Monday Musing: Arizona backyard wildlife photos

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth, magic & romance.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C

Monday Musings: There is life in the desert

Most people think the desert is barren and devoid of any life. I thought that was true until I moved to the desert. The abundance of plant and animal life here astounded me. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears to experience it.

Most mornings I awaken to the odd, rhythmic sound of a quail calling to his family or the shrill calls of the very vocal grackle. I watch humming birds buzz around my feeder, listen to mourning doves cooing. I see rabbits, lizards, roadrunners, owls, bats, even snakes. Mocking birds often fill the air with their “mocking” cries.

We just moved to a house that backs up to a wash and it is full of life. Dozens of chipmunks live in burrows along the wash. They socialize with their neighbors, the rabbits and birds. When a chipmunk senses danger, it sends out a loud trilling noise to warn the other chipmunks.

On quiet nights, the chilling howls from coyotes ring out. When I hear that sound, my skin prickles because it signifies they have caught something.

We don’t have thick, luscious green pine trees here, but there are numerous plants and trees that flourish without the need for much water. My favorite is the palo verde tree. In the spring, its green branches sprout yellow flowers. Its pods also provide food for the various animals.

Many types of cactus grow here in the desert. In spring, beautiful flowers bloom among the sharp, menacing spines. Cactus wrens build their nests in the cactus, probably for protection from predators.

Life is everywhere here. On the stark surface, beneath a sweltering sun, it can be deceiving. But in the early hours of the morning and just before sunset, the animals come out to gather food, rabbits and chipmunks scurry from bush to bush, and the birds fill the air with their excited chatter. It’s so serene and beautiful here in the desert I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth & magic.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

https://www.facebook.com/kelleyheckartauthor

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Beauty may be the real beast.

Monday Musings: Arizona Backyard Wildlife

The quail go to each backyard. One acts as a lookout for the others.

Quail family including the babies.

Quail family visits the backyard.

Baby Godzilla sitting in the same place as mom and dad.

Doves that always visit the backyard.

This little guy scared my husband when it got inside the house. I got him safely back outside.

This quail was either scolding Loki or warning the other quail of a dog.

Loki ignored the scolding.

Another shot of baby Godzilla.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Monday Musings: More backyard wildlife, A lizard hitched a ride

I came back inside the house from doing some evening chores like adding chlorine tabs to the pool and emptying the kitchen trash when I felt something crawling on my head. On instinct, I brushed my hand through my hair and something fell out and landed on the kitchen floor. It was a baby lizard that immediately crawled under the stove. I couldn’t let it stay there because it would die if stranded in the house. Fortunately, my husband was home. I had him move the stove while I scooped the little guy into a plastic container and set him free outside. I have no idea how the lizard ended up hitching a ride on my head. I seem to attract wildlife in strange ways and this is one of them.

This is the little hitchhiker.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

http://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1341885749&sr=1-2-ent

Monday Musings: More Backyard Wildlife: Mr. and Mrs. Godzilla

There are two desert iguanas in my yard now. Since they are hanging out together, they must be male and female because males will fight. Anyway, I'm expecting to see some tiny lizards running around soon.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com        

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

My author page at amazon.com with all my books listed

http://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Heckart/e/B002BMOQ3C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1341885749&sr=1-2-ent

Monday Musings: More Backyard Wildlife

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Monday Musings: Signs of spring in Lake Havasu City, AZ

Hummingbird enjoys the warm weather.

 

This roadrunner suddenly jumped up on the wall while I was trying to photograph a lizard. I’m pretty sure he was hunting the lizard and didn’t see me. I think I saved the lizard’s life because I frightened the roadrunner as much as he frightened me--he left as fast as he appeared, I barely captured this shot.

 

A beautiful cactus bloom—such beauty among such dangerous thorns.

 

Palo Verde tree in full bloom.

 

Loki enjoying the nice spring weather.

 

My first sighting of Godzilla, the desert iguana—maybe. I’m not quite sure if this is Godzilla or his mate, or possibly his offspring. This lizard didn’t look quite as big as Godzilla.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Monday Musings: Kelley’s misc. pics

Another Godzilla pic. He let me get really close this time, but right after I took this picture, he darted into his den.

 

Loki patiently waits for me to finish taking pictures outside.

 

My husband playing a gig at the Twisted Metal Cycle Shop in LHC.

 

Me and my sister at the Twisted Metal Cycle Shop party.

 

Me and my husband at the Twisted Metal Cycle Shop party.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…

A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.

Will love be enough to save them?

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

Monday Musings: More Godzilla news and backyard beauty

The lizard I named Godzilla used to visit my yard and I recently discovered he has moved into my yard. Yeah, he moved in along with some baby lizards, which I assume belong to him and Mrs. Godzilla. I think there are two of the huge lizards and the babies would indicate that is true. We no longer have a bunch of bugs in our yard and house thanks to the lizard community. Godzilla doesn’t appear to feel threatened by me or by my Chihuahua (my Chihuahua isn’t much bigger than him). In fact, as the pictures indicate, he allows me to get really close to him.

The lizards seem to be enjoying the beautiful weather we are having. This is the time of year when cactus blooms. You wouldn’t think a plant with dangerous, prickly thorns could look beautiful, but I’ve never seen such gorgeous blooms.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604