Farewell to the Bosque

A wildlife refuge isn't just a place of refuge for animals, it provides the same for we humans in a way. Our short visit here has included watching the hawks float through the air pursuing their evening meal, viewing the ducks butts bob up and down as they find their underwater delicacies and listening to the quail coo to each other across the scrubby brush.

It's been nice to revisit the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge for the past two weeks. We've had a great time learning more about the birds, seeing old friends and making some new ones. This volunteering adventure turned out to be quite different than our last time here four years ago. This time we helped organize the New Mexico Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest that is being hosted at the Bosque. There were over 350 entrants in Kindergarten through twelth grade. The artwork, of course, was as unique as each entrant. We weren't familiar with the Federal Duck Stamp, but soon learned about this pictorial revenue stamp that is sold to help fund the purchase and conservation of our Nation's wetlands. This contest is conducted in each state and the state winner competes nationally to have their art used for the annual stamp. $700 million has been generated by the program since 1934. There are a few of the masterpieces of these New Mexico children sprinkled throughout this post.

We've concluded that this stopover fits the criteria we try to meet for our lifestyle: unique experiences in a place that's nice to be, with people we like. But it's time to head on down the road again. Farewell Bosque.