Our Visit to The Field Lab

I talked to J.W. @ The Field Lab this morning to catch up with him , as it's been awhile since I had seen him.

Then remembered the photos my wife shot while we took the "tour" as his guests in July.

Although I follow his blog it's not the same as going there and walking around his place.

Here are a few I though he would not mind me showing on my site .

Thanks for today's material John .



I stand in the middle of highway 118 about 35 miles south of Alpine , just because I could !




We arrive a little early , but J.W. showed soon after . Of course we meet at Betty's "Grub Shack"and had a quick lunch ,




As John has stated many times the food is great ! The idea of not stopping here , was not an option ! If invited to the Field Lab this is a good place to start.



I really got my self involved in all of Johns clever ideas and taking mental notes at the same time. The sand and gravel catch dam was well constructed , doing it's job very well.

There are many interesting transitions on JW's property . This is below the sand dam and leads to a ravine , then to a large natural dry river bed that drains his area during the rainy season .

Any one who has visited "The Field Lab" blog site knows this V.I.P critter as "Benita"

I lived in this same desert for 5 years . In July the temperature's get into the 120's . As the afternoon worn on we just sat in the shade and had a few refrigerant's , as John calls um .

Now ain't that a site .

This was one of the thing's that I really wanted to see , The Solar Oven

And dinner is served !

Our daughter standing on the bank of the ravine . The natural limestone on JW's property is beautiful.

This shot is just about 50 feet up from the last picture . Except we are in the ravine itself .

Another look from the top looking down into the ravine, John has a picture on his site with this thing filled with water to the edge ot the banks.

J.W. solar hot water supply and shower .

This was one of the last critters we saw at Johns before we left a beautiful

Mexican General Cricket

The day at J.W.'s was well worth the trip down from Ft Davis as his humor and wit kept us laughing most of the time. The link below is to "The Field Lab" the day we visited.

The Field Lab guy likes to drink "gift beer" so please think about that if ya decide your tough enough to handle a visit to the lab.

http://thefieldlab.blogspot.com/2009/07/scratch-that-itch.html

don't forget your hat .

and that's the way it is !

cheers jw !

.bb