Scorpions and Butterflies

I was making my bed this morning and heard an odd sound behind my pillow. I knew what it was before I even looked. Sure enough, there was a scorpion back there. I had a feeling there was a scorpion in the room. What I was not expecting was to find two more, one under my husband's side of the bed and the other beneath his dresser. We are going to spray again, but I think it's time to look into chickens. They are not too expensive and certainly worth the maintenance.

I have read that Texas scorpions are only deadly if the victim is allergic to bee stings. They create the same kind of allergy reaction. The scorpions I find in my house are always light colored. They blend in with the color of our carpet, unfortunately. Sometimes they have a black tint to their main body. I suspect that they climb up the vines on the outside of the house, slide down the chimney, or perhaps that they're actually living and reproducing in the ceiling. We seem to have an extraordinary amount of scorpions, though. My neighbors are all very surprised when they learn of our scorpion encounters.

My garden is blooming like mad. I planted tons of Mexican sunflowers just for the butterflies and as you can see from the pictures to the right, the butterflies are very happy. We have two main varieties out there right now. One is black with orange dots on the outer wings and a silvery-blue on the inner wings. The other is a deep, velvety orange. When I walk into the garden it's like a cloud of butterflies fluttering around. Sometimes I spread my hands out and hold very still and they land on my hands. The lizards seem to be enjoying the shade the flowers provide. I've seen many lizards darting in and out beneath the flower stalks.

I have seen four different hummingbird varieties in the past half hour. I thought they were more of a spring bird, but they have been swarming the feeder in the mornings and late in the evenings when the air starts to cool down to the 90s. I took a picture and managed to catch one in mid-flight, which you can also see to the right. I have to change the water in the hummingbird feeder every three days now because it's getting so much activity!

We also have a new addition to the family: A little chihuahua-like dog that we named Chewy. He appeared at our door during a thunderstorm, shivering and crying, just before I left for Colorado. We knocked on every door in all local neighborhoods looking for his owner, but no one seems to know where he came from. We even took the dog around in the truck, his tiny head bobbing up and down as he peeked out the window, but no one recognized him. He has no collar or tags. We placed ads in the local newspapers and they've been running for a month, but no one has claimed him. We've had a few calls from people offering to adopt him, but we've all fallen madly in love with him. He's very affectionate, but he also ducks quickly and shies away from hands as if he may have been hit before. I don't think he's a purebred. He is a little disobedient and struggles with house training. I am very suspicious that someone dumped him since we live at the end of a cul de sac. I don't know why God brought him to us, but we have opened our hearts and home to him.

Dust Devils, Hawks, Crows and Snakes

I returned from Colorado yesterday. As I drove through the Texas panhandle just outside of Muleshoe I saw the most amazing thing. It was a dust devil so strong, so tall, that it reached up into the sky as far as I could see. At first, from a distance, I thought it was a tractor stirring up dust, but I couldn't figure out why the dust reached so high into the sky. As I grew closer, I could see that there was no tractor beneath it. It moved very slowly, almost imperceptibly, closer to the road and I could see that there was nothing beneath it that would cause the funnel. It was definitely a dust devil, and the tallest, thickest funnel cloud I have ever seen. It looked like a small, red tornado. I was on the opposite side of the road in the center lane and the lanes were full of traffic, so I couldn't pull over and take pictures. It was fascinating, powerful, and beautiful all at once. Dust devils are comparable to tornadoes, but rarely grow large enough to damage houses or harm people. I say rarely because it has happened. This particular dust devil was certainly large enough to harm any animals that might get in its way!

Once again, on my drive through New Mexico, I passed many crows along the sides of the road. They are a familiar bunch to me now. I love the way their shiny blue-black appearance contrasts with the bright New Mexico sun. They are often seen along the highway as if they are guiding traffic. They are fascinating to watch as they swoop through the air, or hop along the roadside, or simply sit on a fence post, staring at the cars. The American Crow is part of the Corvidae family, which also includes rooks and jays. Oddly enough, a group of crows is called a "murder," which seems more poetic than appropriate since many people adopt crows as pets. Crows have been known to imitate the human voice like parrots. My friend, Bernard, recently sent me a video that showed a crow using a tool to retrieve food from a bottle. Obviously these are remarkably intelligent gifts from God.

I also witnessed an event that I have only seen once before. As I left Fort Sumner, New Mexico I saw a hawk swoop across the road with a snake in its beak. It flew to the top of a tree and into a large nest where it dropped the food for its babies. I have seen this once before with a hawk, and numerous times with the bald eagle's nest that is near our home in Texas. When the baby eagles feed, onlookers can actually see their heads bobbing up and down in the nest.

Speaking of snakes, This morning I saw a large black snake with a red stripe down its back and yellow stripes down each side. I believe it is a garter. It drank from the pond outside my bedroom window. It saw me, but didn't seem too bothered by my presence. It kept drinking. It was resting on a rock beneath the cover of some branches I had set across the western end to try and shade the water. This afternoon there was a black snake with gray diamond-like patterns on its sides drinking from the same pond. I've been going nuts trying to identify this snake from internet pictures. I know I've seen it somewhere, but I can't remember it if is poisonous. It was weaving between the log fence I set up around the tree so I couldn't see if it had a triangle shaped head. Anyway, a few minutes ago I heard a rattling noise from the back porch and my husband ran out with a flashlight in time to see a large snake slither off the patio table and over the back wall. He didn't get a good enough look at it to identify it. This must be the year of the snake!

The sun left the sky as a fiery orange ball again. For the past three nights it has been a deep, tangerine orange with a magical glow that turns the clouds and sky into a citrus-flavored tapestry. I first noticed it on my drive when I realized the street signs were glowing. I looked into the rear view mirror and was stunned by the beauty of what I saw. I pulled the car over and climbed out just so I could get a clear look. Truly an amazing sight.

