A "Wild" Weekend

We woke up at 5:30 am to this....Elk in our backyard!

And so our day began.....early, as the drive to Summerlake is about 2 1/2 hours.  We were to meet our friends Ruth Burleigh and Dave Brown at 7:45 for the trek to the lake to view the bird migration.  Summerlake is an amazing waterfowl refuge in the south eastern part of Oregon.  March is the perfect time to see the migrating birds. We were in for more than a treat! The drive flew by as we were treated to stories that only two "old timers" would know....stories about the history of the area, other treks  they have been on and so much more!  Jerry and I were mesmerized, as if taken back to our childhood, snuggled on a grandparent lap, listening to our favorite story.....

We are almost to Summerlake and Dave stops along side the road to show us something.....
PETROGLYPHS!

Dave is explaining what they mean

I've never seen petroglyphs in the "real", this was an amazing stop. 









We barely made it into the refuge when we saw two Tundra Swans.....that was an omen.....

Enjoying lunch with Ruth and Dave

Amazing lunch!

I cooked a cassoulet in the dutch oven....it was amazing.  I will share the recipe, it's easy!

A muscrat lodge

very hard to see, two Sandhill Cranes in the middle right....

And we have lift off.....20,000+ Snow Geese
The sound was stunning to say the least!

These Coot ducks were so cute, they bob their
heads as they swim....

What is it about old barns that is so darn intriguing?
Maybe it was the Great Horned Owl?
Maybe it was watching him cough up a pellet?
Maybe it was the wind, banging the loose boards against the old structure.....
Enchanting.

Perfect sunny day, petroglyphs, 33 varieties of birds, amazing picnic, great stories by two people who have been everywhere and seen everything, Snow Geese flying, eight Sandhill Cranes walking, two Golden Eagles, five Bald Eagles, AND A GREAT HORNED OWL!  What more could the four of us have asked for?

An amazing day with two amazing people.  Life is good!