I came to this desert in April 2007. Having come to the Sonoran desert from New England by way of Utah, it was quite a change. I entered a world of cacti unknown to me before. Everything has prickers and thorns! Even the bushes and trees have spines. I had to remind myself not to grab onto a branch for support.
After a world of maples and oaks, of sage brush and marshes this desert world is a whole new discovery, an alien place of dangerous beauty. As a bird lover, this world is alive with exotic species. We moved into our home in the Sonoran desert at the end of April and I started to experience what my new life would be like.
One of the first things to take into consideration is our little dog, Blossom. She is a Japanese chin mix and only weighs about 12 pounds. She is black and white like a Holstein cow with a tail that curls over her back whenever she is happy. Her nose is short like a pug and she has the same bug eyes like a pug. Here in the desert are dangers unknown to us before. We have to protect her from coyotes and rattlesnakes, but being in a fenced yard isn't enough, for eagles can strike from above during the days, and great horned owls would dine on her at night. We always walk her on a leash to keep her from snakes and cactus spines. Plus, when she gets the scent of a lizard, she turns into Blossom the Dragon Slayer! Her tail goes up, her tongue comes out, and off she goes! The lizards are in no danger, however, as they run much faster than she does and disappear into the rocks.
In the house we have two cats; Breezy, a 4 year old fluffy white male with blue eyes, gray ears and a gray tail, and Sweet Bonnie Blue Eyes. She is short haired, a year younger, and the juvenile delinquent of the two. Her favorite pastime is shredding paper. Both of them like to watch birds out the windows.
I am an avid bird lover and have set up feeders in my yard. My yard here is quite small-more like a courtyard than an actual yard. Still, I've managed to plant one velvet mesquite tree and put up my bird bath as well as numerous feeders. Since this is a new development, I thought it would be awhile before the birds showed up, but it didn't take long at all! So far I have had cactus wrens, curved-billed thrashers, Gila woodpeckers, white-winged doves, and canyon towhees along with the usual mourning doves, house finches and house sparrows. Come join me as I discover life in Sycamore Canyon!
After a world of maples and oaks, of sage brush and marshes this desert world is a whole new discovery, an alien place of dangerous beauty. As a bird lover, this world is alive with exotic species. We moved into our home in the Sonoran desert at the end of April and I started to experience what my new life would be like.
One of the first things to take into consideration is our little dog, Blossom. She is a Japanese chin mix and only weighs about 12 pounds. She is black and white like a Holstein cow with a tail that curls over her back whenever she is happy. Her nose is short like a pug and she has the same bug eyes like a pug. Here in the desert are dangers unknown to us before. We have to protect her from coyotes and rattlesnakes, but being in a fenced yard isn't enough, for eagles can strike from above during the days, and great horned owls would dine on her at night. We always walk her on a leash to keep her from snakes and cactus spines. Plus, when she gets the scent of a lizard, she turns into Blossom the Dragon Slayer! Her tail goes up, her tongue comes out, and off she goes! The lizards are in no danger, however, as they run much faster than she does and disappear into the rocks.
In the house we have two cats; Breezy, a 4 year old fluffy white male with blue eyes, gray ears and a gray tail, and Sweet Bonnie Blue Eyes. She is short haired, a year younger, and the juvenile delinquent of the two. Her favorite pastime is shredding paper. Both of them like to watch birds out the windows.
I am an avid bird lover and have set up feeders in my yard. My yard here is quite small-more like a courtyard than an actual yard. Still, I've managed to plant one velvet mesquite tree and put up my bird bath as well as numerous feeders. Since this is a new development, I thought it would be awhile before the birds showed up, but it didn't take long at all! So far I have had cactus wrens, curved-billed thrashers, Gila woodpeckers, white-winged doves, and canyon towhees along with the usual mourning doves, house finches and house sparrows. Come join me as I discover life in Sycamore Canyon!
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