Stick Bugs!

There was a stick bug on the sliding screen this morning just outside our back door. We've seen these amazing creatures before in this same area. There are many live oak trees in the forested area behind our house, and roses in the garden, and I know stick bugs eat both roses and oak leaves, so that may explain why they live around my house!

This is a rather large creatures, about four inches long, so I believe it is a female since the females are larger than the males. It rocked back and forth when I was watching, as these bugs often do. Rocking back and forth makes them look like sticks moving in the breeze, and looking like sticks protects them from predators.

Stick bugs are relatively harmless. Sometimes, when attacked, they will emit a sticky substance that can burn the eyes or mouth of their attacker, but I'm guessing they are not attacked that often. They aren't particularly harmful to plants or trees so they are not considered garden pests. If they do lose an arm or a leg, though, they can grow a new one! They grow replacement limbs when they molt, or lose their skin, and sometimes they eat the skin they shed. Yum.

Stick bugs are not very active. They generally eat at night and sleep or rest during the day. They have sticky pads on their feet and are very good climbers, which explains how this one climbed up the screen door. They are fairly easy to care for since you don't have to feed them bugs, fish or mice like pet snakes, and people often keep stick bugs as pets in tall fish tanks. A male stick bug is not needed for reproduction, and stick bugs are perfectly content living alone. They will even eat lettuce, which makes them very low maintenance.

Even though they're not particularly active, I am fascinated by these blessed little creatures of God. It's rather soothing to watch them rocking back and forth, pretending to be a part of a tree. Their needs are few, and they seem happy and grateful for whatever God brings to them. There are about 3000 different stick bugs species and they are found all over the world, but generally in warm areas, like our home in Texas. I hope to see more of these wonderful creatures in the future, but I do realize I will have to look hard to see them in the trees because they look so much like twigs!

Chaos in the Morning!

There was chaos in the garage this morning! There is a nest in an old box on the top shelf in the garage. I knew there were at least three baby birds inside because I could hear them chirping and would occasionally see their fuzzy little heads as I did my chores. My husband and son sit in the garage in the evenings talking about the events of the day and their table and chairs are directly below the nest, but the mother apparently does not mind. She probably realized our constant presence keeps the babies safe from predators like squirrels.

Today was the day the baby birds left their nest, and there was chaos in the garage! There were birds everywhere, flying into walls, dropping from shelves, hopping across ladders. One even fell into an open drawer of my husband's tool cabinet. It was tempting to rescue the babies when they fell, but I knew this would only make matters worse, so we left the back door open and watched through the screen.

When they first started flying about, the mother bird wasn't in the garage. When the first one fell, all of the babies became very noisy and began to panic and they all started leaping from the nest, and that was when the mother arrived. She had a bug in her mouth and appeared to be trying to convince the babies to return to the nest to eat. Two of the babies quickly made it out the garage door and that was when I realized that there was actually five babies altogether. One of the babies fell behind some boxes toward the back of the garage. This was the one I was tempted to help, but I knew I would only make matters worse, so I stayed put. Eventually, she hopped up onto a box and made it out the door. I managed to take a picture of one of the babies as you can see to the right, but it's a little fuzzy. It was hard to take the picture without making them nervous again!

Finally, four of the babies were outside and one remained near the nest. It appeared to be trying to get back to the nest, but it was on the shelf beneath the nest and couldn't figure out how to fly out, then fly back in. Finally, the mother hopped onto the shelf with the baby and fed her the bug. They sat together for awhile, chirping. I imagine the mother was trying to convince the baby to try again, that she was speaking chirps of confidence, saying "you can do this! I know you can do this!" The mother, however, knew we were watching from the door and I think this made her a little nervous so I walked away, and when I returned half an hour later, all of the baby birds had left the garage. I can still hear the momma chirping just outside the garage door and I think she is giving them flying lessons in the oak trees.

There are two more nests with eggs in them. There is another set of eggs in the nest beneath the umbrella where the babies just left a few weeks ago. There is also a nest on the back porch next to the large picture window. After watching a very small bird hopping about in the racks where I keep my gardening supplies, I knew she was looking for a place to build a nest. I did not want her to build it among the supplies because we frequently see the raccoon in that area at night. So, I set out an unpainted birdhouse I had picked up at a craft store. I was wary about this, too, but it turned out to be the perfect solution. The birdhouse has many holes, but the mother plugged most of them up with grass and twigs and these holes are tucked down in the garden tools. She enters through the attic of the birdhouse. I can see at least three eggs in this house. The mother often hops in with bugs, so we thought there were babies inside for a few days, then we figured out the chirping was coming from the garage and the momma in the birdhouse was actually feeding herself the bugs! Yummy!

Love Those Lizards!

It's lizard time again. I hear them scamper about everywhere I walk. We have so many lizards on this land, and they're not particularly shy of me, though I wish they were considering I usually have two large dogs by my side.

We have a type of lizard that has pastel green stripes with pink shading near its tail. They live in the gardens around the house. They can usually be found near the ponds. There are two large ones that walk around the house in a complete circle, twice a day, searching for bugs. Their heads jerk from side to side as they stroll along. Sometimes I will stand very still with my shovel in my hand just waiting for them to pass. They don't seem to notice me, or perhaps they don't perceive me as a threat. They will walk within a few inches of my shoes, their heads moving from side to side seeking bugs. I wish I knew the name of these lizards because they really are cool.

We also have many Texas Spiny Lizards. In fact, I recently rescued a baby Texas Spiny that had fallen into the pond when it was getting a drink. There is an exceptionally large one that lives in the tree right above the garter snake's hole. The Texas Spiny Lizards generally prefer mesquite trees, and we have plenty of that around here. They also like to hide in dried leaves. I often hear them before I see them when I'm walking the dogs. They eat the types of bugs that eat my vegetables and flowers, so I like seeing these lizards around! They have a funny little dance they do when one male sees another male. I call it the push up dance. They bounce up and down on their front legs like they're doing push ups until one of the males backs down and walks away.

