it rained cats and dogs

I hate to focus on all the rain we are getting since moving to the desert, but last night it rained again! This time there was a fair amount of wind along with it, which made it extra loud. Speaking of loud noises, the coyotes were howling up a storm just after dark. Get it? Howling up a storm! It rained all night and continued throughout the morning, clearing up this evening to allow the sun to shine and present a very beautiful sunset. We like those sunsets.

Yesterday, while at the grocery store, the clerk told me some people were complaining about the rain and saying that it was like being in Seattle. The lady behind me spoke up and said, "It is like being in Seattle!" She was a little grumpy and had a heavy east coast accent, nothing against people from the east coast...it just led me to believe she was a visitor. There are a lot of visitors & part time residents this time of year. I think we see more out of state license plates in this area than in state plates.

For visitors or part time residents (even newbies like us) the rain is a bit of a surprise when you are expecting moderate, desert-like weather. For people that have lived here awhile, the rain is a welcome sight. It is certainly greening things up and will probably bring more blossoms to the plants than normal. As I said, it was still raining this morning when I got up. As I pulled open the blinds I had quite a surprise. The little guy that was staring back at me was surprised too! He was enjoying his little spot out of the rain. I ran to grab my camera and by the time I got back he was gone from his little dry spot. I looked out all the windows and then...I spotted this:

The first photo was taken from our bedroom window and that is exactly how I saw him sitting on the brick wall. I went to the front door to try to get a different view. Leah was already up so she was peeking out the little window with me. She tapped on the door a few times to see if he would look our way...
Yep... he did.

Rachel had spotted a pair of them about a week ago when she went out in the morning, but I had not seen any until now. I'm a little surprised about this variety in wildlife we are seeing here. And I'm wondering about some of them... visitor or resident? I'm thinking I would like most of them to be visitors.
"Hello bobcat!"

I told you it was raining cats and dogs.

state playoffs-final edition

We arrived at the stadium this afternoon for the Final Four game. The girls were excited and nervous but ready for the big game. Chuck was able to get away for the afternoon and I signed Leah out early. Woohoo! The best part... we did not have to drive through snow to get there.

It is pretty awesome that they get an opportunity to play in an arena like this.

Jumbo screen and all. Apollo ranked second in the state. Cactus Shadows ranked third. (her team)
They looked pretty good during warm-ups sinking many of their shots.

Number twenty one...Raaaachel Mannnnak!

They started out the first quarter playing great offense and were the first on the scoreboard. They were making many of their shots and playing good help side defense, which was key in this game because Apollo makes the majority of their shots in the paint. They remained ahead until the second quarter and then the other team came on strong. The third quarter, the girls lost their streak and Apollo took it to them. They ended up getting behind by thirty points to start the 4th quarter, but managed to keep their heads in the game. (guest reporting by Rachel)

She went in during the fourth quarter and played good defense and rebounded the ball a couple of times.
She got fouled under the basket and went to the line for two. She wouldn't want me to say how many of those two free throws she made, so I won't.

In the end they closed that 30 point gap to 14 making an admiral attempt to finish on top.

It was a good second-half season for Rachel in unfamiliar surroundings. It was a great opportunity for her to have been able to join the team in the middle of the season and although the road ended for them today...it was a season well played. as they say in their huddle: together!

another desert mystery

Having never lived in a desert before there are many native things that I have never seen before either. There were those "pigs", as we are lovingly calling them, in our yard and have since had them run across the road while driving(now the yellow warning signs make sense). The soaring saguaro cactus are pretty amazing and although I have seen an owl before, seeing them so close was pretty exciting. We have spotted a couple other things that at this point I have not been able to capture with the camera, so... I won't share what was seen in the hopes that I can bring you a report later on. All the new plants are interesting to look at and we have learned that February is the month that the desert blooms. So, we are starting to see blossoms on many of the cactus. I'm happy to bring this report to those of you that, like me, are not accustomed to these plants. I'm finding it interesting to take a picture and then try to find out what it is.

Like this unusual thing I spotted the other day. It looked like a giant asparagus to me.

So I googled my question. "What kind of cactus looks like a giant asparagus?" I know..I really stretched myself on that one. But it worked. And now I am a little smarter for it.

Agave or Century Plant

Agave comes from the Greek word agavos, meaning noble or admirable. There is archeological evidence that humans have used agaves for at least 9,ooo years, baking the leaves in pits for food and using the fibers and stalks to make everything from rope to clothing to weapons.

quick facts:

It is often called the century plant because it was thought to bloom only once in 100 years. That is an exaggeration, it does only bloom once in it's lifetime, but usually between 7 and 20 years.

Bloom spikes can reach up to 40 feet high.

One of the best known uses for agave is the production of ...wait for it...Tequila.

So, the photos that I took are the spikes before the flower blooms. I might just have to pay attention and get another picture when it is flowering. Now, does anyone wonder if the asparagus plant is related to the agave?

new things

Although we are not living smack dab in the middle of the big city, we are close enough to have access to so many new things and new experiences. We went from limited choices to limitless choices. How do you even begin to choose which furniture store, movie theater, clothing store, or restaurant to stop at? We went to Ikea. I didn't know that you could actually check yourself in and stay there for like, three days! And spending time at a delightfully gigantic mall called Fashion Square is a really amazing experience. But, wishing you had your GPS devise in your purse so you can find your way to your car is another story.

