Dog Paws, the Purple Creeper, tree-climbing mice, and a Near Disaster

My life is extremely busy lately. I now have six blogs, two websites, we're selling our house, which means constantly showing the house, and I still have to find time during the day to walk my four dogs. They need the exercise. They eat healthy weight food, but I also give them a little peanut butter in their Kong toys twice a day with a dental biscuit. Twice a week I substitute pumpkin for peanut butter because there's less calories and it's better for them, but they really don't like the pumpkin. The labs will eat anything, of course, but when I give Baby the desert dog pumpkin he takes a lick then stops and stares at me as if to say, "Are you serious?" Baby is the one that concerns me, though. He has a tendency to get chubby, which is why I stopped walking him in the desert--he would run for awhile, then find a stick to chew and spend the rest of his time chomping away. I now walk him four blocks every day on a leash. I also make him dance for his food, as you can see in the picture below.

He is remarkably skilled at dancing on his back legs!

One thing I've noticed about the dogs when they play with their Kongs is they use they paws like hands. It's so cute to watch. Buddy usually just uses his teeth to hold the Kong in place because he has such huge jaws--he's my 95 pound chocolate lab. He's always a gentleman, though, as you can see in the picture below.

Gentleman Bud always crosses his paws when relaxing.

 The other three dogs, though, use their paws to hold their chew toy in place, as you can see in the picture of Chewy below. They love their toys and Chewy the chihuahua's toy is actually a dental chew. Sometimes I take it away from him then give it back to help train him not to be so aggressive.

Chewy holding his favorite toy. 

When I watch him chew I can usually tell when it's time to clip his nails, too, because he uses them to grip his toy. Chewy's toy is also a favorite of the other dogs and they often wait until he falls asleep and try to swipe it. Unfortunately, they have such big jaws that they literally eat Chewy's chew toy, then I have to replace it and they have a belly full of plastic. After losing two chew toys we now wait until Chewy is sleeping and toss his chew toy into the sink for a cleaning. 

Chewy preparing for his morning nap. 

Chewy sleeps in our bed--he literally crawls beneath the covers and sleeps at the bottom of the bed. The big dogs, however, sleep on blankets and I cover them up before bed. Baby's favorite blanket is purple, but he's not always ready for bed when I cover him up. If he hears me in the kitchen fetching water and tea, he will follow me around until I go to bed. His blanket, however, stays on his back and he looks like a purple creeper following me around. It's pretty funny to watch. 

Yes, this is Baby in the purple blanket, 

following me around the house at night as I get ready for bed!

I have mentioned before that I have seen mice climbing the shrub/tree that grows above the wall on the side of our house. I see them on the ground, as well, and thought that they were living in a hole I found in the garden shed. However, I did notice a nest in the shrub, which I thought belonged to a bird. Today, I watched a pair of mice climbing through the shrub, eating the bird seed, and when I came too close for their comfort they easily slid into the nest--apparently, the nest belongs to the mice!

Mouse in the tree.

Mouse eating bird seed.

We had a near disaster today. It is still a bit of a mystery, but the brick wall in back of our house collapsed and after three hours of interviewing neighbors, speaking with the police and photographing the evidence, I suspect we had a freak wind event. A large portion of the wall appears to have been knocked down intact then broke apart when it hit the cement slope behind our home and the bricks fell into the arroyo and broke into pieces. 

The collapsed wall behind our house. 

I walked the dogs around 3 p.m. and photographed some nasty looking clouds, so I knew there would be bad weather. I did not know just how bad it would be, but I suspected we might have rain. The severe winds are supposed to come tomorrow with wind gusts as high as 60 mph.

'

Dark clouds over Sandia Peak.

 I noticed these clouds because they appeared to be three roll clouds, 

indicating fierce winds coming over the mountains. 

I left for the grocery store after feeding the dogs their dinner, but I also left the back door open. It wasn't windy at the time, or cold, and I wanted them to be able to go out if they needed to since they had just finished eating. 

When I returned, as soon as I got out of the truck I noticed roof tiles on our front gravel. I picked them up, seven or eight pieces, and realized they were not from our roof, nor did they appear to be from any of our neighbor's roofs. I thought this was odd, so I stacked them in the garage to show to my husband later. Then I took the new bird seed out back for the birds and noticed a bird feeder broken and on the ground. I also noticed some plants were knocked over. I still wasn't aware there was a problem, though. 

I walked to the far corner of our very large yard and started to clean up as we have an appointment to show the house tomorrow (we are selling the house to move to Colorado so we can be closer to the grandchildren. The dogs followed me. Nothing seemed out of place then suddenly I realized the wall was gone.

The wall collapsed evenly with the sand in the yard, 

so I do not believe someone was pulling the wall over, 

or that it had anything to do with faulty construction. 

