quote monday

Happy Monday.

~norma~

quote monday

Find something to laugh about today.
Happy Monday.
~norma~

rattle me this

I wasn't home this morning... shout with me.... THANK GOODNESS!

But, the Reptile Wrangler was, and he got his wrangle on.

While doing a little yard work, he noticed the tail draped over the bush in the backyard.

He:

Snapped a photo.
Got the hoe.
Wrangled it over the fence.
Told me about it when I got home.

He said it was the very biggest he has seen.
I really didn't have much to say.

I don't like snakes.

The end.

quote monday

Let's stop and listen.

Happy Monday!
~norma~

appreciating the cardinal

One has to wonder how this cardinal couple keeps up their nesting attempts. The male and female just stopped flitting around the rose bush one day. I'm not sure exactly when, we just noticed they were there one day and then suddenly they were not. Yesterday, for the first time, I got close to the rose bush and peeked in. An empty nest. That's all. No other traces of eggs or babies.

I chased away the road runner that I spotted in the yard one day, lurking close to the rose bush nesting area. And the big black crows? Yep, I clapped my hands and screeched at them when I could hear them high in the palm trees. Occasionally, I would catch a glimpse of a giant shadow and know that it was a crow swooping in and out of the yard. Lately, we have had an abundance of what I think are grackles. They are big talkers amongst themselves, and now I suspect, having seen a couple on the cactus near the rose-nest-bush, I'm sure they were discussing their strategy. But then, there are the pack rats. And although I'm not sure I can imagine the gila monster climbing up into the bush, the information I read about them said their favorite treat are eggs. SO...who knows what are who, but something cleaned the nest out and chased the cardinals away.

Having seen this happen over and over again, I'm just wondering how any make it to adulthood.

Which is why, today I say...appreciate the cardinal when you see one!

quote monday

                     Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.

                                                                                -Maya Angelou

Have a colorful Monday!

~norma~

right on his heel a monster lurked

I mentioned in my post last week, about the bobcat, that it's when you aren't looking that things creep up on you around here. Which means, we are always 'looking' because the minute you don't look is when you get surprised the most. 

Like this particularly quiet sunday. The Reptile Wrangler walked out to the studio, stepped down the small step onto the patio and just happened to look down at his feet. Right behind his heel, between him  and the step was this fairly LARGE gila monster (pronounced: hee la monster). Right on his heel. Literally. 

Chuck didn't really tell me if he jumped or flew, but I'm sure he got out of the way pretty quickly. If it had been me, I'm pretty certain my body would have met the sliding glass door, with the impact and resulting unconsciousness,  that birds sometimes find themselves in when flying directly into windows. And I'm quite certain my wildlife language, that I reserve for moments like this, would have been heard across the land. I know for most certain, hair on my legs would have profusely sprouted from the goose bumps that would have robustly risen across the land. What did the Wrangler do? He came and got me and said, "bring the camera... it's something good and I almost stepped on it!"

It had found its way into the corner and stayed there posing for the photo shoot. This is a big one folks. I'm not sure if there is anything to it, as far as size or age, but see that slight hump above its back legs? I don't think I have noticed that on any I have seen before. Grandaddy?

Later on we nudged it with the rake. (Wrangling skills at work).  And it slowly made his way out of the corner. Just look at its cute face. (I'm being sarcastic)

And the toe nails!! In case you are new here to my blog or you have forgotten the facts...these creatures have a very venomous bite. (I found this site that has some interesting info, watch the video, I actually gasped when the man came on the screen holding one!-click the highlighted words).

They are feared the most around these parts. And most people, having lived here for years or even their whole lives tell us they have never seen one. To those people I always say..."come hang around us."  This makes the fifth one that we have had in our yard and including those seen while out hiking...eight total.

Look at the nails! It they don't get you with their teeth, they might scratch your eyes out! Just kidding, I feel a little more relaxed after seeing the man in the video holding one. Don't worry, I will never hold one. Ever.

It meandered its way around the patio and when I saw it do this...

I realized Chuck was pretty lucky he didn't step on its tail because it could have reached around and grabbed on to his ankle! Or his heel.

A gila monster dangling on his heel would not have been a good thing!

Well, the Wrangler didn't get his reptile skills on that day. We got distracted with some pie that was gifted to us by our friends and later, when he went back out to look, the gila was gone. Probably after we left it clicked its heels and headed back to its home. With its family.

It has been a few weeks since we had the gila on the patio (not really breaking news around here) and the other night my phone rang. It was the Wrangler. He told Rachel and I to meet him on the driveway. He had been away and was pulling up the drive when his headlights beamed on this...

This guy is smaller then the one on the patio...So like I said, the other one went home to his family! The scary thing about this photo is the fact that I didn't know they crawl around at night. As in...when it is dark!

I don't usually walk around out there in the dark without a flashlight but,

"Oh my heel...a...monster in the dark!" 

That's nine by the way.
Ugh.

quote monday

Happy Monday!

~norma~