Saturday, March 31, 2012

MOOOOMMMM! WE'VE GOT COMPANY! or... Be careful what you wish for!

Ruff, Ruff, Ruff!  Well, now we know for sure, Katie is a good watchdog...

...and she isn't backing up!!  :)

We had the most exciting afternoon!  Katie and I were sitting outside in the cool afternoon breezes this afternoon. It was around 93 degrees inside and outside, but better breezes outside. I was reading and Katie was walking around as much as she could on a short leash.  I had a cold ice water, and Katie had a plastic bowl of water.

We are camped on the edge of the new campground (great Verizon!) overlooking the Colorado River across the main road, and I noticed a car stopped on the side of the road, other cars were going around it, but I didn't think much about it.  I kept reading.  Then a woman walked by my site toward the road, and I looked up, and saw more cars stopped.  Thinking there had been an accident, or someone was in trouble, I got up and walked over to the edge of my site to see what was going on. 

That's when I saw the burros.  I ran back to The Palms to get my camera - finally!  Burros during the daytime and I was going to get some photos!   OH BOY, was I ever!



I ended up taking 125 pictures.

There were seven burros, it looked like six adults and one juvenile.  They were in the middle of the street and when a vehicle stopped, they all walked over to the windows, begging.  (That's why the camp host was so vehement on Wednesday that I NOT feed them.  I told her I only want to see them to take photos.  Obviously they are used to being fed.)


They went from car to truck to car, everyone seemed delighted.

There were some men towing a boat,
and I could hear them laughing and talking excitedly.

I stood up on the hill overlooking the road  - snapping away.

Finally all the cars and trucks drove away, and the burros started walking down the road, toward the campground entrance road.  This guy seemed to be the leader.

And he saw me.

Okay, let's see if she's got food.

I guess that's enough car-hopping.  We're going to the campground.

"OMG - Here they come!"  I actually said that out loud to myself.  :)

I ran to The Palms and got Katie off her leash and put her inside.


The rest of the burros turned up our road, then went off the road heading up the hill to our site.  EGADS!  I ran back to The Palms again and put my drink and Kindle and the Cheezits inside, and went back to take more photos.  At that point they were all heading my way, getting closer - and I hightailed it inside, too. 

No, that isn't a hummingbird.


 
They were so polite.  Just crowded around the door, thank goodness they didn't press on the screen door - and push it through.  I was a little worried about that.






They found Katie's water bowl, and between three of them, emptied it.  

They finally wandered around The Palms, and looked in the window over the couch.  


They hung around for a while, trying to get closer, quietly edging each other out of the way, just hanging around like a bunch of teenagers outside a movie theater trying to get close to the cute girl.

Then they wandered away - across the campground to a  bush and started eating it.

They were still walking around the campground an hour later. There are very few RVs here and I could plainly see them walking, stopping, looking around, moving on.


It was so much fun, I was so excited, and Katie didn't know what to make of it.  She barked a little, especially when those big faces were right on the screen door looking through at her.  She stood her ground, though, and kept her eye on them the whole time.  She was close to the screen door, then close to the couch window screen.  She stayed between me and them; it must be instinct, and I was very proud of her.

The whole thing was so absolutely thrilling, I couldn't believe it as they slowly walked up the hill to my RV site, then to my front door.  

When I got here yesterday, I was across the campground, kiddie-corner to where I am now.  I decided I wanted to move this morning and tried a couple of places.  (One of which was a little tricky - I got kind of stuck, had a problem backing out because of the loose sand.  I decided that wasn't a good spot, but it had a fabulous view.)   I really wanted to see the burros, and thought I might be too far away from them if they came through.  They ended up leaving tonight right through the first campsite I was in yesterday. 

So, that was our exciting day.  It was really hot, but I remembered  the window coverings I bought when I was in Vacaville last July visiting my daughter and her family.  It was sooooo hot. I took them out this morning and put one on the kitchen window, where the sun was streaming in.  As the sun moved around the rig, I moved the sunshades to the couch window and front window.  There was a nice breeze all day, and that helped a lot.  All in all, the heat was very tolerable with the sunshades and breezes helping.

Tonight at 8:00 it's really windy outside, and only 84 degrees inside The Palms, so it's cooled down considerably.

From Me and Katie, have a great Saturday night, everyone!  :)

30 comments:

  1. Wow, what a really exciting day. You got some outstanding pictures and some fantastic memories to take away. Sometimes little dogs take their jobs very seriously. Good job, Katie!

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  2. What a fantastic experience. A memory to recall for years to come.

    Life is good!