It was hit with blunt force from inside the yard. 

At first, I just stood and stared. It seemed so odd--it just wasn't there! Then I realized the dogs were no longer fenced in. Baby, of course, hopped over the bottom row of bricks and started trotting down the street so I had to chase him down. Then I called the police. The police decided it was vandalism, but I couldn't find any signs of vandalism and they agreed that it would have taken great force to pull the wall over. No one could have come into the yard to push it over since the back door was open and the dogs would have chased them out. 

If my dogs had been in the yard or near the fence, they could have fallen into the arroyo with the bricks. If the chihuahua was outside, he would have been killed. 

I then spoke with the neighbors and our real estate agent. One neighbor told me he was at church, but heard horrific winds whipping around the church, some of the worst wind he's heard since moving to New Mexico, and this was around 4 p.m. I was in the grocery store at that time, so I would not have heard the winds. My real estate agent also heard terrible wind sounds about the same time. I also noticed that two sections of bamboo fencing are missing, so they must have blown over someone else's wall and are probably in their yard. One of our neighbors was not home, but their front double doors were wide open and their wind chimes were on the ground. Thank goodness they have strong door screens to keep their dogs inside. This, combined with the plants and the roof tiles have convinced me we were hit with a freak wind, or a gustnado. Possibly even a tornado. 

If the wind was as loud as my friends and neighbors have said, then the dogs would not have gone outside, thank God! They would not have heard the wall collapse over the wind. This possible saved their lives. The police did say they were certain the dogs did not knock the wall down as they would have tumbled into the arroyo and suffered serious injuries, and if they survived they would have been terrified and run away. They were all in the house sleeping when I came home from the store. God was definitely watching after my little creatures today. I will never leave the back door open again when I leave! 

Little Birds, Old Dogs, Mrs. Thrasher

Buddy, Holly and Chewy the chihuahua wrestling on my bed-

-yet another way they choose to keep their attractive canine figures. 

Lately, we've been walking our dogs in the neighborhood instead of in the desert. There's a few reasons for this change. First, it's springtime in New Mexico and the coyotes are mating, establishing their dens, moving a bit closer to town for some reason and acting viciously territorial. It's not worth the fight. The second reason is Baby the desert dog has put on a few winter pounds. When we take him to the desert he runs for a bit to find something to chew on, then spends the rest of his time chewing on wood and rolling in the sand. If I take him for a 20 minute walk he stays in shape.

The male little bird.

On our walks we've noticed a flock of birds that seems to follow us. They like our neighbor's trees across the street, but we've noticed they fly from tree to tree and follow us around the block. Perhaps they are curious about the dogs. We haven't figured it out. They are very small birds, smaller than a house sparrow, slightly larger than a hummingbird. I did manage to take some pictures of males and a female, which you can see to the right. I haven't identified them yet. They are a playful bunch and they love to sing. They also stay together in pairs.

I believe this is his mate, 

though it also appears to be a type of finch that could have been nearby.

Speaking of birds, our house is for sale and I will soon be saying goodbye to yet another flock of friends. I think the Thrasher family will be the most difficult birds to say goodbye to as I've grown fond of standing on the back porch and talking to them after the sparrows and finches have moved into the tall threes in the arroyo. I will miss the Thrasher family. There is a male, female, and a juvenile.

Thrashers are in the Cat Bird family, which means they have the ability to mimic the calls of other birds and even the sound of cats. I would assume this ability is a gift they were given to warn other birds of the presence of a predator. I haven't heard our Thrashers meowing, but I have heard them making sounds that are similar to crows. They are fun, and I will miss my old friends.

Mrs. Thrasher and I spend a lot of alone time in the evening.

When the other birds fly off, she sits on the wall, 

waiting for me to come outside and give her a snack.

Speaking of old friends, I have a friend whose old dog, Buddy, is suffering from a degenerative disease. He does not have long to live. Growing old is hard on dogs. They often develop arthritis or other diseases that make it difficult for them to move around, and when you live with an animal from the time they are a pup this can be painful to watch.

I also have a few old friends. Our chocolate labs, Buddy and Holly, are eight years old, which is middle-aged for the breed. However, our twins (they are brother and sister) are also a mixed breed, we believe, or so we were told when we rescued them, and mixed breeds generally live longer. They cuddle and play with each other like puppies and often cross their paws as if they are holding hands.

Buddy and Holly cuddling.

It is sweet to watch them together, they are exceptionally loving animals. Buddy has always shown more compassion toward other creatures than any animal I know. I enjoy taking him for walks because he bounces and prances just like a young pup.

