Ingrid's Corner, Texas

Comedy of Errors

by Ingrid

It was another early morning around the RV.  Once again, Al and his buddy were heading to the marina by 6:15 a.m.  While I sat in bed enjoying my first cup of coffee, I contemplated how energetic I felt.  I determined, not very!

Rockport, Fulton, Texas

While sipping my second cup of coffee, I read emails and glanced out the RV window checking for cloud conditions. It looked like another morning of ho-hum skies, eliminating any urgency to leave the comforts of the RV post-haste for a photo-op.

roseate spoonbillFinally around 8:30, I hopped in the truck and headed on over to one of my favorite areas to walk. I figured I might as well get in some exercise since the day won’t be about photography. But this gal never goes anywhere without her trusty camera slung around her neck. One never knows when a rare photo-op might present itself!

There’s a relatively new housing development being built not too far away from our RV park near Rockport, Texas.

This former home builder still likes being around new construction and enjoys checking out the latest trends in the housing industry.  I even enjoy the smell of lumber!  I know, weird 😏

 

new homes
I still like checking out new construction housing developments – walkway lower right.  This photo was taken on a beautiful sunny day …. just one of many.
paver boardwalk
this is the walkway aka boardwalk in the new housing development. Houses are on the right – marsh and Gulf on the left. This photo was taken on that foggy morning in my previous post

Anyway, I love getting in daily strolls in this gated community.  Most of the homeowners are only here occasionally … maybe on weekends or holidays.  The houses are used primarily as second homes.  Thus, I usually have the “boardwalk” (their label, not mine) to myself.

Gulf shore birds

I parked the truck in my regular spot and took the path to the walkway.  As I started down the boardwalk, I immediately gasped in awe and glee. The little ponds in the marshes were loaded with shorebirds. Thank goodness, I brought my camera. It was a gloomy, overcast morning and my camera seemed to have difficulty focusing.  Perhaps, it was camera shake due to my excitement.

Vision versus reality

Texas birding
this may be reality  …. but
colorful birds
this is what my mind saw – a vibrant flurry of color – where to look? where to point the camera? To say I was excited would be an understatement!

I was elated to have stumbled upon so many shorebirds.  I did my best not to startle them, but the slightest movement on my part seemed to send them flying off to the next pond.

roseate spoonbill

I slowly followed in their direction and my camera continued to work in overdrive.

Well over an hour later, it was time for me to leave.  Oh, how I wanted to stay longer, but my teeth were floating from the coffee ingested earlier. As I approached the truck, I dug around in my bag for the keys. I couldn’t seem to find them. I entered the code on the keyless entry pad on the driver’s side door of the truck and began searching the vehicle floor, ignition, passenger seat and still no keys. It is so not like me to misplace my keys.

egret

I began to wonder if the keys had somehow fallen out of my bag while I was retrieving a new camera battery. After all, there was a lot of excitement going on and while I dug in the bag for the battery, I kept my eyes on the birds and not my bag. My keys could have easily fallen out of the bag.

So it was back to the boardwalk to retrace my steps. Still no keys. Eek! I’m frazzled and really need to pee but the last time I used the construction porta-potty, I attracted a lot of attention from the workers … something I was hoping to avoid this go around. Plus, I was in no mood for jovial sparring.

egret
someone’s feathers are ruffled

“Check the truck again, Ingrid“, I said to myself. I tried punching in the code on the keypad but had a total space out. “Oh my gosh, I can’t remember the code!”  😱  Just then, one of the landscapers yelled something out to me.  In a daze, I asked, “I’m sorry, what?”  He repeats,

“Did you get some nice shots?”  “Oh, yeah“, I responded, still frazzled.  heron

All I could think about was losing all the keys on my key chain.  The truck key was one thing, but the other keys, holy sh*t, not easily replaced!!!

As I responded to the landscaper, something to the left of him caught my eye. Ah-hah! There was a lone construction porta-potty in the distance and after a quick visit, I was once again able to think clearly.

