The weekend started with a decision to spend it in a new resort. The resort was near a lake and it featured tiny homes. On the way, we detoured to the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. We were expecting to see wading birds on the marsh and lake. Three years ago, this month, I did backyard birding when an unusual number of birds were pecking on the grass in my backyard during their northward migration. Unfortunately, the marsh and lake turned up almost dry, deserted and devoid of wading birds. The surrounding area was also dry and devoid of vegetations that usually attracted the migrating birds. Disappointed, we resumed our original route towards the tiny homes.

We arrived too early for check in time. The kids gravitated to the play area right next to the pool of the main restaurant. We were amused by the compact structure of the tiny homes. Most were around the size of an average trailer camper. A swing set, picnic table, and fire pit were in front of each unit.

The kids had a fun time in the tiny homes. They thought that it was their play house, only bigger! They particularly liked the beds in the loft! The front yard was big enough for them to run around. They explored the landscaped walkway at the back. They couldn’t make up their minds which one of the three swing sets to ride! That night, the fire in the pit was the perfect place to roast the marshmallows!

A late afternoon lull prodded us to search for a place to watch the sunset. We tried to explore a nearby state park but was denied entry due to occupancy capacity. We found a parking lot atop the reservoir spillway and it became an ideal vantage point for the sunset. It also had a panoramic view of the lake. However, conditions were not so ideal for a spectacular sunset. The time spent waiting and watching gave me the opportunity to take a series of panoramic photos. I used the panoramic photos to create a photomerge. The result was not so impressive but it was good enough for a first attempt.