My Buddy

When they were young we lived in Colorado and they loved to play in the snow. Unfortunately, it was often windy where we lived and they could not hear us calling them back to the house, I cannot even tell you how many afternoons I spend driving around our 35 acres searching for them, scared to death they were going to be attacked by coyotes, and they were attacked once! It is a miracle they survived, but they did. They are strong, healthy, beautiful friends.

Buddy and Holly with Baby, the dog we rescued from the desert, sandwiched in-between.  Baby was searching for a pack, a place to belong, and Buddy and Holly were happy to oblige.

They love snuggling on blanket at my feet while I work on the computer. 

I am praying for my friends, and their dog. They have a painful road ahead. Dogs are such a blessing to our lives and it is difficult to say goodbye, which is why I make it a rule to spend time playing affectionately with my animals each day to show them how much I love them and appreciate their presence in my life.

Chewy the chihuahua. 

This is his look that says, "Why did you stop petting me? Is there a problem?" 

The Road Runner Fast Food Restaurant in my Backyard

"If you're on the highway and Road Runner goes "beep, beep," 

just step aside or you might end up in a heap!" 

The "Roadrunner Song" was written and sung by Barbara Cameron for a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons based on characters created by Animation Director Chuck Jones in 1948 for Warner Bros. A few years have passed since I first watched the Wile E. Coyote try to destroy the Roadrunner with a variety of strange devices purchased from The Acme Corporation, and although modern parents may argue against the amount of violence in the show (and rightly so) I still laugh when I think of this show.

And all these years later, I now have my own version of The Roadrunner Show playing out in my backyard. As I stand near the shed chopping wood, or work on the back porch potting plants, the neighborhood road runner flies over the side gate, trots confidently along the wall behind me, leaps into the air and snatches a tiny sparrow so quickly if you blink, you miss it, then trots to the back wall, flies into the arroyo, and eats his lunch.

He may be sneaky, by he's very photogenic. (All photos by Darla Sue Dollman.) 

This has become a daily occurrence now. We had such a huge baby boom last spring in the community bird shrub on the side of the house that his antics have hardly made a dent in the population. Nevertheless, it is a bit disconcerting to know that my bird feeders, water containers, careful cleanliness and care has set up a fast food restaurant for the neighborhood predator.

I believe he is a male. He is quite colorful, but still young, clearly a juvenile. He is clever, agile, and shockingly fast, with the emphasis on shock--by the time I turn around and set down the ax, he's captured his lunch and disappeared from my yard.

Road Runner perched on the wall and ready to flee.

I first noticed the Roadrunner this past summer when I was having daily garage sales. It was a particularly busy sale and he must have thought it was a barbecue because he was wandering between the shoes of my amused neighbors, jerking his head from side to side as he searched for snacks. Roadrunners are opportunistic eaters, which means they'll eat anything they can find. My husband sold sunglasses from a trailer this past summer and there was a Roadrunner living nearby who always knew when my husband was about to eat lunch because he would suddenly appear at the door of the trailer, begging for scraps of bread. Steve started taking two lunches, one for him and a baggie of snacks for the bird.

Sometimes the circle of life in the animal world can be heartbreaking. I love my song birds. I love the fact that I can hear them chattering in their shrub when I am on the complete opposite end of the house with all windows and doors closed. When my children and grandchildren visited last year my daughter asked how I could possibly stand the noise. As the cliche goes, it is music to my ears. When I walk my dogs through the neighborhood, I can hear my bird shrub a block away.

My sweet, little friends are, unfortunately, Road Runner to-go food. 

Obviously, it is a bit painful to watch the Roadrunner escaping with my little friends, but there is an interesting, albeit morbid, consolation to this situation--death comes quickly from a Roadrunner. They are not only surprisingly fast when they capture their prey, but they immediately smack their victim's head against the ground or brick wall, killing the creature instantly. They literally never know what hits them. I have seen them do this numerous times to lizards. You blink and you miss it.

Road runner's favorite snack food. High in protein, low in sugar. 

I run the healthiest fast food joint in town! 

The Roadrunner is the New Mexico State Bird. There are two species in the Rio Grande Valley, the Greater Roadrunner  (Geococcyx californianus) and Lesser Roadrunner. They belong to the cuckoo family and are also known as the Californian Earth Cuckoo; chaparral cock; ground cuckoo, and "snake killer."

Roadrunners breed in the desert and are seen most often in the American Southwest--California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. They can also be found in lesser numbers in Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri. In Mexico, they live in Baja California, California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua, and various other places.

The Roadrunner builds its nest out of sticks arranged on a cactus or bush. They lay between three and six eggs, which hatch in 20 days. Chicks fledge, or develop feathers for flight, in 18 days. A Roadrunner couple may have two broods a year.

This is one well-fed Road Runner. (He's looking a bit chubby.)