I still couldn’t remember the keyless entry code on the truck though.  Talk about a total brain space. 🙄

Oh well, I shrugged and thought to myself … guess I’ll just have to walk back to the RV Park and get Al’s keys which he always leaves behind while boating. I thought about calling my friend and neighbor in the RV park, but I forgot to take my cell phone with me … grrr .. talk about a comedy of errors. So calling her wasn’t an option.

Well, I needed the exercise anyway considering I got sidetracked earlier by all those birds.

great blue heron
Hmm, this heron looks like a dragon from Game of Thrones!

So it was off to the RV Park on foot. Along the way, I discovered the roosting grounds for Great Blue Herons and a delightful pond.  Once again, I was sidetracked and found myself meandering through a grove of twisted oak trees all the while my brain kept saying, “Focus Ingrid focus … tend to business“.

pond
note the tops of the trees – great blue herons nesting

I couldn’t help but get sidetracked, but soon logic took over and I was once again on my way to the RV Park.

But then …. the unique sound of the Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks stopped me in my tracks.  These squeaky guys always make me smile and I can’t resist looking up to the skies when I hear them to catch a glimpse of their beautiful coloring. Little did I know, I was in for a treat. As I stood still trying to blend into the trunk of an oak tree, I watched them circle. Hundreds of whistling ducks landed not far from me. Then to top it off, a deer emerged from the brush.

whistling ducks
black bellied whistling ducks

whistling ducks

Alas, after being sidetracked a couple of times, I finally made it to the RV to retrieve Al’s keys. I stuck my cell phone in my bag (just in case) and briskly returned to the truck.  Well…. maybe briskly is an overstatement since there was a slight detour back through the oak trees and the heron nesting grounds. But I swear, it was brief 😉

great blue heronBy the time I returned back to the RV with the truck, Al was home. He and his buddy had a great morning out on the water. He had worked up an appetite and wanted to know, “What’s for lunch?” Twenty minutes later, we were sitting at the local restaurant dive up the road indulging in an awesome shrimp po-boy sandwich arguing over the code to the truck keypad. It seems I confused Al, as well as myself.

To wrap up the day... I had one of the most exciting bird photography mornings ever along with a very cool location discovery.  My close proximity to the shorebirds is what lent to the thrill.

I lost my keys and later found my keys on the backseat floor.  Don’t ask 😆

I ended up walking about four miles that day. I took hundreds of blurry photos. Therefore, I thought I had broken my camera. Oops! Can we say “user error”? Maybe! Ah-ah, camera fixed.

sunrise
Someone woke up someone early!

I confused my husband regarding the keyless entry code on the truck, but not to worry.  The code was recalled in the wee morning hours the next day… I believe someone waking someone exclaiming, “I REMEMBER THE CODE” was involved.

Lost my keys. Found my keys. Walked four miles. Broke my camera. Fixed my camera. Communed with hundreds of birds. Confused my husband. Husband remains confused (living with me thirty plus years, confusion justified lol). What an exciting day. Ah, rarely a dull moment in the life of a full-time RVer. Love it!

seagull

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109 thoughts on “Comedy of Errors”

  1. Pingback: Embracing Photography Failure | Live Laugh RV

  2. Wow is an understatement. I can relate to your getting frazzled when hundreds of birds are in one place. You certainly hit the jackpot! Im still jealous 🙂 Im not there.
    Great photography!

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    1. You were in my thoughts that morning and I know you would’ve run out of ‘film’ 😄. I continue to go back to that very spot in hopes of encountering a repeat of birds, but no luck. It’s all about timing, isn’t it?

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  3. Lovely photos…my friend! You cease to amaze me! Miss you! We have been busy enjoying the desert! Escargot is starting to come to the forefront of my To Do List… But with you and Al of course. Text me when you are back in Phoenix.

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  10. Thanks for sharing your joy and excitement of your shore bird encounters, the photos are beautiful as usual. Thanks to for allowing us to laugh along with you on your crazy day. It looks like the Rockport area has changed a great deal since the 25+ years we were last there.

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    1. Thanks Jeanette. Oh, I’m sure Rockport has changed a little, but it still maintains a small town charm. Mustang Island seems to be really building up though. Any thoughts of returning to the area once you hit the road fulltime?

