Summer is always a time of surprises at Birdland Ranch in the high desert region of southeastern Arizona. This summer however, has already been a chart topper. All time high record heat, 6 black-tailed rattlesnakes in the first week and the arrival of my parents! My parents do indeed deserve special recognition for timing their trip to Birdland during the latter days of June. Most locals even flee to far off regions, if possible, to beat the heat. While those of us who stay and bake would like to deny them access upon their return to the county! So what does one do in this kind of heat? Everything relating to any outside physical activity is done as early in the day as possible, relying on reading your favorite books and other low perspiration projects for the midday hours. Oh, I forgot to mention we tough stock mountain desert folk don't rely on air conditioners. Cooling the house is accomplished by keeping all the windows and doors open at night and closing up at first light. By the time the sun has left us, we run to the house to open all the doors and windows and dance in the cool evening air and I mean dance!
But then it rains. With the arrival of the monsoon everything changes, the earth, scaled, feathered and furred join in with the two-leggeds to breathe in the sweet cool air and rejoice. Mom and Dad are witness to a brilliant Double Rainbow. Yes, it requires capitalization. So near and clear, you can actually see where it collides with Mother Earth. The pot of gold being the tears in my mother's eyes at the sight. The feathered clan decides its a good time to start another family, as their first offspring are happily investigating every nook and cranny of our house and garden. Scaled are also on the move looking for mates and taking in the sights. We hold these friends as dear as our avian neighbors and respect their comings and goings on our land. No, snakes do not come after you, they want to stay away from you. We are startled, yes, but when you come upon them, merely step back, call to your children and friends, visiting parents (!) and tell them of there whereabouts. Move to watch respectfully from a distance or inside with your pets. If this doesn't suit you or the situation requires more, call the fire department and they will relocate them quickly and safely a couple of hundred yards away. To watch a rattlesnake move through his or her habitat though is an amazing experience. They move so slowly and deliberately taking everything in, something I need to remind myself to do. You know, take time to smell the roses? Which brings me to what my mother and I planted at probably the absolute wrong time of year...roses! We rescued 7 pretty dehydrated climbers from the clutches of a corporate nursery wrangling with an overworked sales assistant for an additional price reduction. He gave it to us I think, just to get us out of his hair and the heat. At this writing, all are happy and healthy and on their way to clinging to my chain link fence.
Summer southeastern Arizona time and the living is easy in the land of extremes in beauty and biodiversity.
But then it rains. With the arrival of the monsoon everything changes, the earth, scaled, feathered and furred join in with the two-leggeds to breathe in the sweet cool air and rejoice. Mom and Dad are witness to a brilliant Double Rainbow. Yes, it requires capitalization. So near and clear, you can actually see where it collides with Mother Earth. The pot of gold being the tears in my mother's eyes at the sight. The feathered clan decides its a good time to start another family, as their first offspring are happily investigating every nook and cranny of our house and garden. Scaled are also on the move looking for mates and taking in the sights. We hold these friends as dear as our avian neighbors and respect their comings and goings on our land. No, snakes do not come after you, they want to stay away from you. We are startled, yes, but when you come upon them, merely step back, call to your children and friends, visiting parents (!) and tell them of there whereabouts. Move to watch respectfully from a distance or inside with your pets. If this doesn't suit you or the situation requires more, call the fire department and they will relocate them quickly and safely a couple of hundred yards away. To watch a rattlesnake move through his or her habitat though is an amazing experience. They move so slowly and deliberately taking everything in, something I need to remind myself to do. You know, take time to smell the roses? Which brings me to what my mother and I planted at probably the absolute wrong time of year...roses! We rescued 7 pretty dehydrated climbers from the clutches of a corporate nursery wrangling with an overworked sales assistant for an additional price reduction. He gave it to us I think, just to get us out of his hair and the heat. At this writing, all are happy and healthy and on their way to clinging to my chain link fence.
Summer southeastern Arizona time and the living is easy in the land of extremes in beauty and biodiversity.
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