The Greater Roadrunner is two feet long, and most of that length is its tail. They are wobbly-looking birds with funny legs and thin, pointed beaks, or bills. The upper part of their body is brown with black streaks, though I've seen them with pink spots, too. Their necks are white or light brown with dark brown streaks. They have white bellies. In addition to their speed, they are also known for the crest of brown feathers that stick up on the head and their beauty is in the patch of orange and blue skin behind each eye--very pretty. Sometimes this can be difficult to see when they're running past, but it shows up well in pictures.

Note the colors around the eyes. Beautiful.

I actually had more opportunity to observe their behavior while living in Texas. We had a pair living on our five acres that would bring their young up close to the front picture windows of our house to teach the to hunt. The shrubs near our house were filled with anole lizards, a Roadrunner treat, but they also eat insects, fruit, seeds, snakes, mice, spiders, scorpions,centipedes and millipedes, so they could be considered a beneficial animal, as well. If they are attacking a large snake they will work as a team. It's easy to tell when they spot an animal. The Roadrunner will hold very still for a few moments as if it is taking a rest, then suddenly strike with amazing speed.

Lovely little lizard I photographed at my daughter's house in Colorado. 

We didn't see any Road Runners in the neighborhood. 

Apparently I run the only Road Runner fast food joint. 

I read an article that said "they are capable of weak flight," but the one who lives in our neighborhood gets around very well. In fact, he likes to sit on the neighbor's roof to rate his meal options. As for speed, Roadrunners have been clocked at 26 mph, the fastest running speed every clocked for a flying bird.

The Hopi believe the Roadrunner provides protection against evil spirits, so in that respect, I guess we should consider ourselves blessed. To be honest, I do consider his daily visits as a blessing, in spite of the loss of my tiny friends. Our young Roadrunner friend is also a special creation, a gift from God.

Just How Much Can One Little Store Do?

Susana Vasquez and Roberto Holness with Bindi, 

a regular customer at Pet Food Gone Wild. 

There seems to be a problem in New Mexico, a problem with abandoned animals. As the economy continues to worsen, so does the situation for large dogs. They are often abandoned, and in dangerous places, such as the desert where they are prey for roaming packs of coyotes. There is also a law against abandoning animals and the local no-kill shelters are filled with large dogs, dogs that are often considered un-adoptable due to their size and the expense of their care.

Those who care, do what they can. I recently adopted a medium-sized dog that I found in the desert. We have two chocolate labs that we bought from a woman who had ten puppies in a hot truck in a parking lot in Colorado. The next day, the rest of the litter was found abandoned on the side of the road. Our chihuahua was abandoned in the Texas forests and our cat was found in a dumpster 12 years ago. With four rescue dogs and a rescue cat I am at my limit according to city ordinances--five animals. There are so many people in New Mexico, like me, who want to help, but in times like these, how much can one person, one couple...how much can one little store do?

In Rio Rancho, New Mexico there is a tiny pet food store called Pet Food Gone Wild. In addition to selling only natural, organic and holistic dog and cat food, the owner of this store, Susana Vasquez, and her husband,  Roberto Holness, frequently provide foster care for dogs. They also donate dog food to local shelters.

"We actually foster animals through different rescue groups," Roberto explained. "So far, we have fostered animals for the Austin Stripes, New Mexico Dogs to Serve Better, and Eco Pink Weinermeiner Rescue.

"Every month, we also donate 500 lbs a month to different rescue groups, we ask people to nominate different groups on our Facebook page and people vote and the one that gets the most votes gets the food. Once the group gets food they do not participate for 90 days to prevent the same group from winning every time. So far, we have given food to seven groups."

The owners of Pet Food Gone Wild also have two rescue dogs, Lexie, and Leopold. They came up with the idea for the store when they moved to New Mexico from Chicago and realized they would have to drive to Albuquerque to get the quality food they needed for their dogs. Eventually, they realized a need for other services in the area, such as foster care, when they learned more about the situation dogs are facing in New Mexico. They realized they wanted to help in ways other stores don't.

Blue, one of many foster dogs 

who found homes through Pet Food Gone Wild. 

The owners of Pet Food Gone Wild are sometimes asked if they know where people can buy purebred dogs and they firmly tell them no. they do not believe in breeding dogs when there are so many good dogs in New Mexico desperate for homes.

They also urge people to look into more healthy options for their pets, such as healthy foods and healthy diets. "People think it's more expensive, but I tell people you're going to end up spending more money at the vet if you give them lower quality food," Holness explained. "Our goal is to try to better educate people on healthier options for their pets, but we also try to bring a small town feeling to our store with customer service. People bring their pets into their store to meet other dogs and other people." The store also has a dog bath facility in the back, which is very convenient, and they are working on finding a groomer to provide full-time grooming services.


