Today I went for a hike at Grandmother and Granddad’s ranch in Texas. I rode in a sling on Mommy's back. She and Grandmother had quite a time getting me in it, but I was snug and comfy once they were done. I also wore my new bonnet to protect my face from the desert sun.
The next thing we saw on our hike was a swarm of bees at the base of a mesquite tree. Dad got a close-up picture with his zoom lens. They were in search of a place to build their nest, and were all gone the next day. Sometimes we see a lot of bee hives that the honey people put out along the road. The bees pollinate the farmer’s crops so they will produce vegetables.
After we walked for a while longer, we came to the lake that is close to the Rio Grande. Salt cedar trees surround the water, but we were able to look through and see a few birds swimming around. Some of our dogs who came along went for a swim.
After that we saw a flock of large birds flying high above the ranch. They had long necks and were white with black under their wings. I think they were migrating from a faraway place that I will visit someday.
When we finished our hike, I was all dusty from the trip so Grandmother and Mom gave me a bath in the bathtub that Great-Great-Grandmother used to wash all the babies. I had fun taking my bath and then got to try my first vegetable -celery. It was long and green and I didn’t really know what to do with it.
After that I got to accessorize. Daddy dressed me in his cowboy hat and bandana. Grandmother says I will get to ride one of the horses soon. I can’t wait to ride around the ranch on a horse and see all the sights.
An interesting bird lives here in the desert. It is called a pyrrhuloxia. (Aren't I smart?) It looks like a grey cardinal with a bright red belly and a tuft on its head. We saw one visiting our palo verde tree in the front yard.
We also have a lot of snakes and lizards around here. When I was taking my nap, a lizard was walking on the screen in the window. I love watching all the wild things that live around the ranch. When I’m older, we will ride the horses to a bat cave to watch all the bats come out at night.
Well, I had a really fun day and am really exhausted from all the hiking and nature watching. Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.
 |
| What is this thing? |
See you on the trail.
