Desert Beauty

Sunrise in the desert behind my house

If you plan to visit the desert, the best month is April when all the wildflowers and cactus are blooming.  The temperature will also be great, but this situation won’t last long.  By the end of May, it’s already too hot to stay outside for extended periods.  You certainly wouldn’t want to be hiking at that time of year, or through the summer months, unless you have plenty of water on hand and can stand 115° temperatures.

 The western sky at sunset

The cliffs behind my house at sunset

 

The desert is a drastic place of extremes.  Carved rocky cliffs are here year round and have their own beauty caused by the wind and rain that have carved them into giant sentinels over the centuries.  They stand guard over the desert floor where wild sage and other drought tolerant plants grow in abundance.

 April flowers

April flowers in the desert behind my house

 

I’m always surprised at the beauty that displays itself every year.  Nothing beats the wildflowers that add a splash of dazzling color to the bleak landscape of sand, shrubs and rocks.  An assortment of bright pinks, purples, blues, yellows and whites, in varying shades, makes the desert softer and not so desolate.

More April flowers

Enjoy pictures from my backyard and areas nearby.

April flowers

October flowers are like a carpet among the lava rock

You won’t believe what was lurking around my backyard today

Coyote on my Back Wall - Sunni's Photo's

Coyote on my Back Wall - Sunni's Photo's

I caught a glimpse of this creature as I was standing at the kitchen sink.  I rushed out with my camera.  He was meandering by on the other side of my wall where he quickly disappeared in all the sagebrush back there in the desert behind me.  As far as I could tell, he walked toward my neighbors.  Not far from her house, there is a grove of tamarisks growing.  They always signal a good water supply so many animals venture there during the day for a drink.  This is a vey invasive tree, but you have to get water in the desert where you can find it, so it’s a good thing there are some scattered around the natural habitat.

Tamarisk Tree - Wikipedia

About an hour later, I was working in the kitchen and this guy was back.  He jumped upon my wall to have a look around.  I grabbed the camera and got some good shots shooting through the glass.  I knew if I went outside on my patio, I would scare him off.

Coyote -- Sunni's Photo's

A few minutes later, a hawk arrived and perched in the tree in the backyard.  They stared at each other and then the coyote jumped down into the desert again and headed toward the tamarisks trees.

Desert Hawk - Sunni's Photo's

Desert Hawk - Sunni's Photo's

With all the coming and going, it’s been like watching National Geographical in my backyard today.  That was a nice break from my NaNo project.  I had better get back at it.  I just wanted to share some photos.

We can always hear the coyotes howling in the desert at night, but haven’t seen one do this before.  It makes me wonder if he’s been in the yard at night.

Desert Sunset - Sunni's Photo's

The Adventures of Quincy O’Quail

This is just a crazy short story I wrote awhile back.  I like to sit out and watch the wildlife here in the desert and make up crazy tales, spurred on by the interaction between all the critters. You may think I've had too much desert heat.  My imagination can get carried away at times.

Quail

Sunni's Pictures

What a nice little quail he was with striking feathers and a black face topped by a crown that had just the right amount of tilt.


Quincy grew up in a large household and loved the fact he finally was old enough to go out on his own and not be under his parent’s constant supervision. He would venture down to Mr. Anderson’s garden because he knew the old man put fresh seed out for the birds several times everyday. So Quincy had a good time in the green grass and surrounding rocky areas. Of course, he learned to do the “chicken dance” from his parents when he was a tiny quail. Scratch, scratch, scratch, peck, peck, scratch, scratch, scratch, peck, peck… life went on day after day with Sergeant O’Quail keeping watch on the garden fence.

One day, Herbert decided he wanted to accompany his worldly brother, so he tagged along. Quincy told him to stay with Sergeant O’Quail because it wasn’t safe, but did he listen? No, of course not! Soon he was pecking on the lawn beside his brother.

“He doesn’t know of the dangers I face out here everyday,” thought Quincy. He couldn’t enjoy his feasting because he was very worried about Herbert. Even with Sergeant O’Quail on duty, it wasn’t always safe. The birds of prey liked to swoop in and catch them unaware and then there was always the roadrunner with his cunning smile and sharp teeth.

Bird of Prey

Sunni's Pictures

Herbert was happily eating away as he did the “chicken dance,” very unaware of any lurking dangers. Quincy found he couldn’t indulge in any pleasure at all because he was always watching for predators and keeping an eye out on his brother. He made up his mind he would talk to his parents that very evening after they got home.

Bush in the desert behind my house 

Sunni's Pictures

They arrived at the family hovel, just before dark. They were lucky to find this large sagebrush, big enough to accommodate everybody. The adults stood outside and made the evening call "wooo haa haa...wooo haa haa..." Similar calls could be heard all across the vast expanse of sand. Everything was quiet except the quail calls bouncing off the jagged rocks and rugged cliffs, a slight breeze rustling leaves nearby. Eventually everyone showed up as evening was falling on the desert. They shuffled inside and tried to find a place to tuck in for the night. The bush was overflowing with the family and visiting relatives who lost their sagebrush during a windstorm. Life in the desert could be treacherous. Besides the predators, there was always nature to put up with and it wasn’t always kind.

“Mama, I have to talk to you,” Quincy tried to barge in, pushing his brothers and sisters out of the way. “It’s important Mama,” he said.
“Will you younguns’ go and find a place to roost?” She shooed them off and then turned to Quincy. “Okay, what is so important son?”

“Mama you have to keep Herbert with you. He wants to follow me and I can’t scrounge for food and watch after him at the same time. As you know there are lots of dangers we face here in the desert.”

“That is quite true Quincy, but he has to learn the same way you did.”

“Well Mama, I barely escaped with my life that time. You know the roadrunner almost got me when I was a child.”

Roadrunner

Sunni's Pictures

“Yes that is true, but you survived and you’re the wiser for it now. Isn’t that right Quincy?”

“Yes Mama.”

“Well I think Herbert needs to learn as well.”

“But Mama, I don’t know if he can escape the attack the way I did. In fact, I wonder how I even did it when I go over it in my mind. I could very well not even be here today you know.”

“Yes I know that, but you got away and you are here. It’s your responsibility to teach the others; after all you were the first to hatch.”

“Well I refuse to be held accountable for the outcome of Herbert, if he tags along,” Quincy stamped his foot for emphasis.

“Try to get some rest Quincy. It’s a big job to be the older brother and a lot of responsibility.” His mother ruffled his feathers and gave him a peck on the cheek.

He found a spot in the corner under the sagebrush, finding it hard to squeeze into a place that another relative didn’t occupy. He tucked in to brood.

In the desert, night came on fast and it was getting quite dark already. Quincy could hardly make out his relatives. They were only silhouettes, soon he was fast asleep. He began to dream...