Pet Food Gone Wild
2415 Southern Blvd. SE
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
505/994-0101
petfoodgonewild@gmail.com
www.petfoodgonewild.com

Layla Lou the Bedroom Bunny

Layla Lou the Bedroom Bunny

I have a bunny in my bedroom. She is very sweet, well-behaved, paper-trained, and loves to play. She runs circles around me when I come to see her then climbs on my back to sniff my hair (I think she likes my shampoo) or climbs onto my lap so I can pet her. She loves to rub noses and when I make kissing noises she makes soft kissing noises in return.

Layla Lou has had a rough life. Our neighbors pointed her out to my husband one hot afternoon. They said she'd been underneath our trailer on the side of our house for four days and they were concerned she didn't have much longer to live. I crawled beneath the trailer to take a look. She was covered in mites, her ribs were showing, and she was clearly dehydrated.

I gave her some water and spinach, slowly. When she began to perk up, I gave her an oatmeal bath and sprayed her down with a bug spray from the local pet store. The bugs immediately disappeared. Next, I realized the more pressing problem--there is no home for homeless rabbits in my area, and until I could find her owner, I had to find a place to keep her. With four dogs and a cat in our three bedroom house, this would not be easy. I made her a bed in one of the pet carriers and set it up in the guest bedroom, but she doesn't like it. She prefers to sleep on the bed. I also placed newspapers in the corner and discovered she is house trained--carefully house trained. She has never once had an "accident" off the newspapers in the corner.

Layla Lou lounging on the bed. 

Layla Lou has now been with us two months. No one has answered my many advertisements and postings for a lost rabbit, but deep inside, I knew they wouldn't. I knew when I saw her that she was an abandoned Easter rabbit--parents buy bunnies and chicks for their children for Easter, realize it takes work to care for them, and they abandon them, assuming the animals will be capable of caring for themselves in the wild.

There is a night and day difference between wild and domestic animals, and in this situation, a night-mare. Little Layla Lou was released in a city that has an ordinance against lawns due to repeated droughts. Every house is rockscaped, and it only rains once a year during the Southwest Monsoons. I suspect that if we hadn't found her beneath the trailer, she would have been dead within a few days, either from starvation and dehydration, or one of the packs of coyotes that I listen to each night as they roam our city streets.

Layla Lou preparing to hop onto the bed.

We will be moving back to Colorado soon, and when we do, little Layla Lou will have a home of her own--I am working on building one now with scraps of wood, but it is challenging because rabbits chew wood to keep their teeth sharpened. In fact, I buy little packs of wood sticks for her to chew on. These are her toys. If I try to pick one up she makes a growling noise and charges toward me as if she is trying to protect her toy, then I pet her nose and she closes her eyes as if to say, "just kidding. I still love you."

When we come into the room, Layla Lou runs circles around our feet. I sit on the bed and she climbs up my back with her front paws--she likes to sniff my hair--then climbs onto my lap so I can pet her. I lay my palm flat across her nose and slowly move it over her face and ears as she falls asleep. I do this three or four times a day--she's a bit spoiled.

Oddly enough, Chewy the chihuahua and Layla Lou have decided they like each other. Chewy snuck into the room once when I had my hands full of Layla's water and food dish. Chewy sits beside me while I pet Layla Lou. Sometimes they sniff each other's noses. Sometimes Layla runs around the room and Chewy runs from one side of the bed to the other, not chasing her, just watching her run. He does not bark or growl, he just watches. Maybe some day they will learn how to play with each other, but until that time I still keep my fingers wrapped in his collar when they are close together--just in case. I don't know that it's really necessary. Layla Lou is fully recovered now. She is fat and sassy, bold and assertive.

Layla Lou and Chewy the Chihuahua touching noses. 

This is a bit of a surprise to me because rabbits are prey to all creatures. They cannot defend themselves in any way. Their mouths are beneath their head and very small. Their claws are small. The bulk of their body is completely vulnerable and exposed. It is as if God made them to keep other animals alive. I believe this is why God has brought this rabbit to me. I am disabled. I, too, am vulnerable, exposed, and find it difficult to protect myself. I believe God brought Layla Lou into my life for a reason, to remind me that I must be cautious, protective, and yet bold and assertive. Layla reminds me that even when the situation seems dire, and it seems as if I can't possibly go on, there is always hope. There will always be someone willing to slide a bowl of water beneath the trailer as I shiver in fear, someone to offer me food, shelter, safety, and love, enough to get me by until I am strong again. 