Last year, when I was planting in a garden, I accidentally dug up a nest of lizard eggs. I didn't break any eggs, but I was concerned that I had damaged them somehow. I carefully re-buried them beneath the shrub where I found them and kept a close eye on the area. Then one day when I was working in the area I noticed a broken shell. I moved the mulch aside and found some more. I didn't see any dig marks or other signs of predators in the area so I hoped the babies all survived. It was less than a day before I got my answer. For the next few weeks I found baby lizards all over the plants in that area.

There is a large grouping of hundred year plants, which is a type of agave, just outside our garage door. We always see lizards on these plants, mostly the small, green anoles, so when we water, my husband and I often send a spray across the tops of the plants. The lizards soon emerge, pausing at each drop for a quick drink. The anoles are fun to watch because, like chameleons, their skin changes color according to what they stand on. They also change color if their mood changes. There are green anoles and brown anoles, and they live together in an interesting way. If they are sharing a tree, then the brown anole stays closer to the ground and the green anole will stay higher up in the tree. The anoles that live in this particular section of plants are all green. They are all territorial, though. I just read an interesting article about their territories, too. They choose their territories the same way some people buy houses. They always make sure they have a high lookout; a sunny, basking area; a shaded area for when it gets too hot and a secret hiding place for protection from predators. It seems even lizards look for a room with a view!

Snakes, lizards and squirrels, oh my!

It's been busy around here the past few days. We found another snake coming up the hill, headed for the house. Or I should say the dogs found the snake. Buddy barked, and moved cautiously forward while Holly stayed back a bit further, and that's when I knew something was retreating slowly instead of scampering into the shrubbery. At first, we thought it was dead, and since the raccoons have decided to make my house their home in the evenings I thought, perhaps, one had attacked the snake. Then it raised its head. After a great deal of research, we determined it was a cottonmouth, and a very large one. We've had so much rain lately and the creek is moving slowly, so I'm sure it was attracted to the water.

I do love snakes, but these particular snakes are very dangerous. It's also difficult trying to distinguish the different types of snakes. There are many poisonous snakes in the Texas Hill Country and it's hard to figure out what is safe and what is not. I have a large racer snake living around the creek and an even bigger garter snake that lives around the house, so hopefully they will help keep the dangerous snake population from growing around here.

Later in the afternoon, as I walked the dogs through the trees, I stopped to look at a white wildflower that I hadn't noticed before on the property. As I bent over I saw a tail sticking out of a hole. I ran to get my husband, thinking it was another snake, but when I approached the hole a second time I noticed a flat nose sticking out and realized it was a very large lizard. He wasn't colorful, but attractive in his own way. His back was covered with silvery-gray scales and he looked a bit like a dragon.

The squirrels have been squabbling again, but I think they're working out a system. They are taking turns at the food dish on my patio. There are many dishes filled with sunflower seeds around the property and I keep all areas very clean, so I'm not sure why they all favor the patio. Perhaps it's the shade. I also think they enjoy watching me through the glass doors as I type on my computer.

The little fella with the injured eye is on the table now. I still pray for him each day, and sometimes I think he can see me through his eye. He turns it toward me when he hears noises, but he could be turning his head to listen. It has helped with the squabbles to keep seed on the floor and some on the shelves of the arbor. They enjoy hanging upside down to eat the seeds off the shelves. Today I plan to buy another corn cob holder and hang this in the patio, as well.

A Noisy Night

It is two in the morning and there is a bird on the bedroom patio chattering away. Unfortunately, the noise also woke up my cat, Niblet, who is now standing at the patio door, watching. The bird seems rather upset about something, but I can't see any sort of threat, or threatening situation. It is supposed to rain tonight, but there's still no sign of lightning or thunder. Perhaps it's another bird. Maybe there is a nest nearby.

I had a pear tree in the front yard that my husband and I bought on sale. It was rather small. It went into shock as soon as we planted it, though, and its leaves turned black and fell off whenever a matter of days. I did not want to return it because, when I touched its branches, I could still feel warmth, so I convinced my husband to move it to the backyard next to my raised garden where I could give it special attention, and when I returned from Houston, it was once again covered in leaves! I have named it Emma. Emma does not seem to be struggling at all now, but there are some black spots where the branches leave the trunk and I suspect it was fire blight that caused her initial distress. I'm not sure how she recovered, but she has.

I think I have discovered the source of the constant bickering that goes on in my backyard between the squirrels. It appears as though most of the squirrels are males. In fact, of the seven squirrels that now play in my trees and eat off the back porch feeder, five are males. One of the twins from last year seems to have bonded with a baby from this year. They are inseparable, though they do chase each other about on occasion.

The squirrel with the injured eye seems to be recovering. I pray for his health daily, and for the recovery of his sight. I am concerned about his ability to protect himself from predators. His eye is now open, but it still looks a bit blue and I'm afraid he may be partially blind.

There is another male with an injury on his back, but this, too, appears to be healing. This male is older, larger. I think it is the male who used to stay in the front trees and would only venture back this way to drink from the ponds, but lately he has been climbing the back tree to nibble on the corn.

I am certain the birds whose babies flew the nest are using the nest again. I didn't realize they could have more babies so quickly, but apparently, they can. We also have a nest in a box in the garage that now has eggs and one on the porch by the driveway. I saw a bird flying in and out of a box in that area and I was concerned that it was going to build a nest in a box of seashells on the porch. I was bothered by this idea because the box is very low and within reach of the raccoon, who does not appear to be in any hurry to find another home for its nightly visits. So, I set a birdhouse in the box and the bird has built a tight, secluded nest that can only be reached from a top hole.

