Bibleville/Santa Ana Wildlife Reserve

I spoke to women's groups a couple times this week--their Tuesday morning Bible study (they asked for a testimony) and Thursday afternoon tea on the theme of joy from Psalm 126:2-3 and Habakkuk 3:17-19. I read from The Wooden Ox on Tuesday, the scene where Mom says she didn't have enough faith to bring out their trail mix and dried fruit when the prisoners stopped for tea. On Thursday I read the scene from Keeping Secrets where they visit the church on the corner and the African pastor preaches on Habkkuk 3:17-19. It puts the verses into a context of HIV and urban poverty. My point was that our joy is in the Lord, not what is happening in our lives. I ended by singing John Rees's setting of Psalm 73:21-28. I think I got more comments on my singing than on the talk. Most people here have older vocal chords than I do so high notes that don't wobble are important to them.

One morning were buzzed repeatedly by a biplane spraying a nearby field. It took me a while to figure out that if I went outside, he would be back and I could get a picture. Of course, that was his last pass and I had no chance to line up a second.



Orlin loaned us his golf cart, a common form of transport around here. Since three of us didn't fit, we found that we weren't using it so we returned it. But first Mom and I took a spin to check out all the RVs and mobile homes.



Today (after lunch with a Minnesota couple who spent a summer "hosting" a trailhead in Alaska) I took Mom and Steve back to Santa Ana. We should have brought Mom's walker to give her more mobility. She ended up napping in the car while Steve and I walked. I took him through the Spanish moss which stops abruptly and then starts again for no reason that we can discern. The trail went right by the Rio Grande with no security that we could discern either although getting out of the park would be a challenge if you we wet and carrying suitcases. Someone told us thater that they bring dry clothes across wrapped in plastic. Also bales of marijuana, but we didn't see any of that.

Rio Grand River at Santa Ana National Wildlife Reserve

The blind where I took pictures the other day, this time with a telephoto from across the lake.

We were mainly there to walk, but we did see plenty of water birds. I have no idea what kind.