"Know that the same spark of life that is within you is within all of our animal friends, the desire to live is the same within all of us." --Rai Aren, 'Secrets of the Sands'

Dog Friends, Coydogs, and the Summer of Dogs

It has been awhile since my last post. I've been spending my time with my grandchildren in Colorado, playing in the parks, riding the train, photographing bugs and making friends with new dogs!

When I first arrived at my daughter's house she was watching over her stepsister and brothers who are all under seven years old. The children spent quite a bit of time at her house over the past month as they were evacuated from their own house twice due to the High Park Fire along with their parents and two dogs. One of the dogs is a massive Black Lab and Great Dane mix named Coltrane.

Coltrane

I am highly suspicious that Coltrane is actually a black bear that the family is trying to pass off as a dog. He has the largest head I've ever seen and carries around 140 pounds of solid muscle. When you scratch his belly he makes loud groaning sounds of pleasure that can be heard two blocks away. He can clear the dining table of scraps in a minute flat and I suspect he finished off half a birthday cake in one gulp when I turned my head to check on the children. In addition to his eating habits, he also enjoys climbing onto my chest when I'm trying to take a nap and sticking his tongue in my ears and nose until I wake up--Coltrane loves attention!

As you can imagine, Coltrane needs constant supervision, and his companion, Lucy, is perfect for the job. Lucy is what is called a Coydog--part dog and part coyote. If her mother was a coyote she would be known as a Dogote.

Lucy the Coydog

Some experts believe the mating between dogs and coyotes is rare, but as always, there are others who would argue that it happens all the time. There is an article online discussing this issue. I suspect it happens often. Instead of taking them to dinner first, the dog may end up as dinner later, (sorry, bad joke), but I've seen plenty of coydogs roaming the Southwest and Lucy is one of them. She was purchased from an Indian reservation and her previous owner is confident that her father is a coyote.

Apparently, there has been experiments in Germany with breeding poodles and coyotes, but Lucy is definitely not part poodle. Her former owner said she was part chihuahua. I was trying to figure out the logistics of that match, but truthfully, she does have a chihuahua look. Coyotes have also been known to breed with wolves. These pups are called coywolves.

Lucy, the coydog, is one of the gentlest creatures I've ever known, except when Coltrane misbehaves. She seems to have taken on the role of his conscience--if he so much as thinks of being naughty, she is nipping on his ears. It's rather amusing to watch since she is probably 1/5 his size, but he clearly recognizes her as the alpha dog in the house and becomes quite submissive to her demands. Lucy also likes to jump up on the bed and stick her tongue in my ears when I'm sleeping. So, I had very wet ears for a few days.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my son-in-law brought home a new puppy. Marley is his name, and he's adorable. Training new puppies is always a challenge and I've discussed this on my blog before, but my son-in-law takes extra precautions to make absolutely certain any animal he brings into their home will adjust to being around little children. He is also taking extra care to make sure Marley is comfortable with other animals since most of their friends have dogs and the dogs--like Coltrane and Lucy--sometimes stop by for visits. While I was in Colorado, my daughter's house was filled with children and dogs. It was a grandmother's Heaven.

Marley

And there is yet another family addition! My grandchildren's other grandparents have a new dog named Hooch. Hooch is a competitor for the largest dog I've ever seen and yes, you guessed it...he also likes to wake me up by sitting on my chest and sticking his tongue in my ears. Hooch is lovable, cuddly, and a rescue dog, saved from a horrible fate. He was being trained for dog fighting when he was rescued and is now being trained by one of the best dog trainers in the state of Colorado to be a family pet.

Hooch

You may recall from my last post that I also have a new dog, Baby, who we rescued from the desert. This has become the summer of the dog!

Baby sleeping at my feet.

Unfortunately, as soon as I left my camera and computer both broke. I have so much to write about, including a massive dragonfly invasion this summer in the Southwest, and I promise this will come within the next week as soon as my technology is back on track.

Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson

“Remember, always, that it is the nature of a warrior to act. Do not be daunted by the formidable strength of the opposition. Do not be depressed by doom and gloom predictions. A true warrior must welcome challenge and transform the impossible into the possible. Because you are living in these trying times, it is your task to confront situations created by human ignorance and apathy, and focus your actions through love for the future and all the children of all the children of all species.” — Captain Paul Watson in “Earthforce!”

Paul Watson is an animal rights and environmental activist devoted to marine conservation.

“To slaughter grand and beautiful creatures like these tuskers, whether terrestrial or marine, solely to obtain a few teeth indicates that we have not evolved very much since the days our forebears lived in caves and saught to prove their superiority by adorning themselves with teeth and claws.”
― Paul Watson, Ocean Warrior: My Battle to End the Illegal Slaughter on the High Seas

Wild Horses...

Wild horses on the Nevada Test Site.

