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.