A change in the weather

      I know that I had wrote about the beautiful spell  of warm 70 degree days we had and that all the critters were finally coming out and then nature decided that a rapid change would be nice. Yesterday and today both started out in the low 30's and just 15 miles north of us there was once again some freezing rain and some sleet this morning. We had Bird Banding on the schedule for this day but 33 degree temperatures and a howling wind put and end to that today. Good thing as wading around in chest deep water would have been just plain miserable. The forecast here for next few days will improve and by Friday we should be back in the 60's with a dryer forecast. The locals say this is one of the coldest winters they can remember but they are welcoming the rain as this is one of the dry areas in the Country. This is the most rain they have seen since Hurricane Ike passed through 6 years ago.  It is much needed to purge the soil of what's left of the salt from the Tidal Wave that ran across the Refuge and surrounding Farm fields. Much of the surrounding area and a good number of buildings are still damaged and there are still piles of storm debris on a number of properties. We took a ride down to one of the areas where the fishing boats run out of and they are just now putting in new moorings and restoring the utilities to them. So much for progress when the government is involved with wetland regulations and such but I guess there is a need for some over sight in some cases, good or bad. On the good side the new Visitor Information Station is 99 percent complete and we should be moving into it by the end of the month. Our little Garden Shed that we have grow fond of is really starting to show its age and in need of a good overhaul .                                       G