"When the federal law to protect wild horses was passed, wild horses were managed on 306 Herd Management Areas (HMAs) in 16 states. Since the law, however, the HMAs have been reduced — illegally, mind you — to 195 in just 10 states; six states have entirely lost their wild horse and burro populations. That means that all the horses, once living in viable herds in those management areas (as mandated by law) have been removed.." ~American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

Praying Mantis, the Baby Blue Mystery Bug, Orb Weavers and Mud Daubers--What's for Dinner?

Sweet little baby blue "assassin bug."

While it's true that all of God's creatures must eat, some tend to be a bit more aggressive when fetching their dinner. Perhaps grotesque would be a better word, or disgusting, even freaky! I have found this to be the case in four creatures that I have photographed. Three that I have been blessed with opportunities to observe and photograph often--Praying Mantises, Mud Daubers, and Orb Weavers--and another I have only seen once and called the Baby Blue Mystery Bug, but identified this morning with the help of MantisPets.com, mantis experts who also respect the beauty in all of God's creatures. According to the experts, although the Baby Blue Mystery Bug I photographed in Texas is not a mantis, it is considered an "assassin bug," a deceptively vicious killer!

Now, before you jump to the defense of those adorable praying mantis, let me assure you that I love them, too. When you see them with their (deadly) forelegs clasped together as if in prayer, the first thought is that they are praising the Lord, and perhaps they are giving thanks for a yummy meal. However, it is those spiked forelegs that the mantis uses to grab and hold its victim. (Oddly enough, its closest relatives are cockroaches and termites, though I would think most people find the mantis a bit more appealing!)

Baby praying mantis sitting on my finger. 

Mantis are predatory creatures and only eat food they catch themselves, though they are kept as pets. Their prey includes scorpions, lizards, birds (sad, but true, they do like baby birds), fish, frogs, snakes, and rodents. They use camouflage to ambush their prey. In fact, I first learned about the predatory habits of the mantis when I spotted one on a vine on my bedroom patio where small birds liked to build their nests. This particular Praying Mantis was a mix of brown and green camo colors and blended right in with Texas!

Baby praying mantis in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

My young neighbor was visiting my house in Kingsland, Texas that day. I stepped onto my patio to fetch something when I noticed the mantis. I ran to fetch my camera and tell her about the fascinating bug. She shook her head and told me they were "vicious killers!" At first, I thought she was kidding, then she explained that she had just finished watching a video about their eating habits in her science class at school. I photographed the mantis, then moved it closer to the creek, away from the baby birds.

A few months later I was in nearby Marble Falls, Texas when I noticed a very tiny, baby blue creature on a plant. I was fascinated by its beauty and ran for my camera. Something told me not to try and pick it up--strange bugs can sometimes leave strange bites! When I downloaded the photos I was suddenly grateful for the wisdom not to touch the creature--it had a large hook, called a probiscus, protruding from its chin! I contacted many of my usual resources trying to identify the creature, to no avail. This morning, however, I received an email from mantispets.com--they had a name for my baby blue mystery bug! This beautiful little creature is called a Wheelbug, and it's in a class of bugs called--get ready for this one--the ASSASSINS! That's right! That cute little blue baby is a fierce and deadly killer!

Wheel Bug nymph in Marble Falls, Texas. 

According to my morning email from mantispets.com, the Wheelbug is the largest species of assassin bugs in North America. They said the one I photographed was a half-grown nymph--still pretty small and without its adult wings. They also said newly hatched young are bright red, which would be equally interesting to see! The spike, or probiscus, is used to pierce the armor of other insects. They then inject the insect with digestive juices to suck out the contents of their prey. (Remind me to stop reading my email during breakfast!)

Wheel Bug nymph turning around to get a better look at me.

"They are the only type of animal/insect that will prey on such nuisance species as squash bugs, mexican bean beetles, tomato/tobacco hornworms, and other pests that birds and such won't eat," I was told. "They are generally pretty gentle, but if they should happen to mistake your finger for prey, they will pierce it and can cause a nasty wound by injecting those juices. If you are allergic to bee stings, it could cause a life-threatening reaction." They are currently attempting to breed these creatures at mantispets.com to offer them as beneficial insects for gardeners.

Wheel Bug nymph creeping away...

The behavior of the Wheelbug reminds me of the Orb Weavers I saw in great abundance in my Texas gardens and occasionally found in my Colorado gardens, as well. Orb Weavers weave lovely, spiral or wheel-shaped webs, huge webs, sometimes double webs connecting trees and shrubs. The Golden Orb Weaver is highly prized for the thick, durable silk it emits from its body. In fact, there is a tapestry made from the silk of the Golden Silk Orb Weaver on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The females can be as large as my hand and the males so small they are difficult to see. The males, of course, are eaten by the females, so they sometimes sneak up on the female and impregnate her while she is busy eating. I actually saw this happen once.