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  11. You managed to create a beautiful set of photos while rolling with the punches. A blue sky may have deterred from the magnificence of the birds. Love the white and pink.

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  14. Hahahahahaha!!!! Sounds like quite an adventure. What a great find of those roosting Herons! I, too, am a real Geek when it comes to wildlife photography. I suggest you and Al find a couple other Rvers and take a summer to drive to Alaska..it is a once in a lifetime adventure…We did it once , but no RV. I could sure give you some hints of where to go..I took a video camera and a 35mm with zoom lens, no cell phones or cameras then…and then had to send 15 rolls of film in to get developed..You two would love it!!

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    1. It was an eventful morning indeed. We have definitely discovered some amazing places in the lower 48 that we relish returning to. We’ll forgo the Alaska trip even though I know the sights would be wonderful. Al lived up there during his military days and doesn’t have a desire to put the rig through the rough roads, etc. or deal with the expense.

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  15. How can I add anything to your numerous collection of great comments! Just WOW! Those bird shots are amazing! Also great key story! It reminds me of when my wife and I (also together over 30 years) rented a couple sleek red kayaks one recent summer. We were on a mirrored lake near sunset – she was ahead of me – a beautiful photo-op-… but as I opened the small hatch to get my camera, my keys suddenly popped out of the hatch and down, down, down into the lake. However I managed to hang on to the camera and not capsize the tippy kayak by not lunging for the airborn keys!

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    1. Thank you and oh my gosh, keys overboard? I one time lost a lovely ruby bracelet that very way and instead of shedding tears (of course there were tears 😉) I joked “Somewhere down there is a beautifully bejeweled fish”. I guess life would be boring without entertaining mishaps.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I like your attitude! So now I think there is an enterprising fish down there who can open my truck via the remote. btw, I only had one remote, but decided not to replace it for the price of $300!

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  16. Hilarious story! Your bird photos made all the confusion worthwhile. I love the spoonbills….but your photo of the two Great Blue Herons is my favorite. What a great capture. And what a treat to see all of those Black-bellied Whistling Ducks! We really need to get ourselves back to Rockport.

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    1. I have a few more GBH shots I can’t wait to share. Talk about perfect models! It has been a lovely season for us along the Texas Gulf Coast.

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  18. OMG…hilarious day…and amazing day…I am so jealous of all your shots. What are you doing to catch them in motion?

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    1. I had a couple of great photographic days. Sometimes the birds enjoy gracing me with their lovely presence which is not the norm. I keep the camera set on ‘burst’ mode capturing 3 shots at a time in hopes one will turn out.

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  19. I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason. Loved reading about your magical day and how the frustrating loss of keys allowed you to experience beauty in nature. I really love the Spoonbills and am always excited to see them, especially when I have my camera ready. So glad everything turned out well in the end.

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    1. Couldn’t agree more. If I hadn’t been forced to walk back to camp, I doubt I’d a made these discoveries. Through trial and error, I’ve learned to keep the camera ready, always carry a back-up battery, and expect the unexpected. 🙂

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  20. Loved your story Ingrid, it is amazing how out of our misadventures God can bless us with something special. I guess he knows we will appreciate it, so he makes sure we don’t miss the moment. I enjoyed your true life adventure, it is something each of can identify with, which helps us all see how normal we all are, in the midst of our madness:-)

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  21. OMG, Ingrid, I loved this post!! It could have been Rick and I all over, lol. What thrills you found while on your mission of the lost keys, WOW! It sounds like a ‘meant to be’ kind of day. Great sightings and awesome photos, love seeing the Whistling Ducks and the deer, how cool is that!! Your last photo of the center gull’s expression says it all, great ending. 🙂

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    1. I love capturing images of birds with unique expressions or poses. Life would be dull without these mishap kind of days. Would love to share these special birding sites with you one day, and no long walking required…. unless you loose your keys 😄

      Liked by 1 person

        1. How wonderful – congratulations 🎈 Ah yes, I remember that “mom” brain well. I do hope you’ll share your little nugget with us, but understand the desire for privacy. Sometimes social media can be a tough balancing act. Savor every moment!