The raccoon still comes to my patio each night, even though we bring the food in now. We bought more food and left it on the driveway patio by accident. The raccoon found it and ripped the bag open. I now keep the food in a covered box in the garage. There is always enough corn left on the ground from the squirrels to keep it busy, though. The raccoon is the smallest I have ever seen, and I have only seen the one raccoon on our porch. It is so tiny, it must be less than a year old.

Texas Blind Snake and Other Various Critters

Last night, right after we had one of those quick bursts of rain, my stepson discovered a strange, slithery snake moving across the driveway. We watched it very carefully. It appeared to be a snake, but it was only a few inches long and smaller than the earth worms that hang out in the garden. It had dark eyes, so it wasn't a worm, and in the porch light it looked to be a shimmery silver color. It was one of the fastest creatures I've ever seen. Simply amazing.

This morning, my stepson, cousin and I spent hours searching for it on the internet and my cousin finally found a picture of a baby Texas blind snake--exactly what we had seen on the porch. We almost settled on a skink, which is kind of like a lizard, but this creature had no arms or legs. The adults of this particular variety of snake only get to be eight inches long. Leptotyphlops dulcis are found in the southwest. They are pinkish or brown with a shimmer in their color. This one looked silver in the darkness, and shimmered so much it seemed to glow. They generally live underground and only come up in the spring when it's raining, like last night. Their mouths are too small to bite humans, but they will try to stick you with their pointy tails. This is a totally harmless act. They eat termites and ants, which makes them very beneficial around here!

The raccoon was here last night. I didn't see her, but the dogs started howling around three this morning and they were looking out the back glass doors. My husband caught her on the back porch around five when he got up for work, so apparently she was out there for a long time, but I've been picking up the bird seed bowls at night so I'm not sure what she was doing!

I found a picture on my cell phone of one of the baby birds perched on the edge of the nest just before they flew away. I posted it to the right.

As I walked the dogs this morning, we disturbed the large garter snake again as it was drinking from the pond. His continued presence so close to the house may explain why the toads have suddenly become silent at night. As we walked around the fields and gardens we also saw a large number of lizards darting to and fro. They must be enjoying the warmth after all this rain.

There was a road runner down by the road. It caught a lizard and killed it, but instead of eating it, the bird carried its food back through the fence into the forested area, so I am certain the road runners had another baby this year.

Empty Nest Syndrome

The umbrella nest is empty. I've been standing beneath the umbrella off and on all day, talking to the babies as I did my chores. About an hour ago, I looked up to see them perched on the edge of the nest. They were fluffing their feathers. The largest of the three has done this before, but I'd never seen the smaller two on the edge.

They continued to fluff their feathers and I thought I might be making them nervous, so I went inside to make dinner. After dinner, I returned to the umbrella to check on the babies, but they were gone. The table had little piles of bird poop on it, which was odd because I just scrubbed it last night. I think they may have emptied their bodies before they took their first flight.

I checked beneath the table and all around to make sure there was no signs of trauma. Not a single feather. The nest itself is in perfect condition. So, I checked the trees. Sure enough, about twenty feet away, the mother was perched on a branch, staring off into the trees. My husband ran for the binoculars, but by the time he returned, Momma had flown, as well.

It was suddenly very quiet in the backyard. I miss them already. I miss the sound of Momma bird chittering and chattering every time I walked by. I miss watching her dig beneath the tree for worms then flutter up to the nest to deliver breakfast. I even miss worrying about their safety, but most of all, I miss walking past the umbrella and seeing their little beaks poking over the twigs and leaves.

I am glad they've moved on to make a life of their own, though. It's hard saying goodbye to God's blessed little creatures, but they were put on this earth to fly, and this is what they must do. I imagine they feel quite happy now with the air rushing beneath their wings as they move from branch to branch. I wish I could see them, but deep in my heart I know they are safer hiding in the forest. Perhaps some day soon they will return to my backyard to nibble from the seed dish or drink from the pond, but until they are stronger, it is best that they hide beneath the leaves of the massive live oak trees surrounding my home.

Raccoons, Birds and Toads

I did some research on my raccoon friend, and had a long chat with my cousin who rescued a baby raccoon once. Apparently, they eat toads and baby squirrels, so I have decided not to encourage her presence on my porch, since this is where the little female baby squirrel likes to eat. I will move the bird seed dishes at night, then replace them in the morning after the raccoon goes to bed.

I also sprinkled cinnamon on the table beneath the bird's nest to discourage the raccoon from exploring in that area, just in case the baby birds start making noise. I can move everything back in the morning, but I don't want to be the cause of any casualties this spring. It's a shame, too, because I really did enjoy watching the raccoon last night.

I read online that Raccoons are very social creatures and love to interact with humans. However, as I watched the little raccoon in the porch light, I noticed that she had some of the sharpest teeth I've ever seen, like little needles, and I wouldn't take the chance of interacting with her, either. But since she only comes out at night, the chances of any interaction are rather slim.

Of course, the raccoon will continue to visit us because we have a pond filled with toads. The snakes will always stop by for a sip of cool water, the armadillos will continue to forage for worms around my pond plants, and the road runner will creep about the house, searching for little lizards and small birds. This is a part of life that I will have to adjust to as I continue living in my circular, glass house, my truly amazing gift from God.

A Late Night Visitor

Last night, as I lay in bed, drifting gently into slumber, I suddenly heard a deep, throaty growl coming from beneath my arm. My cat, Niblet, is our guard cat. As our dogs are heavy sleepers, Niblet has taken it upon himself to warn us of intruders, which would include deer, armadillos, squirrels, etc. Last night, however, Niblet didn't just growl, he jumped to his feet and rushed over to the open door that leads to my bedroom patio.