Having this extra time off is a new experience too. On his first morning off, in this two week stretch, he got up and was rushing around to start all the things he needed to get done. When I kindly mentioned that he didn't need to try and do all of that in one day he said "oh ya, I have tomorrow too." And the next day and the next...

Seeing and doing new things is what this adventure of ours is all about. And getting our fill of this:

In-N-Out Burger.

It's all about the fries.

And the paper hats.

state playoffs

ON TO THE FINAL FOUR!It was an intense game tonight...very close in the first half with the Falcon's even down by several points. But the girls stayed tough and pulled out a win. So, now they are on to the big arena next Thursday for the Final Four game. The starters played most of the game keeping the rest of the bench cheering them on. That's where our supportive player stayed. She was excited for her team!
And she kept smilin'. Hooray!!

state playoffs

ROUND ONE:Lady Falcons win! They will play again at home Friday night. Our young falcon didn't play much... but she made a great rebound during the time that she was in. There should have been 11 fouls with the one against her on that great rebound, but that's ok.

She played.

They won.

We're proud of her.

Valentine's Day Hike

We hiked the Go John and the Overton trails at the Cave Creek Recreation Area today.

The weather was just about perfect at 75 degrees! Nice!!

We loved this beautiful day.

back to nature

Rachel is my guest photographer today. She took this creative shot of the blossom on the peach tree. Quite pretty.

Yesterday we went to a few furniture stores looking at couches for our living room. We sat in many a chair and couch looking for one that felt just right. Sounding much like Goldilocks, there was a lot of..."this one is just too hard, this one too soft (too many pillows), too big, not high enough to rest my head, I think I can fall asleep in this one and a couple of... this one is just right!" We saw one that is a spicy orange that we kind of liked but, are we spicy people? We also went to the Great Indoors to look at floor rugs for the studio. We did find not one, but two, ridiculously discounted ones that will work well to cozy the place up.

Don't you love when you find a bargain?

Today, we head to another great indoor store, but not the one that I might find a home decor treasure. This time it is that great outdoor man's world...Cabelas! It's the store that the guys talk about and dream about and now I get to experience first hand. So, Goldilocks gets to see where the stuffed Three Bears ended up after they permanently retired from the children's book circuit!

an update and my new friend

Because I've been asked:

The new job seems to be going well and to answer everyone's number one question, "Yes, he likes it quite a bit." They eased him in to it through orientation and those first short work weeks. Learning the computer system seemed to be the biggest challenge. That and matching his new ties to his new shirts early in the morning.(Does anyone remember Garanimals? I threatened to color code his wardrobe in the same way.) He seems to be comfortable with his new surroundings and is certainly enjoying the schedule. He is off now for the next two weeks. However, his honey do list has a few things on it. So far so good for him.

Leah has met some fun girls who have brought her into their circle. They have spent the night here and want to help her paint her new room. They are enjoying looking at her pictures of her friends in Montrose and love for her to share stories form her life there. We have a membership at the brand new YMCA, which has a great gym facility. She loves to invite her Mom and Dad along with her to work out. Her Dad is a much better sport, but I have made her proud at least once!

Rachel is still making a contribution to the basketball team and loving it! She fits in with them very well and makes her coach laugh. They became Regional Champs last week, the first time in six years! So, the season is looking good for the team. Balancing her new classes with the basketball schedule has been a bit of a challenge, but she is all about being challenged and is working extra hard. And the rumor is true, she has been out on a date a time to two!

Although we all miss our friends and everything we left behind, we are adjusting pretty well. Some days are easier than others. We thank everyone for inquiring about us and helping out with loose ends in our hometown. This has been an adventure and will continue to be filled with new things for us. Thanks for checking in with this little window that I am sharing with you.

Oh yes... I have been asked if I have met any friends. Well, I do have one. She is very knowledgeable of the area and helps me out a lot. She is not real talkative, but just enough. Once in awhile if I don't follow her instructions to a "T" she gets a little snippy with me. It's fun because she is willing to go anywhere I want to and even gives great shopping suggestions.

Introducing... my best friend Lucy!

My very own navigational device. She helps me get home when I have ventured too far away.

And that is a really good thing.

sisters

All dressed up for the winter formal saturday night.

We had a very last minute Chinese take-out dinner for five teenagers before the dance.

The dance was held at the Scottsdale Convention Center, much different than the comfort of the school gym. The difference was also felt in the cost of the admission ticket and no discount with a school I.D. They had a security check at the door (almost like going through a security check at the airport.) One had a date. One went with new friends. One enjoyed dancing. One thought it was awkward dancing with people she didn't know. Someone got a frantic call on her cell phone while picking up the Chinese take-out...a zipper had broken on one of their dresses. Alternate dress had to be chosen at the last minute(alternate dress on right in above photo). Thank goodness there was an extra hanging in the closet. Two girl friends spent the night after the dance. One mom made scones for breakfast sunday morning.