          Liked by 1 person

            1. Yes I’m on Facebook = “Ingrid Elizabeth” and I also have an Instagram account, but have never used. I don’t take photos with my iPhone 5 thus making the process of sharing via Instagram a tad more involved.

              Liked by 1 person

  24. Fabulous! What a crazy but totally satisfying day! Again, some awesome pics! The color of those birds is so pretty! I’ve never heard of those black bellied whistling ducks but they were cool. And a deer to top it off! Whew! Life is good!!

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    1. The ducks also have the most unique sound. Thus, I can always hear them, alerting me to get the camera ready. They fly super fast though and therefore a challenge to photograph. Crazy BUT fun day!

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  25. Oh dear, I’m sorry you misplaced your keys temporarily, but I’m happy you had such a great time while you did! lol

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  28. Well…that was quite a morning! Sometimes things happen for a reason. You were meant to walk back to the RV park so you got to see all those beautiful moments. All those spoonbills would have had me shaking and I’m not a birder. Great narrative and photos, Ingrid! Glad all worked out:)

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    1. Thanks Pam and I too don’t consider myself a birder. Merely someone who likes taking pictures of pretty things and that would include those beautiful pink spoonbills. That has to be the prettiest pink ever and photographing them in flight was a thrill.

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  29. You discovered a wonderful spot and were able to get some amazing shots and that’s all that counts. I’d say even with all the other stuff happening it was a good day!

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    1. It did turn into a great day, but I’m not sure I’d feel the same way if I hadn’t found the keys. I did get some ok shots that day but took even better ones the next day. Thank goodness the birds hung around for an extra day. They haven’t been back since ☹

      Liked by 1 person

  30. What a great day and comedy of life. Glad the keys showed up and you got some great pics. By the way…what camera were you using that day as the pics are awesomely crystal clear.

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    1. I use a bridge camera almost exclusively… Panasonic FZ200. I do have a tab next to my ‘about’ page titled ‘cameras’ where I share my equipment – cameras and processing. That model is now discontinued and replaced by the FZ300 or 330. Fun camera!

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  31. You’ve got so many gorgeous photos in this post, it’s hard to pick a fave, but I think mine would be the small photo of the spoonbill in flight. It’s the perfect combination of pastels. Very fetching.

    Never heard of black bellied whistling ducks, but it’s now something I have to see and hear.

    We’re looking at record-breaking high temps for the next two days here in Green Valley. We should get about a ten-degree break from them at our perch up here in the Canyon. Sounds like a good time to porch-sit.

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    1. At least it’s a ‘dry heat’ in Green Valley. We had 96% humidity this morning. Everything was dripping. I need to get back to the desert to dry out. But hey, my skin is dewy 😉

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  33. Glad you found the keys. It almost looks like it was meant to be for you to spend so much time with these amazing birds and to have to walk back and stumble on the beautiful duck and deer scene!

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    1. Agree – if I hadn’t walked back to the RV, I never would’ve made the discoveries or seen the ducks. Some things happen for a reason and I’m sure glad that reason turned out well in the end!

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  34. What a delightful post!! It had everything….adventure, beautiful birds along with gorgeous pictures and lots of humor!! Glad you remembered the code, found your keys ( I won’t ask), fixed your camera and found some beautiful birds to photograph!! Win-win!!

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  35. Great post Ingrid! I thought you were done and I wondered if you had ever remembered the code for the truck, but no worry the blog went on 😊 And beautiful pictures!

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  37. Losing keys & phones, cause for our anxiety levels to rise! Sounds like you were able to still get lost in nature & enjoy the day, regardless of the lost keys!

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    1. Sunset? That was SUNRISE. I haven’t captured any sunset photos this year. It’s hard to get excited about sunsets around here considering they don’t come close to those desert sunsets.

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  44. Lol! What a fun post! Again the pics were amazing, even the blurry ones for the colors! So glad you found the keys and finally remembered the code! We have our fair share of similar moments. 😉

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    1. It was such a relief when I finally found the keys and I figured out my shutter speed was too slow for the movement of the birds, thus lots of blurry photos. Crazy morning!

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