I always keep the screen shut, of course. Goodness knows what little creatures might creep into bed with me if I kept it open! Niblet stood at the screen and continued to growl. I sat up slowly in bed and looked out the door. I keep the patio light on all night, and it shines onto the little red table like a spotlight. There, in the spotlight, sat a young, lovely, very healthy, female raccoon.

As she sat on the table top digging through the bird seed, I could see her quite clearly, She's not a large raccoon, and even her face looked young. The black mask surrounding her eyes was deep and dark, and accentuated the narrowness of her face. I always thought raccoons had fat, round faces, but not this young lady. She had a dark stripe going down the middle of her face to her nose, and her nose, also black, reminded me of a dog's nose, except that hers was covered with sunflower shells.

At first, I thought she was eating the sunflowers, then I realized she was digging through the shells leftover from the squirrels in search of the chipped, dried corn kernals I add to the dish. She loved the corn, and appeared to be using her paw like a scoop to gather the kernels from the bottom of the dish and toss them onto the table. Meanwhile, Niblet continued to growl with a slow, deep, throaty sound as he stared out the screen. The raccoon would raise her head and stare at the cat, then continue with her snacking. My husband and I climbed out of bed and stood in the doorway, watching the raccoon feast. She looked at us, as well, and apparently did not see us as a threat as she continued to eat. As lovely as she was to watch, I finally had to go to sleep. When I woke up early this morning she had disappeared, along with the entire contents of the seed dish.

I think this is the same critter that hangs out by my next door neighbor's house. He leaves cat food by his back door for the nightly visitors. Tonight, before I go to bed, I will put the seeds away and leave her a little cracked corn. I don't want to feed her too much as I don't want her to start seeing my house as her sole source of food. This may be risky for her--we have two very large chocolate labs.

A Cool, Damp Day

We've been getting so much rain lately, and this may explain why the toads and frogs are so noisy. Toads and frogs are supposed to bring on the rain, according to folklore. They have obviously been very busy with this task. It is a cool, damp day and we are supposed to have thunderstorms all evening. I'm sure the toads will be very happy.

My cousin in Florida has a much larger variety of toad on her property than what I've seen outside my door. She has Cane toads, which are native to South and Central America. Cane toads were introduced further north to help control bugs as they have a voracious appetite. They have poison glands and their tadpoles are also poisonous.

It is possible that I have a cane toad on the property, though I haven't seen one. My stepson was in the garage a few nights ago when he heard a banging sound on the door. At first, he thought someone was knocking, but since it was close to midnight, the thought of someone knocking on the door was a little curious. He slowly, carefully opened the door and found a large toad staring up at him. The toad quickly hopped away before he could get a good look at its color and patterns.

The squirrels don't seem to mind the rain. I've noticed that they use their tails like umbrellas when it's sprinkling outside. They don't stop nibbling on the corn cobs or the sunflower seeds, they simply flip their tails up their back so the tip of their tails cover their heads like hairy umbrellas. They rarely stop eating, unless the rain is heavy or hail starts to fall. They will munch and munch, even when thunder shakes and rattles the tree branches.

This morning, I saw two more painted buntings in the seed dishes. These birds are quite stunning with their green wings, blue heads and red bodies. Painted buntings are in the cardinal family and some people say they are the most beautiful birds in America. I believe that all the birds fluttering around my house are beautiful. Painted buntings are also supposed to be shy and secretive, and difficult to see. I have no problem spotting these birds lately. They seem to be very happy here, though they do fly away before I can get a picture. They have interesting eating habits. They like to climb into the seed dishes and stand inside to eat rather than leaning over the edge like the other birds, but they are smaller than the cardinals, too. They appear to be half the size of a cardinal.

My dogs chased a bunny through the yard this morning. I don't think they actually believe they will ever catch a bunny because they start barking and yipping long before they even get close to the poor little creatures, giving advance warning of their presence. I do not think we will have a rabbit's nest on the property this year, though. They generally prefer a large hole beneath one of the trees, and I noticed that the garter snake has taken over this hole as his new home.

The baby birds in the nest beneath the umbrella are beginning to stick their heads up. They are very quiet. Most of the time you can only see the fuzzy tops of their heads, but once in awhile their little beaks poke over the sides of the nest. I have posted a picture of the nest to the right. The baby birds aren't visible in the picture, but they will be soon. They are growing very fast!

A Toads Tale

I didn't get much sleep last night. There was a large American toad sitting outside my bedroom door. He was sending out a mating call, filling his throat with air then letting out a loud, deep, "brrrraaaaapppp!" He was one of the loudest toads I'd ever heard. I crept up to the screen door and tried to talk him into quieting down a bit, but there were too many other toads near the pond answering back, and he was obviously looking for a girlfriend. Every time he'd let out his "brrraaapp," another toad would answer, then another, and another. This went on for at least two hours.

I checked the pond for eggs this morning, just in case. The toads lay eggs in long strings draped around rocks and plants. When the eggs hatch, the pond fills with tiny tadpoles clinging to the rocks, munching on the algae. There is plenty of algae for the toads this year. The rocks are covered in green and I'm sure the little suckers will eat heartily.

Last year, we did not have the opportunity to see the tadpoles grow legs. First, the Southern Leopard frogs dropped their eggs into the ponds. These eggs are left in a nest-like shape. Then the toads draped their strings of eggs over the frog eggs. They all hatched at once. Some of the tadpoles were larger than others, but I'm not sure if these belonged to the frogs or the toads. They never grew large enough for us to identify their parents. The larger tadpoles ate the smaller ones.

