Mai and I went down to Socorro for the weekend to visit the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.  It was beyond imagination.  We spent the night in Socorro and watched the fly ins and fly outs at sunset and sunrise.  Just spectacular.  I’ll definitely supply a link to Mai’s galleries.  For once I was wishing I had a better camera.  Mai’s photos are awesome.  For now here are mine.

I knew Northern New Mexico was outstanding, but I had no idea I’d love Socorro so much down on the old Camino Real.  The creosote bush exudes the warm astringent smell found in the Chihuahuan desert.  Sublime.   The bird counts at the refuge are enormous.  10,000 Cranes.  40,000 Geese.  70,000 ducks.  The visitor center and field staff at the refuge are happy & helpful.

The bird outlines against the marbled blue and white sky soothed the soul.  The aural landscape of wind swooshing with wing flaps and bird talk high above overwhelmed my senses.  I read a quote from Charles Kuralt about how his first visit here resulted in the birds and place entering his soul.  For me something inside was awakened, ancient connections to a world that knows no nationalities or socio economic status.  A world of pure belonging and being.  The real world.

We rode our bikes on the canal trail north. In spite of a large Thanksgiving meal I made the weight limit on the bridge

this road is closed to motorized traffic. The biologist said there were elk here but they must have been bedded down. They are here for the food.  We saw raptors soaring.

This place is a perfect example of the other American experiment that’s going on.  The first experiment is seeing how we human beings fit together in a multicultural setting.  The second experiment is how we human beings fit into the natural order.  A different kind multiculturalism we must blend back into.  This graceful dance of life oh what a show.