The closest stop sign is over a mile away and the first traffic light is 5+ miles down the road. A visit to the grocery store is almost 30 miles round trip. It's quiet here; just the sound of toads and coyotes at night. It seems very still, but when you look close there's always something happening. Read on about a few things we've noticed over the past few years.

Monday, July 30, 2012

His eye streak looks like a gas tank gauge





Is it half full or half empty?  With a vivid red streak near his eye, he caught a lizard in my garden.  He shook it in his beak until it fell to pieces.  He ate the lizard in about five bites.  Roadrunners live in mated pairs in a territory year round.   I see this guy all the time combing the area for food.  I love his feathers, so aero dynamic.  They can run up to 15 mph, usually chasing food. 

Yesterday he was running around the property and he ran up near the outside of the chicken coop.  He stopped and was looking inside.  All of the chickens were inside the coop but quickly ran outdoors to check him out.  They stood on one side of the fence looking him over and he stood on the other side looking at them.  They are about the same height.  After about one minute of gazing at each other, he resumed his roaming.   I thought it was kind of funny. 
















Sunday, July 22, 2012

coachwhip


It looked like a sun faded red hose on the side of the path.  As I approached it slithered off into the brush.  It really was a pretty snake. 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

tarantula hawk catches dinner





I think I found a tarantula hawk's nest near the base of this cyprus tree. She drug her dinner under the brush.  A few minutes later she emerged and then flew off and landed on some nearby flowers and checked them for pollen.  Take a look at the fangs on the tarantula.  

Sunday, July 8, 2012

They boast "a million roses" at any one time

Smells so good, the scent of roses in the air.  
Mt Baldy is in the background. 
This was taken just after sunrise at the nursery this morning.