About this same time, the dragonflies dropped their eggs in the pond and the water filled with little roach-like creatures that eventually creep from the water, shed their outer layers and turn into dragonflies. The baby dragonflies are called nymphs, or naiads. Some dragonflies stay in the nymph stage for as long as five years. Last year, I did not know about nymphs. When I realized the roachy-looking critters in my pond were eating the tadpoles, I cleaned out the pond and got rid of the roaches. If I had known they were dragonflies I would have let nature run its course.

I saw my first dragonfly of the season yesterday. It was large and lovely with stripes on its wings that gave it a rather graceful, spinning appearance as it moved around my head. I have a feeling the ponds will soon be full of eggs again. This year, when the toads and frogs and dragonflies begin to hatch, I intend to move some of the frog and toad eggs to a kiddie pool and others to the creek on our property to give them more of a chance for survival. In the mean time, I will be going without sleep. There is another toad sitting on my back porch.

Hug a Tree

My granddaughter, Layla, loves walks. It is her favorite activity. When she was a baby we went on daily nature walks. She sat in her stroller and stared at the trees in awe as I explained how they changed through the seasons and showed her leaves, needles, and fruit that had fallen to the ground. Eventually she started pulling herself up onto the couch, climbing onto the cushions so she could grab the windowsill and stare out the window. I assumed she was watching the birds, or even the chattering neighbors. When she started to walk I quickly learned what it was that had captured her attention just outside the window’s glass. When her parents took her outside for a tour of the lawn, the first thing she did was toddle over to the small apple tree in her front yard and wrap her arms around its trunk to give it a great big hug.

I share my granddaughter’s love of trees. My life would be naked without trees—cold and exposed. From the tiniest fruit tree to the towering oaks that grace my home, I am in awe of the beauty of these precious gifts from God. When I feel weak and afraid and in need of strength and stability, I wrap my arms around the trunk of a Live Oak, taking slow, deep breaths, reveling in its constancy and might. When the wind races past my home and the window glass shakes and trembles, it is the leaves of the trees that provide the soft, shimmering sounds to soothe my soul.

My little backyard menagerie would not exist without the sprawling oak with its long, thick branches that reach into each corner. The squirrels use these branches to leap onto the roof when they hear my noisy dogs. The younger squirrels use the branches as a jungle gym, chasing each other from one side of the tree to the other, sometimes hanging upside down, making chattering sounds, teasing and playing. These same branches, like giant fingers, hold the corn cobs the little squirrels use for their afternoon snacks. The cardinals, tufted titmouse and finches use the rough bark for landings and the leaves for shelter from the rain. And only God knows how many tiny bugs creep around the bark each day providing food for the birds.

We planted six fruit trees in our front yard. I am certain we will lose most of the fruit to the deer, and this feels right to me. Our many pecan trees already feed more than their share of little creatures with their thick, hard nuts and there is still plenty leftover for us. As for beauty, the crape myrtles with their pink and purple flowers are a favorite of Texans and in our yard they shade and shelter both ponds. When the wind blows, the delicate little flowers fill the pond like a lovely, floating blanket. The crape myrtles are favorites for the birds, as well as the large garden spiders that use the branches for their intricate and delicate webs.

As humans, we have found many uses for trees, from shelter to paper. Fortunately, with the current widespread use of the internet, we no longer have an excuse for destroying trees for bills and advertisements, but we do it anyway. Now, I’m not talking about cards that provide reminders of love that are passed on for generations, or watercolor paper used for works of art that provide immeasurable pleasure to all. Each day when I check the mail, I find my box full of paper that will simply end up in the recycle bin and it’s a ridiculous waste of trees and time. Today I received a large mailing from a local store that I already visit twice a week, a two page letter in an envelope with a return envelope from an organization I joined through the internet urging me to send them money that they could have saved by using the internet for their message, and a two page letter and envelope from a company that sends me “reminders” each month informing me that I will not owe them another payment until a year from now. I am taking the time this afternoon to write each of these organizations a letter on the internet, urging them to stop sending me paper in the mail. When I am finished, I will walk outside to my front yard, wrap my arms around a mighty oak, and give it a great big hug of appreciation. I urge you to do the same. The sense of peace to be gained from this simple act is truly indescribable.

A Quiet, Rainy Day

It was a quiet, rainy day and at first I thought the birds and squirrels were all sleeping peacefully in their nests, then I noticed a large congregation at the food dishes. It seems they were waiting for breaks in the rain to fetch their snacks. I noticed some new, red birds on the table outside my bedroom door. They are not robins or cardinals. They are smaller than cardinals and have blue heads, green wings, and bright red chests. I believe they are painted buntings.

On the front pond, two mourning doves sat in the water beneath the pecan tree. They were bathing, dipping their heads in the pond then allowing the water to drip down their backs. They are a pretty gray color with black spots on their wings. I loved listening to their call, a soft "ahoo, oo, oo, oo." Some believe it is a sad sound, but I find it soothing. As I watched them through the window they did something I was not expecting at all. They began to swim! And they looked so happy swimming! They moved slowly, floating, enjoying the gentle warmth of the water.

Mourning doves can be found just about anywhere in the United States, and they love bird feeders, so of course they would be found at my house! They like trees, shrubs and water, and we have these in abundance. I don't remember seeing any in my yard last year, but I've seen many this spring. They spend a great deal of time beneath the sprawling Oak tree in our backyard. I hang corn cobs from the tree branches for the squirrels, and I think the doves eat the corn that falls to the ground.

Mourning doves build their nests out of twigs, grass and leaves, and it is constructed so loosely that you can sometimes see into the nest looking up from the ground. At first, I suspected the two afternoon swimmers were a mated pair, but if they were, one would most likely be on a nest this time of year, so it's possible they were just friends sharing a swim together. It's also possible that they don't have a nest yet. I do not plan to look for their nest. They will abandon their nest if they feel threatened by humans or animals.