Two sisters from Colorado. That's what they are becoming known as.

Great Horned Owl

Did anyone know that? They are both still here and I hear them calling each other in the evenings and mornings. I have not found the "pellet" that I learned about from the comment section. If you didn't read that "tidbit" of information... they eat their prey whole and then regurgitate the fur and bones in a small hard pellet. Yum.

A few more interesting facts:

wingspan: 50-60 in.

length: 18-25 in.

tail: 6.9-9.9 in.

average weight:

male-46 1/2 oz.

female-61 oz.

They are large, powerful and mostly nocturnal.

They have nicknames of "night tiger" & "flying bobcat".

Their horns are not really horns but feathers.

They have yellow eyes.

They are closely related to the Eagle Owl which is the world's largest owl.

They are the most common owl of North and South America.

The flat disc feathers around the eyes are thought to concentrate sound.

The male is much smaller than the female and has a lower pitched call.

Their diet may include small mammals to rabbits, birds, fish reptiles and amphibians. They are also the only animal that regularly eats skunk.

They usually have a clutch size of 1-3 but can have as many as 6.

I could write a three page report, but I will leave that for someone else.

I'll keep you posted if I stumble across a pellet!

Saturday afternoon update: Sure enough...I did find two pellets under the palm trees. One was broken into pieces and based on the foot I saw, it looks like the meal was a small bird. Fascinating morsel of information... wouldn't you agree?!

who made this mess?

First off, if anyone is still eating their breakfast, or is just grossed out by... well gross things... I apologize. This is just the way this story unfolded. And I'm here to report things the way they happen. And to give you the facts. It's all about learning new things, right?

So, a couple of days ago I went out to the studio to unpack another box or two. As I was walking along, I noticed this unusually large bird dropping. I looked up thinking... hmmm... who could have done something that large? I thought of the bald eagle that Chuck has seen flying over the house, or the big hawk that Rachel and I saw swooping over the palm trees the other day.(one of my sisters suggested it might be a vulture, thanks Karen!)

Well then I thought of all those nasty starlings we had in Montrose and what a mess they made of everything and realized sometimes you just can't get away from, well poop, you know what I mean? But the size of this splattering had me curious. I decided I would just have to keep my eyes and ears open. I'm kind of on wildlife alert anyway you know. And sure, you just MIGHT catch me clapping my hands, waving my arms and singing, "I'm out here Javelinas...there isn't room for all of us in this backyard! Go play somewhere else!"

The next day I went out to the studio again, noticing the dropping was still there, this time thinking I should probably drag the hose over and clean it up. That's when I heard someone else say "who...made this mess...who?" I looked up into the palm tree and again heard a soft "who"... and that is when I found my answer.

cool huh?

There ended up being two, I found another one in a different tree. It's that natural investigative talent I have. I looked around and saw another white splat at the base of another tree, looked up and found the beauty in these pictures. This one was in a much clearer spot for snapping some photos. I did sneak back to the house to get my zoom lens and I'll admit...I was pretty excited to get these shots!

Chuck had an idea of what kind of owl it could be, so you'll be happy to know that I did some internet research and will be reporting the facts at a later time.

It's a real wildlife sanctuary, I tell you.

interrupt for beauty

I'm interrupting this wildlife adventure for some much needed beauty. Cue the soft chirp of the birds...chirp.chirp.chirp...and notice that I am taking time to smell the roses.

Check back tomorrow to read about a mystery solved. It may or may not involve more wildlife! wink.wink.

inquiring minds want to know

Collared Pecary

also known as: Javelina~Tayaussa~Musk Hog

They weigh: 35-60 lbs.

Their length from the tip of their snout to end of tail: 40-60 in.

They have poor eyesight & good hearing.

They look like small, very hairy pigs.

They are expert desert dwellers.

They forage in groups of 6-12 during early morning & early evening, then snooze in the shade during the heat of the day.

They are called Javelina because of their razor-sharp tusks. (Spanish for javelin or spear)

Their teeth are longer than any other N. American predator. (really?)

Their favorite foods are: prickly pear & agave cactus, but they will eat a variety of desert roots, fruits, bugs, seeds and an occasional lizard.

They stink! They have a gland at the base of their tails that they use to mark trees, rocks & even each other. (that could explain the mysterious bad odor we have smelled occasionally)

When threatened they will stomp, snort & chatter their teeth.

They don't belong in our yard.

We took down our bird feeder.

I will not think it is funny if I see a yellow warning sign for Rattlesnakes!

I couldn't sleep last night thinking about scorpions in my shoes and bed. (thanks Mark!)

Note: refer back to the warning sign for Javelina crossing. Look real closely at the tip of the snout. Do you see the small little red pom-pom? Both signs (one going in the other direction) had those little red puffs. I'm still puzzled by it. Is it a clownish way to make them seem cuter or is it a left over Christmas decoration? (I think of Rudolph too when I see that little creature). I meant to add that to the previous post but got so involved with the fact that they were our guests that I forgot that small little item. If you click on the sign it should inlarge allowing you a closer look. Maybe it is a paint splot.