CHRazy CHRristmas

My grandson, whom I haven't seen in over 20 years, is visiting this week. I took him on his first birding trip (to Lake Balmorhea). As we were crossing the dam, I stopped to photograph two Neotropical Cormorants that were close by. Which is unusual. 

So I parked well to the side, like I've done at least 100 times before, got out, birded a short ways from the car, then got back in and continued around the lake. As we were passing a cabin, a man came out motioning for us to stop. I pulled over to see what he wanted, figuring he'd say to slow down. (The speed limit there was 5 MPH.) But he wanted to rant about my stopping on the dam. Seems there's a new sign there prohibiting that. Such insanity. There's plenty of room for two vehicles to pass. At the time I was the only vehicle at the lake at all. I had paid the entrance fee. They make money from birders, who don't trash the place, or play loud music, etc. Really aggravating!

Then, as soon as we got back to Alpine, we headed south to the Terlingua Ranch area to visit with my grandson's relatives who also hadn't seen him for 20 years. I decided to leave him there to visit while I went to the Study Butte Wastewater Treatment Plant to see what birds were there. When I approached there were two men working inside the chain link fence at the pond there. Had never seen that before. They hollered at me, so I went over to see what they wanted. By then they were outside the fence. (I hadn't gone inside, nor would I have been able to.) They said no one is allowed where I was. I mentioned there was no sign, to which they replied that they were soon going to put one up. So naturally I had to know why. They said because the water (always odorless) wasn't fully treated and puts harmful fumes into the air, for which they're responsible for. I told them they could post a sign saying they weren't responsible (like this one), but it fell on deaf ears.  My son made me one and the code does say it includes birding. He'll get it hung at the oasis soon.

I'm going to see if I can talk sense into whoever is responsible for such ridiculousness. Our country is turning into a, suing, socialistic society. I could expound more, but you get the idea. I guess I'm too old.