It is dark now and I think I spooked the night bird in the vines. There is a bird nesting in the vines outside my sliding glass bedroom door. I do not notice the bird in the daytime, but when I step outside at night to look at the moon, the bird becomes nervous and flies away. I think the bird may have its nest toward the top of the house near the rain gutter. I know for certain there is a lizard living in this same general area. It scampers about whenever I walk past. Tonight, when I stepped outside to see how much rain had fallen, the bird flew away and the lizard scampered about. They must be friendly with each other as they sleep pretty close to each other and have both been there for many months now. The weather service is predicting thunderstorms for the rest of the evening and all day tomorrow. These particular little creatures will be safe, though, because the roof hangs over three feet. Perhaps this is why we have so many little creatures so close to our home--they know they can find protection.

Bright, Flashing Cardinals

Springtime in the Hill Country brings an explosion of color to the fields and roadsides. In my yard there are bluebonnets growing between the rocks, beneath the trees, even amongst the thickest patches of grass. Giant, scarlet and pink and white amarylis crowd around my back door, their flowers as large as dinner plates. Bluebirds bathe each morning in the pond outside my bedroom window, perching on the branches, dipping their heads beneath the water then throwing them back so the droplets trickle through their feathers. Sometimes they leap into the shallow area of the pond and sit in the water, ruffling their feathers, washing away the winter grime.

As I walk through my house and glance out each window I see bright flashes of red fly past. The flashes belong to the brilliantly-colored feathers of the male cardinals. Sometimes the red looks scarlet with a faint hint of purple, and sometimes it is so bright it is almost orange. The males also have a black mask across their face, a patch of black that surrounds their eyes, goes across the bridge of their nose and beneath the chin. Their beaks are a glowing orange. The females are just as beautiful to me with their cinnamon-brown feathers brushed with red and their bright orange beaks. The softer color may be a type of disguise that helps her hide her children from predators. Both males and females have a crest on top of their head that looks like a little pointy hat.

Around my house, there are so many cardinals that sometimes it looks like a cloud of red when I step outside. It is mating season and I often see the males chasing each other through the gardens as they try to build their homes. The brightest colored males are generally the most successful in the chase--they get the girls and they get the sunflower seeds I leave on all the tables! The increased food is what keeps their colors so bright.

Once, last week, I saw a female sitting by herself on a branch in the crape myrtle tree outside my bedroom. There was a male perched on the edge of the table, digging through the seed dish. He grabbed a seed in his sharp beak then joined the female on the branch and fed her the seed. The female ducked her head demurely and opened her tiny orange beak to accept the gift. It was so sweet, so tender.

Both male and female cardinals love to talk and sing! The sounds of the cardinals fill the air from sunrise to sunset and sometimes in between. A few nights ago I was outside looking at the moon and I could hear a cardinal calling in a nearby tree. The make many sounds, but my favorite is one that sounds like "pretty, pretty, pretty." They repeat this sound five or six times, and if a cardinal is singing the pretty song nearby while I'm gardening, I answer back. Sometimes, when I answer, the bird will pause, and I imagine the young bird cocking its head from side to side, wondering what on earth I'm trying to say with my awkward, garbled sounds, but he or she will always continue a few seconds later. They will say the words, "pretty, pretty, pretty," pause, then repeat the words all over again.

Baby cardinals do not start to sing until they are at least two months old. Their feathers are brown and their beaks black, and they stay very quiet. This could also be a form of protection. Gradually, their beaks grow purple, then scarlet, and their feathers start to change. By the time they celebrate their first Christmas, they begin to resemble their colorful parents.

It is also during the winter time that the parents and babies join the rest of the flock, which can reach up to a thousand birds! In spring, like now, they spend most of their time chasing each other around, establishing their territory, building their homes where they can raise their young families and keep them safe.

Bird Nest Season

This is bird nest season around our house. We move carefully as we do our daily outdoor chores in case we accidentally disturb a nest. So far, we have found one beneath the umbrella on the patio table and in my husband's toolbox in the garage. I am certain there is at least one other nest in the garage judging from the amount of birds coming and going and there may be one in the hanging planter by my bedroom window. I also suspect there is one in the shrubbery outside my bedroom patio door. I do not actively seek them out to avoid disturbing the mothers and babies.

Last year, a bird built a nest in a box of tile that a worker left on the back picnic table during a remodel. We did not move the box because the nest was there. I was concerned that it was low enough for a predator, but I didn't know if moving the nest would frighten the mother away from the nest. I also couldn't figure out how to move it without having the nest fall apart. One morning, when I stepped outside my back door, I knew something awful had happened because there were tiny feathers on the table. I glanced in the box and the nest was empty. However, the nest was tucked back beneath other items that were not disturbed. This bothered me for a long time. I couldn't figure out how a predator got into the box and ate the birds without disturbing any of the other items.

Today, as I was reading about squirrels, I learned that squirrels are notorious nest robbers and will eat small birds. This broke my heart, of course. We have many, many squirrels on the property and I encourage them with corn and sunflower seeds. I love watching them, particularly the young brother and sister who chase each other around the trees. One would think that with the amount of snackies I provide they would be too full to rob nests, but that's not the way nature operates. No matter how many times I declare my property a "no kill" zone, nature still has its way. The dogs still chase the squirrels as soon as I open the back door, the cat sits at the glass door, drooling over the birds, the large garter snake on the property continues to prowl for frogs and the road runner family--they have a new baby this year--continue to hunt for lizards.

I read an article last week about road runners and how they are so fast they can leap into the air and grab a hummingbird mid-flight. The hummingbirds are starting to hover around my back door, buzzing me as I perform my daily chores. I noticed the road runners strolling through the property yesterday, their heads jerking from side to side as they scanned the rock walls of my home, searching for anoles. They really are fascinating creatures, but I sometimes wish they would find another place to hunt. If they did, though, I would never see them.

