You can avoid having ulcers by adapting to the situation: If you fall in the mud puddle, check your pockets for fish.

I believe I’m getting better at adapting to situations. This is our last week in the Valley, and while Phil and I both are sorry to be leaving, we both seem to have accepted the situation reasonably well. The only problem is how fast the time has gone by. Every day has been so full of things to do and see and of friends to share it with.

That is what I will miss the most, our Retama family.

Monday the Border Patrol came and talked to us. The talk was very informative, and I think it reassured some of the people that were concerned over their safety, being so close to the Mexican Border.

Monday afternoon we had a small birthday get together for Dale. I baked her a pineapple cake, and everyone brought finger foods to snack on.

Dale is such a classy, smart lady. I feel blessed to have her as a friend.

Tuesday I did some drive by birding. That is where I get in the car with my camera and drive and see what I can see and photograph from the car.

I saw a Harris’ Hawk.

I also saw a Great Blue Heron and another hawk that I couldn’t identify.

Tuesday we went to Mexico. I was still in birding mode, so I got shot this photo of these Bronze Cowbirds

Pretty sparrow.

While crossing the bridge into Mexico I saw this beautiful horse grazing. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.

Wednesday I went over to Sue’s for a beading lesson. I have always wanted to learn to make my own necklaces. Sue is a great beader, and a wonderful, patient teacher,

I couldn’t believe that I was able to make this lovely necklace!

Thursday I went with the birding group to South Padre Island and to Boca Chica. Sheri drove, thank goodness, and Linda rode with us. It was my first visit to the World Birding Center at South Padre, and I had always wanted to go to Boca Chica. Boca Chica is called the road to nowhere because you drive and drive and drive down this road and it ends at a deserted beach.

There wasn’t a lot to see at there, except for a beautiful beach, and this sea cucumber that Sheri and I found.

The best part of the day was at South Padre Island, at one of the World Birding Centers.

We saw an Osprey eating a fish.

The best bird of the day was this Great Blue Heron carrying this huge fish around. He would carry it, throw it down in the sand, study it, then pick it back up and carry it around some more.

Isn’t he amazing? I could have watched him all day, but of course, there were other birds to see.

A Tri-colored Heron

A Common Moorhen

A Mottled Duck

A Snowy Egret looking like a rock star. Iggy Pop, maybe?

A Belted Kingfisher

Great Egret

On the way home we saw this hawk. The wind was blowing his feathers back, so he appears to be wearing a cape, and is preparing to fly off to save the day.

Yesterday we had a yard sale at the Village. Yvonne and I shared a table, and we mostly traded and bought items from each other. I did find a couple of excellent deals: a wine chiller that was brand new for $5.00, a hummingbird feeder, and a copper wall hanging to hang in the coach house. Yvonne gave me a cool hat. I got a lot of compliments on it when I wore it.

So that was our week. This week will be crazy hectic getting ready to leave for Pennsylvania. We are planning to leave Saturday morning, so this will be the last blog post from here in beautiful, mostly warm and sunny Texas.

I leave you with this thought:

God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me.