Wildlife Watching

Today I enjoyed a peaceful morning in the cool pines of Arizona. One of the things I like the most about getting out in nature is the opportunity to just sit quietly and observe all the wildlife around me. I spent some time in this swing on the patio today reading and just watching the comings and goings of all the wild creatures.

If you look closely you can see the deer and squirrel in the far left side of this next picture.

Don't get too excited. They aren't real. They are just cute garden decorations. This morning however, a very live deer came and ate grass in the middle of this yard. He was a little lop sided looking because he had a 3 point rack of antlers on one side and just a little tiny nub of an antler on the other. Of course, my camera was in the house at the time so I have no proof that he was actually there, but he was.

Also in this garden area there was a hummingbird feeder hanging from a tree close to the porch. It was empty and I felt bad for the constant stream of hummingbirds who kept visiting it looking for food. I never realized how loud a hummingbird's wings are until a couple of them dive bombed me and got within inches of my face. Very loud. I am glad that I don't have to work as hard as a hummingbird just to survive everyday and if I were a hummingbird I would hope that the humans I relied on for sustenance were a little more dependable.

I am always entertained by squirrels. It seems like they are in constant motion - running up and down trees, upsetting birds, chasing other squirrels, always waving their bushy tail in the air. However, the more I watched them today, the more I began to wonder if they were really accomplishing anything or just running around in circles. I never saw them pick up anything, or eat anything, or do anything else productive. I question if someone observing me on most days would wonder the same thing. I often find myself running around from project to project and interaction to interaction with nothing to really show for it at the end of the day. However, you wouldn't have to observe me for long to see me eating. There is no question that I do that.

I did notice something about squirrels today though that I think I could learn from. Squirrels always move in a forward direction. Even if it means turning upside down and climbing down a tree head first they don't ever move facing backwards.

I know where my head would be and where my feet would be if I were trying to climb down from a very tall tree, and perhaps because of the way our human bodies are constructed feet first is a smart decision on my part. If I tried to descend the way a squirrel does I would most likely get to the ground a lot faster than I wanted too, and on my head to boot. However, in facing the daily challenges of life I think I should think a little more like a squirrel. Face the task head on and just keep moving (oh, and don't forget to wiggle my tail).

On a walk to the van this morning I looked over in front of the neighbor's cabin and thought, oh look, they have a fake deer in their yard too and then that fake deer moved. This one was real, can you see her?

Don't forget to keep your tail waving!

The Intrepid Snake Catchers

This morning the youngest son and the eldest daughter took a walk around grandma's neighborhood. On the way home they cut across the grass and the daughter stepped on a poor, defenseless garter snake. I'm not sure which one of them was the most scared.


The "brave" son ran in and got grandma's snake catcher (it's actually a tool she uses to reach items on high shelves, but the grandkids think it was created for catching snakes and it does work pretty good). His first grab was less than stellar, but eventually he caught the snake and held him as far away as possible so I could take some pictures.



Eventually, the snake was smarter than the catchers and escaped under the neighbors porch. Just one of the many adventures to be had on vacation.

I learned something I never knew today. My husband of 25 years is a snake hater. Who would have guessed? He always puts on a very brave front.