Winter in the desert

I can't believe it was September the last time I posted! Guess the change in weather has kept me out of doors more, with less time on my hands!

These fall/winter months have been perfect, with low sleeping temps at night (high 40's to low 50's) and high 60's to low 70's during the day. Wildlife patterns have changed drastically, with no snakes in sight! I've also not seen our Gila monster or any of the other lizards that were hanging around. Bird life comes and goes. We're down to two kinds of hummingbirds--black-chinned and I think, Annas. The finches are turning yellow and devouring the thistle. I try to stay up with the feeders as well as sprinkling seeds along our back wall for the quail and other ground feeders. Of course the doves are plentiful! We still have the roadrunner pair hanging around but I don't see them as often--I've been putting some dog food on the other side of the wall for them...I know, I shouldn't because it attracts more unsavory creatures, but...Our cactus fountain has turned out to be a huge success for all the birds!

Bugs are nearly gone although a few bees hang on--I have a bee trap outside because we've had two infestations of africanized honey bees--Jim is allergic. Flies are nearly gone but we did have to break down and buy a fly swatter.

It's wonderful to go for a walk at any time of the day--Jim and I took a long one on Saturday, following a narrow trail leading to the Catalinas. Didn't make it that far but we have plans to carry our lunch and more water and make a day trip out of it--must find out where the petroglyphs are....sunsets are beautiful but we need sweaters to watch them. No more drinking wine out on the back patio! We even broke down and bought some wood...looking forward to our first fire. We may even have a fire outside on the longest night of the year to bring back the light!

On another note, Buddha (standard poodle) has been punky for several days and I had him tested for valley fever. His symptoms include lethargy, lackluster interest in food--even chicken and rice--some diarrhea and intermittent lameness when on longer walks. The leg issues may be unrelated but at this point I'm hoping the diagnosis is valley fever. It's treatable and if it isn't that, I'm at a loss!

Christmas is low key out here where the sun shines so much--haven't bought a tree as yet. But grandchildren will be here on monday and they love to trim it!

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and a light-filled Solstice to everyone!

monsoon

Rain and the threat of rain seem to be the focus of these monsoon days. This morning when I took the dogs into the state land behind the house, heading toward the Catalinas, I was astounded at how green everything has become! Grass, flowers and weeds have filled in all the dry sandy spaces. If it weren't for the cacti I might think I was in Scotland!

A certain sweet smell wafts toward me on the humid air and searching I find a low growing yellow flower with leaves that remind me of geranium. So far I have not identified it. A bush that I thought was dead is now covered with small almost heart shaped leaves. At the bottom of the hill a stream now flows where it was dry and dusty only a few weeks ago. The rain has brought many changes to the desert.

Our neighbor has identified the fast growing vine that twists through the cat's claw acacia trees. It's known as Coyote Melon. He tells us that when the seeds dry you can shake the gourd--legend has it that that's where coyote lives during the day. I must find out more about this.

The mornings have been cool but sometimes temps and humidity rise to stifling before the clouds build bringing the afternoon rain. The day before yesterday it was nearly 100* with 69% humidity--a half hour later it had dropped to 69*!

I keep the dogs on the leash now despite their pulling and frantic attempts to follow the scents they pick up on the moist air. I don't want to take any chances even though I have yet to see a snake out there. I keep my eyes on the ground ahead of us, scanning as we walk.

Sunsets have been spectacular--

thunder, lightning!

The last couple of days have been humid--heating up to thunderstorms in the afternoon. Yesterday our storm fizzled, but the day before we had a doozy! I wanted to sit outside and watch the clouds build, listen to the thunder rolling across the valley but after the first lightning strike and a CLAP of thunder right above us, I scurried into the house. The temperature went from 90 to 60 in the blink of an eye.

The Catalinas completely disappeared during the storm. The hill behind our house was lit up in an eerie yellow light coming from the west and beyond that a wall of dark gray. Truly spectacular! And at the end of it all we had a double rainbow! I'm beginning to really appreciate monsoon season. The moist air, the call of doves, the fluting voices of finches make me think of  Hawaii--the difference being no lush plants, just desert cactus, Saguaros, and now Ocotillo completely covered in tiny leaves! Maybe the novelty will wear off but the speed with which things change after a rain is mind-boggling!

Because of the cooler temps, I've been able to open my windows again to the night sounds. I've been wondering where the coyotes have been and last night my question was answered--they've been raising their young. I heard the baby yips and barks mixed in with the older voices around 9 o'clock. At 1:30 I

woke to deeper yips very close to our house--I think the babies had been taken home by that point.

Maybe it was their first hunting expedition. 

I love living amongst the wild things--they make me smile despite the loss of our cat two months ago. 

I have yet to see the Javalina but I know they're around. I've seen some strange deer-like hoof-like prints in the sand of our road that may or may not be theirs. We did lose several small succulent cactus while we were out of town--were they the culprits? I can't imagine a rabbit eating something so spiny.

Every day my dog gives chase to one of the myriad bunnies hanging out under the bushes surrounding our house...yesterday the bunny took off with Buddha close behind and a minute or so later the bunny had circled back to end up under the very same bush. Buddha looked perplexed, his head cocked to one side in confusion as he arrived panting and exhausted.