There are several marshes around the resort, fed by the Rio Grande, who meanders it's way through these parts of the Chihuahua desert.
I wish it was possible to somehow get inside them since they are teeming with little birds and other critters but the one time I tried I barely made it out with 'only' both shoes and socks covered in mud. Not a good plan!

So, I sit on the edge and wait patiently for whatever pops up or out:


         

Like this little Yellow-rumped warbler (I think). I was a little confused as to which warbler I was looking at but I found out that's because as a species, this warbler is compromised of two former species (now subspecies), the eastern Myrtle Warbler and the Western Audubon's Warbler.
This is a female of the Audubon 'race'. The rather muted colors are her 'Fall colors'. 

And this little sweety. (It must take some practice to avoid those nasty thorns!)

This one really threw me off because I keep forgetting about the juveniles, that can have quite different colors . I think this is a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow. Instead of the much starker black and white facial stripes of the adults these youngsters sport some softer brown toned ones.
(If I'm mistaken you'll let me know, Judy?)

On another note, we already had the yearly, end-of-the-year employee (and their families) appreciation holiday/Christmas dinner.

A Christmas dinner on the 2nd of December? Oh well, it's free food!

I really have to practice more with my camera in night-mode because it should be able to do better than this. 
I'm more of a point and shoot person but this camera needs a litlle more fidgeting with than my previous one ( although less than most) in order to get the best pics.

The food was great, especially the hand-made tamales, the Mexican pork with mole (a thick, dark, brownish-red sauce made with chili pepper and chocolate) and  the killer key-lime pie!

The buffet was served at the High Sierra Bar and Grill in Terlingua which has an upper seating area and outdoor patio where they had a nice fire going. Most of the smokers ended up here!

Traditionally, Santa made his entrance somewhere halfway the evening:

We were happy this years event was between 6 and 9 and was buffet style so we actually had food at 6.30 and could leave whenever we were done. Last year we didn't eat until 8.30, by which time I was practically keeling over from hunger!

                       

While at the subject and since December is all about eating I've made a start by baking speculaas. Just in time for Sinterklaas avond!
Despite the now annual, and rather pathetic, 'Zwarte Piet debate' (for who wants to read into this) in the Netherlands, the tradition still carries on!

Gezellige Sinterklaasavond allemaal!

While searching for the Christmas decorations, I took the opportunity to reorganize some of my knitting and spinning materials that were trying to take over some of the upper cabinets. 
I spread everything out on the table, turned my back for a second, and ......

So very helpful. As in 'not'. Cats .....

It can't be comfortable?