Miss Alice the Orb Weaver who lived near my patio in Texas. 

In 2010 a huge Orb Weaver that I named Miss Alice built her web outside my bedroom patio. The web was so huge I had to duck when I walked through the doorway. I made videos and took photos of her the entire summer and often watched her eating process. They tend to be mostly nocturnal, so she posed quite nicely for me during the daylight. They are not at all aggressive toward humans. In fact, Charlotte in the children's novel by E.B. White, Charlotte's Web, was an Orb Weaver.

Miss Alice the Orb Weaver wrapping up her prey.

Orb Weavers do bite if they feel threatened, so it's recommended that you do not try to handle them, though I have had one on my body before, and I've learned they can be very stubborn. Once, an Orb Weaver tried to build its web across the middle of my garden where I was building a pond. It was a great place to catch those bugs that attacked my flowers, but the web was so large that I was unable to work around it, so my husband moved the spider to a nearby bush. A few minutes later the spider was back, spinning its web. This time I moved it. I thought I was free to start working on my pond. On my hands and knees, I started to dig through the soil with a hand shovel. I felt a tickle on my neck. I thought, "No, it's not possible. I'm imagining this," and continued to work. Another tickle on the neck, then the shoulder. I slowly turned my head. Sure enough, the giant Orb Weaver was sitting on my shoulder, staring at me. THAT was Miss Alice! This time, I moved her to the ivy surrounding my bedroom patio. She seemed to like this better, though when the temperatures reached 110, she moved her web to the north side of the house. The life of Miss Alice is documented in earlier posts on this blog.

Miss Alice the Orb Weaver--notice the design on her web. 

As soon as she finished wrapping her prey she rebuilt her web.

The Orb Weaver, of course, catches its meal in its web. As the web begins to bounce from the struggle, the Orb Weaver is alerted and quickly pounces on the prey before it can escape--I have, by the way, seen butterflies and bees manage to escape before the spider arrived. The Orb Weaver eats its prey in a similar fashion to the assassins. First, it gives the prey a quick bite and injects it with toxin, then it spins its silk around its victim and waits for the victim to die. One source I read said the insides of the prey turns to liquid. However, according Iowa State University's bugguide.net, " the spider will literally vomit digestive fluid over the prey. Then the prey is chewed with the "jaws" (chelicerae), and the fluid is sucked back into the mouth together with some liquefied "meat" from the prey. The spider repeats this process as often as necessary to digest, and ingest, all but the inedible hard parts. What is discarded afterwards is a small ball of residue." Hmm, yummy.

Miss Alice still wrapping her prey.

I have observed spiders become victims of other creatures, too, though not the big Orb Weavers. Mud Daubers eat spiders, and in an interesting manner.(Okay, I know, this is a matter of opinion). We had an infestation of Mud Daubers at our house in Texas. In fact, when we moved to New Mexico and unpacked those boxes that were stored in the garage during the selling process, we found Mud Dauber nests in every single box attached to books, clothes, knick knacks--they are busy little critters! I believe these were black and yellow Mud Daubers. They didn't bother us, and we didn't seem to bother them, so they stayed busy in our garage and I would sometimes watch them as I walked through on my way to the garden.

Mud Dauber, photo by Alvesgaspar.

The Mud Dauber will catch its prey, generally spiders, and sting it once, which paralyzes the creature. The Mud Dauber then carries the spider back to its nest with its legs, which is really wild to watch! The Mud Dauber nest consists of one or more cylinders made of dried mud with a tiny hole for the front door. The Mud Dauber will slowly stuff the spider through the hole--yes, it's gross. It deposits a single egg on the spider, then seals the hole of the nest with more mud. Sometimes more than one spider is inserted into the same hole. I watched a Mud Dauber stuff four spiders into one nest once. The Mud Dauber does not return to the nest. The hatchlings eat the prey and leave their home to deal with their abandonment issues on their own, poor little orphans.

A Mud Dauber nest inside of a box that held books while we were moving. Many of our belongings were in storage for nearly a year during the moving process from Texas to New Mexico and when I unpacked them they were filled with Mud Dauber nests and sunflower seed shells. We have no idea where the shells came from. 

I have to admit I'm a bit excited to finally have a name for the baby blue bug, though Wheelbug isn't exactly a heart-pounding name for such a creature. Now that I understand its eating habits, I think I would have named it "Spiky Blue Beast" or "Powder Blue Terminator." Something along those lines. And now that you know the eating habits of my favorite bugs, I'm sure you've built up quite an appetite. Put down the computer and go get some lunch. If the kitchen is empty, I'm sure you'll find something to eat in the backyard!