The baby lizards are emerging, as well, which explains why my cat continues to try to sneak outside as soon as anyone moves toward the door. I found a baby lizard in the pond yesterday. It broke my heart. I tried to revive it, but it was obviously under water too long. I have numerous logs draped across the middle so the creatures can grab onto something if they fall in, but I still end up with casualties. They always drink from the smaller pond, most likely because the birds use the larger one for bathing. The snake, however, prefers the smaller pond, as well, because there is an overhang of branches with rocks tucked underneath. Apparently, garter snakes like to bathe, too, particularly when it's hot outside!

Butterflies in the Hill Country

It's butterfly time again in the Texas Hill Country, a time when thousands of Monarch butterflies descend upon us during their annual trip north. The butterfly migration coincides with the arrival of our spring flowers that sprinkle the fields and roadsides. The Monarchs return in the fall, which is when I'm generally ready for them. Fall is when most of my garden's butterfly plants tend to bloom.

Texas has more butterfly species than any other state in the U.S. and the Hill Country is home to more than 150 varieties. I've been blessed with the presence of Whites and Sulphurs--which are yellow--for many weeks now. They flit about my head when I am working on my plants. I also have a few pipevine swallowtails that seem to favor my yard. These are some of my favorites. They have a wingspan of about 3 1/2 inches. They are black with a bluish metallic color on their hind wings. They tend to favor the lantana I grow in the back yard, but we also have an unusual amount of bluebonnets blooming this spring, and the swallowtails like these, too.

My stepson spotted an interesting butterfly last week. It was white with black spots, like cow markings. It paused on our outdoor umbrella as if posing so we could take a closer look. It's markings were perfectly proportioned. It slowly opened and closed its wings, then flew off again. It wasn't very large as far as butterflies go.

I seem to attract butterflies and always have from the time I was a child. Once, when I was around six, a butterfly landed on the tip of my nose. I have never forgotten that moment. They frequently land on my hands, arms, clothing, and sometimes on top of my head.

I know more than a few people who do not like butterflies. They think they look too much like bugs, which makes sense considering they are bugs! The way I see it, all bugs have their purpose on our planet, and as long as the bug isn't trying to bite me or creep into my mouth when I'm asleep, then I am perfectly content sharing my space with it.

A Snake in the Grass

It was a lovely afternoon and the temperature shot up to 88 degrees in my neck of the woods. I was sitting outside on the curb of my driveway with my feet in the grass, watching the dogs play. Then I noticed there were two lizards on a nearby tree. One was only a few inches long and blended well with the tree bark. The other was very colorful and at least seven inches. They both appeared to be watching me, which I thought was rather odd.

Suddenly my cat was beside me, creeping as if in attack mode. I assumed he was going after the lizards, so I held him back and told him to leave my friends alone. Instead, he continued to push forward, even struggling with me. He is a very large cat and as I turned to grab him with both hands he broke free and took a leap near my feet...and that was when I realized he was not chasing the lizards! There was a four foot garter snake in the grass and it was moving across the top of one of my garden shoes!

I grabbed the cat and ran up the driveway. I wasn't afraid of the snake as much as I was spooked by the fact that it was so close and I didn't even know it! I'm not sure if the cat was going to try and eat it or if he was trying to protect me. Niblet is a very protective cat and generally growls when someone pulls into our driveway a few seconds or when he hears sounds outside.

I'm really not comfortable with the cat chasing snakes, though. We also found a cottonmouth on our property a few days ago and there are a few other poisonous varieties of snakes in our area. We have two ponds and a spring-fed creek on the property and attract all kinds of wildlife, which is why the cat is generally an indoor cat. I must admit that I was glad he snuck out this afternoon. I appreciated the warning that there was a snake on my foot!

Soggy Seeds

It has been raining here for days now. We had a sudden cold front move through the Hill Country and I was worried the little creatures might be shivering in the cold, so I've been checking their snacks and water supplies four times a day. The seeds get soggy on occasion when the rain gets heavy, but so far no one seems to mind. I try to keep the seeds dry and dump the ones that get too soggy so nothing molds.

The momma squirrel now makes a regular afternoon trip to the covered patio outside my bedroom door. She sits on the bright red table top and munches her sunflower seeds, watching me through the glass as I do my yoga routine. She's no longer bothered by the cat watching her through the door. She obviously understands the cat cannot get to her. Nevertheless, Niblet stares and chatters and makes funny noises as if he's actually considering taking a leap at the glass. I've noticed, however, that the cat doesn't even try to sneak outside anymore. I think he enjoys watching the little creatures as much as I do. It's his kitty television.

The birds have been making their regular appearances, as well, even when the rain is falling. It surprises me that they'll brave the chilly weather for a quick nip of bird seed, but they do. I am diligent about making sure they have clean water around the house. I was surprised by how much they appreciate the bowls of water I've set out for them.

I was watching the baby squirrels eating on the back picnic table this morning when I noticed two new creatures. I still can't figure out what exactly these creatures might be! I thought they were ground squirrels, but they look nothing like the pictures on the internet. They look a bit mousy, but they were much, much larger than mice. They weren't marmots. They were not rats. My husband and I both watched them through the binoculars, but neither one of us could come up with a logical guess.

They were the size of baby squirrels, but they didn't have the white lines around their eyes that most squirrels do and their tails seemed shorter. They came out of the hundred year plants near the base and ran beneath the table, then buried themselves in the dried leaves and mulch. They appeared to be searching for seeds that the squirrels were knocking through the gaps in the picnic table. They got along fine with the squirrels, too, which was interesting because the brother and sister squirrel, who were babies last year, tend to chase each other around now and get into all kinds of playful trouble. Perhaps the squirrels were just too cold to notice there were intruders on the ground!