Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Boys of Summer at Spring Training

We got up long before the sun did today. I was so groggy from waking up at 4:30 (yes, that's a.m.!) that I didn't even bother with sunrise pictures. We packed up the motor home and headed down to La Mesa RV to have a few minor things fixed. We got right in at 8:00.

After a breakfast at the local Village Inn, we wanted to explore Gene Reid Park in Tucson. The Colorado Rockies are in Spring Training, and the fields they use are located in that park. It gave us a chance to get out with the dogs and do some exploring.
The first stop was Hi Corbett Field, where the Rockies play their Spring Training games. A couple of days ago, we went online and reserved tickets for a game one day when my sister, cousin, and brother in law will be here. I wanted to see if I could pick them up today. You can just see the corner of the section where our seats are in the center of this picture.
We watched the guys practicing on several fields like the one pictured below. At one point, we were sitting at a picnic table watching them and 3 young mothers with toddlers came up to us and asked if we knew what team was practicing. "Well, these are the World Series Colorado Rockies," we told them. They got very excited, squealing and giggling, wanting to call their hubbies at work to tell them that they were watching THE Rockies. Ah, we knew them when... We attended some of their very first games in their first season.
Another exciting moment came when a ball was hit hard enough to come sailing over the fence. Jim ran and got it, a souvenir for Jacob, our grandson.
We walked around the park, taking in the sights, like this sculpture arrangement
We saw several Vermillion Flycatchers, this one was kind enough to sit very still for a picture.
We saw a variety of ducks, including this Ring Neck.
I got back to the RV park first and heard this little Cactus Wren making a big racket with her squawks. Here she is, poking her head out of a Saguaro near our site.

We got settled back in to our little spot in the desert, and had a nice visit with the neighbors.

What a great day it's been.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ellie, I believe your female Cactus Wren in the saguaro is actually a male House Sparrow.

http://www.pbase.com/merriwolf/image/93524720

Anonymous said...

Ellie, it does not matter if it is a girl or a boy...it is a pretty bird and that is all that counts. I guess you got all the stuff done to the RV ok. Hope that it was not serious. Sorry I did not get to speak with you last nite on the chat. I am working and sometimes I have to leave and come back. I hope in a year I will leave and not come back
Speedy.