him and says, "Dog crap, 20 feet back." ==================