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  3. Katie did a wonderful job! Who would have ever thought that you'd have visitors like that!! What a memory that will be for you. When you get tired of that sun, you could share it with us...it's been raining off and on for goodness knows how many days now here in Oregon. That's what keeps it green in the summer, but you'd never know that right now!! All of the rivers are running high and brown as can be! Saw some pretty good sized logs float by yesterday when we were at Roaring Rapids Pizza. You can be glad you're not camped in Armitage Park, 'cause it looks really soggy over there right now, and the river is really high and fast. Enjoy that sunshine! And...don't feed the burros!!

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  4. What a good group of photos and what fun!! I think they were looking for carrots! Love it!

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  5. Love the photos...aren't you glad you have digital? So proud of little Katie for doing her job. She may be small but she's mighty. I remember driving through Yellowstone NP and the traffic coming to a complete standstill because of bison blocking the road. You don't argue right of way with those fellas!!

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  6. How Fun seeing all those burros. Good think Katie was there to protect you.

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  7. You are so lucky to have had this opportunity, and you got some absolutely fantastic photos! I'm also glad they behaved themselves.

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  8. Good Girl Katie! looking after your mom.
    What a fun day.

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  9. now that was an exciting day!!..burros all round!!

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  10. How exciting for you and Katie. I remember how excited I was when several deer came up to my coach while camping at Sam Houston Jones State Park. It was great.

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  11. I read this, this morning..and LOL'd :) Too cool to see them come right up to your rig. Hopefully they won't become a bother :)

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  12. Wow! What an FUNtastic day! Love all the great pictures. Great job Katie! :)

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  13. OMGOSH! WHAT an adventure. I love burros and grew up with one in PA. They are their own animal-that's for sure! Well, at least you were a good girl and didn't feed them. I'm sure it was tempting to give them a little something "for the road". What fun you are having...I love it! xo Diana

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  14. I bet Katie was thinking, "Boy those are some big dogs!" What a great experience! You certainly got your wish! I wonder if they have a regular route they travel each day.

    You're right about bison. I thought Jack was going to get me into some real trouble in Yellowstone.

    Did you happen to try the *228 on your phone to update Verizon?

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  15. Well, how exciting and groovy was that!?! Sounds like me, your 125 snaps! So glad you and Katie shared this amazing experience. As far as "be careful what you wish for," my Reiki mentor liked saying, "Pray and DUCK!" ;)

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  16. Oh they are so cute, someday I'd love a donkey - can't have one while RVing though! The cutest thing I've ever seen was a day old miniature donkey - oh my gosh that little thing was cute beyond words - she didn't look real!

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  17. I can't even imagine what the girls would do if we had that kind of fun at our house. I love the pictures. We saw burros at Alamo Lake and also in Oatman. They are such cuties. I would really want to feed them though. Maybe just putting out water for them would be okay.

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  18. What a lot of fun !!

    Sure glad the burros were very polite, and not being "asses" around your rig ... LOL !!

    Have a great day ... TnT

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  19. You wished for burros and you got burros...almost in your living room. :) I can just see you scurrying around, putting your stuff away before they got there. And cute little Katie doing her best to protect you. Fun day.

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  20. I LOVED your experience! Isn't it great seeing wildlife up close.. and really personal! Glad you had your camera close by. Way to Go!

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  21. That WAS exciting! Could even feel it here!!!

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  22. Lol, she is so brave! Thanks for sharing - we enjoyed the story!

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  23. What an exciting day you had! I am jealous! I would have loved to experience that. Great pics too. Katie looks so cute looking out at them.

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  24. Great photos. Good girl Katie, tell mom u get an extra treat.
    Would imagine if you did feed them they would become a pest. Checked you out and found no food so went on their merry way. Seeing them at Katies water, I wonder where do they get water in such an environment ?

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  25. That sure was an exciting experience ! I'd be clicking madly also.

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  26. That is SO COOL! What cute mooches they are! You're lucky.

    Roxanne

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  27. Fantastic photos! That is the closest I have ever seen a burro. What beautiful faces they have, with such large expressive eyes. Seeing them clustered about Katie's water bowl made me wonder where they would ever fiind water in such heat. I suppose giving them water would have been as bad as giving them food. I admit I would ahve been tempted. I love that Katie watched over you. I love this about chi's, they have big hearts and big spirits, they don't know they are small. (())'s to you and Katie The Warrior Princess.

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  28. Just got your link from RVSue's Blog! Where are you camped to find all these beautiful burros??? Sue will be so jealous, she was hoping to see some at Burro Creek campground, but none so far. You mentioned the Colorado River...
    Love your photographs! Hope Chuck and I get over to that campground one day! Geri

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  29. that is so exiciting -how kewl is that...love the pics thanks for sharing em...katie sure wasn't scared on the other side of that door!! lol

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